Podcasts about heavenly father

Fear can make difficult circumstances feel overwhelming, especially when the future is uncertain or we cannot see what lies ahead. But Isaiah 41:10 offers a powerful reminder that God does not ask us to face fear and hardship alone. He promises to be with us, strengthen us, help us, and uphold us with His righteous hand. When fear tells us we are alone or too weak to keep going, God’s presence gives us a reason to trust Him. God’s presence changes the way we face frightening circumstances. He sees the path ahead even when we cannot, knows what we will encounter, and is never surprised by the challenges we face. His strength is greater than our weakness, His help is available in every season, and His faithful hand can hold us steady when life feels uncertain. Rather than allowing fear to control our thoughts and decisions, we can focus on God’s promises and bring our worries to Him in prayer. As our confidence in God grows, we can learn to choose faith over fear and move forward knowing that He is with us every step of the way. Highlights How Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that God is present when we face frightening circumstances Why we can trust God even when we cannot see what lies ahead How God provides strength when we feel too weak to handle our circumstances Why we never have to face our struggles without God’s help What it means for God to uphold us with His righteous right hand How focusing on God’s promises can replace fear with greater confidence and peace Practical encouragement for choosing faith over fear in everyday challenges Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Do Not Fear By: Whitney Hopler Bible Reading: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10, NIV I once went to a party store in October with my son and daughter to buy my daughter’s Halloween costume. My son was in preschool at the time, and the moment we walked inside, he saw scary Halloween decorations everywhere. There was a robotic talking skeleton with glowing red eyes, a cackling inflatable witch, and other scary displays. He was so afraid that he closed his eyes and refused to open them. My daughter and I gently held his hands and guided him through the store like a blind person because he simply could not bear to look. We hurried to find the costume, paid for it, and got out of there as quickly as we could. My son felt safe because he knew we were with him, even though he couldn’t see where he was going. You’ll encounter many scary situations in this fallen world. But God encourages you in Isaiah 41:10 not to be afraid, because he is with you and will help you. You don’t have to fear, because God is with you. God’s presence changes everything. Just as my son found comfort because he knew his family was beside him, you can find peace because your loving Heavenly Father never leaves your side. Even when you can’t see what lies ahead, God sees the whole path before you. God knows every challenge you’ll encounter and every need you’ll have along the way. Nothing surprises God, and no scary situation is too hard for God to handle. God also promises to strengthen you. There may be days when you feel too weak to manage the challenges you’re facing. But God doesn’t expect you to find strength on your own. He promises to give you the strength you need for each step. God’s power is greater than your weakness. As you rely on God’s strength, you’ll discover that God will empower you to deal with situations that once seemed impossible to manage. God also promises to help you. You never have to face your struggles by yourself. God sees every problem you’re facing and hears every prayer you pray for help. God will walk closely with you as your personal guide, ready to help at just the right time. Sometimes God will help you by changing your circumstances. At other times, God will give you the grace and endurance to keep trusting him as you go through challenging circumstances. Either way, God will faithfully work for your good. Finally, God says he will uphold you with his righteous right hand. That means God will hold you securely, so you can be secure even when your life feels unsteady. Even when you feel like you might fall, God is able to keep you standing. God’s loving hand on you is stronger than anything that tries to pull you down. So, instead of focusing on the fear you feel, focus on God’s promises to you. When fear leads you to think you’re alone, remember that God says, “I am with you.” When fear tells you that you’re too weak, remember that God says, “I will strengthen you.” When fear says no one can help you, remember that God says, “I will help you.” When fear tells you that you’ll fall, remember that God says, “I will uphold you.” Don’t let fear take control of your life. Each day is another opportunity to trust God’s promises instead of your feelings. As you spend time reading the Bible and bringing your worries to God in prayer, your confidence in God will grow. Little by little, you’ll learn that God’s peace is stronger than your fear because God’s presence is always with you. Choose to trust God – instead of fear – to lead you forward. You don’t have to walk through life with your eyes closed, wondering what will happen next. God is walking beside you every step of the way. God’s love is constant, God’s strength never fails, and God’s faithful hand is holding you securely. Because God is with you, you don’t have to fear. Intersecting Faith & Life: As you consider how God will help you overcome fear, reflect on these questions: What fear are you carrying today that you need to give to God? How have you experienced God’s help during a difficult season in your life? Which promise in Isaiah 41:10 speaks the most to you today? What’s one way you can choose faith instead of fear this week? How can remembering that God is always with you change the way you face today’s challenges? Further Reading: Psalm 23:4 Deuteronomy 31:8 2 Timothy 1:7 Joshua 1:9 John 14:27 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Thursday, 1 October 2026   They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, Matthew 23:6   “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers, and the first-sittings in the synagogues.” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus noted how the scribes and Pharisees widened their phylacteries and enlarged the tassels of their garments. He continues with their self-serving attitude, saying, “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers.”   There are a couple of new words. The first is prótoklisia, a first-sitting. It is derived from protos, foremost (in time, place, order, or importance), and klisia, reclination, as when sitting in a lounge chair or lying back on something.   The idea here is the most important seat at a meal, where people recline at low tables. This is a meal, as seen in the next new word, deipnon, the chief meal, usually in the evening. Of this seating, the Pulpit Commentary says –   “The custom of reclining on cushions set in horseshoe fashion at three sides of the table was now prevalent... The place of honour is said to have been at the upper end of the right side, the president being placed, not in the centre of that end of the table which faced the opening, but at the side. The most honoured guest would be at his right hand... There was often much manoeuvring to obtain this post, and many petty squabbles about precedence arose on every festal occasion.”   The point is that even during meals, these men strove to be recognized as the most important by being seated more honorably than others. Along with this, Jesus says, “and the first-sittings in the synagogues.”   Another new word is seen, prótokathedria, the first sitting. It is derived from protos, foremost, and kathedra, a bench. Again, the Pulpit Commentary, citing Edersheim, provides an explanation of the intent –   The synagogue “was built of stone, with an entrance generally on the south, and so arranged that the worshippers might direct their prayers towards Jerusalem. In the centre was placed the lectern of the reader; the women's gallery was at the north end. ‘The inside plan is generally that of two double colonnades, which seem to have formed the body of the synagogue, the aisles east and west being probably used as passages. At the south end, facing north, is a movable ark, containing the sacred rolls of the Law and the prophets. Right before the ark, and facing the people, are the seats of honour, for the rulers of the synagogue and the honourable.' These were the places for which the Pharisees contended, thinking more of gaining these, where they could sit enthroned in the sight of the congregation, than of the Divine worship which nominally they came to offer.”   This was a me-centered aspect of the religious life of the scribes and Pharisees. They wanted to be seen as important in the eyes of everyone, and these were ways they could obtain such recognition.   Life application: Jesus has already given His disciples instruction on such attitudes –   “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'” Matthew 20:25-28   Paul wrote about this mindset as well –   “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3, 4   In James 2, we read of showing partiality, something similar in thought, but from the other side of the matter. In these and other examples, we can learn that God does not look with favor on those who are consumed with themselves or who treat others poorly.   Each of us, therefore, should evaluate ourselves and our actions toward others, understanding that we are just people, like all others. Conducting our affairs in life as God desires is what assigns value to us. Therefore, let us endeavor to be pleasing to Him in this manner as we live our lives in His presence.   Heavenly Father, help us not to seek to exalt ourselves in the eyes of others, but to live with humility, knowing that You are evaluating us. May we always think of others as better than us, showing them kind respect no matter who they are. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.  

When one king conquered another in ancient times, it would be customary to parade the defeated king through the streets as a form of humiliation. It was important for everyone to know that the power dynamic had changed, and there was a new ruler in charge! Well, Satan is going to be on the losing end of that exchange one day soon! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that even Lucifer will be defeated one day soon, and we will all get to witness our Heavenly Father sitting on the throne of Creation.

Boundaries can feel confusing, painful, or even threatening, especially after loss. For widows and single moms, it may seem as though all protection has been stripped away. But Scripture tells a different story.In this episode, we look at God's promise to set and guard the boundary stones of the widow. Long before boundaries became a modern conversation, God established Himself as the protector and defender of the vulnerable. You will be reminded that even in seasons where life feels exposed, God has drawn clear lines of protection around you and your children.This episode is both reassuring and points listeners back to the safety, authority, and care of our Heavenly Father.Key Takeaways:God sets and protects boundaries for widowsYou are covered, even when life feels exposedGod defends what is entrusted to youScripture References:Proverbs 15:25, 23:10–11, Psalm 16:6, 68:5, 139:5Other Resources:Anger in Grief: Helping your Heart and Your Child Heal Podcast Episode 204 with Lori AponConnectYou can learn more about Perspective Ministries, find resources for widows and mothers raising fatherless children, and connect with upcoming gatherings at www.perspectiveministries.orgYou are not alone. God sees you, He is present, and He is faithfully defending you and your children.

What if parenting wasn't primarily about getting our kids to behave—but about shaping the messages they believe about themselves, about us, and about God? In this episode of Parenting Practicals, I'm joined by fellow Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Laura Way to go back to the basics and walk through the Connected Families Framework. This framework guides all of our Parenting Practicals conversations, so whether you're new to the series or have been listening for a while, this episode will help you understand what's behind the tools and strategies we share. Together, we unpack the four core messages we want our children to experience through our parenting: You are safe with me. You are loved no matter what. You are called and capable. You are responsible. We talk about looking beneath behavior, recognizing the strengths that may be showing up "sideways," coaching our kids before correcting them, and approaching correction as an opportunity for restoration rather than punishment. And perhaps most importantly, we remember that these aren't just messages we offer our children—they reflect the way our compassionate Heavenly Father meets us, too. If you're longing for parenting that builds trust, connection, purpose, skills, and wisdom—not perfect behavior—this conversation is a great place to start. Connected Families is a ministry providing biblically grounded, research-informed help for everyday parenting. Learn more about them and their parenting framework at https://connectedfamilies.org/ Laura Way is hanging onto Jesus for dear life as a 'sensitive & intense' mom parenting two neurodivergent girls. She loves working as Content Manager at Connected Families, because she gets to think and write about the Framework—even while she works! After living overseas in China for 7 years, she and her husband live in Orlando, Florida, with their vibrant girls, silly standard poole, and backyard hens. Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/ Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time! Want to say hello? Follow on Facebook and Insta @lyssastoyko Email at momstaketen@gmail.com

In this episode of the Woman at the Well Ministries podcast, join Kim Miller and Erika Klose in a “conversation as we walk with Jesus.” In today's “conversation” we are chatting about understanding the presence of God in our storms.    Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode Luke 8:22–25 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A22-25&version=KJV Luke 9:23 — referenced by “pick up your cross, deny yourself, and follow me.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23&version=KJV Isaiah 41:10 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10&version=KJV Genesis 22:1–14 — the account of Abraham and Isaac going up the mountain is discussed. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+22%3A1-14&version=KJV Genesis 22:5 — specifically alluded to when Abraham tells the servants that he and Isaac will return. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+22%3A5&version=KJV John 14:2–3 — referenced by “I go to prepare a place for you... I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A2-3&version=KJV John 10:10 — referenced by “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A10&version=KJV Did you enjoy this episode? It would make a huge difference to us if you took a minute to leave us a review wherever you listen and share the episode on social media!  Have you listened to our new podcast, The Bible Bit Podcast? These short podcasts come directly from the Bible Bits Kimberly writes each week day and shares to our subscribers via text message. You can learn more about Bible Bits right here. Want the BIble Bits in print? Find them here:  Bible Bit books! Do you want to bring Kimberly Miller and Woman at the Well Ministries to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us!  Special thanks to the gospel group Fudge Creek for allowing us to use their song Happy Girl. Woman at the Well Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others. To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our website.  All of this and more is found on the Woman at the Well Ministries website.

Daily Anglican Prayer – Thursday Morning – 1st October 2026 Readings NRSVUE: Psalm 74; Ezra 2.64-3.8; Colossians 2.1-7. Led by Felicity Scott, an Anglican prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Thursday Morning prayer. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ as our Saviour and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray.     1 This is the message we have heard from Christ: That God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.   Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.    2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace Go up to a high mountain Herald of good tidings to Zion: Lift up your voice with strength, Herald of good tidings to Jerusalem. Lift up your voice, fear not: Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!' See the Lord God coming with power: Coming to rule with his mighty arm. He brings his reward for the people of God: the recompense for those who are saved. God will feed his flock like a shepherd: And gather the lambs in his arms; He will hold them to his breast: And gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40.9-11   3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;  let us pray with one heart and mind.    Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,  so may the light of your presence, O God,  set our hearts with love for you;  now and for ever.  Amen.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each. Psalm 74     5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us in your son Jesus Christ: grant that as he came to share our human nature so we may be partakers in his divine glory; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.  Amen.   6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.   1st Reading Ezra 2.64-3.8 64 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 65besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven, and they had two hundred male and female singers. 66They had seven hundred thirty-six horses, two hundred forty-five mules, 67four hundred thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred twenty donkeys. 68As soon as they came to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of families made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69According to their resources they gave to the building fund, sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly robes. 70The priests, the Levites, and some of the people, as well as the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, lived in their towns and all Israel in their towns.   1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their towns, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem. 2Then Jeshua son of Jozadak with his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. 3They set up the altar on its foundation because they were in dread of the people of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, morning and evening. 4And they kept the Festival of Booths, as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, 5and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD. 6From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia. Foundation Laid for the Temple 8 In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites from twenty years old and up to have the oversight of the work on the house of the LORD.   Hear the word of the LORD. Thanks be to God.   2nd Reading The letter of Paul to the Colossians chapter 2.1-7 1For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face. 2I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your orderly conduct and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Fullness of Life in Christ 6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.   Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.     7 The Canticle, In the beginning was the word: and the word was with God, and the word was god: he was in the beginning with god. all things were made through him: and without him, was not anything made that was made. In him was life: And the life was the light of all the people. The light shines in the darkness: And the darkness has not overcome it. He was in the world: And the world was made through him yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home: and his own people received him not. But to all who received him who believed on his name: He has given power to become children of God; who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh: nor of the will of a man but of God. And the Word became flesh And dwelt among us full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory: glory as of the only son from the father and from his fullness have we all received: And grace upon grace.   8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity. Amen   9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.   10 The Lord's Prayer Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.      Prayer of the Week following the EIGHTEENTH Sunday after Pentecost O God, You declare your almighty power Chiefly in showing mercy and pity Mercifully grant us such a measure of your grace That running in the way of your commandments We may obtain your gracious promises And be made partakers of your heavenly treasure Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Amen   11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray   Ordinary Thursday prayers   God of the nations, we thank you for your sovereign rule bringing justice and peace. Have mercy on our world, share abundantly your peace in the hearts of all and increase in people the spirit that makes for peace. Instil in us that all races and peoples can live in harmony as members of one family. Humbly we pray; LORD Hear our prayer   Loving God, we pray thanks to you for bringing forward the people needed to create our loving community's. We ask you to bless medical and hospital workers that help people and the police and defence forces that protect our country, we appreciate their contributions in providing a safe country for all people to live in. Humbly we pray; LORD Hear our prayer   Saviour God, we thank you for all you provide to us in our time of need. We ask you to help those who are hungry, especially help countries who are unable to provide food for their people, guide us to help them in their hour of need. Humbly we pray; LORD Hear our prayer   Heavenly God, we pray thanks for all our ancestors, for their contribution in this world, and for how their presence has led the way to today's common ground that today we so easily walk on. We are eternally grateful for all their many blessings and pray they have risen to meet your glory everlasting. Humbly we pray; LORD Hear our prayer   God of wisdom, we pray that the road our ancestors walked with you, in the pursuit of peace and joy, helps us to the enjoy the same fruitful ways. As we learn from their wisdom, and appreciate the life they have carved for us, may we remember them and be brought to a communion with you, through your everlasting love and mercy. Humbly we pray; LORD Hear our prayer   Blessed God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer: The Diocese of Bujumbura – The Anglican Church of Burundi The ongoing work of peace-making in Sudan & South Sudan The Anglican Church of Australia: The Primate, The General Secretary; The General Synod and the Standing Committee The Parish of Goonaneman Youth, Children's & Families Ministry: Anglican Schools Office, Church House All Prison ministry chaplaincy teams All people joining in this prayer offering. Merciful God Hear our prayer.   12 The Morning Collect Lord and Heavenly Father, you have brought us safely to this new day: Keep us by your mighty power, protect us from sin, guard us from every kind of danger, and in all we do this day direct us in the fulfilling of your purpose, Through Jesus Christ our lord.  Amen.   13 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    May the God of peace equip us with everything good so that we may do his will, and may he work in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Hebrews 13.20 Music: Song name: Sing my soul, His wondrous love by Ned Rorem – Choir of St John's college, Cambridge & Andrew Nethsingha. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSVUE bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.  

