In Christianity, the first of the three persons of the Trinity, who begets the Son and from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds
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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 Message Good 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.”
David and Scott share experiences from their personal lives that have helped them feel Heavenly Father's love.
Tune in now as we address some misconceptions of joy and give you some practical insights and biblical wisdom that will empower you to cultivate and access joy in every season of life. Kyllie Martin is passionate about speaking on and sharing about the supernatural joy of the Lord. Her passion comes from her journey of grief and sorrow. She understands all too well what it says in Isaiah 61:3 "the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." She is a debut author and just released her book titled Unlimited Joy: Accessing All that Is Promised Kyllie, has a passion for storytelling, the Word of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. She is a wife, mother, and friend, and brings warmth and connection to every relationship she cultivates. As a church leader and speaker, Kyllie is passionate about empowering women and seeing the church embrace the fullness of the Kingdom. She recently returned to New Zealand after completing ministry school in California, she is settling back into a slower pace of life and finding inspiration for her subsequent books. She is enjoying the rich coffee culture, delectable food, and the midcentury modern design of her family home. You will love her accent. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylliemartinauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylliemartinauthor ** I have a free resource that will help you confidently hear God and the Holy Spirit's leading. Go to LoriKSnyder.com/resources for that free guide. Connect with Lori: Website: https://loriksnyder.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lorikaysnyder1 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lorikaysnyder/ Here are the 3 key takeaways from our conversation: 1️⃣ Foster Joy in Your Life: While many of us have heard the phrase "the joy of the Lord is my strength," we aren't often taught how to practically develop and receive that joy. Kylie shared her personal journey of seeking joy, taking time to study the scriptures and understand the deep meaning behind them. By immersing herself in the Word, she was able to tap into a joy that is like a shield, a fortress, and a strong tower, enabling her to rise above difficult circumstances. 2️⃣ Bring Your Pain to the Lord: In the midst of challenging situations, it can be easy to let fear and worry consume us. Kylie reminded us that we can take our pain and questions to the Lord, laying them at His feet and inviting Him to speak into our situations. Through this surrender, we can experience His peace and hope, which in turn leads to genuine joy. Rather than trying to muster up joy on our own, we can receive it as a gift from the Holy Spirit. 3️⃣ Seek Relationship Over Striving: Sometimes, we may feel pressured to "work up" joy and strive in our efforts to be joyful. However, Kylie emphasized that true joy comes from having an intimate relationship with God. It's about going beyond declaring scripture and relying on our own strength. Instead, we can tap into the overflowing joy and peace that result from a deep connection with our Heavenly Father, allowing Him to fill us and transform our circumstances. #JoyDespiteTrials #CreatedToThrive #Inspiration #Faith #Joy #RelationshipWithGod
Once upon a time, this sweet family wanted to upgrade their house to a little larger house. They had been working toward this goal for a long time. They prayed to Heavenly Father to help them find the right house. He told them it was in Utah! Whaaaat!?! Yes. So this sweet family moved from Mesa, Arizona, to Utah. And they have found peace and blessings along the way. Amy Fa'atoafe has been trying to live where Heavenly Father can use her as a blessing to others. She has served in various social service positions. She sees how the blessing of the Gospel has kept her safe and provided answers when she has needed it. She is aware of the gifts that Heavenly Father has given her, and by knowing her gifts, she is able in turn to bless others. She has learned that doing right eventually has its reward. I'm so grateful for Amy's living testimony.
Ephesians: Here is what you have to look forward to this week: SEGMENT 1 ONE SEGMENT 2 EXCEEDING RICHES SEGMENT 3 GIFT GIVER SEGMENT 4 PAUL'S PRAYER SEGMENT 5 ARMOR UP The Don't Miss This Newsletter including tips for kids, teens, couples and individuals can be found at: www.dontmissthisstudy.com Videos can be found on YouTube: Don't Miss This Emily Belle Freeman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybellefreeman/ Instagram: @emilybellefreeman David Butler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdavebutler/ Instagram: @mrdavebutler Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program. Don't Miss This Team hello@dontmissthisstudy.com
O most faithful companions, appointed by our Heavenly Father to be our guardians, we thank you for your kindness, caring and love, and for the benefits you have obtained for us. O holy angels, watch over us while we sleep. Comfort us when we are sad. Avert dangers that threaten us, and warn us of those to come. Turn us away from sin, and inspire us to do good. Encourage us to penance when we fall, and reconcile us to God. Do not leave us, heavenly guides. Comfort us in adversity, humble us in success, defend us in danger, and assist us in temptations, lest at any time we fall beneath them. Offer up in the sight of the Divine Majesty our prayers and petitions… [mention them here] …and all our charitable works, and help us persevere in grace until we enter into everlasting life. Amen. Conclude with one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
The diversity of life on this planet is astonishing, good, bad, beautiful, painful. Our world is a place of blessing and it's also a struggle for a lot of people. Each of us has a whole batch of issues to deal with every day, ranging from physical challenges to emotional needs. And a fascinating element in all this is how we see contentment. What is it? Where is it found? Is it lasting? Matthew 6:32–33 says, “For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them but seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Our old friend balance is so important. In every aspect of our lives, we should have a goal of keeping steady. Solomon spoke to this in Proverbs 30, when he asked God to give him not too much or too little. He reasoned that if he had great wealth, he might forget God. If he was in poverty, he might be inclined to steal. This effort to find balance is the heart of finding contentment. God is the ultimate source and He gives us the capacity to be content, using scripture as our guide. And as usual, God has a comprehensive plan for you, especially in the area of contentment. Notice what Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” The actor Chris Tucker discovered all this after the huge success of “Rush Hour” and other projects. But he became a Christian, and now he's selective in what he does, and he keeps it clean and real. It's been estimated that since he turned to faith, Tucker has turned down a hundred million in projects. What's his take on all that? He says, “But I've got a hundred million of great experiences.” Whether you're hard-charging and ambitious, or you're simply neglecting the pursuit of peace in your life, you're damaging your spiritual health. Finding spiritual harmony makes you a complete person. Anything short of that, you're flying with a broken wing. Bottom line is, if you look at all the verses in the Bible that speak to being truly content, you'll quickly understand that Christ is the answer. Let's pray, Father, You've provided the only way to true peace and contentment, and we thank You for that. Help us to keep this in front of us every day as we seek to live life well and abundantly, in Jesus' name, amen.
Traditional Worship | Bishop Bob Hayes | How many times have you earnestly prayed for something, and it felt as though your prayer went unheard or unanswered? Or, even worse, God answered your petition with an unmistakable “no”? From our early childhood we found it difficult to accept the word “no” from our parents, and we certainly couldn't understand why God, our Heavenly Father, would respond to us in such a way. But the truth is, there are times when God says, “No.” How do you feel when that happens? Does it cause your faith to waver or cause you to question if God really cares? In this sermon series we will examine what the Scriptures say to us when God says “no” and what our faithful response should be.
Using the inductive method of Bible study, we walk through 1 Samuel 16 where we read about God choosing a new king for Israel. This method allows each of us to read, study and apply God's Word to our lives, and draw closer to our Heavenly Father.
Have you ever found yourself trapped in the clutches of addiction, feeling powerless and beyond redemption? On today's episode, we share an inspiring conversation with Michael Slade, a man who found the strength to break free from the chains of addiction and rebuild his life. Michael's story of overcoming his past and reconnecting with his loved ones will remind you that no matter how powerful addiction may be, it can be defeated.We explore the raw and authentic journey of Michael as he navigates through the process of excommunication within the LDS church, his struggles with suicidal ideation, and the significance of addressing mental health. Michael's deep insights into these often misunderstood aspects of life are bound to provide a fresh perspective. Most importantly, his story shines a light on the importance of positive reinforcement, the power of prayer, and the transformative love of Heavenly Father that can help us overcome life's toughest trials.*** Please SHARE Michael's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/rZSawz0AilM-----Also, 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.
Heavenly Father, help me to see beyond the mountain.Psalm 123:1Keywords: Obstacles; mountain; prayer; view; courage; help.Today's Prayer Starters episode is a “best of."
Friday, 22 September 2023 “testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21 Note: You can listen to today's commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen) You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at "Discern the Bible" on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen). In the previous verse, Paul continued his words to the elders of Ephesus concerning his teaching and how he withheld nothing from those he spoke to, both in public and in private settings. Now, that continues further, saying, “testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks.” The word translated as “testifying,” diamarturomai, means more than that. It signifies “fully testifying.” The prefix dia gives the sense of “through.” Thus, it is thoroughly testifying. Paul spoke out his witness in a full and complete manner, and he did so to all people, without distinction, meaning to both the Jews and the Gentiles. His words are intended to mean all people of the earth, of whom the Greeks represent the whole. In both categories, he next notes the need for “repentance toward God.” This is the only time that Paul will tie in repentance in quite this manner, although it is similar to what he says in 2 Corinthians 7:10 – “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” The meaning of the word must first be explained. It means “change of mind” and nothing more. Paul says that we must have a change of mind toward God. This does not, in any way, mean what people think it means today, as in, “You must repent, or turn from, your sins.” That is not what the word means. Paul's words now refer to an evangelical type of repentance, not a legal form. One cannot at first legally repent of what they do not understand. We cannot repent of a law or custom which we have violated until we know what that law or custom is. Therefore, we cannot say that Paul is speaking of the standards of the law. Rather, it is speaking of who God is, what our relationship to Him is, and who Jesus is in relation to us in that context. From there, we are to repent (change our mind about who He is) and turn toward Him in faith. His words have nothing to do with the issue of sin, except that we recognize that we are sinners before God, without dealing with any specific sin that must be first ended before we can be saved. If we tie works into the process of this verse, then we are putting the horse before the cart. If a Buddhist is to be saved, he must repent of what he thinks about God, turn from that incorrect thinking, and put his faith in the true God through Jesus. The same is true with a Muslim or an atheist. The mind must be changed about what “god” is being pursued and mix it with turning to the true “God.” Only after we are saved can we then learn the laws, grow in conformity to what is expected, and be obedient to the Lordship of Christ, not before. This may sound obvious, but it is one of the chief points of incorrect doctrine among almost all legalistic churches. They tie legal repentance, rather than evangelical repentance, in with this verse. Paul next continues with, “and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” This explains the first part of the equation more fully. God is God. There is one God. However, there must be a means by which He is approached. It is not through Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, or any other expression than through His Messiah, Jesus Christ. Note how Paul opened his words of this thought with “testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks.” This means, without any ambiguity at all, that Jews must come through Jesus as well. Judaism, as it is defined today, is not an acceptable approach to God. The Messiah has come. Any Jew who has not come to God through Him is in the exact same position as a Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, etc. Remember: Repent means “change of mind.” Repentance toward God means “change your mind about God.” Repentance at this point (meaning in order to be saved) does not mean “stop all your sinning.” It means to acknowledge you are a sinner and that as you learn what things displease God, you will then turn from those things. Finally, no person can be saved, Jew or Gentile, unless he turns to God (repents of his incorrect notion about God) by coming to Him through Jesus Christ. Life application: Dual Covenantalism is a doctrine that says Jews can be saved by adherence to the Law of Moses. John Hagee teaches this. It is the official stand of the Roman Catholic Church and others. And it is a heresy. This is a great lie from Satan, and those who teach it are condemning unsaved Jews to eternal separation from God because of their words. They will be held to account. Do not waffle in your convictions about Jesus Christ. Be firm and ready to defend what you believe by properly presenting it to those you talk to. Jesus Christ is the Incarnate Word. He is God who came to dwell among His people. He fulfilled the law, He died in fulfillment of it, and by faith in His death, burial, and resurrection, people will be saved. There is no other path to God available to man. Get the word out! God has done it! Jesus has prevailed, and salvation is a gift of God's grace to any who will simply believe. Heavenly Father, thank You for the sure hope we possess. Through Jesus Christ, You have accomplished all things necessary to reconcile us to Yourself. We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that through Him we are restored to You. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.
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.”
We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping. It makes sense that the Heavenly Father would take advantage of that time and speak to us in dreams. Dreams are like a parable, a metaphorical story about you and your life, and it is fun and rewarding to discover what He saying. Dr. Jonny gives some instruction and practical advice about approaching and interpreting dreams.