Larkin Swain left the LDS Church as a teenager and spent years searching for healing, spirituality, and truth. Her journey took her through yoga, meditation, energy work, plant medicine, and eventually ayahuasca—until an unexpected encounter with Jesus Christ changed the direction of her life.In this episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan Farner sits down with Larkin to explore her remarkable spiritual journey from Utah to Bali and Thailand, through spiritual seeking and a profound conversion to Christ, and eventually back to the LDS faith and the temple.Larkin shares the dark ayahuasca experience in which she saw Christ on the cross and heard the words, “It is finished.” She describes the prayer that followed months later, the unmistakable peace she experienced the next morning, and why she ultimately began reading the Bible, rediscovered the Book of Mormon, returned to church, and received her temple endowment.But her story doesn't end with returning to religion. Meghan and Larkin explore Christian contemplation, embodiment, mysticism, symbolism, ritual, Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and what it means to develop a deeply personal relationship with God while participating in a faith tradition.They also discuss Larkin's work as host of Sanctuary, a Faith Matters podcast exploring the LDS temple, sacred ritual, symbolism, transformation, and the mystical dimensions of discipleship.This conversation is for anyone navigating faith transition, spiritual seeking, religious reconstruction, Christian mysticism, LDS temple worship, or the desire to experience God beyond intellectual belief.Larkin Swain is a seeker of heaven and truth, contemplative poet, herbalist, and lifelong student of the healing arts. Raised in Utah County in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she stepped away from the faith at 15 and spent years exploring spirituality and healing practices. While living in Thailand, she experienced a transformative conversion to Jesus Christ that eventually led her back to the LDS faith with a renewed perspective on its doctrine, temple worship, symbolism, and ritual. She is the host of Sanctuary, a Faith Matters podcast exploring the temple, sacred ritual, and spiritual transformation.  Learn more and explore everything at:https://meghanfarner.comConnect with us:• Instagram: @hiddenwisdompod• YouTube: @hiddenwisdomldd

Finding genuine peace that lasts feels nearly impossible when anxiety and worry seem to be our constant companion. In this sermon on Matthew 6:25–34, Pastor Maiola Vivas helps us to look at Jesus' tender yet direct command to not be anxious about the daily necessities of life. Rather than dismissing our concerns, Jesus gently draws our eyes to creation. He reminds us of how the Father feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field. When we look to Him, we realize just how deeply valued and loved we are by Him. It's in knowing this love of His that brings true peace. We put our trust in the character of our Heavenly Father, resting in the fact that he already knows every need we have. Instead of living like those who frantically chase after temporary security, we are invited to shift our posture from fear to faith. When we stop trying to control tomorrow and instead cast our anxieties on Him, we are freed to experience a life rooted in His care. Pastor Maiola offers a helpful perspective on what it means to practically seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, letting go of tomorrow's worries to rest in His faithful provision today.

 Heavenly Father, you have given us the protection and guidance of your holy Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. We ask for their intercession and help as we journey toward you. Saint Michael, defender of the Church and vanquisher of evil, stand with us in our daily battles. Shield us with your sword, and drive away all darkness and temptation. Saint Gabriel, messenger of God's Good News, help us to hear and respond to the Word with trust and joy. Guide us to proclaim Christ with courage and love. Saint Raphael, healer and companion of the journey, watch over the sick and suffering. Lead us to wholeness in body, mind, and spirit, and guide travellers safely on their way. Holy Archangels, surround us with your heavenly care. Help us to be faithful to God's will and open to His grace. May we walk always in the presence of the Lord. Amen. 

Today, again, we will spend time in worship. Simply focusing on God and His character. So, invite His Holy Spirit to pour over You with His presence. Listen intently as we experience His Word together.From Psalm 33 The MessageGood people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano!Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.For God's Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out.He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true.Earth is drenched in God's affectionate satisfaction.… bow before God; … down on your knees!Here's why: he spoke and there it was, in place the moment he said so.God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world's power-schemes.God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last.Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will.He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength.Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone.Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love.He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.We're depending on God; he's everything we need.What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name.Love us, God, with all you've got—that's what we're depending on.Can you add your personal thoughts of worship to these words from david?What about God are you in awe of?How has God rescued you?Will you praise and worship him for the personal way He has shown up recently?Let's personalize the last lines of Psalm 33:I'm depending on You, God; You are everything I need.What's more, my heart brims with joy since I've taken for my own Your holy name.Love me, God, with all you've got—that's what I'm depending on.Pray with me: “Heavenly Father, Thank You that I don't have to worship, but I get to worship. You are a Gentleman who never forces His way, yet loves in such a powerful way that invites a response of gratitude. Thank You for loving me with all You've got. As above, so below.” - Amen

Today's Scripture: Hebrews 12:11-29What do pictures of an elite athlete, a patient being restored and a tale of two mountains have in common? Hebrews 12 shows us God as our Father Coach and Father Physician — and reminds us we can trust God to be good, even when hardship feels bad.Where is God asking you right now to be teachable or receive His correction? How can fixing your eyes on Jesus help you keep going in faith?

This week at Zion, Executive Pastor Anthony Rivera continued our series, Romans: The Gospel Changes Everything, with a message titled Am I Right With God? from Romans 5.Paul answers one of the most important questions we can ask: How do I know I'm right with God? The good news is that our standing with God is not based on our performance, but on our faith in Jesus Christ. Through Him, we have been justified, given peace with God, access to the Father, and a firm place to stand in His grace.We explored three powerful truths:We don't live for acceptance, we live from acceptance. Because of Jesus, we no longer have to strive for God's approval. We have full access to our Heavenly Father and can approach Him with confidence.Affliction doesn't get the final word. Romans 5 reminds us that suffering is part of life, but God uses it to produce endurance, character, and hope. Our circumstances may be real, but they don't have to define us because we are being filled and formed by Christ.The cross settles what our circumstances cannot. When we question whether God loves us, Paul points us back to the cross. Romans 5:8 reminds us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God's love was proven long before we had anything to offer Him.Drawing from Hebrews 12:2, Anthony shared a powerful reminder: the joy set before Jesus as He endured the cross was us. He willingly endured suffering because He loved us and desired to bring us back into relationship with the Father.The message concluded with a challenge to remember the blood of Christ. When life feels uncertain, when suffering feels overwhelming, and when we wonder where we stand with God, we can look to the cross and remember what Jesus has already done. Because of Him, we can trust God with our future and rest in the assurance that we have been made right with Him.NEXT STEPS: Whether you're exploring faith, growing in your relationship with Jesus, or looking for a church community, we'd love to help you take your next step. Visit zionchurch.com to learn more, plan your visit, and connect with the Zion family.ABOUT ZION CHURCH: Zion Church exists to see the lost saved, the saved ignited, and the world changed. We are passionate in our love for God and relentless in our love for people. We believe Jesus is over everything, God's presence changes everything, and we are called to live on mission together. Whether you're new to faith, searching for a church home, or looking to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus, there is a place for you at Zion.JOIN US SUNDAYS: 8:00AM | 9:30AM | 11:00AMLOCATION: 1201 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, CAFOR MORE INFORMATION: www.zionchurch.comSTAY CONNECTED: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zionsanclementeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zionsanclemente/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@zionsanclementeSupport the show

No matter where we are or where we go, God is always there. On this episode of The Verdict, Pastor John Munro shares a lesson about the omnipresence of God: the immense yet intimate presence of our Heavenly Father.

As you prepare for rest tonight, let go of the need to carry tomorrow's burdens on your own. In tonight's Our Daily Bread Evening Meditation, reflecting on Psalm 131, we'll discover the deep peace that comes from trusting our loving Heavenly Father with every care.Tonight's meditation is read by Adeyinka. Meet the team at odb.org/meet-the-team. These meditations are lovingly and prayerfully crafted by human writers, presenters and producers, with no AI-generated content. If you'd like to get in touch with us to share your story or let us know how we can make the Evening Meditations an even better experience, email our team at eveningmeditations@odbm.orgWe hope that you enjoy this Evening Meditation from Our Daily Bread Ministries! You can find more exciting content from Our Daily Bread Ministries by downloading the Our Daily Bread app or visiting us at: odbm.orgAll our funding comes from our listeners, like you, who value what we do and want to help us reach more people. Together, we can keep making our podcast freely accessible to all. You can make a donation towards our mission at eveningmeditations.org. ★ Support this podcast ★

Every one of us experience storms in our lives.  Some storms come through sickness, financial pressure, broken relationships, grief, fear, or uncertainty.  Sometimes the storm is outside of us and at other times the storm is within us.  Oftentimes during these difficult times in our lives, we find ourselves asking, “Where is God in my storm?”  We pray, but Heaven seems silent. We ask God for help, but the circumstances do not immediately change. We wonder, “Lord, do You see me? Do You care?”  Join us in this podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries as Kim takes us on a journey through the Scriptures revealing how God's presence brings quietness into the chaos and the storms of our lives. Teaching us to place our faith in Christ and not in our  circumstances, not in our own strength, and not in our ability to predict what will happen in the future. Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode John 14:26 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A26&version=KJV Luke 8:22–25 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A22-25&version=KJV 1 Peter 5:8 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A8&version=KJV Galatians 6:7 — referenced by the statement about reaping what one sows. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A7&version=KJV Hebrews 11:6 — referenced by “without faith it is impossible to please him.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A6&version=KJV John 16:33 — referenced by “in this world, you will have troubles… I have overcome the world.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A33&version=KJV Hebrews 13:5 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5&version=KJV Philippians 4:13 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=KJV Philippians 4:19 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A19&version=KJV Luke 9:23 — referenced by “deny yourself… pick up your cross and follow me.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23&version=KJV Job 14:1 — referenced by “a man born of a woman… few days, and full of trouble.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+14%3A1&version=KJV Isaiah 41:10 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10&version=KJV Matthew 14:22–33 — the account of Peter walking on the water is discussed repeatedly. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+14%3A22-33&version=KJV 1 John 4:4 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A4&version=KJV 1 Kings 19 — Elijah's encounter with God is referenced. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+19&version=KJV 1 Peter 5:7 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A7&version=KJV Matthew 11:28–29 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=KJV Jeremiah 33:3 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+33%3A3&version=KJV Hebrews 4:14–16 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A14-16&version=KJV Ephesians 3:20 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A20&version=KJV Mark 4:39 — referenced by “Peace, be still.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A39&version=KJV Matthew 17:20 — referenced by the statement about faith as a mustard seed removing mountains. www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17%3A20&version=KJV 1 Corinthians 14:33 — referenced by “God is not the author of confusion.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+14%3A33&version=KJV 2 Corinthians 12:9 — referenced by “My grace is sufficient.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A9&version=KJV Psalm 84:11 — referenced near the end by “no good thing… withhold from those who walk uprightly.” www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+84%3A11&version=KJV Did you enjoy this episode? It would make a huge difference to us if you took a minute to leave us a review wherever you listen and share the episode on social media!  Have you listened to our new podcast, The Bible Bit Podcast? These short podcasts come directly from the Bible Bits Kimberly writes each week day and shares to our subscribers via text message. You can learn more about Bible Bits right here. Want the BIble Bits in print? Find them here:  Bible Bit books! Do you want to bring Kimberly Miller and Woman at the Well Ministries to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us!  Special thanks to the gospel group Fudge Creek for allowing us to use their song Happy Girl. Woman at the Well Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others. To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our website.  All of this and more is found on the Woman at the Well Ministries website.

Lord, Let Joy Be My Signature Testimony! Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 In a small village, a once-distraught woman knelt by her window, tears streaming down her face. She had lost everything — her home, her family, and her dreams. Yet, each morning, before the sun painted the skies with warmth, she rose with gratitude, proclaiming, “Lord, let joy be my testimony!” Her heart, though heavy, clung to hope rooted in the depths of her spirit. This testimony of joy became a beacon for others lost in despair, illuminating their paths back to faith. The foundation of our joy can be found clearly laid out in Scripture. Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy is not merely an emotion; it's a divine empowerment that fuels our journey. As the exiles rejoiced at their restoration, they echoed Psalm 126:2-3, proclaiming, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” When we allow joy to overflow from our hearts, it becomes our signature — an authentic witness to God's transformative love. Psalm 126:2-3 says, "Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: Then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; Whereof we are glad." Let us apply this truth in our own lives. Regardless of our trials, our joy can rise like a phoenix from the ashes of adversity. Romans 15:13 assures us that “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” Think of a recent challenge you faced. How can you redirect that struggle into a testimony of joy? As you invite the Holy Spirit into your circumstances, you will see how your joy can not only elevate your spirit but inspire those around you. I declare over you today that joy will become your identity. Just as David danced before the Lord, you too will embody unrestrained, contagious faith. Your smile shall reflect the peace and hope that comes from knowing Christ. Your laughter shall become contagious. As you step into this declaration, your joy will become a powerful testimony. Everyone who listens to your testimony shall glorify God and turn their heart from despair to delight. Remember, you are the light. Amen. Luke 15:23 says, "Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate." Amen. Prayer for the Day!Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of joy that transcends our circumstances. Fill us with joy and peace in believing by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to shine brightly in a world that yearns for hope. May our lives become living testimonies, overflowing with joy that brings others closer to You. In Jesus name. Amen. https://maglife.org

God has forgiven us through Christ, wiping away our sins and giving us new life. Because we have received His forgiveness, we are called to show patience, overlook offenses, and forgive others instead of letting hurt divide our relationships. We can take our pain to God, stop keeping a record of wrongs, and seek honest conversations that lead to reconciliation. The message's central declaration is: “I live in and live out my Heavenly Father's forgiveness.”

On this Sunday Service, we were blessed to have Dr. Bill Grady behind the pulpit, who brought us a message we're entitling "Wonders Without Number", from the book of Job. Have you ever stopped and taken a moment to think on the greatness of God? A God that does great and unsearchable things to such a degree that Job remarks His wonders cannot be numbered. That's my God, amen! This Camp Meeting Weekend message will make you smile, make you laugh, and then make you tremble in awe at the miracle-working power of our Heavenly Father."Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number." Job 9:10 (KJB)

Pastor Charlene teaches on taking shelter in the ever-loving arms of our Heavenly Father.

Sometimes we want to go to God, but there are certain things holding us back. Maybe pride is preventing us from repenting. Or maybe, it is a feeling that we're unworthy that makes us fear we're unwelcome. Well, in this next message in our "Falling" series, we're going to observe three things the prodigal son does as he returns home and the three things the father gives him in response. And in this, we're going to see why when sin leaves us broken and bruised there's only one place for us to go...back home to our Heavenly Father.

God, Send Me To The Right Mentor And Mentee! "You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 2 Timothy 2:2 In the bustling sands of the Sinai Desert, a wise elder named Jethro once shared invaluable counsel with Moses, igniting a legacy of leadership that shaped a nation's destiny. This shared journey of growth between mentor and mentee not only illuminated the path for God's chosen people but also established a pattern of generational transfer that reverberates through the ages. Like Jethro and Moses, we too crave divine guidance in our search for mentors to light our path and mentees to pass our wisdom on. Scripture is replete with powerful examples of mentorship, emphasizing its importance in our walk with God. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul reminds us to entrust teachings to faithful individuals who can teach others, creating a chain of discipleship that reflects God's heart for community. Furthermore, Titus 2:3-5 calls older women to mentor younger women, cultivating a culture of encouragement and spiritual growth. The story of Moses and Jethro vividly illustrates this divine design, urging us to seek the right relationships that foster our spiritual journeys. Philippians 4:9 says, "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." As we navigate life's complexities, it's essential to pray for mentors who can offer guidance and mentees who are eager to learn. Reflect on your own life: Who has influenced your journey? Who are you investing in? We often underestimate the profound impact of these relationships. Lift your heart in prayer, asking God to align you with those who reflect His wisdom and grace, ensuring that you both give and receive in the spirit of love. Hear this: God will set you up for divine connections in motion! Just as Jethro instructed Moses, you will receive the wisdom needed for your unique journey, and you will confidently pour into those who seek your guidance. Let us look at the life of Timothy, a faithful mentee who thrived under Paul's mentorship. His tenacity and growth testified to the power of faith in action—a living legacy that still inspires us today. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:12 says, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service." Amen. Prayer for the Day!Heavenly Father, thank You for the mentors and mentees You have placed in our lives. Lord, align me with wise guides and faithful learners, and help us to build relationships that honor You. May Your Holy Spirit lead us in all wisdom and understanding. In Jesus name, Amen.

It is time this very minute to pray and seek God. Time to set our timers and pray for the minute. This podcast encourages us to stop for a minute and, now, in the presence of our Heavenly Father—with praise and prayer—worship Him in Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit. ———— *We do not own the rights to music played on this podcast.

Heavenly Father, you are my constant and I love that about you. Scripture: Hebrews1:11-12 Want a resource to strengthen your relationship with Jesus? Check out Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads by Suzanne Eller 

Romans 12:17-21 NLT"Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.There is some great relationship advice in this passage: Don't pay back evil with evil. Live honorably. Never take revenge. Serving even your enemies in times of need proves character comes first. Good will always overcome evil—in His time, in the end.But one of the best pieces of counsel here is found in verse 18: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” God only expects us to do what we can. We are not responsible for anyone else's actions. We do our part whether they do theirs or not. And who does this apply to? Everyone. Saints and sinners. The guilty and the innocent.In your life right now, is peace your agenda or is revenge on the table? Is it time to let God handle something for you so good can conquer evil?Listen to this priceless passage one more time but this time from The Message Bible:Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. “I'll do the judging,” says God. “I'll take care of it.”  Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. (Romans 12:17-21 MSG)Pray with me:“Heavenly Father, teach me to live honorably. Show me how to live at peace with everyone. Help me to stay away from revenge and leave that with You. When I encounter evil or am tempted by evil, help me to choose Your way. May I learn how to surprise others with Your goodness. As above, so below.” - Amen

Knowing God is one thing. Truly knowing who you are in Him can change everything.In this powerful conversation on Road to Redemption, Valerie Peterson sits down with Julie White, an ordained minister, wife, mom, author, and founder of Royal Daughters, to talk about identity, healing, and discovering the love of God as a Father.Julie grew up in church and experienced the presence of God from a very young age. But behind her faith was a home filled with brokenness, fear, and emotional instability.Although she knew Jesus, Julie struggled to feel secure as God's beloved daughter.Years later, while serving in ministry, she began asking God why she wasn't experiencing the love, peace, and joy she saw in His Word.That question began a journey of healing.God started revealing Himself to Julie as a loving Father and showing her who she truly was in Him.She began to understand:She is valued.She is loved.She is a beloved daughter of the King.And she doesn't have to earn God's acceptance.That revelation transformed the way Julie approached her faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and ministry.Today, Julie helps other women experience that same truth through Royal Daughters and the Princess Perspective Experience, helping women encounter Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father while discovering their identity in Christ.Her story reminds us:Knowing Jesus is the beginning of a lifelong journey.Healing can happen from generation to generation.Your past does not have to determine your future.And you don't have to earn the love of your Heavenly Father.You are already loved.What would change if you truly believed you were loved, valued, and delighted in by God?Connect with Julie White:

We know that God loves us because He gave us His son. We know that His son Jesus loves us because He gave Himself for us. But what about our lives demonstrates we love God? Join us in this broadcast of Woman at the Well Ministries as Kim discusses the outward manifestation of God's inward love and how we can love Him through our actions and our words.   Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode Colossians 1:10 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A10&version=KJV John 12:32 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A32&version=KJV 2 Corinthians 5:1 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A1&version=KJV Revelation 21:1–27 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+21%3A1-27&version=KJV John 20:24–29 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A24-29&version=KJV 2 Corinthians 12:9 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A9&version=KJV Jeremiah 33:3 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+33%3A3&version=KJV Matthew 7:7 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A7&version=KJV Hebrews 4:16 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4%3A16&version=KJV Philippians 4:19 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A19&version=KJV 1 Peter 5:7 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A7&version=KJV Matthew 6:8 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A8&version=KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A17&version=KJV Revelation 3:20 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3%3A20&version=KJV Hebrews 13:5 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5&version=KJV Matthew 11:28–30 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=KJV John 15:13 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A13&version=KJV Luke 2:11 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A11&version=KJV Isaiah 64:6 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A6&version=KJV Isaiah 1:18 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+1%3A18&version=KJV Genesis 1:27 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A27&version=KJV 2 Corinthians 6:2 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A2&version=KJV 2 Peter 3:9 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A9&version=KJV Ephesians 2:8–9 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A8-9&version=KJV Romans 10:13 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A13&version=KJV Romans 10:9–10 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A9-10&version=KJV John 3:16 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A16&version=KJV John 14:6 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A6&version=KJV Revelation 20:15 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+20%3A15&version=KJV Did you enjoy this episode? It would make a huge difference to us if you took a minute to leave us a review wherever you listen and share the episode on social media!  Have you listened to our new podcast, The Bible Bit Podcast? These short podcasts come directly from the Bible Bits Kimberly writes each week day and shares to our subscribers via text message. You can learn more about Bible Bits right here. Want the BIble Bits in print? Find them here:  Bible Bit books! Do you want to bring Kimberly Miller and Woman at the Well Ministries to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us!  Special thanks to the gospel group Fudge Creek for allowing us to use their song Happy Girl. Woman at the Well Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others. To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our website.  All of this and more is found on the Woman at the Well Ministries website.

Every believer needs a secret place. Where is your quiet place? Where can you regularly get alone with God in prayer? I believe the impact of our public testimony and ministry is a direct result of the time spent with God in secret.Main Points:1. If all we see is the public ministry of Jesus, we miss something very important. It's not talked about much, but Jesus had a private, personal relationship with His Father. There was a vital connection between his private times of prayer and his public ministry.2. It's in the secret place that we can be alone with God. We remove ourselves from the distractions of daily life. There are no interruptions from family, work, school, smartphones, or social media. It's in the quiet we draw closer to God and a new intimacy is gained. It's here that we quiet the noise around us and within us. We open our spiritual ears to hear the voice of our Heavenly Father. 3. May you and I see the value of finding a secret place to spend time with God in prayer. In our busy, noisy world, we need this quiet place with God.Today's Scripture Verses:Matthew 6:1 - “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”Matthew 6:5-6 - “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Have you been feeling distant from God and wondering how to find your way back?In today's episode, Gaby Alessi Calatayud takes us into James 4:7–8 and the powerful invitation to submit, resist, and draw near. When we surrender to God, we're strengthened to resist what pulls us away from Him. And when we choose to draw near to Him, we're given an incredible promise: He will draw near to us.We'll be reminded that God isn't waiting for us to fix everything before coming to Him. Whether you feel distant, unworthy, or unsure of your next step, you can seek Him right where you are through prayer, Scripture, repentance, or simply spending time in His presence.Let's join in prayer and devotion as a community, choosing to submit to God, resist the enemy, and take one intentional step closer to our Heavenly Father today.Tap HERE to send us a text! SUPPORT THE SHOW - AND GET BONUS EPISODES!  If you enjoy our 5 minute daily doses of heaven, you'll LOVE our MMD Buy Me a Coffee community! When you support us by buying us a coffee, you help us share God's word daily - PLUS you can get access to bonus content and episodes for just $5 a month! Tap here to join the My Morning Devotional Coffee Club! Support the showNEW VIDEO EPISODES! You can now watch our video episodes on YouTube, Apple Podcasts AND Spotify! NEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? Welcome! We're four sisters - Stephanie, Lauren, Gaby, and Richelle - and our family works together at Metro Life Church in Miami, FL. We're so blessed to produce this daily devotional podcast for you and continue the great work done by the show's founder, Alison Delamota.We pray these devotions will help you to grow in your faith, and that you'll join us every weekday for a morning prayer and some time in God's Word! JOIN THE MMD COMMUNITYSubscribe to the showShare with a friendJoin our newsletter Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠⁠Leave a reviewMORE PODCASTS YOU'LL ENJOYEnjoy more podcasts from Metro Life Studios, including:The Family Business with The AlessisMen's Morning DevotionalThe Mary and Martha Show Available on our Metro Life Studios app!Get The Metro Life Studios app 

In the middle of a heated confrontation with religious hypocrites, Jesus turned to His disciples with a serious warning: Be on your guard. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explores Jesus' teaching in Luke 12 and the danger of outward religion without inward faithfulness.Jesus points His followers back to the triune God. First, honor the Father, who sees every hidden motive and will judge with perfect justice. What hypocrisy conceals today will one day be brought into the light.Second, honor the Son. Jesus declares that those who openly acknowledge Him will be acknowledged before the angels of God. True faith does not hide or compromise Christ's identity—it confesses Him as Lord and Savior.Finally, honor the Holy Spirit. The Spirit testifies to the Truth about Jesus and reveals that salvation is found in Him alone. To continually reject that testimony is to reject the very witness God has given concerning His Son.Standing firmly on Biblical Truth may bring opposition, but Jesus has already given His people courage: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” This episode calls believers to reject hypocrisy, refuse compromise, and live openly and faithfully before the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Pray with me.Heavenly Father, help me to focus on You so that I do not stray from Your Truth nor seek to exalt myself and my own ways. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Lord, I'm exhausted and I don't totally know why. I want to point out all the reasons I shouldn't feel this way, but the truth is I do feel this way and you care about that because you care about me. I've tried to ignore it, and in doing so I'm ignoring your still small voice calling me to you as my Heavenly Father. Pour your Spirit over those tired places in my soul, my body, and my heart.

This message unpacks Luke 15:17–24, showing the prodigal son's desperation, genuine repentance, and the father's overflowing compassion. The parable reveals God's eager, grace-filled restoration and heaven's joy when a sinner repents. This parable teaches us about the Heavenly Father's love, compassion and mercy to the most undeserving.  Join us as we look verse by verse at the father of Jesus' parable.