Daily Prophet: Talks from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
What matters most is our relationships with Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, our families, and our neighbors, and allowing the Spirit to guide us.
These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles . . . (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town . . . ). — Ezra 2:1 In between the verses of our Bible reading today there is a long list of names. Genealogies and other lists like this do not usually make for interesting reading. After all, we know very little about most of the people listed there. Their actions, hopes, and dreams—all of that is lost to history, and we have only their names. But the Bible includes this list because it would help later generations see how they were connected to the exiles and had a place among God's people in history. Similarly today, many people have found it meaningful to trace their family tree and learn things about their ancestry that they had never known before. It can help people learn about their identity and even some of the places their ancestors come from. One of the great pictures of salvation in the Bible is that we now belong to the family of God. If you put your faith in Christ, you are adopted as a child of God (see Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 2:19-22). This is good news for everyone! It can also give comfort to anyone who may feel that their past actions have burned bridges with the people around them, or whose families reject their faith in Christ. In Jesus, God has given us a place to belong and a people to belong to. Heavenly Father, the whole family of Christ finds its identity in you. Thank you for the assurance that you love and care for each one of us, and that we belong to you. Amen.
Wednesday, 20 September 2023 “serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; Acts 20:19 Although a bit clunky, the words more correctly say, “serving the Lord with all mind-abasement, with many tears and trials occasioned me by the ambushes of the Jews” (CG). The words continue the thought of the previous verse. Taken together, they would say, “And when they came to him, he said to them, ‘You know from the first day in which I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all mind-abasement, with many tears and trials occasioned me by the ambushes of the Jews.'” With that noted, the words of this verse begin with, “serving the Lord with all mind-abasement.” It is a single noun first found here, tapeinophrosune. It is derived from tapeinos (humble, lowly, etc.), and phrén (mind, intellect, etc.). And so, as a single noun, “mind-abasement” exactingly translates it. It will be used by Paul five times and by Peter twice. Paul continues by saying, “with many tears and trials.” Some manuscripts omit the word “many,” but it is likely original. Paul's use of the word would be perfectly fitting with the events of his time in Ephesus. He labored vigorously, cared deeply, and faced trials repeatedly. And these were “occasioned me by the ambushes of the Jews.” The word translated as “occasioned” means to come together or come to pass. These things befell Paul personally and they were instigated by the Jews. As for the word translated as “ambushes,” it is a plural noun signifying a plot, but it also carries the sense of the plot being put into action. Some translations say, “plots.” This gets half of the idea. Others say, “lying in wait,” but that is a paraphrase that is singular in nature. A single word that carries the whole intent would be the plural “ambushes.” In this, there are the plots which are combined with the actions of carrying them out. Life application: Paul's words are not boasting through self-piety. The things he said are simply the manner in which he conducted himself. This is perfectly evident from the fact that he is saying them to the very people who saw how he conducted himself. He is laying out the foundation for his words of admonishment, and it is appropriate that he sets this groundwork down in the exact manner in which he conducted himself. This is a good lesson for each of us. If we act in a pious manner to ingratiate ourselves to others, that is not an acceptable way to conduct our affairs. However, if we live in an attitude of self-abasement as our regular conduct, it is an acceptable and noteworthy choice. Paul says as much to us in his epistles, such as – “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 & “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 This was Paul's attitude and conduct, and it should be ours as well. In this, we will be living properly before the Lord. Heavenly Father, help us to consider others before ourselves, deeming them as valuable people in Your eyes. Jesus came to save others, even while the world was sold to sin. We were once in that state, and they still are. The only difference between the two is Jesus. How can we look down upon others when – without Him – we would still be just as they are? Help us to have this mind. Help us to care about their state and to pity where they are. Soften our hearts to their plight, O God. Amen.
Faction Cannot Prevail (12) (audio) David Eells - 9/6/23 I was told by the Lord to declass all that we know. Some of these first few minutes might be borderline for teens and pre-teens so if you like they can leave the room. The Angels told us that in the future we would be speaking to one another in dangerous territory by the Spirit. Emails and texts and other physical forms of communication are hacked by governments and others and are dangerous. This is true if you are a Christian missionary among an unfavorable religious society. The Lord impressed me to practice this. I went to our head UBM angel Baruch and asked if we could talk this way. We did. So this morphed into total communication between us. This involved either spoken words or thoughts. All I had to do was address him by name and the angel and this would open a line of communication between us that was totally natural like you were sitting in the same room. This morphed into not even calling on the angel just speaking or thinking communication with the angels. I saw a vision of Eve with different colored hair and it was straight. Another had a dream of her looking the same way. I asked Eve if she looked like this and had an alias and she said, yes. This way she could work for Kevin, whom she was completely submissive to because of the demons he had put on her; Including witchcraft, voodoo, slander, lust, fornication, and adultery so she would do her job for them. You say, David why would you not cast these demons off of her. We have in the past but now the Lord is bringing her through this whole experience to humble her and to be an advocate for those taken advantage of by filthy satanists. The Spirit continued my education and experience regarding what seemed like natural communications. I asked Eve some questions that would have been dangerous for her to answer, which I will explain later. She answered them because the Spirit overruled her demons. I asked her “Are they farming you out to other men besides them.” She said yes, so I said how many? She said she couldn't say. But Baruch, who was standing by, interjected “with 12 men”. She then said this was correct. I said in one week, no wonder you say you are tired. I asked are you doing this from your apartment? She said, no, we have a building. I asked are the other girls also in that building? Baruch said they have 14. She said, yes, but she could have no communication with them. To say the least, this sickened me that satanists all over the world are trafficking men, women, children and babies. I asked, are Kevin and Eddie making a lot of money off of you all. She said, Yes. I said are your customers men of importance who would defend Kevin if he got caught trafficking women and she said some of them are. Are some cops, lawyers, judges, politicians, type people, she said she believes so but does not know their names. I thought, good, that is safer for her. Then I asked, are the rooms equipped with hidden cameras and sound recorders, She said, yes. This is Epstein Island all over again and all over the world. They recorded the politicians, big business, judges, etc. and blackmailed them to take over the countries. I said, Lord if I declass this it will be dangerous for them. These men do not want to be known. I heard that we are so close to the end of this it won't make any difference. I asked for 3 heads to confirm this and got them. Also Vanessa received from the Lord, “No weapon formed against Eve shall prosper.” I believe this is for the other elect women also. Just to let Kevin and Eddie and all the satanists know, be careful with these women, men, and their children you have captured because like Trump, “We have it all.” Oh, you think not? These angels see and know everything and they are talking to more people than me. God was speaking to me so I said to Baruch, The problem is that these sinners are enjoying this too much to stop because of the demons they have received. Do you think ED and symptoms of disease would fix that? He said, yes, and he would take care of it. (They all would know there was just one common denominator to cause disease, Kevin and Eddie, since they insist on molesting them all.) (A few days before this, I asked God and did a test. I was talking to Eve and she said kind of frustrated, “something is wrong”. I said, Is it ED? She said how did you know that?) Shortly after Baruch released this larger judgment, Michael had crazy things happening to his computer and phone at the same time, so he rebuked it and it left. So we knew it was retaliation and we bound all retaliation against our body. I think it is Mordecai and Esther's cancelling the Jews curse with their edict and putting it instead on Haman and his sons and people as we just studied. Seducer Preying On Young Women Anna Stewart 9/1/23 (David's notes in red) I had the following dream last night. I don't know if I'm representing other young women we know about who were stalked in the same way. I dreamt that I was a teenager in high school. The high school campus was at my childhood home. It seemed that I was 16 years old. (Predators, Sixteen is still an adolescent teen and not an adult.) There was a scene where I was on the roof of our old pump house, chipping away and scraping off years of accumulated gunk from the rooftop. (The rooftop represents covering and protection.) As I removed the blackened gunk (sins) I was surprised to find that there was honey underneath. (The Lord's cleansing process to bring restoration to their personal fountains of living water for Eve/the women. Through our prayers, we are “pumping” the Words of Life into Eve and the other captured women.) Pro 24:13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb,which are sweet to thy taste: Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! The scene changed back to the campus and Kevin was there and he was 35 in the dream. He seemed like a nice man. It seemed like he and I had known each other in the past. (Because we used to be in fellowship as brethren. Both she and her husband had dreams that Kevin molested her. He broke into their phone and emailed me from there.) He was very nice to me, and it seemed like he was in love with me. He was following me around but not pushing the issue of wanting to talk to me. I wasn't attracted to him, justattracted to the idea of him loving me. (The spirits of lust Kevin sent out use the emotions and make one “feel” like they “want” him but are deceptive. He had a spirit of seduction and acting.) But I had this subconscious feeling that something wasn't right; it was like I knew that a 35-year-old man pursuing a 16-year-old should be a huge red flag, (Being only 16 years of age is considered “below the age of consent for sexual contact.” Knowing the difference between right and wrong, having our senses exercised by the Word. Heb 5:14 But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.) but I couldn't quite get my mind around the fact that he was just lusting after me—it was like I was blinded because of my desire to be loved. (The spirits of lust blind the young by using the emotions and desires for love and confuse the mind.) I wanted to walk away from him, but he seemed so nice, and like he really cared about me. I subconsciously knew that he wasn't as he seemed, but it was like my knowledge of who he was had been taken away. I knew he really wasn't a good man, but I couldn't remember why. (The factious send witchcraft spirits of “confusion” doubt and unbelief.) I was really struggling between wanting to be loved by him and wanting to walk away and not look back. There was this strange pull trying to draw me to him. With my reasoning I wanted nothing to do with him, but my emotions were being manipulated towards him. (We bind all their witchcraft of control and manipulation to seduce and capture other women.) Kevin's truck was a pretty blue (a righteous facade). The scene changed and I was standing next to Kevin's truck and David and Michael were there. David was smiling and kind but urging me to flee from Kevin. (We must resist the devil and all his tactics of deceptive charm and lustful seduction. 2Co 2:11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan: for we are not ignorant of his devices.) He was so calm but told me I should flee like it was for my life and to go where Kevin couldn't find me. (We are hidden and abiding in Christ.) I knew it would be hard to flee because he was always hanging around close by. (Remain fully armored with the Word (Eph 6:10-20) and continue to bind the demons operating through their witchcraft and curses and loose the angels.) Then I saw a GPS map with my vehicle, driving this way and that, trying to flee in unpredictable ways. I saw a line behind mine that was Kevin's vehicle following my trail. He was far behind me, yet he always caught up close to where I was. I suddenly realized that he was actually stalking me and just how creepy he was. There was no way for him to know where I was at, yet he was always able to follow me, short-cutting close to where I was every time.(Philip had an app on his phone so he always knew where his wife was even when she ran away one time. We bind all Kevin's spying and stalking spirits and declare they are all null and void. We cast down the powers and principality operating through him in Jesus name. I caught him stalking other other women.) End of dream. I had a dream a couple years ago where Kevin was in a blue truck spying on us. There was a fire in the house where we met, but Kevin ended up fleeing for his life after being shot at by David who was target shooting into the field where Kevin was spying from. I wanted to send this to you as I thought it might be some direction for warfare for Eve and the other women. A Word David Timoshchuk 6/2/23 (David's notes in red) Last night I was led to pray for all the persecutors and family and I kept repeating, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Then this morning while preparing the jalapeños, these words kept repeating in my head, "Kevin and Eddie have fallen by their own swords." And shortly after, I heard the words, "It is finished." Psa 37:12-15 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord will laugh at him; For he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. Dream of Judgement Coming Alenna Timoshchuk 8/30/23 (David's notes in red) I dreamt that I was in the Walmart parking lot with my mom and daughters. We had set up camping chairs in the back and were there to watch a meteor shower and to see a sign in the sky. While we were waiting, I saw chaos happening all around me. I knew that everyone was boycotting the grocery stores and anyone who was weak and would enter to get groceries for their family, the people boycotting would attack them. Some were even lighting their cars on fire to scare off anyone else from trying to shop. I thought that I needed to wake up and tell my husband my dream but then slipped into another one. I was with my husband in my parents' house and my girls were asleep in another room. I started sharing my dream with him and noticed a massive storm approaching. I knew we needed to be in a safe room during the storm, so I went to get my daughters and I saw that my oldest had woken up and gone outside and was playing with a cousin. I ran out and got her and told the other little girl to run home because a huge storm is coming and the wind had already picked up to really strong winds. My little cousin excitedly asked me if we were going to heaven, and I told her not just yet. Then again, I started thinking that I needed to tell my husband my dream but that I need to get a verse by faith at random first and two places from the Bible popped into my mind Matthew 11:22 and Mark 11:13. I had no idea what these verses were but I knew the Lord put them in mind. Then I woke up so I could write them down before I'd forget. Mat 11:22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. Mar 11:13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. I felt that this dream was telling me the Lord's judgement is coming very quickly. Tsunami Judgement Coming Tianna Fire 2/8/23 (David's notes in red) I dreamt we were with the local brethren, and we all lived next to each other in a community. A warning came from God in an audible voice, and He said, "A tsunami is coming." (Tsunamis are destructive surges of water that can hit land. This could represent a spiritual tsunami bringing judgement on the wicked. 