In this episode of the Woman at the Well Ministries podcast, join Kim Miller and Erika Klose in a “conversation as we walk with Jesus.” In today's “conversation” we are chatting about how God meets our needs in our wilderness.    Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode 1 Kings 18 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+18&version=KJV 1 Kings 19 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+19&version=KJV 1 Kings 19:18 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+19%3A18&version=KJV 2 Timothy 2:15 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A15&version=KJV Philippians 4:19 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A19&version=KJV Psalm 16:11 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16%3A11&version=KJV Proverbs 3:5–6 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A5-6&version=KJV 1 Samuel 15:22 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+15%3A22&version=KJV 2 Peter 1:3 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1%3A3&version=KJV Ephesians 6:10–18 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A10-18&version=KJV Philippians 3:14 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A14&version=KJV Did you enjoy this episode? It would make a huge difference to us if you took a minute to leave us a review wherever you listen and share the episode on social media!  Have you listened to our new podcast, The Bible Bit Podcast? These short podcasts come directly from the Bible Bits Kimberly writes each week day and shares to our subscribers via text message. You can learn more about Bible Bits right here. Want the BIble Bits in print? Find them here:  Bible Bit books! Do you want to bring Kimberly Miller and Woman at the Well Ministries to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us!  Special thanks to the gospel group Fudge Creek for allowing us to use their song Happy Girl. Woman at the Well Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others. To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our website.  All of this and more is found on the Woman at the Well Ministries website.

In the previous episode, the Busses discussed the Lord's Prayer which begins with, “Our Father…” But what does it really mean to have the God of Heaven, the Creator of the Universe, as your Father?Join Sharon and Philip as they explore what the Scriptures say, and what God says about Himself, as our loving and merciful Father. They'll discuss the compassionate nature of God that goes far beyond just feelings toward us, and how we can reflect our Father's heart to the world as we allow Him to pour His love into us. Every human being was raised by an imperfect Father, so you probably have a father-wound of some kind. But here's the good news—He is not like your earthly father!Now is the time to let your perfect, compassionate Heavenly Father love you into healing so that you can co-operate with Him in the Spirit and introduce those around you to His love for them too.*A special note about ethnicities and Kingdom Culture: Revelation 5:9 that says every nation, kindred, and tongue will be worshipping together at the throne. We will be recognizable by our ethnicity, but we will all be one in Kingdom Culture!EMAIL: feedback@globaloutpouring.orgWEBSITE: https://globaloutpouring.netRelated Links:Feeling led to give? Partner with us here!Podcast Episode 334: “The Foundational Prayer to Our Father”Heaven Encounters by Randy KayBattle for Israel by Lance Lambert CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAGlobal Outpouring Facebook PageGlobal Outpouring on InstagramGlobal Outpouring YouTube ChannelGlobal Outpouring on X

The story of Elijah and the juniper tree in I Kings 19 tells of a great prophet, Elijah, who falls into deep despair and exhaustion, and how God meets him with gentle care.  In seasons of fear, exhaustion, and discouragement, God meets us with grace, speaks to us personally, and gives us renewed purpose.  Join us in this podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries as Kim takes us on a journey through the Scriptures revealing that God doesn't abandon His servants in the wilderness; He restores them there and sends them forward with renewed purpose.   Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode 1 Kings 19:1–21 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+19%3A1-21&version=KJV 1 John 1:9 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+1%3A9&version=KJV Romans 14:23 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+14%3A23&version=KJV John 12:32 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A32&version=KJV Ephesians 3:20 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A20&version=KJV 1 John 4:4 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A4&version=KJV Philippians 4:6–7 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A6-7&version=KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A17&version=KJV Philippians 4:13 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=KJV Philippians 4:19 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A19&version=KJV 1 John 4:18 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A18&version=KJV 1 Peter 5:8 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+5%3A8&version=KJV Matthew 4:4 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A4&version=KJV Psalm 46:10 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46%3A10&version=KJV Matthew 7:7 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A7&version=KJV Psalm 16:11 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16%3A11&version=KJV Isaiah 6:8 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+6%3A8&version=KJV Psalm 103:12 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+103%3A12&version=KJV Hebrews 13:5 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+13%3A5&version=KJV Isaiah 26:3 — www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+26%3A3&version=KJV Did you enjoy this episode? It would make a huge difference to us if you took a minute to leave us a review wherever you listen and share the episode on social media!  Have you listened to our new podcast, The Bible Bit Podcast? These short podcasts come directly from the Bible Bits Kimberly writes each week day and shares to our subscribers via text message. You can learn more about Bible Bits right here. Want the BIble Bits in print? Find them here:  Bible Bit books! Do you want to bring Kimberly Miller and Woman at the Well Ministries to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us!  Special thanks to the gospel group Fudge Creek for allowing us to use their song Happy Girl. Woman at the Well Ministries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our Heavenly Father and it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others. To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our website.  All of this and more is found on the Woman at the Well Ministries website.

It is always safe to come home to your Heavenly Father.

" I've come to know that Heavenly Father does know. He knows not just what we do or choose to do or the mistakes we make, He knows who we are and what we want. And He's just waiting for us to just even look at Him or acknowledge Him. He has so much for us. He has so much for me. He's given me so much already."Tickets to the Come Back to Christ Event: www.comebackpodcast.org00:00 Highway Wake Up Call02:32 Levi Background And Home03:21 Childhood Faith And Doubts06:23 Early Smoking And Rebellion11:46 Heroin And Rock Bottom20:16 Prison Mentors And Letters26:35 Relapse And Arrest Spiral31:15 Church Return, Love And Marriage46:01 Miracles And AngelsServe Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.comCome Back Team:Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly StoneEditor: Cara ReedOutreach Manager: Jenna CarlsonAssistant Editor: Britt SmallzeArt Director: Jeremy GarciaProduction Director: Trent Wardwell

What happens when we use our God-given talents to help others draw closer to Christ?In this week's episode of Latter-Day Lights, Scott and Darla sit down with Praiseworthy award-winning songwriter, doctor, and lifelong musician Wayne Burton, who shares how his love for music grew into a decades-long ministry of faith.From writing his first spiritual songs while serving a mission, to creating music inspired by General Conference messages and sharing youth songs in 26 different languages, Wayne reflects on the experiences that taught him to recognize God's hand in his creative journey. Wayne also shares the inspiration behind his song “God of All,” the powerful reminder that every person we encounter is a child of God, as well as his current project, “Provide a Way”—a musical created with Blake Gillette that brings stories from the Book of Mormon to the stage.Through songwriting, collaboration, and years of sharing his testimony through music, Wayne offers an uplifting perspective on using our individual gifts to serve others, see them through Heavenly Father's eyes, and ultimately bring them closer to the Savior.*** Please hit SUBSCRIBE to get our latest episodes, and hit the SHARE button to help us share Wayne's story and light with others. ***To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/oRaWztEUSW8-----To LEARN MORE about Wayne's music, visit: https://wayneburton.com/To LEARN MORE about Wayne's Book of Mormon Musical, “Provide a Way,” visit: https://provideawaymusical.com/To LISTEN to Wayne's music on Spotify, visit: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0sgU2jikLLV3Un04cUfJ4B?si=u8Rp3o-bQdOrJFWYHF8msATo LISTEN to “God of All” by Wayne Burton and Hanna Eyre, visit: https://open.spotify.com/track/2a2dAgl0ffVdAW4bwZhk0K-----To READ Scott's new book “Faith to Stay” for free, visit: https://www.faithtostay.com/-----Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latterdaylightsAlso, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.

Steve DeWitt Our Calling: Right Thinking and Right Living Study Guide for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:13-16 Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:13-16 Visit the series page: Exiles: A study in 1 Peter Donate to Support The Journey Sermon Transcript for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:13-16 Sermon Series: Spiritual ExilesMessage: Our Calling: Right Thinking and Right LivingAirdate: 9/16-9/17/26Programs: 2358 and 2359Well, good morning, and good morning to our Cedar Lake campus, our Hobart Portage gang that's gathered, and, here at Crown Point as well. Good morning. I'm gonna begin my, message with a little personal touch. Many of you know that Jennifer and I are pregnant expecting our second child, and we found out what this week, what the gender is. Thought we'd share it with you.So put up on the screen if you would. Now this is our this is our child. If you look really carefully, look really carefully. So Some of you still don't know what that means. Ask somebody later.Yes. We're having a little girl, we found out this week. So that's two girls. It's lost lots of estrogen in the house, isn't it? So it'll just be one more reason to pray for your pastor.Right? We're excited. June, sometime in June is the arrival date, and, we're we're, pretty pretty fired up about that. So let's get into our time in God's word together. And I remember some some years ago, somebody coming up to me and saying, you know, pastor Steve, you spent all that time in your messages on exposition, And then you get to the application.And, honestly, we really prefer the application. Could you just, like, skip forward to the to the application and do less of the of the exposition? And the answer to that is no. I will not. And the reason for that is that, like a a family that says, you know what? The meat, the vegetables, the fruit, it's also unnecessary. Let's skip forward to the dessert and just do dessert all the time. Would be a very unhealthy family. Similarly, when it comes to studying God's word, it's we always wanna move towards application, but it is the the doctrinal, exegetical, the truth, the words of Scripture that form the grounds for the application. And if you just do application and without any doctrine, your applications aren't gonna last very long.They won't be very deep for sure. And we see this happening in the in the letters of the New Testament. Most, if not all of them, begin doctrinally. They begin with truth about God. They begin with truth about the gospel.They begin with truth about, you know, the the nature of salvation, and then they move towards us. So what? This is what it means. This is how we sort of live this out on the street level of life. And Peter is doing that and has done that here in our little study so far.We saw in verses of chapter one in verses one through 12, a wonderfully, like, amazing, rich, fantastic explanation of the gospel, the nature of salvation, what God has done to save us, how Jesus has been key in that in his resurrection, and it's been it's been filled with hope. It's been filled with joy and gladness. And then you get to verse 13, and there is that word therefore. And that word is code for time for some application. Whenever you see that in the Bible, it's probably the the writer drawing now some conclusions for the way that we ought to live.And so we're gonna talk about that kind of application today. And, let's get into the text. I'm I'm studying with you today verses, 13 through 16 of First Peter one. Please listen as I read God's word. “Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But as you who as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct since it is written, you shall be holy for I am holy.” Now if you look at that section of Scripture, you'll see that there really are two kind of, like, commands here, two big things that he's saying, this is what we ought to do. And he says, first of all, set your hope fully on the grace to come. And secondly, that we are to be holy in all of our conduct.So hope fully, be holy. And before you think that doesn't sound very practical to me, there's a lot more here than meets the eye. And I want you to see just first of all that these verses are part of a larger section here beginning in chapter in verse 13 and following that is all about what the gospel ought to do in the lives on the practical level as it's lived out by the Christian. Not just what we have here before us, but the fact that God is holy. We're gonna see in verses 17 following that God is our judge, And then finally, that we were redeemed from this way of, this sinful life by the precious blood of Jesus.And all of those, the holiness of God, the judgment of God, and the blood of Christ are to call the Christian out of a life of sin and living according to the old ways and to call us into the new life. This new life lived to the glory of God, lived free from the bondage of sin. And so there's lots more of this to come. We're just looking at one section here today. Notice, first of all, that he says that we are to focus on future grace.Look look again at verse 13. “Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” K? Set your hope your hope fully. Now what is hope?Hope is, by definition, future oriented. I don't hope, you know, I I I don't hope about something that has already happened. I don't hope the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. Why? Because it's done already, isn't it?Hope doesn't orient backwards. Hope always orients forwards or towards the future. And we've seen Peter saying this throughout this letter. It's the it's actually the third reference to the return of Christ. He did it in verse five.He did it in verse eight. Now he does it in verse 13. Are you surprised that a letter about suffering would have a lot about the future in it? I'm not. I mean, this is it makes sense, doesn't it?To cast our eyes towards what is yet to come in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our sufferings, to think about the future. And here, he says the grace that is yet to be revealed. Now what is that talking about? Because I think we could look at salvation and say, wait a second, I already got the grace of God. Right?When I when I put my faith in in Jesus, I received from God grace. I was saved by grace. I go to a church that sings amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I've already got the grace of God.How can I put my hope on some future grace? What might this be talking about? One of my favorite commentators, Wayne Grudem, says the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ means the further store of undeserved blessings, which God will pour out on them when Christ returns. Whenever we talk about grace or the grace of God, it is always highlighting that God is giving us something that we don't deserve. That's why it's grace.Salvation is by grace through faith. To think about the future and to realize that there is a storehouse of grace, there are blessings that are yet to come to us that we have not realized, that we have not yet fully received. The future is even better than it is right now. Might that be encouraging if you're in a trial of some kind? That maybe the best is yet to come, and that what I have, while wonderful, is not yet the fullness of what God has in store for those who love him, for those who are called according to his purpose.You say, well, that sounds nice. Preach as well. But, like, what are you talking about? Well, here's just a short list I just kind of compiled of future grace yet to come. The ongoing conscious life upon our physical death, the physical presence with God, our resurrected and glorified bodies, seeing and worshiping and savoring the presence of Jesus Christ himself, eternal rewards that God will give to us based on the quality of our service to him while here on earth.How about eternal life, enjoyment, and pleasure that we will have forever in real time on a new earth that has no curse upon it? We're gonna live on that new earth, and it's gonna be a much better version than this one. Eternal fellowship with fellow Christians and loved ones. If you've if you've had a loved one that's died in the faith, I guarantee there's a future grace coming to you. You're gonna meet him or her again and fellowship with them forever.Eternal status and relationship as children of God, which right now we don't totally get and realize what a big deal that is. But to step into eternity and the God of heaven, the God of eternity, we are part of his family. We're not just servants in the house. We are sons and daughters of God. Many other things.Someday you're gonna come to me and say that list was terrible. It was so small. We you could have added so many more things. Indeed. None of them we deserve.All of these things are God's gift to us. We deserve hell. We deserve punishment, and yet God is giving us what we don't deserve. And much of what we're going to receive, we haven't even tasted yet. And so Peter writing to exiles, suffering trials says, put your hope not here and not in the trial or maybe the trial going away.Set your hope fully on grace yet to be received from God. The inverse of this is true. Don't put your hope on anything less than this. Don't put your hope, Scripture says, in your riches. Don't put your hope in your life and in your physical vitality.Don't put your hope in any fellow man or pastor or anybody else. Don't put your hope in who you are and your achievements and your big stuff or whatever it might be. Don't put your hope in things in this world. All of it is passing away. The Bible calls God's people with the same faith that trusts in Jesus in the past dying on our on the cross for our sins, to look to the future with the same kind of expectant hope and to believe the best is yet to come.That helps you endure in them trials, doesn't it? Now that sounds wonderful, but how do we do that? Peter, get practical for us. K? We're tired of these long expositions, Peter.Could we just skip to the dessert? Can we get to the application? And Peter provides two specific means by which our hope is set fully on the future. You might have missed them as I read it. But notice, first of all, he says that we are to prepare our minds for action.Somehow, there's a connection between setting my hope fully and the grace to come and a mind that is prepared for action. What does this mean? Well, it's an intriguing illustration. In fact, if you have a King James Bible possibly with you, you might look at that and say, my Bible says it a little bit different. Indeed, here's how the King James translates it.And if you grew up in the church in the seventies with a good Scofield Bible like I did, this is more what you're familiar with. Right? It says this, gird up the loins of your mind. Ain't that a blessing? Gird up the loins of your mind.And, technically, that is what the text is saying here. The problem is that for most of us, a loin is something to put barbecue on. Right? And so we don't feel like we can apply that very well. What do you mean loins?Well, this is a historical cultural thing. Let's talk about this a little bit. A loin was a robe or the bottom section of a robe. And if you've watched, you know, the Jesus film or some things like this, you've seen the kind of robes and garments that the men would wear as just that was the fashion of the day. And so what would happen is is that these men would wear these long longer kind of flowing gowns, but they had to do what men today have to do.They had to work. They had to go to war. They had different things. And so if you were going to do that, you had to gird up your loins. You had to take those flowing gowns, and you had to get them out of the way if you were to do serious business.Now I happened upon an illustration on a website that I kind of like called the art of manliness. I go there just to see if they're manly enough, in my opinion. But I came across this illustration of how they actually girded up their loins. Now this is gonna be a blessing to each of you. Notice that the the the the gown that the guy has, he would pull it up, bring it cinch it together, pull it through between his legs, and then stick it into his belt.And when he'd done that, now he's ready to go to war. The art of manliness. Okay? I actually thought about demonstrating this myself, but maybe this will suffice for that. Okay?Now here's the point. You girded up the loins of your mind or your your your actual loins, it meant that you're about to get serious about something. You are about to take care of business. And that could be working in the field, or it could be defending your home or defending your honor. I mean, if you saw a guy if if you're, you know, if you're at the local pub and a guy starts girding up his loins, you're like, hey. What's going on around here? Right? Why? Fight's about to break out. This guy's getting serious right here.Calm down, man. Stop the girding. Peter says, with our minds, we are to gird up our loins. What is he referring to there? What Peter is saying is the same thing that Paul says in Ephesians six when he writes, “stand therefore having fastened on the belt of truth.”I believe it's the same word, gird on the belt of truth. So for Paul, he's saying, get that belt of truth solidly in your mind. Peter is saying, get serious about truth with your mind and with your thinking. Why are our minds so important? Here's why.Right thinking leads to right living. When I am thinking rightly, my life is going to be consistent with that right thinking. When I am thinking poorly, when I am not thinking, when I am thinking with distraction, when I am thinking about lesser things, my life is going to reflect that also. Proverbs says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” If you wanna know who you really are, look at your thought life.Think about the things that you think about. Examine the way that you use your mind, and it will determine largely the shape of our lives, how important our thinking is. He doubles down on this. Peter does. And he says, secondly, be sober minded.Be sober minded. This word here is most commonly used in reference to alcohol and intoxication. He uses it Peter or Paul uses it in First Timothy three describing the qualifications of an elder. He is to be sober, and a godly woman is described as being sober. And it certainly includes not allowing alcohol or any other kind of substance like that to be a controlling influence in your life.But it's used here more broadly, not just alcohol, but a kind of soberness in thinking, not dour, not sad, not like I'm sober. We're Christians. We're very sober. Not like that. We can be we can be joyous, and we can be glad hearted, and we ought to be.But in our thinking, we are serious and sober. We are directing the thoughts of our minds, and it's shaping our whole approach to life. Another commentator. For Peter, the cares of this life and the pressure of persecution can intoxicate the Christian and distract his or her focus just as easily as wine might. The need of the hour is clear judgment and a mind and will prepared to resist anything that would distract them from a hope set on Jesus' appearing.Sober thinking is thinking with focus. It is clarity. It is the refusal to allow anything to distract. Again, it's not sober in personality. It is sober in thinking.It is a mind that says, I am. I refuse to think about life and my trials and my troubles in any other manner than this right here. I will look at life through the gospel. I will look at life through the grid of God's word, which is God's wisdom. I wanna look at my marriage.I wanna look at my parenting. I wanna look at my singleness. I wanna look at my schooling and my job and my hobbies and the dreams and hopes and my money and everything else. I wanna look at it through the wisdom of God's word, and I refuse to allow my mind to think anything else else than that. That is sober thinking.It is the Christian mind whose best and highest thoughts are reserved for kingdom and spiritual matters. So let me ask you. Think about what you think about when you don't have anything that you have to think about. What do you spend your time thinking about? How often in the course of the day do your thoughts turn towards spiritual realities?This is where I think some of the disciplines, Christian disciplines of prayer and Bible study and Scripture memory. These are all things that aid in this. It helps us to tune our hearts to sing his praise as the hymn writer says. It's in the day where my I am vertically oriented, and I'm looking at my life from the perspective that heaven vertically allows for me. How often do you think about God in the day or ministry or the needs spiritual needs of the people around you or Scripture or eternity?Do you intentionally direct your mind to think about what you want it to think about? And you say, I can't do that. My mind has a mind of its own. And now this is psychologically confusing, isn't it? But what I wanna say is we can direct our thoughts.We can, as Paul writes, take captive every or take captive every thought and and subject it to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a discipline. It is a way of using and thinking about life intentionally, but it takes habit. I've been thinking about this lately because I feel like in my life right now, I'm struggling in this regard. And I think why is it?Like, I I feel like I I I used to be able to think better than I do right now. And I think one of the reasons this is just one of them. One's just the aging process. But secondly, probably, I I think is that I find myself today often the the the gaps where I used to have time to think are now being filled with checking my email, social media, or passively watching something on a screen. Now maybe it's just me, but I don't think so.I think we are currently and unknowingly awash in a kind of mind muddling cultural habit of perpetual distraction. And I will never be able to say that sentence again. So I hope somebody wrote that down. Don't you think? I mean, now it's just common.We don't we think nothing of it to go to a restaurant and to look in the booth next to us and to see a family of five. They're not talking to each other. They're engrossed in their smartphone. Right? I have come to church and and walked through here before the service starts, and I've seen an entire family all sitting here minutes before the service is about to start.All of them are engrossed in their phone. And I don't think they're preparing for worship by reading the Westminster Catechism. What are they looking at? What are they reading? What are they filling their minds with?What are they directing their thoughts towards? And I say this to myself because I feel like my mind is I'm getting mushy. I don't like that. Distracted. You know, Satan doesn't have to convince us of a heresy.He just has to distract us from thinking about the truth. The one, if I got up and say Jesus isn't God, I hope you'd all rush the stage and beat me to a pulp in love. K? That's the obvious danger. How about the more subtle one where we just don't think about it at all and we're constantly distracted from the higher and holy things of life and eternity.We're awash, I think, in trivial things. Can I just sit on this a little longer? If you want I say, hey. Think about what you think about. If you if you view social media as any indication of the thoughts that people are having, I mean, if they're having the thoughts sufficiently that they think I need to post this, I need to communicate this with everybody that knows me, then this must be, one of their best thoughts.Right? And if you look at a at a news feed on Facebook or some other social media site and to see the kinds of thoughts that people in society and maybe even people in the church, what they're thinking about, what they are viewing, what they are finding humorous. Not all of it. There's lots of cute pictures of babies and gender announcements. And that's totally acceptable.But a lot of it is superficial, silly, banal. And it seems normal to us now. Right? Because it's just all the time going on. It troubles me to see on Facebook people, even in our church, posting, tweeting about, you know, the dresses at the Grammys or Katy Perry's Super Bowl performance.Really? Like, this is this what we're filling our thoughts and minds with? And then here comes the trial and life is devastating. I wonder why. I haven't set my hope fully on the grace to come in years.I've been filling my mind with all of these lesser things. I'm thinking poorly. Now this is not a rant against media or movies or Twitter. Not at all. I think Peter would have had a Twitter account, honestly.But I don't think he would talk about silly things. In fact, can we not look at First Peter as a kind of long Twitter account? What was Peter thinking about? He writes about what he was thinking about. And here we have before us the kinds of thoughts that the apostle Peter had about life.This is the kind of thing that he was dwelling on and thinking about. Does that not tell us something about what it means to be a spiritually mature Christian man or woman and the kinds of thoughts that we think about? And this is a struggle because our culture is so immoral and so materialistic and all the rest. But he was living in the Greco Roman culture, which would give ours a run for its money. And yet, he was thinking this way.I would encourage you to follow the example of the apostle Peter. Now one more thing, and I gotta move on here, because I wanna get particularly practical. How do we engage our mind in sober thinking? How do we make it intentionally oriented towards spiritual truth? Well, I thought I'd just have some fun with this.What's the gender of our baby? Girl. So how about maybe on the week that I announce this, here's my little acronym. K? Four ways to help think more seriously about higher things.Girl, g, get rid of distractions. If your whole life is beeping, humming, buzzing, smartphone, constantly calling your attention to something that somebody has said about this or that, you have no time to think high and holy thoughts. There's no time for prayer. You're distracted all the time. Now I sound like an old fuddy duddy with that, and the young people are going, he is so uncool.But let's see what happens to this generation in thirty years. Time will tell whether wisdom lies in the beeping and the humming and the buzzing or in the older folks who are saying, it didn't used to be like that. We used to talk. I thought maybe some of those old people would amen that point. But get rid of distractions.K? And I don't mean to focus on that one. There's a thousand distractions out there. Secondly, increase truth input. Get rid of the banal and the inane and the silly and the superficial and fill your mind. This is the garbage in garbage out principle. Fill your mind increasingly with truth. Philippians four eight. You know, “what sort of things are pure and lovely, of good report, excellent, and worthy of praise, think on these things.”Spend your time on the beautiful and the truthful and the glorious and the eternally significant. Third, r, recall the grace of God for all the times you don't do that and to seek his forgiveness and ask God to give you daily grace. And finally, love God with your mind. That's a whole another point we could make, but how critical it is that we're we are thinking Christians. And even from the beginning, we're called to love him with our body.I mean, we preach against, you know, sexual sin or, you know, abusing your body with drugs or something like that. But so we we're we're all about loving God with our bodies. But what about loving God with our minds? And to intentionally seek to think deeper and higher thoughts about God and to learn and to grow and to become a mature thinking Christian. Let's do that.K? Let's do that. Now I gotta move on. We got communion coming. Second thing that he is focusing on.First one is setting your, your hope fully on the grace that is to come. The second category is that we are to be holy or what I'm calling, we're to be like our daddy. Again, the text, verse 14. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct since it is written, you shall be holy for I am holy.”So we see Peter here moving from right thinking to right living. What does holy thoughts in my brain look like in a holy expression in my life? And I want you to see, first of all, that this has a relational tone to this. He he began doesn't just say, be holy. He says, hey. As obedient children. And what is that referring to? It is referring to the relationship that we have with God. Right? The Bible says that when we become Christians, that God actually adopts us into his family.We are members of the family of God. We're brothers and sisters in this family. We're sons and daughters of the most high God. And because God is my Father, that relationship matters. It means something in regards to the way that I look at myself, the way that I want to live my life.God's my Heavenly Father. How should I live now? Well, he says here that we should live morally disciplined lives. And to proof text this, Peter reaches into the Old Testament, goes back to Leviticus, and he quotes from there's five passages in Leviticus that use the same statement. “You shall be holy for I am holy.”K? You shall be holy, not me. I'm I'm saying it like I'm I'm God. Okay? “You shall be holy for I am holy.”K? And so we see in that statement the ethical measure and the eth and the ethical motivation as well. God's character is the measure, and God's character is the motive. Because I am holy, you shall you shall be holy. God's holiness is the absolute moral unity of his entire being.He is completely good. He is morally without fail. He is not the author of evil. He has no inclination towards anything that is less than absolutely morally pure and upright. John writes this in First John one.“In him, God is light, and in him, there is no darkness at all.” There's no shadow. There's no little something hidden. He is absolutely, morally, purely bright and light. Everything he does always is holy.And so Peter says, this is our God. This is our Heavenly Father. This is the way that we are to strive to live our life in a morally disciplined manner where the ethics of life matter to us. We want to please our Heavenly Father. We wanna live consistent with what he is like.Notice in all your conduct. Okay? So it's not just, you know, be holy as I am holy. When you're at church on Sunday, when you are out with the pastor, when somebody is watching that maybe could look down on you, It is not in any sort of category. It is in all categories.Holiness of life impacts, shapes, directs every aspect of my life. Why? Because it shapes and directs every aspect of the very life and character of God himself. Now lest there be any confusion here, I wanna emphasize that we are not naturally holy. We are naturally sinners.And this is why Jesus came, and this is why Jesus died. He didn't die for holy people so that they could go, not go to hell. He died for I said that wrong. He let me just say it this way. He died for sinners.K? He died for sinners, and that's us. K? So without his righteousness, we have no standing with God. We have no adoption with God.But sometimes people confuse our position before God as righteous because of what Jesus has done and the calling that God has upon the practice of our life. You overemphasize the position and say, hey, I'm righteous before God, so who gives a rip? Right? I'm going to heaven anyway. That is an abuse of the grace of God.If I focus on the practice solely, then now I am all the time wondering if I'm good enough, wondering if I'm gonna earn my way to heaven. And that is a misuse of the gospel. The gospel is is that we are declared righteous by God. We are positionally righteous before God. We enter into a relationship with God through the gospel by faith that now shapes my desires where now I want to live like I'm a child of God.K? It is relational. It is not legalism. It's not antinomianism. No law.It is relationship. Grudem says to be holy as God is holy includes a full and pervading holiness that reaches to every aspect of our personalities. It involves not only avoiding outward sin, but also maintaining an instinctive delight in God and his holiness as an undercurrent of heart and mind throughout the day. God is our Father. He's always our Father.Everywhere we go, he's our Father. We're his children. And this is where I think the metaphor is helpful because children, not always, but naturally want to to please their or to be like their dad. I'm enjoying this almost every day. I have a 20 year old daughter.Okay? So here's here's what happens in my day. I find myself you know, I'll I'll be sitting at the couch or something and I'll stretch like this and I look over and there she is. She's looking for my affirmation. Right?I'm I'm I'm doing what you're doing, daddy. Right? I kinda like that. That's kinda fun. I'll say to her, I love you.And she'll say, I love you. Is that manipulation? I don't know. But I love it. I love it.Or the other day I was eating and I wasn't watching my manners very well. And so I'm kind of chomping away on something sort of loudly and all a sudden I look over and she's going, daddy needs to slow down and close his mouth while he chews apparently. Why does she raise her arms and mimic me? Why does she repeat the words that I say? Why does she mimic even some of my less wonderful qualities?Because at this point, at least in her life, she wants to be like me. That's a goal for her even though she couldn't articulate it. And here's where I think verse 13 and verse 15 come together. The goal of what God is doing in each of us is holiness and Christ likeness. That's the big picture.He is forming us into the likeness of Christ. As I muster my spiritual and my mental thoughts and energies towards loving God with my mind, my Heavenly Father, my will increasingly is shaped by that priority And the true thoughts that my now girded up mind, the loins of my mind, are thinking about and focusing on shape the desires that I have in my heart, which right thinking leads to right living. So I fill my thought, my heart, my mind with God's truth. And the more I think about the grace of God to me, both now and in the future, and the love of God to me both now and in the future, the more my life then is shaped around his will and his purposes. So that right thinking about God shapes my desires and produces a more righteous living, a more holiness in my life.And all of it is anticipating a future grace and goodness of God that he will shower upon me and is yet to be experienced. And the anticipation, the more I realize what God has already done for me, it elevates my anticipation of what God has yet to do for me. K? And anticipation is a very powerful motive in our life. I remember when, football season was about to start.I would run, and I would train. I would get ready for it. And when basketball season was gonna start, I would run and train and play and shoot. I would get I would get ready for it. I remember when we had, the Bethel five k here a couple years ago.I'm the pastor of the church. I don't wanna embarrass myself. I ran, and I got ready for it. And I remember, perhaps the best example for me is after forty-four years, I got married. And before my wedding, I'm here to tell you, after forty-four years I was thinking about my wedding, and I was thinking about my honeymoon.I wanted to get ready for it. So I swam, and I ran, and I got a tan, and I was thinking about anticipating being with my girl. And it shaped the way that I lived my life. And when we, as Christians, set our minds on things that matter, things that are spiritually true, the promises of God, gospel, the word of God, when my thoughts are high and holy as God would have them to be, I anticipate increasingly, this is good. The best is yet to come.And that anticipation of what is to come means I'm getting ready for it now. And it changes and it shapes the way that I think and the way that I live and the directions of my life, which increases my likeness to Christ and gets me ready for that day when Jesus returns and when his full grace will be revealed. So friends, set your mind on the grace to come. Be holy as God is holy. Is your mind disciplined?Is your life morally diligent? And is your hope oriented towards the amazing grace of God yet to come? To help us with that today, we are going to be partaking in the Lord's supper. And I'd like to pray, and you could begin to prepare your hearts as I do. Heavenly Father God, I do pray and ask that this very practical message would, lead to very practical results in our lives.Lord, help us to be a church that is disciplined in our thinking, that strives to know and understand the gospel, the God of the gospel, the Jesus of the gospel, that we would be serious about this. And that this might, Lord, grant to us an elevated sense of anticipation of what is yet to come. And as we take this communion now, I pray that the partaking in it, the reminder of the death of Jesus would serve to also prepare us with, holiness and anticipation of no more symbols but actual presence to see him and to be with him forever. All praise be to Jesus, we pray in his name. Amen.* This transcript was generated using AI transcription technology and reviewed for accuracy but may contain errors. Please refer to the original audio for precise wording.