1Jn 4:17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.) The brethren were all cheering that God had given warning this time. The brethren spoke about the last time there was a giant tsunami and storm, but God didn't tell them it was coming and that it had wiped out everyone except the UBM brethren. (God gives us warnings of judgments so we can be ready ourselves and warn others so they can repent from sin and turn to the Lord. Many judgements will wipe out the wicked.) Last time everyone was in the water and having to tread over all the wavesand all the brethren were gathered near each other in the water. (The Body of Christ needs to stay together abiding in the water, which is the Word of God and not let faction separate them.) It was so dark and there were storms and vicious waves and for three days they had to do this. (The storms and treading the waves of water represent the trials and tribulations we go through being tried by the Word in our death of the old man. The three days represent the time Jesus was dead in the tomb.) Because of their faith and strength in Christ, they were preserved, but all the other people were taken out by the tsunami. (We need to obey the Lord and walk the crucified life of death to self. When we do, we save our souls.) Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. I asked some of the sisters how they were able to tread on the water with their three children each and a few of the children were able to tread themselves or the children were strapped to their parents with a carrier. (Parents are to teach their children the Word and how to walk by faith so they know how to go through trials too. Deu 11:19 And ye shall teach them your children, talking of them, when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.) I honestly had much fear of maybe having to tread in dark open water and I was worried about sharks. But the brethren said because God has warned us this time, we won't have to do that. (When we go through our trials in faith and obedience and overcome them, we don't have to go through them again and again.) We all grabbed what we needed and walked to the highest point on the biggest hill in the town. (Representing our walk to get to Mt Zion and be in Jerusalem, who is the Bride.) When we got to the top there was a giant treethat we all climbed and got on top. (This giant tree represents the Tree of Life, Who is Jesus. Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:[Wisdom] And happy is every one that retaineth her. Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. Rev 22:14-15 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.15 Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.) We could see the view over the whole town and the water and there was a giant storm forming and waves rushing. (This giant storm forming could be DS planned attacks as well as the tribulation period, which is soon to start.)We then saw other people from the town running to the hill to try and get up high. Then giant waves started rushing through the town and everyone not on the hill was washed away. (Many people are unaware of the coming storm. We need to be abiding in Christ now, dwelling in heavenly places which is by faith in His promises. Eph 2:5-6 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:) Some other people were on the hill and started running to the top. But then another giant wave crashed on the hill and everyone not on the tree was taken out. The storm lasted about 5 days but we were all content praising God from the tree and again UBM brethren were the only ones left alive from the town. This is Our Fathers Heart Debbie Fenske 8/6/23 I finished writing down what I was hearing from the Lord, I got hesitant about it. I was thinking about using coins for confirmation. So I asked the Lord, “Father, shall I blog this?” And Father said, “Be led by My Spirit. I simply said, “I know, Lord.” Then He said to me, “What did you hear? What did you feel?” I told Father, “I heard you speaking, and I felt you heart.” I received nothing back from the Lord then, and knew that I was being led by His Spirit, and that I had been hearing His heart. I was laying on my couch listening to this constant rolling thunder. It was beautiful. So then I heard: “Do you hear the thunder? I said, “Yes Lord. It's beautiful.” He said, “So is My voice that is continually speaking. I will not stop until all who I have called to Myself have heard My call. But, woe to those who have heard, but will not respond to Me. For them is coming tremendous woe. And there is much woe coming to my sheep who have become lost, and do not want to find their way back, ignoring any of My guidance. They have been lost too long, and no longer have a conscience. The day is nigh that will be woe to them! And woe to those who I have been calling to Myself, and out of My great mercy for them I have sent my ambassadors, My witnesses to them. And some of them only like the message they here. And some only like the thought of a life walking with Me. But, woe to them! For I almost had them, but they too, wait too long, and they let themselves grow cold to the slightest drawing they feel from me, to My slightest call of their name. Though they hear, they reject. Their life in this world is much too important. They are idols unto themselves, and will not be freed. So I let them go. Woe to them! But, there is glory coming! Great revival is coming that will bring back My lost but tender ones who have hearts still tender towards Me.” I felt to ask Father, “Lord, what is it you want to tell us to do?” “I tell you, and all, stop wasting time praying for those who by their lives, and their reactions to My Son, and the teachings they once knew, and embraced, but now have rejected. For I say, I have already rejected them.” So then I was thinking to myself, “Well, how do we know who those would be?” Father heard my thoughts and said, “Listen to My voice. You will know. Pray, instead, for the multitudes ready to embrace Me and My kingdom through the mighty Word preached from My Sons who I will fully dwell in, and the mighty signs, and wonders they will perform. Right now, see the glory! I know those who are mine. And I know those who never have been mine, and those who are mine no longer. Very soon all who I have chosen will be Mine, bearing My name. I will move in mighty ways for the final bringing in of My precious true Israel. This mighty move is close, and you believe it is close. But I tell you that it is yet closer than you think. Be busy preparing yourself in Me. My sons and daughters, I see that there is still much of this world in you that you need to let go of. Have you been understanding what I have been saying, what you have already been hearing? Do you understand the shortness of time? Are you being moved by the woes of the people of this world? I say, examine yourselves, and be moved by the state of your own heart. I say this is the time to let go. This is a call to you, My people. This is the time to be prepared. Put off any love you have for this world. Put off this slothfullness that I see! Be prepared. Be ready! Knock Out Punch Prophecy Dr. Patricia Green (David's notes in red) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A1TDyzRQLE Today's video is called the Knockout Punch prophecy, which the Lord gave me on July 22, 2023. So, I just want to read what was given to me. As I sat down to receive this message, the very first words that I heard was, “Knockout Punch.” And the Lord said, “I am delivering the knockout blow to the worldwide elites who have controlled the politics, the financial world and the pharmaceutical industry; and yes, I say industry because that is what it is. By no means does Big Pharma have the interest of making people well or healing them. Just the opposite. They create drugs to make people dependent on them so they can line their pockets with trillions of dollars. The Lord said, “I have put my glove on and with one blow I will remove the global elites who hide in the shadows and control the people, says the Lord.” The Lord said, “I say enough. I have had enough of their wickedness. I have had enough of their deceit and control and manipulation. I have had enough of them controlling the wealth. For with My knockout punch, I will strip them of their wealth, which is built on a false system and layers of lies.” Patricia says, now I find this part quite amusing. The Lord said, “The wealthy elites will, be like, the emperor who wore no clothes, in this children's storybook called, The Emperor's New Clothes. It was a shyster who convinced the emperor that he was weaving him a beautiful robe, but in fact there was no robe; it was imaginary. He further convinced the emperor to parade through the city in his glorious robe that did not exist. (This could represent the fake Biden presidency, who is only a puppet, along with all the political parties, who are an “imaginary” show, and they will all be exposed and declassed.) This is the same fate as the global elites, says the Lord.” “It was the common people who revealed to the emperor that he was naked and without any royal apparel. It will be the common people who will strip the elites of their fine apparel, their riches and their properties; and the elites will be naked and exposed, says the Lord of host.” (The prayers of the righteous to bring down the DS globalist, satanist bunch. We continue to send the angels to drain the swamp!) “How, do you say, can this happen?” “Because they are so powerful and so rich and so hidden.” But the Lord says, “But I say, nothing is impossible with Me, says the Lord of hosts.” “How could the entire army of Pharaoh and Pharaoh himself be swallowed up in the Red Sea, and yet I did that, says the Lord.” “No one in Israel could have imagined that their enemies against them could be here one minute and the next minute forever gone. Forever annihilated. I Am that same God. I created the earth and everything in it. It all belongs to Me, says the Lord.” “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” “Who is man that I Am mindful of him, says the Lord.” “I say man is My creation and I will not tolerate the altering of men, women and children. For that is the work of the enemies to try and improve and alter and change My creation. No one knows My mind or My power except My Son. So, if you want a glimpse into My thoughts and a glimpse of My power, come to My Son and ask Him to reveal Me; to reveal Me, Your Heavenly Father. For I AM Almighty, all powerful, all knowing and ever-present. I AM the Great I AM, and I AM, has spoken.” “Now go My children and declare My words in this earthly realm. Declare all that I have spoken and already given to My true prophets; for when you declare My words, you are taking your spiritual authority on this.” Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power on the enemy, and nothing shall by any means on you. The Lord said, “Use your voice, My children; lift up your voice in one accord for your voice has power, My power, says the Lord.” Our Heavenly Protection Marie Kelton 8/11/22 (David's notes in red) I had an open vision of the Lord sitting next to me. He said, “Eat from the hand of God.” He then opened his hand and I saw food in it. Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. Pro 9:4-5 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: As for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him, 5Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled. I then saw two big angels standing by the side door with spears in their hands in the living room. I was asking the Lord about the demons that attack my mind all the time. One of the angels walked up to me and I could hear the clacking of his armor. I knew he was there to help me. I asked him to help with spirits attacking me. Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation? Mat 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do. I then saw a huge demon to my right. The angel took his spear and stabbed the demon with it. When the angel pulled out the spear, I saw black liquid on it. I then saw two angels walking with a demon in between them. They were holding it up. The angels then stopped, and the demon was kneeling. Php 2:9-11 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Eph 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Col 2:15 having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Then I saw the Lord walk up and take a sword and cut the demon's head off. Escaping Evil Anonymous 12/12/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamt that I was a child and living in an orphanage, in the middle of nowhere. There were many other children and workers there. (This represents the children who have lost their families in the DS wars and earthquakes, and hurricane destruction causing them to be placed in orphanages and foster homes; many of them are funded by the governments and used to traffic children by the satanists. In the recent event in Maui, there are over 2,000 children missing.) A group of the children had run away from the orphanage to the forest because some of the workers there had been sexually abusing children. (Representing the satanists and sexual perversion and pedophilia in the DS and the ungodly.) NENT Gen 6:11 And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. I wanted to leave too, because I didn't want anything to do with that. So, I and two other children planned to leave. (Lot and his 2 daughters escaped Sodom. NENT Gen 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.) It was lunchtime and all the children were playing in the playground. My friends came up to me and told me they were going to run away right now. I said that I haven't packed my bag yet. They said they would go out of the school and wait in the forest for me, and they ran off and I went into my room to pack my bag. To get to my room I had to walk past one of the men that had been abusing children. I was praying in my heart that he wouldn't notice me, as if I was invisible, and he wouldn't see me. (NENT Col 3:3 For ye died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God.) I went into my room and packed everything I could in my bag including water. I was making a lot of noise trying to find everything quickly. I also was afraid because I was alone in the room and not only was I scared of getting caught trying to escape but I feared him trying to do something evil to me. I had the bag almost fully packed, when the man walked into the room, and he grabbed something from a desk. He walked straight past me and couldn't even see me even though I was in plain sight. (God answered the prayer to be made invisible and not be seen! NENT Luk 4:30 But HE passing through the midst of them went his way.) I escaped and ran off to join my friends in the woods. We spent the next few days trying to survive there, avoiding animals, trying to keep warm at night and not give in to fear of the scary animal sounds we heard. Also, we had a lot of trouble trying to find food and not going the wrong way. (NENT Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath there a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred threescore days.) We honestly had no idea where we were going. All we had ever known was this orphanage, so we had no idea what to expect because we never had contact with the outside world. (NENT Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for inheritance, and went out, not knowing whither he was going. 