It is time this very minute to pray and seek God. Time to set our timers and pray for the minute. This podcast encourages us to stop for a minute and, now, in the presence of our Heavenly Father—with praise and prayer—worship Him in Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit. ———— *We do not own the rights to music played on this podcast.

Steve DeWitt Our Calling: Right Thinking and Right Living - Part B Study Guide for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:13-16 Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 1:13-16 Visit the series page: Exiles: A study in 1 Peter Donate to Support The Journey Sermon Transcript for Spiritual Exiles, 1 Peter 1:13-16 Sermon Series: Spiritual ExilesMessage: Our Calling: Right Thinking and Right LivingAirdate: 9/16-9/17/26Programs: 2358 and 2359Well, good morning, and good morning to our Cedar Lake campus, our Hobart Portage gang that's gathered, and, here at Crown Point as well. Good morning. I'm gonna begin my, message with a little personal touch. Many of you know that Jennifer and I are pregnant expecting our second child, and we found out what this week, what the gender is. Thought we'd share it with you.So put up on the screen if you would. Now this is our this is our child. If you look really carefully, look really carefully. So Some of you still don't know what that means. Ask somebody later.Yes. We're having a little girl, we found out this week. So that's two girls. It's lost lots of estrogen in the house, isn't it? So it'll just be one more reason to pray for your pastor.Right? We're excited. June, sometime in June is the arrival date, and, we're we're, pretty pretty fired up about that. So let's get into our time in God's word together. And I remember some some years ago, somebody coming up to me and saying, you know, pastor Steve, you spent all that time in your messages on exposition, And then you get to the application.And, honestly, we really prefer the application. Could you just, like, skip forward to the to the application and do less of the of the exposition? And the answer to that is no. I will not. And the reason for that is that, like a a family that says, you know what? The meat, the vegetables, the fruit, it's also unnecessary. Let's skip forward to the dessert and just do dessert all the time. Would be a very unhealthy family. Similarly, when it comes to studying God's word, it's we always wanna move towards application, but it is the the doctrinal, exegetical, the truth, the words of Scripture that form the grounds for the application. And if you just do application and without any doctrine, your applications aren't gonna last very long.They won't be very deep for sure. And we see this happening in the in the letters of the New Testament. Most, if not all of them, begin doctrinally. They begin with truth about God. They begin with truth about the gospel.They begin with truth about, you know, the the nature of salvation, and then they move towards us. So what? This is what it means. This is how we sort of live this out on the street level of life. And Peter is doing that and has done that here in our little study so far.We saw in verses of chapter one in verses one through 12, a wonderfully, like, amazing, rich, fantastic explanation of the gospel, the nature of salvation, what God has done to save us, how Jesus has been key in that in his resurrection, and it's been it's been filled with hope. It's been filled with joy and gladness. And then you get to verse 13, and there is that word therefore. And that word is code for time for some application. Whenever you see that in the Bible, it's probably the the writer drawing now some conclusions for the way that we ought to live.And so we're gonna talk about that kind of application today. And, let's get into the text. I'm I'm studying with you today verses, 13 through 16 of First Peter one. Please listen as I read God's word. “Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But as you who as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct since it is written, you shall be holy for I am holy.” Now if you look at that section of Scripture, you'll see that there really are two kind of, like, commands here, two big things that he's saying, this is what we ought to do. And he says, first of all, set your hope fully on the grace to come. And secondly, that we are to be holy in all of our conduct.So hope fully, be holy. And before you think that doesn't sound very practical to me, there's a lot more here than meets the eye. And I want you to see just first of all that these verses are part of a larger section here beginning in chapter in verse 13 and following that is all about what the gospel ought to do in the lives on the practical level as it's lived out by the Christian. Not just what we have here before us, but the fact that God is holy. We're gonna see in verses 17 following that God is our judge, And then finally, that we were redeemed from this way of, this sinful life by the precious blood of Jesus.And all of those, the holiness of God, the judgment of God, and the blood of Christ are to call the Christian out of a life of sin and living according to the old ways and to call us into the new life. This new life lived to the glory of God, lived free from the bondage of sin. And so there's lots more of this to come. We're just looking at one section here today. Notice, first of all, that he says that we are to focus on future grace.Look look again at verse 13. “Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” K? Set your hope your hope fully. Now what is hope?Hope is, by definition, future oriented. I don't hope, you know, I I I don't hope about something that has already happened. I don't hope the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. Why? Because it's done already, isn't it?Hope doesn't orient backwards. Hope always orients forwards or towards the future. And we've seen Peter saying this throughout this letter. It's the it's actually the third reference to the return of Christ. He did it in verse five.He did it in verse eight. Now he does it in verse 13. Are you surprised that a letter about suffering would have a lot about the future in it? I'm not. I mean, this is it makes sense, doesn't it?To cast our eyes towards what is yet to come in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our sufferings, to think about the future. And here, he says the grace that is yet to be revealed. Now what is that talking about? Because I think we could look at salvation and say, wait a second, I already got the grace of God. Right?When I when I put my faith in in Jesus, I received from God grace. I was saved by grace. I go to a church that sings amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I've already got the grace of God.How can I put my hope on some future grace? What might this be talking about? One of my favorite commentators, Wayne Grudem, says the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ means the further store of undeserved blessings, which God will pour out on them when Christ returns. Whenever we talk about grace or the grace of God, it is always highlighting that God is giving us something that we don't deserve. That's why it's grace.Salvation is by grace through faith. To think about the future and to realize that there is a storehouse of grace, there are blessings that are yet to come to us that we have not realized, that we have not yet fully received. The future is even better than it is right now. Might that be encouraging if you're in a trial of some kind? That maybe the best is yet to come, and that what I have, while wonderful, is not yet the fullness of what God has in store for those who love him, for those who are called according to his purpose.You say, well, that sounds nice. Preach as well. But, like, what are you talking about? Well, here's just a short list I just kind of compiled of future grace yet to come. The ongoing conscious life upon our physical death, the physical presence with God, our resurrected and glorified bodies, seeing and worshiping and savoring the presence of Jesus Christ himself, eternal rewards that God will give to us based on the quality of our service to him while here on earth.How about eternal life, enjoyment, and pleasure that we will have forever in real time on a new earth that has no curse upon it? We're gonna live on that new earth, and it's gonna be a much better version than this one. Eternal fellowship with fellow Christians and loved ones. If you've if you've had a loved one that's died in the faith, I guarantee there's a future grace coming to you. You're gonna meet him or her again and fellowship with them forever.Eternal status and relationship as children of God, which right now we don't totally get and realize what a big deal that is. But to step into eternity and the God of heaven, the God of eternity, we are part of his family. We're not just servants in the house. We are sons and daughters of God. Many other things.Someday you're gonna come to me and say that list was terrible. It was so small. We you could have added so many more things. Indeed. None of them we deserve.All of these things are God's gift to us. We deserve hell. We deserve punishment, and yet God is giving us what we don't deserve. And much of what we're going to receive, we haven't even tasted yet. And so Peter writing to exiles, suffering trials says, put your hope not here and not in the trial or maybe the trial going away.Set your hope fully on grace yet to be received from God. The inverse of this is true. Don't put your hope on anything less than this. Don't put your hope, Scripture says, in your riches. Don't put your hope in your life and in your physical vitality.Don't put your hope in any fellow man or pastor or anybody else. Don't put your hope in who you are and your achievements and your big stuff or whatever it might be. Don't put your hope in things in this world. All of it is passing away. The Bible calls God's people with the same faith that trusts in Jesus in the past dying on our on the cross for our sins, to look to the future with the same kind of expectant hope and to believe the best is yet to come.That helps you endure in them trials, doesn't it? Now that sounds wonderful, but how do we do that? Peter, get practical for us. K? We're tired of these long expositions, Peter.Could we just skip to the dessert? Can we get to the application? And Peter provides two specific means by which our hope is set fully on the future. You might have missed them as I read it. But notice, first of all, he says that we are to prepare our minds for action.Somehow, there's a connection between setting my hope fully and the grace to come and a mind that is prepared for action. What does this mean? Well, it's an intriguing illustration. In fact, if you have a King James Bible possibly with you, you might look at that and say, my Bible says it a little bit different. Indeed, here's how the King James translates it.And if you grew up in the church in the seventies with a good Scofield Bible like I did, this is more what you're familiar with. Right? It says this, gird up the loins of your mind. Ain't that a blessing? Gird up the loins of your mind.And, technically, that is what the text is saying here. The problem is that for most of us, a loin is something to put barbecue on. Right? And so we don't feel like we can apply that very well. What do you mean loins?Well, this is a historical cultural thing. Let's talk about this a little bit. A loin was a robe or the bottom section of a robe. And if you've watched, you know, the Jesus film or some things like this, you've seen the kind of robes and garments that the men would wear as just that was the fashion of the day. And so what would happen is is that these men would wear these long longer kind of flowing gowns, but they had to do what men today have to do.They had to work. They had to go to war. They had different things. And so if you were going to do that, you had to gird up your loins. You had to take those flowing gowns, and you had to get them out of the way if you were to do serious business.Now I happened upon an illustration on a website that I kind of like called the art of manliness. I go there just to see if they're manly enough, in my opinion. But I came across this illustration of how they actually girded up their loins. Now this is gonna be a blessing to each of you. Notice that the the the the gown that the guy has, he would pull it up, bring it cinch it together, pull it through between his legs, and then stick it into his belt.And when he'd done that, now he's ready to go to war. The art of manliness. Okay? I actually thought about demonstrating this myself, but maybe this will suffice for that. Okay?Now here's the point. You girded up the loins of your mind or your your your actual loins, it meant that you're about to get serious about something. You are about to take care of business. And that could be working in the field, or it could be defending your home or defending your honor. I mean, if you saw a guy if if you're, you know, if you're at the local pub and a guy starts girding up his loins, you're like, hey. What's going on around here? Right? Why? Fight's about to break out. This guy's getting serious right here.Calm down, man. Stop the girding. Peter says, with our minds, we are to gird up our loins. What is he referring to there? What Peter is saying is the same thing that Paul says in Ephesians six when he writes, “stand therefore having fastened on the belt of truth.”I believe it's the same word, gird on the belt of truth. So for Paul, he's saying, get that belt of truth solidly in your mind. Peter is saying, get serious about truth with your mind and with your thinking. Why are our minds so important? Here's why.Right thinking leads to right living. When I am thinking rightly, my life is going to be consistent with that right thinking. When I am thinking poorly, when I am not thinking, when I am thinking with distraction, when I am thinking about lesser things, my life is going to reflect that also. Proverbs says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” If you wanna know who you really are, look at your thought life.Think about the things that you think about. Examine the way that you use your mind, and it will determine largely the shape of our lives, how important our thinking is. He doubles down on this. Peter does. And he says, secondly, be sober minded.Be sober minded. This word here is most commonly used in reference to alcohol and intoxication. He uses it Peter or Paul uses it in First Timothy three describing the qualifications of an elder. He is to be sober, and a godly woman is described as being sober. And it certainly includes not allowing alcohol or any other kind of substance like that to be a controlling influence in your life.But it's used here more broadly, not just alcohol, but a kind of soberness in thinking, not dour, not sad, not like I'm sober. We're Christians. We're very sober. Not like that. We can be we can be joyous, and we can be glad hearted, and we ought to be.But in our thinking, we are serious and sober. We are directing the thoughts of our minds, and it's shaping our whole approach to life. Another commentator. For Peter, the cares of this life and the pressure of persecution can intoxicate the Christian and distract his or her focus just as easily as wine might. The need of the hour is clear judgment and a mind and will prepared to resist anything that would distract them from a hope set on Jesus' appearing.Sober thinking is thinking with focus. It is clarity. It is the refusal to allow anything to distract. Again, it's not sober in personality. It is sober in thinking.It is a mind that says, I am. I refuse to think about life and my trials and my troubles in any other manner than this right here. I will look at life through the gospel. I will look at life through the grid of God's word, which is God's wisdom. I wanna look at my marriage.I wanna look at my parenting. I wanna look at my singleness. I wanna look at my schooling and my job and my hobbies and the dreams and hopes and my money and everything else. I wanna look at it through the wisdom of God's word, and I refuse to allow my mind to think anything else else than that. That is sober thinking.It is the Christian mind whose best and highest thoughts are reserved for kingdom and spiritual matters. So let me ask you. Think about what you think about when you don't have anything that you have to think about. What do you spend your time thinking about? How often in the course of the day do your thoughts turn towards spiritual realities?This is where I think some of the disciplines, Christian disciplines of prayer and Bible study and Scripture memory. These are all things that aid in this. It helps us to tune our hearts to sing his praise as the hymn writer says. It's in the day where my I am vertically oriented, and I'm