2Co 5:7 (for we walk through faith, not through sight.)) After about three days of being in the forest we found a house hidden in the woods. No one was home so we snuck in through a window and went through the house, took some food and we went and hid upstairs in a bedroom that didn't look like it was regularly used. We heard someone walking around the house and we knew someone lived there. We tried our best to stay hidden, we wanted to stay here because it was better than being in the woods, especially at night. And we could secretly go find food in the house when we felt the person wasn't there, or when we thought they were asleep. We stayed in this room for a little while, but we ended up going into the attic. We hadn't been in the attic long before thiselderly man came up and found us. He was very kind, caring and loving, which is something we hadn't experienced before. (The elderly man represents our Heavenly Father, or it may represent Jesus.) When we were in the orphanage all the children were always in fear of the workers and only had other children to console in. The man let us stay in his place for a while, feeding us and talking with us and he built up a trust with us and we confessed where we were from and why we ran away. (We all start out as children and learn to trust the Lord. By His grace we can have a healthy relationship with Him, where we can be nurtured and grow.) He told us that there had been many children before us that had run away for the same reasons. That he had his house here for a long time and that he had helped many other children in our situation. He told us there was a man, who ran away as a child, and that he had taken him in and raised him. Now this man lives in another town, and he always tries to help children in any way he can, because he understands and had experienced the same evil abuse as a child. The elderly man called him, and he said that he and his wife will take us in and raise us as their own. They came and picked us up, and we went to live in their house, and they were very friendly, gentle and understanding. Then I woke up. Declass The Angels told us that in the future we would be speaking to one another in dangerous territory by the Spirit. Emails and texts and other physical forms of communication are hacked by governments and others and are dangerous. This is true if you are a Christian missionary among an unfavorable religious society. The Lord impressed me to practice this. I went to our head UBM angel Baruch and asked if he could send a message to Eve and he said yes. He did and received a word back which Baruch gave to me. Then I received understanding that this was too primitive. So this morphed into total communication between us. This involved either spoken words or thoughts. All I had to do was address her by name and the angel would open a line of communication between us that was totally natural like you were sitting in the same room. This morphed into not even calling on the angel just speaking or thinking communication which was just like my former communication with the angels. I saw a vision of Eve with different colored hair and it was straight. Another had a dream of her looking the same. I asked Eve if she had an alias and she said yes. This way she could work for Kevin, whom she was completely submissive to because of the demons he had put on her; Including witchcraft, voodoo, slander, lust, fornication, and adultery so she would do her job for them. You say, David why would you not cast these demons off of her. We have in the past but now the Lord is bringing her through this whole experience to humble her and to be an advocate for those taken advantage of by filthy satanists. The Spirit continued my education and experience regarding what seemed like natural communications. I asked Eve some questions that would have been dangerous for her to answer, which I will explain later. She answered them because the Spirit overruled her demons. I asked her “Are they farming you out to other men besides them.” She said yes, so I said how many? She said she couldn't say. But Baruch, who was standing by, interjected “with 12 men”. She then said this was correct. I said in one week, no wonder you say you are tired. I asked are you doing this from your apartment? She said, no, we have a building. I asked are the other girls also in that building? Baruch said they have 14. She said, yes, but she could have no communication with them. To say the least, this sickened me that satanists all over the world are trafficking men, women, children and babies. I asked, are Kevin and Eddie making a lot of money off of you all. She said, Yes. I said are your customers men of importance who would defend Kevin if he got caught trafficking women and she said some of them are. Are some cops, lawyers, judges, politicians, type people, she said she believes so but does not know their names. I thought, good, that is safer for her. Then I asked, are the rooms equipped with hidden cameras and sound recorders, She said yes. This is Epstein Island all over again and all over the world. They recorded the politicians, big business, judges, etc. and blackmailed them to take over the countries. I said, Lord if I declass this it will be dangerous for them. These men do not want to be known. I heard that we are so close to the end of this it won't make any difference. I asked for 3 heads to confirm this and got them. Also Vanessa received from the Lord, “No weapon formed against Eve shall prosper.” I believe this is for the other elect women also. Just to let Kevin and Eddie and all the satanists know, be careful with these women, men, and their children you have captured because like Trump, “We have it all.” Oh, you think not? These angels know everything and they are talking to more people than me. God was speaking to me so I said to Baruch, The problem is that these sinners are enjoying this too much to stop because of the demons they have received. Do you think ED and symptoms of disease would fix that? He said, yes, and he would take care of it. (They all would know there was just one common denominator, Kevin and Eddie, since they insist on molesting them all.) Shortly after this Michael had crazy things happening to his computer and phone so he rebuked it and it left. So we knew it was retaliation and we bound all retaliation against our body. I think it is Mordecai and Esther's cancelling the Jews curse with their edict and putting it instead on Haman and his sons and people as we just studied.
It's so awesome how when you go into a conversation with an open mind you can learn so many new things. And it's also amazing how you can find commonalities. I knew hardly anything about Chris, but those good things happened for me. Persistence was a word that Chris uses to describe his son. But I could tell from some of his own stories that he was already practicing that virtue. He talked with respect about his father and I could tell that his own children respect him for his efforts. He talked about dreams and goals. I could tell that he is slowly working on them. And he talked about enjoying life. Boy, that part of our conversation really struck me as an important word. "Enjoy." Heavenly Father really does want us to find joy. And his definition of "joy" is amazing: so much happiness that it is spilling out of you.
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. — Ruth 4:13 Ruth had returned with Naomi to make a new home in Bethlehem. At least Naomi had memories of familiar people and places there. But Ruth had no connections to Bethlehem at all. As a foreigner, she was doubly vulnerable in this place that was new to her. But God provided in remarkable ways. First, “as it turned out” (Ruth 2:3), she found herself gleaning grain in the field of a kind-hearted relative named Boaz. Second, Boaz takes an interest in Ruth's longterm well-being by making her his wife. These may seem like coincidences, but God specializes in gracious coincidence. Sometimes our own journeys—to familiar places or to new ones—seem to present unlikely prospects. Maybe you can't imagine going back to a church because you were too deeply hurt by its members in the past. Or maybe you feel that your sins are too weighty to be forgiven. But please know that God forgives all of our sins through Jesus Christ. God has a way of providing for people who may not seem to belong. The genealogy at the end of Ruth 4 shows that Ruth became an ancestor of Israel's great king David—and therefore also of the Savior, Jesus (Matthew 1). God can bring you into Jesus' family too. Trust him today to give you the home you need. Heavenly Father, you surprise us with your gracious acceptance and provision. Thank you for welcoming us into your family through Christ, and help us to rejoice in your protection and redemption. Amen.
Almost everything seems appealing at first, but then after a little while, it can start to feel like a decision that you regret, a commitment that you never should have made to begin with. One decision piled on top of another and before you know it, you have a life and marriage that feels overwhelming and out of control. It's then, that a longing for the simple life comes bubbling up in your emotions and your heart and races through your mind. "Even when it comes to God, life used to be so simple," you think to yourself. "I just want a deep connection with my Heavenly Father again." Join hosts Travis and Dawn Rosinger for a discussion about their experience of stepping back into time, back into an 1880's life that is being lived right now. It was through this recent interaction that they began to think through what needs to go from their lives and marriage, what needs to be stripped away. By listening to this episode, you will be inspired to reexamine what should be removed from your over-scheduled and over committed life. Don't miss it!!Travis and Dawn Rosinger are the Loving The Fight Marriage Podcast Hosts and Authors of the books, Verbalosity - 7 Steps to a Verbally Generous and More Fulfilling Marriage and their newest book, Gripping - What Matters Most | A Life and Relationships That Hold on to YouFor more information about Travis and Dawn Rosinger go to Loving The Fight
In this insightful podcast episode, Bishop Casey Cullimore shares profound wisdom on navigating the challenges faced by youth and individuals within the context of faith and love. Bishop Cullimore emphasizes the importance of building trust through open and honest conversations, both with youth and parents, creating a safe and non-judgmental space for discussing sensitive topics. He encourages understanding that making mistakes is a part of the learning process and underscores the role of the Atonement in providing comfort and empathy. The Holy Ghost is portrayed as a conduit for inspiration and guidance during difficult times. Throughout, Bishop Cullimore highlights the unconditional love of Heavenly Father for His children and His divine plan for each individual. This episode is a powerful reminder of the profound impact of love, trust, and empathy in helping individuals face life's challenges and strengthen their relationship with God. It could be you! Come check us out, and see if this is the time for you to enlist. Come join those who are finding the great power that comes from using your agency to choose action, commitment, and increased faith! If you would like to submit any feedback or if you have benefitted from these principles please visit our Email at likedragonspodcast@lifechangingservices.orgSons of Helaman is a program for young men struggling with self mastery issues where they learn technics and principles to help them combat the influence of the adversary. For more information please visit https://lifechangingservices.online/sonsofhelaman/The Mothers Who Know Program is a Christ-centered team of mothers who provide support, connection, training, and hope when your children battle pornography or other challenging issues. For more information please visit https://motherswhoknow.org/For more information about Eternal Warriors, visit our website at eternalwarriorstraining.org/If you would like to take a careful look at the training handbook for Eternal Warriors training system, you are invited to download, for FREE, the eBook, "Like Dragons Did They Fight" at likedragonsfree.com
Feeling confused as you discern God's will and plan for your life? Are you currently in a season of anticipation, waiting for God to answer your heartfelt prayers? Do you feel forgotten? In this episode, Howell and Laura Brandenburg graciously recount their 10-year journey through infertility, highlighting the enduring hope of faith and the comforting embrace of a loving Heavenly Father who is always with us. Even in the midst of waiting and uncertainty, God's love remains unchanging and steadfast. In her recently released book, "Not Forgotten, Unraveling Questions of Faith and Fertility," Laura delves into the stories of nine women in the Bible who faced barrenness, unveiling five distinct qualities that demonstrate the nature of God's heart. Whether you're personally navigating the challenges of infertility, supporting a loved one through their journey, or simply yearning for a reminder that God is a good Father, this episode celebrates God's enduring love, His perfect timing and standing on the truth of God's character through trials. * * * LET'S BE FRIENDS! HOSTS: Sarah Turner | Instagram | Facebook Geoffrey Turner | Instagram | Facebook GUESTS: Howell Brandenburg | Instagram | Facebook Laura C. Brandenburg | Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook * * * Beltway Park Church: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Beltway Park Church * * * SHOW NOTES: Testimony Video on YouTube To purchase the book Not Forgotten, see links below: Publisher's book link Amazon link
Chatting with Carrie Turansky is always fun, but guys, this gal is such a trouper! But with her newest novel (Split-Time!!!), The Legacy of Longdale Manor coming out, and with it taking place in the Lake District (we were probably there at the same time!!!), I am crazy excited about this book. Listen in to see what a shepherd's crook has to do with art and two women, a century apart, who both are dealing with daddy issues that only a Heavenly Father can truly help. Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. What Heart Issues Connect These Two Troubled Women Together? Carrie Turansky and I were both in the Lake District in May (we probably overlapped a few days even! AAAK!), and I love the area she wrote about. I actually looked up Langdale Chase (the house that inspired Carrie's book) as a potential for a book I'm writing in the area. I had decided to move it closer to Ambleside. Isn't it amazing how two authors can take the same inspiration and write two totally different books? I love that. The faith elements she's put into The Legacy of Longdale Manor just touch my heart so deeply. Any time you are dealing with a shepherd or fatherhood, I'm all in, and I can't wait to see what she's done with it. The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turransky Two women--a century apart--embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance. In 2012, art historian Gwen Morris travels to England's Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she meets David Bradford--the owner's handsome grandson--who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd's staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she's left searching for answers. In 1912, after her father's death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte's grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again. Learn more about Carrie Turansky and all the goodies for preordering The Legacy of Longdale Manor on her WEBSITE. Also follow her on BookBub and GoodReads BakerBookHouse.com has The Legacy of Longdale Manor on sale for 40% off with FREE shipping. And don't forget to go get your goodies, too! Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon and more!
Whatever you are facing today, rest assured that you can release it to the Lord in prayer. No matter how trivial, we can present our requests to our Heavenly Father, who cares for us deeply. As we cast our anxieties on Him, let's sing praises and share our gratitude to the One who loves us beyond measure. - Laura BaileySUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Part 2 of our discussion with Brent Henderson of Unleashed Ministries, we learn about our Heavenly Father's Will for His Created from the very beginning. Guest host is Q90 founder, general manager and avid outdoorsman Lee Dudek. Men, what are we here for? Seeing the bigger picture The Funnel analogy Priorities make production Watch Stand Up For The Truth on YouTube !