looking at my life from the perspective that heaven vertically allows for me. How often do you think about God in the day or ministry or the needs spiritual needs of the people around you or Scripture or eternity?Do you intentionally direct your mind to think about what you want it to think about? And you say, I can't do that. My mind has a mind of its own. And now this is psychologically confusing, isn't it? But what I wanna say is we can direct our thoughts.We can, as Paul writes, take captive every or take captive every thought and and subject it to the lordship of Jesus Christ. It is a discipline. It is a way of using and thinking about life intentionally, but it takes habit. I've been thinking about this lately because I feel like in my life right now, I'm struggling in this regard. And I think why is it?Like, I I feel like I I I used to be able to think better than I do right now. And I think one of the reasons this is just one of them. One's just the aging process. But secondly, probably, I I think is that I find myself today often the the the gaps where I used to have time to think are now being filled with checking my email, social media, or passively watching something on a screen. Now maybe it's just me, but I don't think so.I think we are currently and unknowingly awash in a kind of mind muddling cultural habit of perpetual distraction. And I will never be able to say that sentence again. So I hope somebody wrote that down. Don't you think? I mean, now it's just common.We don't we think nothing of it to go to a restaurant and to look in the booth next to us and to see a family of five. They're not talking to each other. They're engrossed in their smartphone. Right? I have come to church and and walked through here before the service starts, and I've seen an entire family all sitting here minutes before the service is about to start.All of them are engrossed in their phone. And I don't think they're preparing for worship by reading the Westminster Catechism. What are they looking at? What are they reading? What are they filling their minds with?What are they directing their thoughts towards? And I say this to myself because I feel like my mind is I'm getting mushy. I don't like that. Distracted. You know, Satan doesn't have to convince us of a heresy.He just has to distract us from thinking about the truth. The one, if I got up and say Jesus isn't God, I hope you'd all rush the stage and beat me to a pulp in love. K? That's the obvious danger. How about the more subtle one where we just don't think about it at all and we're constantly distracted from the higher and holy things of life and eternity.We're awash, I think, in trivial things. Can I just sit on this a little longer? If you want I say, hey. Think about what you think about. If you if you view social media as any indication of the thoughts that people are having, I mean, if they're having the thoughts sufficiently that they think I need to post this, I need to communicate this with everybody that knows me, then this must be, one of their best thoughts.Right? And if you look at a at a news feed on Facebook or some other social media site and to see the kinds of thoughts that people in society and maybe even people in the church, what they're thinking about, what they are viewing, what they are finding humorous. Not all of it. There's lots of cute pictures of babies and gender announcements. And that's totally acceptable.But a lot of it is superficial, silly, banal. And it seems normal to us now. Right? Because it's just all the time going on. It troubles me to see on Facebook people, even in our church, posting, tweeting about, you know, the dresses at the Grammys or Katy Perry's Super Bowl performance.Really? Like, this is this what we're filling our thoughts and minds with? And then here comes the trial and life is devastating. I wonder why. I haven't set my hope fully on the grace to come in years.I've been filling my mind with all of these lesser things. I'm thinking poorly. Now this is not a rant against media or movies or Twitter. Not at all. I think Peter would have had a Twitter account, honestly.But I don't think he would talk about silly things. In fact, can we not look at First Peter as a kind of long Twitter account? What was Peter thinking about? He writes about what he was thinking about. And here we have before us the kinds of thoughts that the apostle Peter had about life.This is the kind of thing that he was dwelling on and thinking about. Does that not tell us something about what it means to be a spiritually mature Christian man or woman and the kinds of thoughts that we think about? And this is a struggle because our culture is so immoral and so materialistic and all the rest. But he was living in the Greco Roman culture, which would give ours a run for its money. And yet, he was thinking this way.I would encourage you to follow the example of the apostle Peter. Now one more thing, and I gotta move on here, because I wanna get particularly practical. How do we engage our mind in sober thinking? How do we make it intentionally oriented towards spiritual truth? Well, I thought I'd just have some fun with this.What's the gender of our baby? Girl. So how about maybe on the week that I announce this, here's my little acronym. K? Four ways to help think more seriously about higher things.Girl, g, get rid of distractions. If your whole life is beeping, humming, buzzing, smartphone, constantly calling your attention to something that somebody has said about this or that, you have no time to think high and holy thoughts. There's no time for prayer. You're distracted all the time. Now I sound like an old fuddy duddy with that, and the young people are going, he is so uncool.But let's see what happens to this generation in thirty years. Time will tell whether wisdom lies in the beeping and the humming and the buzzing or in the older folks who are saying, it didn't used to be like that. We used to talk. I thought maybe some of those old people would amen that point. But get rid of distractions.K? And I don't mean to focus on that one. There's a thousand distractions out there. Secondly, increase truth input. Get rid of the banal and the inane and the silly and the superficial and fill your mind. This is the garbage in garbage out principle. Fill your mind increasingly with truth. Philippians four eight. You know, “what sort of things are pure and lovely, of good report, excellent, and worthy of praise, think on these things.”Spend your time on the beautiful and the truthful and the glorious and the eternally significant. Third, r, recall the grace of God for all the times you don't do that and to seek his forgiveness and ask God to give you daily grace. And finally, love God with your mind. That's a whole another point we could make, but how critical it is that we're we are thinking Christians. And even from the beginning, we're called to love him with our body.I mean, we preach against, you know, sexual sin or, you know, abusing your body with drugs or something like that. But so we we're we're all about loving God with our bodies. But what about loving God with our minds? And to intentionally seek to think deeper and higher thoughts about God and to learn and to grow and to become a mature thinking Christian. Let's do that.K? Let's do that. Now I gotta move on. We got communion coming. Second thing that he is focusing on.First one is setting your, your hope fully on the grace that is to come. The second category is that we are to be holy or what I'm calling, we're to be like our daddy. Again, the text, verse 14. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct since it is written, you shall be holy for I am holy.”So we see Peter here moving from right thinking to right living. What does holy thoughts in my brain look like in a holy expression in my life? And I want you to see, first of all, that this has a relational tone to this. He he began doesn't just say, be holy. He says, hey. As obedient children. And what is that referring to? It is referring to the relationship that we have with God. Right? The Bible says that when we become Christians, that God actually adopts us into his family.We are members of the family of God. We're brothers and sisters in this family. We're sons and daughters of the most high God. And because God is my Father, that relationship matters. It means something in regards to the way that I look at myself, the way that I want to live my life.God's my Heavenly Father. How should I live now? Well, he says here that we should live morally disciplined lives. And to proof text this, Peter reaches into the Old Testament, goes back to Leviticus, and he quotes from there's five passages in Leviticus that use the same statement. “You shall be holy for I am holy.”K? You shall be holy, not me. I'm I'm saying it like I'm I'm God. Okay? “You shall be holy for I am holy.”K? And so we see in that statement the ethical measure and the eth and the ethical motivation as well. God's character is the measure, and God's character is the motive. Because I am holy, you shall you shall be holy. God's holiness is the absolute moral unity of his entire being.He is completely good. He is morally without fail. He is not the author of evil. He has no inclination towards anything that is less than absolutely morally pure and upright. John writes this in First John one.“In him, God is light, and in him, there is no darkness at all.” There's no shadow. There's no little something hidden. He is absolutely, morally, purely bright and light. Everything he does always is holy.And so Peter says, this is our God. This is our Heavenly Father. This is the way that we are to strive to live our life in a morally disciplined manner where the ethics of life matter to us. We want to please our Heavenly Father. We wanna live consistent with what he is like.Notice in all your conduct. Okay? So it's not just, you know, be holy as I am holy. When you're at church on Sunday, when you are out with the pastor, when somebody is watching that maybe could look down on you, It is not in any sort of category. It is in all categories.Holiness of life impacts, shapes, directs every aspect of my life. Why? Because it shapes and directs every aspect of the very life and character of God himself. Now lest there be any confusion here, I wanna emphasize that we are not naturally holy. We are naturally sinners.And this is why Jesus came, and this is why Jesus died. He didn't die for holy people so that they could go, not go to hell. He died for I said that wrong. He let me just say it this way. He died for sinners.K? He died for sinners, and that's us. K? So without his righteousness, we have no standing with God. We have no adoption with God.But sometimes people confuse our position before God as righteous because of what Jesus has done and the calling that God has upon the practice of our life. You overemphasize the position and say, hey, I'm righteous before God, so who gives a rip? Right? I'm going to heaven anyway. That is an abuse of the grace of God.If I focus on the practice solely, then now I am all the time wondering if I'm good enough, wondering if I'm gonna earn my way to heaven. And that is a misuse of the gospel. The gospel is is that we are declared righteous by God. We are positionally righteous before God. We enter into a relationship with God through the gospel by faith that now shapes my desires where now I want to live like I'm a child of God.K? It is relational. It is not legalism. It's not antinomianism. No law.It is relationship. Grudem says to be holy as God is holy includes a full and pervading holiness that reaches to every aspect of our personalities. It involves not only avoiding outward sin, but also maintaining an instinctive delight in God and his holiness as an undercurrent of heart and mind throughout the day. God is our Father. He's always our Father.Everywhere we go, he's our Father. We're his children. And this is where I think the metaphor is helpful because children, not always, but naturally want to to please their or to be like their dad. I'm enjoying this almost every day. I have a 20 year old daughter.Okay? So here's here's what happens in my day. I find myself you know, I'll I'll be sitting at the couch or something and I'll stretch like this and I look over and there she is. She's looking for my affirmation. Right?I'm I'm I'm doing what you're doing, daddy. Right? I kinda like that. That's kinda fun. I'll say to her, I love you.And she'll say, I love you. Is that manipulation? I don't know. But I love it. I love it.Or the other day I was eating and I wasn't watching my manners very well. And so I'm kind of chomping away on something sort of loudly and all a sudden I look over and she's going, daddy needs to slow down and close his mouth while he chews apparently. Why does she raise her arms and mimic me? Why does she repeat the words that I say? Why does she mimic even some of my less wonderful qualities?Because at this point, at least in her life, she wants to be like me. That's a goal for her even though she couldn't articulate it. And here's where I think verse 13 and verse 15 come together. The goal of what God is doing in each of us is holiness and Christ likeness. That's the big picture.He is forming us into the likeness of Christ. As I muster my spiritual and my mental thoughts and energies towards loving God with my mind, my Heavenly Father, my will increasingly is shaped by that priority And the true thoughts that my now girded up mind, the loins of my mind, are thinking about and focusing on shape the desires that I have in my heart, which right thinking leads to right living. So I fill my thought, my heart, my mind with God's truth. And the more I think about the grace of God to me, both now and in the future, and the love of God to me both now and in the future, the more my life then is shaped around his will and his purposes. So that right thinking about God shapes my desires and produces a more righteous living, a more holiness in my life.And all of it is anticipating a future grace and goodness of God that he will shower upon me and is yet to be experienced. And the anticipation, the more I realize what God has already done for me, it elevates my anticipation of what God has yet to do for me. K? And anticipation is a very powerful motive in our life. I remember when, football season was about to start.I would run, and I would train. I would get ready for it. And when basketball season was gonna start, I would run and train and play and shoot. I would get I would get ready for it. I remember when we had, the Bethel five k here a couple years ago.I'm the pastor of the church. I don't wanna embarrass myself. I ran, and I got ready for it. And I remember, perhaps the best example for me is after forty-four years, I got married. And before my wedding, I'm here to tell you, after forty-four years I was thinking about my wedding, and I was thinking about my honeymoon.I wanted to get ready for it. So I swam, and I ran, and I got a tan, and I was thinking about anticipating being with my girl. And it shaped the way that I lived my life. And when we, as Christians, set our minds on things that matter, things that are spiritually true, the promises of God, gospel, the word of God, when my thoughts are high and holy as God would have them to be, I anticipate increasingly, this is good. The best is yet to come.And that anticipation of what is to come means I'm getting ready for it now. And it changes and it shapes the way that I think and the way that I live and the directions of my life, which increases my likeness to Christ and gets me ready for that day when Jesus returns and when his full grace will be revealed. So friends, set your mind on the grace to come. Be holy as God is holy. Is your mind disciplined?Is your life morally diligent? And is your hope oriented towards the amazing grace of God yet to come? To help us with that today, we are going to be partaking in the Lord's supper. And I'd like to pray, and you could begin to prepare your hearts as I do. Heavenly Father God, I do pray and ask that this very practical message would, lead to very practical results in our lives.Lord, help us to be a church that is disciplined in our thinking, that strives to know and understand the gospel, the God of the gospel, the Jesus of the gospel, that we would be serious about this. And that this might, Lord, grant to us an elevated sense of anticipation of what is yet to come. And as we take this communion now, I pray that the partaking in it, the reminder of the death of Jesus would serve to also prepare us with, holiness and anticipation of no more symbols but actual presence to see him and to be with him forever. All praise be to Jesus, we pray in his name. Amen.* This transcript was generated using AI transcription technology and reviewed for accuracy but may contain errors. Please refer to the original audio for precise wording.

Your view of God shapes your praise—and your praise reveals your view of God. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef invites believers to consider what their worship says about how they see their heavenly Father.When you know God as loving, patient, forgiving, attentive, and faithful, praise begins to overflow naturally. Gratitude for salvation fuels worship. Confidence in God's care strengthens faith. And the more deeply you believe that He is working for your eternal good, the more wholehearted your praise becomes.God's greatness can leave us speechless with awe, yet that same greatness makes worship essential. Praise brings us into a fuller recognition of who God is and leads us to bow before Him in humility—not out of fear, but out of reverence, love, and surrender.Dr. Youssef also reminds us that worship is rooted in recognizing God's worth. How much do you value who He is? How deeply do you treasure what He has done for you? How fully do you rely on His promises? This devotional will help you examine your heart and grow in a life of praise that reflects the true greatness of God.Join me in prayer.Heavenly Father, You are infinitely good. You are compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love. Renew my mind to remember who You are and show me who I am as Your child. I want to see You rightly, that I may praise You rightly. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has taught that “essential to our doctrine on the family is the temple. The ordinances received there enable us to return as eternal families to the presence of our Heavenly Father.” After the San Diego California Temple was originally dedicated in April 1993, Elizabeth and Giovanni Guanuna were the first couple to be married and sealed in the new temple. Three decades later, on the temple’s rededication weekend in August 2026, they met with Church News reporter Aimee Cobabe on the temple grounds. On this episode of the Church News podcast, the Guanunas reflect on what their sealing means to them and what blessings they have seen as they have continued to build their faith in Jesus Christ and serve in the temple. The Church News podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

Fr. Ryan walks us through the meaning of forgiveness and how to forgive like Jesus does.  Even the small steps toward forgiveness that we take are important to our Heavenly Father.    Come, follow us: Parish Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  YouTube  |  Spotify Music

“SURVIVAL MODE SAVES YOU FROM A LOT OF THINGS, BUT SURVIVAL MODE IS NOT HOW YOU LIVE.”Amanda Lynn is known today as a luxury real estate agent, entrepreneur, and television personality seen on Netflix's Selling Sunset.But behind the success is a story very few people know.Amanda spent much of her childhood with both of her parents battling addiction and experiencing incarceration.On this episode of the God Behind Bars Podcast, Jake Bodine sits down with Amanda for an incredibly vulnerable conversation about growing up with incarcerated parents, addiction, abandonment, losing her father, breaking generational cycles, finding success, and ultimately discovering healing through Jesus.Amanda was only five years old when incarceration became part of her family's story. Prison visits, phone calls, addiction, and the absence of her parents left wounds she would carry for years.When her father received a five year prison sentence, Amanda eventually stopped opening his letters. She had begun giving up on their relationship.But God hadn't.While incarcerated, her father found Jesus. When he came home, Amanda says the transformation was undeniable. Their relationship was restored, and she finally began getting her father back.Then, at 23 years old, Amanda received a devastating call. Her father had been shot and killed by his own father.Years later, Amanda can look back at her father's life and see something greater than the tragedy. His testimony became part of hers. ❤️Amanda went on to build a successful career in luxury real estate, but success couldn't heal everything she had carried since childhood.“I've succeeded in business. I've helped myself heal in therapy, but nothing does what God does.”Amanda says her relationship with her Heavenly Father finally began healing the abandonment she had carried for most of her life. Today, she calls herself the CYCLE BREAKER in a family where addiction and destructive patterns had continued generation after generation.Amanda also shares a powerful message for incarcerated mothers and fathers who believe their relationship with their children may be too broken to restore:“The prisoner story is not over. And your relationship with your kids is not over.”In this episode, Amanda and Jake talk about children of incarcerated parents, addiction, childhood trauma, survival mode, forgiveness, family restoration, breaking generational cycles, finding Jesus, and learning that success alone cannot heal the deepest wounds of our past.Her father's story wasn't over when he entered prison.Amanda's story wasn't over because of what happened to her family.And yours isn't either. ❤️

Who Am I? In this week of At The Movies, we look at Creed and one of the most foundational questions we all wrestle with: Who am I? Through the story of Adonis Creed, we see what happens when we spend our lives fighting to prove ourselves, searching for identity in all the wrong places, and trying to make a name for ourselves. But our identity isn't something we have to earn or prove—it's something we receive from God. You'll learn how to: • Stop fighting to prove who you are • Face the person you see in the mirror • Bring your brokenness and sin honestly to God • Find your identity as a son or daughter of God • Stop running from your Heavenly Father and start running to Him Adonis spent much of his life running from his father's name while trying to establish an identity of his own. But the thing he was running from was the very thing he had been longing for. In the same way, we can spend our lives running from God while searching everywhere else for what only He can give us. Through Jesus, we don't have to fight our way into God's family. We are invited to surrender, be made new, and receive our identity as sons and daughters of God. You can spend your whole life trying to prove who you are until you discover whose you are. At 12Stone Church, learn how to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose and Make a Difference. Visit our website at 12Stone.com for more information or connect with us at https://12stone.com/connect/

Heavenly Father, if it's not from you, I won't receive it. Scripture: Jeremiah 23:18

" My life is not what I expected it to be, but it's beautiful and it's wonderful and it's mine and I built it and I made it this and I'm proud of what I did and I'm proud of how I built it and I'm proud of the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father. Everything that I went through doesn't define who I am, but it helped me become who I am and it helped me to find the fortitude that I needed to get through it and to power through and power on."00:00 Infertility Heartache05:28 Freedom and Self Destruction09:42 Infertility Anger and Isolation13:14 Caregiving and Breaking Point17:08 Crisis Prayer and Strength24:36 Overcoming Church Struggles and TriggersPurchase Come Back to Christ Event 2026 Tickets Here: www.comebackpodcast.orgServe Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/If you have a story to share please submit here: https://comebackpodcast.org/submissions/For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.comCome Back Team:Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly StoneEditor: Cara ReedOutreach Manager: Jenna CarlsonAssistant Editor: Britt SmallzeArt Director: Jeremy GarciaProduction Director: Trent Wardwell

The Only Success You Can Guarantee by Autumn Dickson I really like Ecclesiastes. It's like the Eeyore of books of wisdom in the bible. Where Proverbs encourages man to follow after wisdom and do well; Ecclesiastes starts its lecture on wisdom by pointing out futility and vanity of life. Where Proverbs expresses the idea that it's worth following wisdom; Ecclesiastes likes to show us how useless it is to follow anything else. Proverbs liked to show how good patterns of living often bring good results. Ecclesiastes likes to point out that this is not always the case; sometimes you live well but find bad ends. While Proverbs holds a lot of truth, Ecclesiastes likes to question the oversimplification found therein. And though Ecclesiastes often takes a more pragmatic (and sometimes, bitter) route to get there, it teaches the same great truth: purpose in life is found in following after God no matter what happens. After going through the rounds of discussing the nothingness of man (even when does follow after wisdom), it comes to this great conclusion. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. As members of the church, we are taught to do good. We are taught to be leaders but then get released and follow after someone else's leadership. We are taught to keep spiritual records that may never be enjoyed by posterity after us (or, in the very least, never be read past the first one or two generations). We are taught to try and make the world a better place, even though we know the end of the world is not known for being righteous. We are taught to show up day after day, year after year, contributing and giving and striving, without any guarantee of visible progress. The only guarantee is God's. Conner and I recently had a conversation about this. We were discussing what it looks like to be truly successful. At the end of our lives, what is going to really matter to us? At what point, do we look at our lives and feel that we've “made it?” This conversation was a result of my husband working really hard on projects only for them to completely fall apart and amount to nothing. I've watched him build incredible things and spend countless hours developing machines that could be a blessing to people, only to hit a dead end and watch those hours fade away into a resounding halt. This has happened more than once despite his incredible inventions. Even great products need more than just good engineering and material. A lot of these projects were starting to eat away at him. Despite his great success in the most important parts of life and despite his success in being able to provide for our family, I could see the feelings of futility. Why even bother anymore? He constantly jokes of being jaded. He often encourages entrepreneurs to turn back and try a different path; he does this as a joke but also with some truthfulness. You can work forever on something only for it to completely fall apart because of random bad luck. We often love to espouse that working hard can bring success, and I do believe that in a lot of ways. However, it's never guaranteed. So after watching these feelings of futility spring up in Conner, I wanted to try and get him to see where he had done well. I wanted to try and shift his perspective to a goal that he could be successful in regardless of anyone else in the world making decisions. I wanted him to see the work he had put in and celebrate how much he had learned and grown instead of only viewing failure. In the midst of this conversation, I learned that success in life meant two things: an actual ability to make something happen and joy. Let's look at a couple of different measures of success that Conner and I talked about. Having a product take off and do well: Even with the best tools and materials, there is no guarantee that we can force this kind of success to happen. Even if this kind of success happens, it doesn't automatically turn on joy. Being able to provide for the family: There is no guarantee of this. Everything could explode tomorrow. No matter how we save or prepare or build, we cannot guarantee the ability to provide for our families. Not to mention, it doesn't automatically turn on joy. Having a happy, healthy, whole family: There is no guarantee of a happy family. You can't force others to do what's right or find happiness. Heavenly Father was a perfect parent, and yet, a good portion of His children decided to follow Satan instead. You can't force this outcome. However, despite the fact that you can't force this measure of success, we are getting closer to the overall principle of Ecclesiastes. We may not be able to guarantee a happy family, but having a happy family is much closer to ensuring joy. I suppose there are exceptions, but I know of no other lot in life that brings more five star reviews. A happy family really does bring joy. Talking through each of these success measurements led us to the same conclusion as Ecclesiastes. Nothing is guaranteed in life. We can work hard to build something good, and we may find it, but there are no promises in that regard. This led us to finally discuss our true measure of success. We simply try to follow God, love Him, and change. Interestingly enough, part of the Plan of Salvation was that we didn't even have to be perfect at it. We just had to try. We had to be diligent in our days at trying to build something worthwhile, but at the end of the day, the true measure of success is whether we let that diligence change us into something worthwhile. We are our end product. Our character is the final project that we turn in. The great conclusion is to follow God; this is the whole duty of man. It's the only way we can have a goal that is 100% within our ability to reach. Our ability to follow and love God rests on us alone regardless of circumstances. We can reach that goal with opposition, but no absolute roadblocks that stop our progress forever. That goal is completely in our hands. This goal of following God is also the only way we can guarantee a happy ending, even if not in this mortal life. He has promised joy, and He can deliver. Learning to find happiness in Him is not a fruitless endeavor. I testify that Ecclesiastes knows what it's talking about. The philosophy found therein is sound and true. Life passes away. The things we build will one day crumble. The work we put in can get undone so quickly in the next generation. The bellies we fill become empty again. The fields we sow will need to be sown again. It can be argued that it all comes to naught. Even immense fame and legacy doesn't benefit the person who died. It doesn't even necessarily dramatically affect tons of people from here on out. I testify that following God is worth it no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. I testify that joy is found therein even when everything else is falling apart miserably. I testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ takes all of your earthly success and failures and turns it into something eternal. When it comes together or when it falls apart, it has the ability to change you if you turn to Christ and therein, you find true success. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Repentance has a reputation problem. For many people, the word carries a weight of shame, punishment, and finger-pointing that makes it something to avoid rather than something to run toward. But that understanding misses the heart of what repentance actually is — one of the most beautiful, purifying, and sacred practices available in the daily walk with Jesus. First John 1:9 is a promise, not a threat: if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. God's convictions are not condemnation. They are truth pressed on the heart by a Holy Spirit who loves us and wants nothing standing between us and the Father. When we respond to those convictions with transparency and humility, condemnation has nowhere to land. David modeled this in Psalm 51, approaching God with uninhibited honesty about his sin — not cowering under shame, but opening himself fully to the mercy he knew was available. The picture this episode offers is simple and freeing: a child jumping in the car after school and immediately announcing a failed math test — not to be lectured, but because honesty with a loving parent opens the door to help rather than hiding the problem. That is exactly how our Heavenly Father deals with us. When we are open about our failures and seek His wisdom, He steps right in. We are not berated for failing. We are forgiven and made free, and in that freedom, we genuinely want to do better. Bible Verse "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."— 1 John 1:9, NIV Ponder Today Repentance is an open invitation from a loving Savior, not a punishment from an angry God. When we understand it correctly, we stop avoiding it and start running toward it — because on the other side of honest confession is freedom, forgiveness, and restored fellowship. God's convictions are His truths pressed on our hearts. The Holy Spirit prompts us to address what hinders our faith not to humiliate us but because He loves us and wants nothing standing between us and the Father. Transparency with God removes the power of condemnation. David did not approach God with carefully managed confession. He came with uninhibited honesty, and in that openness, condemnation immediately fell away. Hiding sin gives it power. Confessing it removes it. Repentance practiced regularly keeps the heart soft and responsive. Whether it is a daily practice or something we return to after a longer season of resistance, the throne room is always open. God's mercies are new every morning and His grace is always greater than our greatest failure. Forgiveness freely received should be freely extended. One of the natural outcomes of genuine repentance is a growing capacity for grace toward others. Remembering how generously we have been forgiven shapes how generously we forgive. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, thank You that because of Jesus I can come before You freely, knowing I will find mercy instead of condemnation. Your Word promises that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Please search my heart today. Shine Your light into every hidden place and reveal any attitude, habit, or thought that does not honor You. Help me respond to the gentle conviction of Your Holy Spirit with humility and honesty. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Teach me to practice repentance as a daily act of worship and response to Your loving guidance. Keep my heart soft, teachable, and quick to respond whenever You correct me. Thank You for Your endless patience and for mercies that are new every morning. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.