Freedom is found as we trust the Father's heart (Matthew 6:9; John 14:6). Jesus came to restore us to our Heavenly Father, to see and know His goodness. When we want to know what kind of Father God really is, we do not look to our circumstances or even to our earthly father. Instead, we discover what kind of Father God really is when we look at Jesus, the cross, and the empty tomb. He is a Father who sings in pride over His children, who is slow to anger and abounding in love, who runs to His children to cover their shame, and who is always there and never leaves. We can yield to God and submit to His authority because we know that He is beyond good as a Father. Sermon from September 17, 2023 To watch this sermon or other sermons, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: "Beltway Park Church"
Title: God's Redemptive Love: John 3:16-17 Introduction: [Background music fades in] Anthony Wilson (Host): Welcome back, dear listeners, to another enlightening episode of the Love Thy Nay Bor podcast. I'm your host, Anthony Wilson, and today, I want to delve deep into the theme of God's redemptive love. As we explore this profound topic, we'll be examining John 3:16-17 from the New King James Version of the Bible. Join me as we uncover the boundless depths of God's love and its transformative power. [Background music fades out] Segment 1: Setting the Stage Anthony Wilson: To truly understand God's redemptive love, we need to lay the groundwork by examining these verses. John 3:16-17 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (NKJV). Lesson 1: The Extent of God's Love Anthony Wilson: In this passage, we witness the limitless extent of God's love for humanity. It proclaims that "God so loved the world." The word "world" here refers not only to individuals but to the entirety of humanity. God's love encompasses every person, regardless of their race, nationality, background, or sins committed. It's an unconditional love that surpasses any human comprehension. God's redemptive love also includes the creation according to Romans 8:20-21 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of [a]corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Segment 2: The Price of God's Love Anthony Wilson: Now, we ask ourselves, what did God do to demonstrate this boundless love? The verse continues, "He gave His only begotten Son." God's love is not mere sentiment or empty words; it is actionable. He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly came to Earth to bear the weight of our sins, paving the way for redemption. This act shows the extent of God's devotion, proving that His love surpasses mere emotions and extends into redemptive action. Lesson 2: The Purpose of Jesus' Mission Anthony Wilson: Moving forward, we discover in verse 17 that Jesus' mission was not to condemn but to save. God didn't send His Son into the world as a judge, prepared to deal out punishment for our sins. Instead, He sent Jesus to offer salvation, to reconcile humanity with Himself. This clarifies that God desires to redeem us, to restore that broken relationship so that we may have everlasting life. Segment 3: Embracing God's Redemptive Love Anthony Wilson: Finally, we must consider the implications of this redemptive love on our lives. Believing in Jesus is the key that unlocks the door to God's redemptive plan. By faith, we can experience salvation, eternal life, and a restored relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is not something we can earn through our own efforts but is a gift freely given by God's grace through Jesus Christ. Lesson 3: Embracing God's Love in Our Lives Anthony Wilson: As we conclude today's lesson, let's reflect on the transformative power of God's redemptive love. It is through this love that we find meaning, hope, and purpose. By embracing the love of God, we discover our true identity as His beloved children and are called to share this love with others. In doing so, we participate in God's mission of redemption. [Background music fades in] Anthony Wilson (Host): Well, folks, that brings us to the end of this enlightening lesson on God's redemptive love, based on John 3:16-17. I hope you found this exploration meaningful and inspiring. As always, keep loving your neighbors and remember, love conquers all. [Background music fades out] Outro: [Background music fades in] Narrator: This concludes another episode of the Love Thy Nay Bor podcast with Anthony Wilson. Thank --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-wilson/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-wilson/support
Galatians: Here is what you have to look forward to this week: SEGMENT 1 LOVE AND JOY SEGMENT 2 PEACE AND LONGSUFFERING SEGMENT 3 GENTLENESS AND GOODNESS SEGMENT 4 MEEKNESS AND TEMPERANCE SEGMENT 5 CHRIST LIVETH IN ME The Don't Miss This Newsletter including tips for kids, teens, couples and individuals can be found at: www.dontmissthisstudy.com Videos can be found on YouTube: Don't Miss This Emily Belle Freeman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybellefreeman/ Instagram: @emilybellefreeman David Butler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdavebutler/ Instagram: @mrdavebutler Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program. Don't Miss This Team hello@dontmissthisstudy.com
The Book of Malachi is full of warnings that seem harsh at first but are actually filled with loving-concern to pull God's people back from the edge of danger. Because although the people of Israel had come back from the exile eager to rededicate themselves to God, it wasn't long before their fervor began to fade. They tired of waiting on God's promises and fell into a kind of spiritual rut. They were doing the right religious things, but their hearts weren't in it anymore. Can you relate? The Book of Malachi is shouting to us today: “Get back! There's danger lurking right in front of you. You may not see it, but it's there. Get back to safety, while you can.” In this passage, we see Malachi calling the people of God back from the precipice of withholding themselves in worship. There are three elements that we find in this passage: 1) Cavalier Worship At the beginning of the discourse, the Heavenly Father says, “Do you not owe me both honor and fear?” Now the word for “honor” here carries the idea of weightiness, heaviness, and glory. It indicates that God deserves to be the heavyweight in our lives, the One who matters above all. And the word for “fear” here carries the idea, not of cowering, but of reverential awe and trembling adoration. God deserves our reverential awe, the One before whom we tremble. The people of Israel neither honored nor feared God in worship as they should. They withheld their best worship from God, and their hearts were not in it. We dishonor God when we withhold our first and best. If you are concerned about your heart's orientation to worship, ask this: is worship and delight or a drudgery? 2) Cursed Religion Cavalier worship leads to cursed religion. That sounds like overly strong language, but it's God's language in this passage. Why? God will receive the worship that is due His name. All peoples everywhere shall worship before Him. People from every nation, tribe, people, language, and tongue shall sing out my praise. And the warning from Malachi to Israel is clear: if Israel doesn't return to a heart of worship, God will to the Gentiles and the nations who will worship Him. 400 years after Malachi wrote these words, that's exactly what happened. In all the cavalier worship resulting in cursed religion, Israel had forgotten God's compelling greatness. The potential consequences are enormous. 3) Compelling Greatness Israel forgot who they were and who God is. And all through this passage, God is reminding them of His compelling greatness in five images: Father, Master, Ruler, Commander, and Great King. All these images are designed to encourage Israel to: come back to the honor of the great name of the LORD. Takeaway: How will I give God my first and best? God gave us His first and best when He gave us Jesus. In view of that mercy, how can we not offer ourselves as living sacrifices? Malachi 1:6–14
Matthew 7:1-6
This week we will learn from 2 Corinthians 8–13. I can cheerfully give to people in need. It is always good to serve others, but it is even better to serve cheerfully. Then we will learn Heavenly Father always answers prayers, but not always in ways we expect. Paul's experience praying for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed teaches us that God sometimes strengthens us in our trials rather than taking them away. If you are new here - Welcome to the Come Follow Me Podcast for Kids! We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we create this podcast for primary aged children (2-12) following along with the church's Come Follow Me Manual. This is a New Testament Bible Study podcast for children. If your children would like to be guests on our podcast email us at comefollowmekidspodcast@gmail.com and we will send you an assignment for a future week.
Today is Yom Teruah, The blowing of the trumpets for the Feast of Trumpets - Today we will take a look at Psalm 94 and gain an understanding of how David saw through the difficulties of his day and proclaimed that even though it looked bad, our Heavenly Father was still in control. Even though it looked like the evil would prevail, YHVH would have the last word. The key was and is to stay faithful to the instructions that He has given us in His Word. At the beginning of this "Rosh Hashanah" new year, let us all recommit to walking the path He has laid out for us to walk. Produced by Steve Rees - Calming Harp If you like what you hear please subscribe: www.youtube.com/peregrinnatti To find us on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peregrinnatti Calming Harp Page: https://www.facebook.com/Calming-Harp… If you would like to write a testimony of how this music has helped you email me at: steve@calmingharp.com To purchase CDs and MP3s go to our website: https://calming/harp.com To donate to the ministry of the Calming Harp: https://calmingharp.com/marketplace Steve Rees has been producing Harp Music from the Psalms of David for the past 20 years. He has discovered a connection between the Hebrew text of the Psalms and music notes that develop into chord progressions that form the basis for musical compositions that have been appreciated by thousands of followers. We invite you to join the many lives that have been positively affected by this wonderful music.
“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” — Luke 15:18 As a pastor, I often talk with parents who are disappointed that their son or daughter no longer thinks Christ is important. I always try to assure them that it is never too late for someone to return to God and his people. Jesus tells a story about a son who ran away from home. Rather than work with his father on the family estate, the son demanded his inheritance and then wasted it on wild living. It probably seemed like an attractive idea at the time, but like many of our sinful decisions, it led to personal disaster. When his money was all gone, the young man wound up working with pigs—“unclean” animals that were detestable to Jews. And as he “came to his senses,” he asked himself, in effect, “How did I get here?” We might find ourselves asking the same question, having drifted far away from our Father. Repentance is the first step we take to return. And while we do not have the power to restore our relationship with God on our own, our Father promises to receive us back when we come with a repentant heart. If you find yourself far from the Father, he invites you to come back to him today. Repent and return, and God will welcome you home. Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy in Christ. Keep us from wandering from your care. Give us the courage to return to you, knowing that you will run to welcome us home. Amen.
Friday, 15 September 2023 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. Acts 20:14 The Greek reads, “And when he met with us at Assos, having taken him up, we came to Mitylene” (CG). In the previous verse, the missionaries were set to sail for Assos while Paul took the journey on foot. Now, Luke's words continue with, “And when he met with us at Assos.” Without any comment as to why the two parties traveled separately and without any details of their meeting up, other than that they met, it is apparent that it occurred as planned. It isn't even sure which arrived first. The words simply indicate that they came together. With that, Luke next records, “having taken him up, we came to Mitylene.” Paul got on board, and they departed. Their first stop is noted as Mitylene. This was, and still is, the capital of the island known as Lesbos. It is about 30 miles south of Assos and just off the west coast of Anatolia. The island is one of the largest in the Aegean Sea and is the seventh largest in the Mediterranean. Its total circumference is about 168 miles. As for the name of the location, Abarim says – “The name Mitylene comes from the adjective μιτυλος (mitulos), which in turn is related to the familiar Latin word mutilus, from which comes our English verb ‘to mutilate.' How and from what the Greek language derived our word μιτυλος (mitulos) isn't clear but from its sparse usages it appears that it was solely used in the meaning of hornless.” This location, Hornless, is noted only this one time in the Bible. Life application: Paul spent the entire last night at Troas talking to the disciples there. He then got up and walked the distance from Troas to Mitylene. As those on the ship met him there, it is apparent he didn't sleep the entire time it took to meet up with them. It makes guessing why he determined to walk all the more curious. It is, however, good to stop and consider such things because we can then evaluate our own paths that we decide to take. Paul may or may not have walked that particular area before, but he knew that Mitylene awaited him. It is good to set out on a new path at times, but there has to be a reason for doing so. There also needs to be a goal at the end that is expected. If not, you will be ambling blindly. This doesn't mean we at all control our steps. We may not make it till tomorrow morning. But if we do, we should at least have a plan for when we get there. In the meantime, we should include the Lord in the process. The words of James instruct us on this – “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'” James 4:13-15 Heavenly Father, direct our steps according to Your wisdom. We do have to plan them, but our plans are still at Your allowance. So, Lord, may the two be harmoniously put together through Your guiding hand. We look to You for each breath, so if it is Your will, may our plans be in accord with what You would have us do. Amen.
Yes! You are in. Do you have faith? Did you have faith that the Covid vaccine would work? How about if your favorite sports team will win? Ok, not a sports person, how about the love of your life and will that person remain faithful to you? You do put faith into things and people. Now for your play of the day...here you go...Faith, we all use it. Even an atheist puts faith into that there is nothing. Some of you just aren't sure. For those that think you are sure, you are still riding on Faith. Some of you heard my video game analogy, seems like a perfect time for it. You and your atheist friend are in a video game. In fact, you both know you are in a video game. The atheist says, we just go here. There was an explosion and now we are in a video game. The believer says, that doesn't make sense. I believe/putting in faith that there is a designer behind this video game. Somebody wrote the code. Built the scenes with artistry so striking and beautiful that even atheists admire it and want to spend time amongst the beauty. The hardened atheist replies, yeah but I can't see any code and I don't see any designer. The believer says well ok, good point, I don't see a designer, I'll give you that. However, science says there is a code. Math defines and solves a lot. On top of that, we learned that your body and mine and every living creature has a code. They call it DNA. 30 billion+ lines of code that define every aspect of you and me. It can even tell us who truly are our parents and where we have been and where are ancestors come from. So we do have a code. Atheist replies and says ok, we have a code but it magically appeared from an explosion. Which do you believe? Which side are you putting your faith into?For the believer, okay you believe in God...a designer. Jewish, Muslims and Christians most believe in the Torah and the prophecies found there.. All put faith into a God/designer. Christians believe in/put faith into Jesus as the messiah promised in the Torah and beyond. People debate if Jesus existed. Yet hardly anybody debates if Julius Caesar existed. Yet there are a ton of historical documents on both of them. Our world calendar is based on Jesus. To put it quite simply, Jesus was either a iiar a lunatic or Lord. You get to choose. You will put your faith into one of those three. One can't be a great teacher and say one is God and isn't. So if you are a believer in Jesus, kudos to you. You are 2,000+ years later. And you are living those words in the 'Play of the Day'. How are you at sharing your Faith? Odds are you have room for improvement. Me too! Oh, if you would like to hear more of that Play of the Day. Check out Daily Hope, Expecting the Best, Part 1, published on the first of September, 2023Now go, continue in Faith and show your Heavenly Father your love. Love God with all your heart and soul. Next love others...especially the more challenging ones. Everything you are trying else you are trying to do hangs on those two...Check Matt 22: 26-40. I love you, thanks for listening and when worthy, thanks for sharing and encouraging someone else. If you are listening to this because of someone else, just know they love you...
Daily Prophet: Talks from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
When you receive your blessing, you will realize and feel how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you and how They focus on you individually.
We know that the warning of the last days is to "come out of her, my people." But after we heed that warning, what do we do now? Where do we go from here?In today's episode, we are going to look at a biblical example detailing Israel's fall, and how King Josiah (of Judah) responded once he was confronted with the "book of the law" found in the Temple of Yahuah. I truly love how the lessons in Scripture give us direction and instruction on how to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. He truly is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I pray that this episode blesses you and encourages you. Verses:Jeremiah 6:16Jonah 2:82 Kings 17:6-232 Kings 23:1-25Malachi 4:4Jeremiah 1:10James 2:19Jeremiah 33:3Contact me: stephanie@promise-perspective.comVisit my website: www.promise-perspective.com Support the show
Today we are going to be talking about healing for our souls through the Lord's Prayer. We find in the gospels that Jesus taught his disciples how to pray by reciting the Lord's prayer. Now, Christians around the world recite the Lord's Prayer, but today we are going to be looking deeper at this sacred gift given to us by our Heavenly Father. This prayer not only teaches deep theology about our relationship with God but also our relationship with others by boldly reclaiming the blessings offered to us through this prayer. Joining us today is Becky Harling, the author of the six-week Bible study, “Our Father: A Study of the Lord's Prayer,” She is going to give us fresh insight into this prayer that will help us to remember why Jesus taught us to pray in this way. Bible Study Book: Our FatherWebsite: beckyharling.comPodcast: The Connected Mom PodcastGo-To Bible: NIVJournaling NotebookHighlightersFavorite App/Website: biblegateway.com CBT In-Depth Bible Study Academy Complete and comprehensive Bible study academy. Support the showCheck out our website for more ways to fully connect to God's Word. There you'll find: Coffee and Bible Time Prayer Journals Coffee and Bible Time Courses Coffee and Bible Time Membership (weekly devotionals sent right to your inbox!) Find more great content on our YouTube channel: Coffee and Bible Time Our most popular video is “How I Study My Bible + In-Depth Bible Study!” with over 2M views! Follow us on InstagramVisit our Amazon ShopLearn more about the host Mentor MamaEmail us at podcast@coffeeandbibletime.comThanks for listening to Coffee and Bible Time, where our goal is to help people delight in God's Word and thrive in Christian living!
The purpose of praying boldly and with confidence shows we trust in His ability to intervene in any situation and that He can give us “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Ms. G encourages us to pray those bold prayers with confidence and grace. After all, our Heavenly Father is our friend and counselor.
Hear why it's so important to spend some time with your Heavenly Father today with the Help Club for Moms!"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." - Jeremiah 33:3
The Tenth Commandment is all about desire. Our hearts are prone to wander. They seek to be satisfied by the stuff of this world, rather than by being content in our gracious, good Heavenly Father. In this episode, we explore the Tenth Commandment by: Giving a Biblical overview of desire Defining how, what, and why we covet Presenting a solution to our covetous hearts - contentment This commandment is about more than wanting your friend's house or body, it's about whether or not you will trust God above all. It's a matter of our faith in our Father.
Psalm 32:1-5 NLT Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. David's detailed and intense description of his battle with sin and confession offers us such a great encouragement to go straight to the Lord and be honest with all our confessions. We see the journey of David trying to ignore his guilt and pain, his loss of even physical health, and then his ultimate surrender of all rebellion. Healthy acceptance of shame through confession brings us in line with authentic humility and our dependency on God. Is there an area of life that you are trying to rectify on your own? A sin… that you are reluctant to call a sin… or rationalize away? Maybe an attitude or something that we feel entitled to hold onto that we really should confess. something that we know, to use David's words, “are causing our body to waste away”? Listen to verses 1, 2 and 5 once again—the result of full confession and acceptance of forgiveness: Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! … You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (Psalm 32:1-2, 5 NLT) Can you see the power in confession and surrender? Today, if you relate to any part of David's words, take his advice and make things right. Confess and then accept the joy and freedom of total and absolute forgiveness. Pray with me using David's words: “Heavenly Father, forgive my disobedience. Put my sin out of sight. Clear my record. Thank You for forgiving me. Now, may I let go of my guilt and accept Your grace. As above, so below.”
Sky is a son, a brother, a spouse, a father. He talks about each of these roles with so much love and devotion. In all, he talks with gratitude. I love how we can talk about doctrine and conjecture with reason. I love how we could talk about vision. Sky has been blessed with a willing heart. He recognizes that as he learns about what is in store for those he loves, he is also tasting what Heavenly Father has in store for him. He talks of his daughter's future, of his brother's destiny, and of the things he knows he can learn from his grandparents and other ancestors. And we talk about not always fitting in with others, but always fitting in with the Lord and His plan for us.
2 Corinthians 8-13: Here is what you have to look forward to this week: SEGMENT 1 PROOF OF YOUR LOVE SEGMENT 2 READY OR NOT SEGMENT 3 EVEN YOU SEGMENT 4 DOTTED HERE AND THERE SEGMENT 5 IS JESUS IN YOU? The Don't Miss This Newsletter including tips for kids, teens, couples and individuals can be found at: www.dontmissthisstudy.com Videos can be found on YouTube: Don't Miss This Emily Belle Freeman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybellefreeman/ Instagram: @emilybellefreeman David Butler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdavebutler/ Instagram: @mrdavebutler Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.
In Matthew 5, Jesus makes six statements clarifying the Kingdom. In this week's teaching, He makes the hardest of all requests; He tells His followers to love their neighbors and their enemies. He defines love as praying, greeting, and doing good like their heavenly Father.
Audio Transcript:This media has been made available by Mosaic BostonChurch. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston,or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com. Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us your holy word, and we thank you for sending us your holy Son. We thank you that your son came as a savior to save us from our sins, but you also came as Lord. And Jesus, we thank you that you went to the cross and you paid the penalty for our law-breaking, our transgressions of the law. And Jesus, you bled. The holy Son of God, you bled on that cross in order to cleanse us, in order to save us, and then also to give us grace. And you came back from the dead as the conquering king and you gave us marching orders to go and make disciples of all nations and to take dominion of this world, to take it back from the usurper, back from Satan, back from the enemy. And I pray, Lord, that you empower us by the Holy Spirit. Baptize us with the Holy Spirit. Send each one of us a special anointing to proclaim your word everywhere we go. To know your word, study your word, meditate upon your word, and to testify to the greatness of our God. Lord Jesus, show us what it means that you are our king. And that when you tell us to follow you, that is a command. Those are marching orders. And wherever in our lives we are not following you, I pray, give us grace. Transform our wills, transform our minds, transform our hearts. Lord Jesus, we pray that you bless the sermon series. We pray that you anoint it and I pray that your holy church will be built up. And I pray those who are far from you will be redeemed and regenerated and transformed from being rebels to being your children. And I pray, Lord, in this season that you send us the gift of evangelism, a passion for evangelists to proclaim the gospel of the king. The king is here. We deserve His wrath, but He came to extend mercy and grace and call us to follow him. I pray that you bless our time in the holy scriptures. And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. So we're beginning a sermon series through the Gospel of Mark that we are calling Kingdom Come, the Gospel of Mark and the secret of God's kingdom. And Jesus Christ, when He came, His very first words were the kingdom of God is at hand. So He's established the kingdom, the king is here, and then the Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And that prayer is not just a prayer, that's our purpose. Yes, we cry out, Lord, may your kingdom come. But what we're saying is, Lord, give me the power to establish your kingdom. The title of the sermon today is Tremendous News: The King Loves You. And it's tremendous news because we don't deserve that love. It's a shock that He comes as a loving savior. Why? Because we deserve the wrath of God for our law-breaking. And just to give you perspective on this, I take an example from history from Fyodor Dostoevsky. Before he wrote Crime and Punishment, before he wrote The Idiot, before he wrote The Brothers Karamazov, he was actually sentenced to death by a firing squad by Tsar Nicholas I. For what? Listening to stories, criticizing the armed forces, owning an illegal printing press in order to create anti-government propaganda, and contributing to plot against the Tsar. So he was part of a group of rebels. There were 21 members in the circle and Dostoevski is 27 at that time. And they were brought into a public square and they were forced to kneel, kiss a cross, and then undergo a symbolic beheading where swords were broken above their heads. They were tied to pillars in the town square, blindfolded and then they started awaiting their execution. But immediately before they were shot, an envoy from the Tsar arrived with the stay of execution saying, don't shoot. And the men were pardoned by the king from execution and forced to serve in hard labor and a labor camp for four years. And you say, how would that change a man knowing he's about to be executed and all of a sudden there is a stay of execution? Dostoevsky, after the averted execution said, "Today I faced death for three quarters of an hour. I was a hair's breadth away from death, and now I am living again." He wrote his brother after the event, "I'm being reborn in another form." In the same way that the brightest dawn follows the darkest night, the best and the greatest, the most tremendous news always comes right after the deepest realization of the most terrible news. Well, what is the terrible news? That you and I, we have broken the law of God, the holy law of the holy God. This is the ultimate act of insurrection. And God created you with eternal soul. He breathed his spirit into you. We have eternal souls created by an eternal God. So what's the punishment for insurrection against the holy God of the universe? It's banishment from God's kingdom. That's what we deserve. Exile. And how long is that exile? Eternal because God is eternal and so are our souls. We deserve execution. We deserve eternal damnation for rebelling against the holy God. So when the king of kings comes, it's surprising that He doesn't come with execution and eviction notices. When the king comes, the king comes with pardon and amnesty and forgiveness and mercy, but also grace. This is what the gospel is all about, that God is offering to us today, mercy. Mercy is you don't get what you deserve, but He also gives us grace. And grace is we get what we don't deserve. God has mercy on rebels and He gives us grace in adopting us as sons and daughters because of the sacrifice of king Jesus on the cross. Jesus came as a Jewish man, but He's not just the king of the Jews or just the king of Israel. He's the king of everyone and the king of everything. And there's only two kinds of people, children of God or rebels. Soldiers of King Jesus or soldiers of king Satan. And if you turn from your sin and you submit to the king, if you believe in His gospel, something incredible happens. The miracle of the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you are regenerated from within. God gives you a brand new heart with brand new desires and your mind is renewed by the power of God. And God now can look at you as He looks at His son Jesus Christ and say, this is my child in whom I'm well pleased. And grace also is a power source. God gives us grace as energy to become kingdom builders. Jesus Christ said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else shall be added onto you." St. Paul said, "I am what I am by the grace of God, but the grace of God was not in vain in me. It wasn't given to me in vain. Instead," he says, "I worked harder than the rest of them. "And he's talking about the other apostles. So God gives us grace to do what? To follow Him, build His kingdom. And it all starts with the tremendous news that He's willing to forgive us if we repent. And this news does change us, it rivets us and it changes your whole perspective on reality. Would you please look at the text with me today? We're in Mark 1:1-15, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God as it is written in Isaiah the prophet. Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight." John appeared baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now, John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached saying, 'After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I'm not worthy to stoop down and untie. I've baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.' In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved son with you, I'm well pleased.' The spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness and he was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan and he was with the wild animals and the angels were ministering to him. Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, 'The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.'" This is the reading of God's holy and inert, infallible, authoritative word, may it write these truths upon our hearts. Four points to frame up our time. First, the king has come. Second, the king is anointed. Third, the king declares war. And fourth, the kingdom has come. First, the king has come. Mark 1:1, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God written by Mark, who was probably an associate of Peter and Peter at that time was serving in Rome when this gospel was written. So this gospel is written to city dwellers and it's written in such a way where busy people can understand the gospel, understand who is Jesus, understand His person and His work. We see that Mark emphasizes action over teaching, it's very vivid. One of his favorite words is the word immediately. And what he's doing, he's writing to busy people. He's trying to get to the point as quickly as possible. And if you're new to the city, what you recognize is after a while here you realize you know who's from Boston because they walk fast and they talk fast. Fast walkers, fast talkers. And that's kind how I preach. I talk really fast, people tell me they can't 2X me on our podcasts or et cetera, but I want to get to the point as quickly as possible. And the point is, Jesus Christ, He's the point of everything. And here we see the freshness of discovery of who Jesus is. That's what Mark is trying to do. Over 150 times, he uses the historic present tense, putting past events in the present tense. Why? To increase the vividness. That what Jesus did, He's continuing to do today in and through the church as empowered by the Holy Spirit. It begins with the word the beginning. That's the very first word, and it's alluding to Genesis 1:1, that in the beginning God created everything and God created man and it was all beautiful. It was all wonderful, but we rebelled against God and Satan usurped dominion from Adam and Jesus Christ has come as a new Adam, as a new creation, as a new beginning for human beings. His name is Jesus in the English. In the Greek, it's Yesus, and Yesus is a transliteration of the Jewish word, Joshua. So Jesus is named after Joshua. In the Hebrew, His name, what it means is savior or literally Yahweh is salvation. So even in the name, what we see is that God is saying what Moses couldn't do, Joshua did. Moses could not take the promised land, could not bring the people of God into the promised land. Joshua did that. What Moses couldn't do, Jesus is going to do. Moses gave the law, but he couldn't transform hearts to obey God willingly. God can force His kingdom upon us and one day He will come with a flaming sword and He will judge. But the first time Jesus Christ comes, He doesn't come with a sword of power or physical sword. He comes with the sword of the spirit, wielding the word of God so people are transformed from the inside out. Moses gave the law, Jesus gives grace, which leads to heartfelt obedience, which empowers us to fulfill the law out of love for God and neighbor. Jesus Christ, a lot of people think that's His last name. That's not His last name. It wasn't Mary and Joseph Christ. This is a title, a kristos. It's from the Hebrew marcia or an anointed one. He's anointed to do what? He's anointed to be a royal figure. He's anointed to be king. So Jesus Christ actually just means is king. Sometimes they drive by churches and they're named Christ is king. I'm like, that means king is king. It's Jesus is king. That's the point, that He's come in order to establish the kingdom of God. He's the son of God. Son begotten of the Father. The Son of God is God as much as the Father is God, but the Son submits to the father's will. So we see right in the center of the faith, the faith is patriarchal with the Father up top and hierarchal, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. When Jesus took on flesh, He was male. Jesus was a man, a Jewish man who lived under the law. And Jesus is the Son of God and the son of man, that's His messianic title. And the Holy Spirit is not an it. It's not just a force. The Holy Spirit is a person, the Holy Spirit is a he. And just for clarity's purposes, God's pronouns are He/Him. And I say that because confusion has come from theological schools. I remember taking classes at BU School of Theology and I realized that's not going to go well because the very first prayer I heard was a prayer to mother God. Well, that is not true. God is father. The gospel, the word gospel means good news or literally an announcement of something good associated with a military victory. It's good news of victory from the battlefield. And the nuance of military victory is extremely important for Mark who presents Jesus' ministry as triumph over Satan, over the demonic forces and over their human agents. In Isaiah, the announcer of good news or the one that brings the good news proclaims the victory of Yahweh Israel's true king over hostile forces. And this is just the beginning. It's the beginning of what Jesus taught and what He began to do and He continues to do today. In Mark 1:2, "As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." As it is written, it says. This is typical Jewish formula for citation of scripture. And the Greek, it's a perfect tense, has been written, implies past action with permanent results and suggesting that the ancient scriptures, it's not just a dead letter, but it's a living force in the present. As it has been written through the instrumentality of Isaiah, and then God speaks in the first person, meaning God inspired Isaiah by the spirit and he speaks to us through the word of God. And Mark affirms that what happened in Jesus followed the plan of salvation laid out by God and the prophecies of scriptures in the first 39 books of the Bible. Jesus came and His Bible were the Hebrew scriptures, the first three fourths of the Bible and this is why Mark quotes it in the very beginning. It was all promised. And He says, "I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way." So John the Baptist comes and John the Baptist is this voice and he's in the wilderness. And the word for wilderness or desert is érimos, is used three times in our texts today. And at the outset, all the action is in the wilderness. You say, why is that important? Because Adam was placed on the garden. The garden of Eden and everything was in bliss and everything was perfect. They walked in the presence of God, but he traded that garden for a wilderness by disobeying God. So the second Adam enters the wilderness to turn it back into a garden. Jesus is also the faithful son of God who unlike Israel, obeyed God completely. Israel disobeyed God. They were faithless and they walked in the wilderness for 40 years. But even there in the wilderness, God met them and He gave them the law and he cared for them and He provided for them. So in a sense, Jesus here is presented as the new Joshua, as the one who's going to lead the new exodus out of the wilderness to bring us into the presence of God. And what's the voice of one crying in the wilderness? What's he proclaiming? He's saying, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight. Prepare. God is here, the Lord is here. Prepare the way of the Lord." So Jesus is called Lord right from the outset. Who is John? John comes as an Old Testament prophet in the spirit of Elijah. He was a cousin of Jesus so he knew Jesus, he knew his life. In many ways he was a wild man, but the Lord used that. And what was his message? His message is the king is here, the king is coming. Prepare. Prepare. And what's the assumption? Is that we're not ready, that we need to do something to become ready. The king is coming and we need to present ourselves as best we can for the king. And John's not calling for just a coat of paint. No, we've got structural issues. We need an overhaul, a full gut down to the studs. I remember I took a trip to Sochi, Russia in 2013. It was before the Olympics and I wanted to see what they're doing in preparation for the Olympics and I was doing some missions work. And then we're driving up into the mountains of Sochi and I just noticed that everything's beautiful, everything's tremendous. And then I realized I don't see any houses. There are no houses. All I see is a beautiful fence on both sides. And they realized that if we're going to bring people to the Olympics, we have to make everything presentable, but we don't have time to make the houses presentable or the villages presentable so we're just going to cover it all up with a beautiful veneer. Well, John's not calling us to do that. John is saying, "No, no, no. It's not a veneer, not a facade change, not just your behavior must change. No, no, no. We need a regeneration of the heart." And how does that happen? What does he say? He says, "Repent and be baptized." Mark 1:4. "John appeared baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." So John here, he comes baptizing, and this is the Greek word vaftízo, which means to dip, plunge, immerse, and can be used of dipping a cup in water, et cetera. So John is called the baptizing one. A lot of people think he's baptist, because John the Baptist, there were no Baptist denominations at that time. And by the way, if we're going to call him any denominations, he's definitely not Baptist. He'd get ex-communicated from most Baptist churches. No, he's probably more Pentecostal than anything, but he comes baptizing and you're like, why is he baptizing? What is baptism? Well, baptism at that time was something that the priest did. They washed themselves in ablutions before taking part in sacrifices. And then the latter practice was when Gentiles wanted to become part of the people of God, what was the practice? How did they purge themselves of uncleanness of their pagan life, so to speak? Well, they were immersed in a ritual bath and that became a requirement for their conversion. So what John here is doing is he's going to Jewish people and he's saying, "You have not lived as the children of God. You have not lived as the people of God. You have not lived a life of love and obedience to God and people in submission of God's holy law. You are not saved through genealogy." And so he's calling them to faith in their own God, faith in their own scriptures and says, if he's saying you have lived as Gentiles, you have lived as pagans now through baptism, you are becoming the children of God and it's all started with the heart first. There's a passage in Zechariah that's used extensively in the New Testament that shares several motifs from our text, water imagery and repentance and confession, forgiveness of sins and even reference to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And what this passage emphasizes is even repentance, even asking God for forgiveness, even asking God for mercy and grace, that's a gift in and of itself that it starts with the spirit of God working in our lives. So Zechariah 12:10, "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps over a firstborn. On that day, the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land shall mourn each family by itself, the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Levi by himself and their wives by themselves, and the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves and all the families that are left each by itself and their wives by themselves. On that day, there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness." So John's baptism departed slightly from the baptism practice in the day. In the practice of the day, the Gentile convert would baptize themselves. They would go down to the water themselves. But here there's a second party, John is doing the baptizing, which is a symbol that we cannot save ourselves. We need someone from the outside and that's only Jesus Christ. And also John's baptism was only anticipatory of cleansing from sinfulness. It wasn't until the blood of Jesus Christ that we can truly be ransom from our sins. He comes proclaiming and the message is a message of repentance. What is the word repentance? It's literally a change of mind, a turning a direction of life, a returning. Like in the Old Testament, the prophets would come and they would say, repent. Repent. What they're saying is people of God, people of God turn back to God. Turn back to the word of God, implies a total change in spiritual orientation. And when repentance comes, we are forgiven of sins. It literally means ascending away or release, the release from guilt before God. Verse five, "And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem, were going out to him and we're being baptized by him in the river Jordan confessing their sins." And the phrase here for we're going out to him, it's a word that's applied in the Old Testament to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses. And what Mark is doing is deliberately invoking Exodus Moses typology. Why? To show us that the new Moses has come, the new Joshua has come, the new exodus is here. In verse six, "Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey." I've always thought that he just did that because he's kind of a nut and this is the way that you attract a lot of attention to start a movement, but actually it's a picture of the primal back to earth reminiscent of the garden of Eden. Remember in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve they sinned and God promised that the day that you sin you will die. That day began their spiritual death, but God pardons them and there's a blood sacrifice. He takes two animals and there's bloodshed and he creates clothing out of skins of the animals. This picture here is as if John is standing outside of the Garden of Eden. It's as if he's standing in that presence of the angel with a flaming sword that blocked the entrance and he's saying this is the way that we get back into the Garden of Eden. This is the way we get back into the promised land, into the presence of God himself. Here the description presents John as an Elijah figure, Elijah in 1 Kings 18, if you remember this is the great battle between Yahweh and Baal. And in the same way Elijah was preaching the same message, 1 Kings 18:21, "Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'how long will you go limping between two different opinions?' If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word." John's clothing is similar to that of Elijah. Elijah preached a message of repentance and so does John. Elijah was associated with the wilderness, so is John and with the Jordan. And then also Elijah, when he was taken up to heaven before going he gave a double portion of his spirit to his disciple Elisha, doubling his power. So Jesus here similarly is presented as one greater than John, greater than even this great prophet of God and one that supersedes John. In verse seven, "And he preached saying after me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I'm not worthy to stoop down and untie". He's mightier than I am, mightier in every sense. He's stronger than I am, and also he's more honorable. He's saying, "I'm not even worthy of taking the leather strap that holds his sandal on his foot and unstrapping it." And in rabbinic sources, the untying of the master shoe is the task of the slave, not of the disciple. One rabbi even wrote a pupil does for his teacher all the tasks that a slave does for his master except untying his shoes. So for the rabbis, this is the lowest of the low. The disciples would not do this And John the Baptist, he's saying Jesus is so much more worthy than I am, so much greater in every sense than I am I'm not even worthy of doing the slave like service. And we got to stop here for a minute and we got to meditate on the implications of the meeting behind Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. If John isn't even worthy of doing this, for that's how great Jesus is. Jesus, why would you wash the disciples' feet? You're the king of the universe, why are you stooping down? Why did you take a basin of water? Why are you doing that? And John 13:12-17, "When he had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord and you are right for so I am. If I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example and you also should do just as I've done to you. Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.' If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." What kind of king is this? This is the king that came to build a kingdom of hearts. This is a king that came to save us from our sins, to wash us from our uncleanness and stark in contrast to any other king. In Mark 1:8, "I've baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." So Jesus is the anointed one, anointed with the Holy Spirit. That's what makes Him of the Messiah and the spirit endowed Messiah is the spirit endowing Messiah. And in the New Testament there's a linkage of spirit and water. 1 Corinthians 12:12, "For just as the body is one and has many members and all the members of the body, though many are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body. Jews and Greeks, slaves and free and all were made to drink of one spirit." Titus 3:4-7, "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared, he saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Ezekiel 36, "This was promised, I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness and from all your idols I will cleanse you and I will give you a new heart. And a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." This is the promise of God that when we come to Him, when we repent of our sins and we beg Him for grace and mercy that He sends us the Holy Spirit. And I wonder, do you have the Holy Spirit? Have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit? Is the power of God, the indwelling power of God within you? And if you're not sure, look to the cross of Jesus Christ, ask for forgiveness of sins and say, Lord God, send me the spirit. Make me a person that is filled with the spirit of God to do the work that the Lord has for us. Second is the king is anointed and we see the baptism of Jesus in verse nine. "In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan and when He came up out of the water immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the spirit descending on Him like a dove and a voice came from heaven. 'You are my beloved son. With you, I am well pleased.'" Here we see again the word immediately, it's Mark's favorite word. The word is used 51 times in the New Testament, and Mark uses it 41 times and what he's showing is that the spirit is at work and he can't be stopped. It says that the sky, the heavens were being torn open, being ripped apart. It's harsh words and not the one for opening of heavens in a visionary context, but it's literally the heavens tore open and all of a sudden we see the presence of God descending on Christ. Isaiah 64 cries out for this day, "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil. To make your name known to your adversaries and that the nations might tremble in your presence." Mark uses this verb to tear apart twice in his gospel. Here he uses it and then he uses it that one time where Jesus is on the cross and He says it's finished, He's completed the work of redemption and then says that the veil in the temple was torn, ripped apart from top to bottom. What Mark is giving us is a glimpse into the very heart of reality, the meaning of life, the essence of the universe. According to scripture, it's the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit they are at the center of everything. And it's more as though invisible curtain right in front of us is pulled back and God reveals His person and His will. Christian life is like this, learning to differentiate between physical reality, which is not all there is and spiritual reality. And by God's grace we can walk by faith and not by sight. And we see the spirit descending upon Christ like a dove. It says why the dove? Well, the dove is an appropriate symbol for the spirit as it can cross the barrier between heaven and earth. And also, it's an echo of Genesis 1 where the spirit soars bird like fluttering over the waters. The trinity created the world. It was God and God's spirit and God's word, and here the Trinity is restoring the world. We see the Father speak, He is the voice, the son who is the word, and the spirit fluttering like a dove. And what does God say? God speaks and He says, "You are my beloved son." It's a near exact quotation of Psalm 2, which is a messianic psalm. Psalm 2:7 says, "I will tell of the decree the Lord said to me, you are my son, today I have begotten you." Psalm 2 was interpreted messianically in Judaism and in the Psalm the kingship of the anointed one is congruent with that of God. He says, you are my son. And then he includes the word beloved. And where have we heard this before? This is Genesis 22 where God says to Abraham, "The son, your beloved son whom you've been waiting for, I want you to bring him as a sacrifice to me." That's when God tested Abraham and obviously God stopped the sacrifice of Abraham, but that was typology. That was an example of what God the Father would not stop from doing. God the Father would bring down the sword of God's wrath upon his own son in order to redeem us. You're the beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. This is the good pleasure of God revealed, and the first time that was revealed was His delight in creation where He said is very good. So His life giving conviction that is very good that my son is baptized in the Holy Spirit and He's prepared to do battle against the evil one. At the center of the Godhead is a father delighting in His beloved son. And fathers, we are called to be godly and we are called to delight in our children. And children we're called to be godly and to be a delight to our fathers and mothers. And the whole Christian gospel can be summed up like this, when the living God looks at us at every believing and baptized Christian, He says to us what He says to Jesus here. The gospel promises us an imputation of the righteousness of God. The very second that you repent of your sins, your sin was transferred to Christ on the cross and His righteousness is transferred to you. So in a sense, the moment you're justified, God looks at you and says, no matter how you lived, no matter how many commandments you've broken, it says, you are my dear, dear child, I'm delighted with you. And then it begins the process of sanctification where we grow to become a greater delight to our father so that one day we can hear from God the Father. "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your father." The king is here, the king is anointed, the king is God's son. And what does the king do? Immediately after His anointing, He challenges the opposing king, which is Satan, and this point three, the king declares war. Verse 12, "The spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness and He was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan and He was with the wild animals and the angels were ministering to Him. The spirits that drove Him out, ekballei it's the same word that Mark uses to speak of exorcism. It's like a forceful ejection. On the one hand, the Holy Spirit is like a dove gently descending on Christ, but then the Holy Spirit sends Jesus immediately into battle against the enemy. It's the same spirit. And the king here goes on the offensive. Satan means adversary and he's the prince of the fallen angels, the supreme enemy both of God and man. When God created Adam and Eve, He told Adam, "Work and guard the garden, take dominion." And he didn't take dominion of Satan. They obeyed the lies of the evil one and Satan, usurped power, he took dominion of this world. And Jesus here immediately goes to fight the king of this world. And Matthew 4 gives us an explanation of what happened. Jesus in the fasted state for 40 days and Satan comes to Him and tempts Him, Jesus fought Satan with the word of God over and over and over. But what was the temptation? The temptation was Jesus, do not obey the will of the Father perfectly. Jesus join my team. Jesus, you can rule with me. The only thing you have to do is fall down and worship me. And Jesus Christ at that point He understood what Satan is saying. Satan is saying, do not go to the cross. Jesus, you're going to die for these people. Don't die for these. You can rule over them the way I do without dying for them. And he promised Jesus the crown without the cross. And Jesus Christ, the first time he came, He knows that his greatest battle which began here, but his greatest battle will be fought on the cross where Satan through everything he had at the Son of God, but the Son of God conquered Satan's sin and death. 40 days like Elijah, who was also sustained by an angel's provision of food. And it says here He was with the wild animals. And that's generally a sense of close friendly association that the animals were kind to Him, they were nice to Him. And this shows us that Jesus when he came, he came to restore the distortion of the original harmony in the world. And the eschaton, the enmity will be reversed between humanity and the wild animals as promised in Hosea. But Jesus here is presented as the new Adam, that He is the son of man which is a messianic title, but also in a sense Jesus was the son of Adam. Adam was not a son of man, Adam was the son of God and that's made clear in Luke chapter 3 in the genealogy. But Jesus uses this phrase as a messianic title, son of man over and over in Mark 8:31. "He began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days, rise again." Adam was tested by God's adversary, the snake, which is Satan personified and he lost. Adam lived at peace with the wild animals before the fall and he lost that shalom. Adam was raised by God to a preeminent position to be a son of God, but he lost that as well. That's why Jesus when He uses this title that He is the son of man and why that is so significant because in Daniel chapter 7, this was prophesied. "I saw in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and He came to the ancient of days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people as nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." He's the son of man, but He has an everlasting kingdom to show us that he's not just the son of man, He's also the son of God. And this is the only way that this could happen, the only way that we could have redemption is we need to be represented by someone, someone who is like us, someone who is human, but someone who can also bridge the chasm between us and a holy God. So he would have to be a son of God and he would have to be a son of man, and all that came to culmination on the cross where the son of man takes our penalty for sin upon Himself. And the reason why He came back from the dead was because He's truly the son of God. And here at the end says the angels were ministering to Him. It's from the Greek word to serve, to serve on a concrete level as a waiter serves food and drinks. So most likely after his fast of 40 days, angels came and brought him a feast. Fourth is the kingdom has come. Verse 14, "Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." John was arrested by Herod's agents for calling out the sin of Herod to calling him to repentance. So Jesus continues the ministry and He says the time is fulfilled. What He's saying and this is the Greek word kairos, "The old evil age of Satan's dominion is over." It's now fulfilled. The new age of God's rule is about to begin and God's rule enters our lives when? The first moment that we repent of our sin and believe in the good news of Jesus Christ, that the law was fulfilled by Christ and he bore the burden for our law-breaking to extend to us the blessing of His law-abiding. This king came to rule, but first initially He came to rule in our hearts. And this is why He doesn't come here with a crown, but He does go to a cross. And on that cross He allows himself to be wounded, allows himself to be fatally wounded. Why? Because that's what it took to heal us. It took the blood of the Son of God and the son of man. He was tempted by Satan to know our temptations, to give us power to overcome our temptations. He experienced suffering to know our suffering and to give us strength to overcome our suffering. He was rejected, mocked, beaten and crucified. He fully understands our pain, and He is able to help. 1 Peter 2:21-25, "For to this you have been called because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, He did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds, you have been healed for you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd, an overseer of your souls." Back to Dostoevski, and the idea that if you truly understand the mercy and the grace that God has given you, we are not to use that grace in vain, but we are to follow King Jesus. Dostoevski later in life he wrote this, "When I turn back to look at the past, I think of how much time has been wasted. How much of it lost in misdirected efforts, mistakes and idleness and living the wrong way. And however I treasured life, how much I sinned against my heart and spirit. My heart bleeds now as I think of it. Life is a gift. Life is happiness. Each minute could be an eternity of bliss." And then in his work of fiction, The Idiot, the main character's named Myshkin, and Myshkin talks about an acquaintance who was sentenced to be executed and then pardoned. And one of his friends asked him and he said, how's he doing now? Whatever happened to that friend who told you all his horrors? His punishment was changed, which means he was granted that infinite life. Well, what did he do with so much wealth afterwards? Did he live reckoning up every moment? And Myshkin's response was, "He didn't live that way at all and lost many, many minutes." I pray that the grace of God in your life is not in vain. Let us stop trusting in our own agendas. Let us stop building our own kingdoms. Let us turn from living as if we are our own king. Let's believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and live for God. Jesus is king, accept His pardon, enter His kingdom, do His will and worship the king. This is how we enter the kingdom, repent and believe in the gospel. It's good news because it's for everybody. Anyone who turns from sin is welcome in and it's good news because you're welcome to live under the kingship of the greatest king ever. And why did Jesus do this? Why did He do all of this? Why did He become God incarnate? Why did He live amongst us? Why did He obey the will of God perfectly in fulfilling the law? Why did He go to the cross? Why? Because He loves us. And when you understand what his love cost us, that gives us power to follow the king. Let us pray. Holy God, we thank you for your holy word, for your holy scriptures, and we thank you Holy Spirit that you're with us. I pray Holy God give us your power to follow you on a daily basis. Give us your power to be agents of kingdom change. Give us your power to seek first above everything else, the kingdom of God. Jesus, we thank you that you came and you went to a cross. And we thank you that now you're seated at the right hand of God and you are wearing a crown. And I pray, let us never forget that vision that Christ is king and let us be a people who would joyfully follow. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.
Welcome to the Come Follow Me Podcast for Kids! We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we create this podcast for primary aged children (2-12) following along with the church's Come Follow Me Manual. This is a New Testament Bible Study podcast for children. If your children would like to be guests on our podcast email us at comefollowmekidspodcast@gmail.com and we will send you an assignment for a future week. This week in our children's bible study we are reading 2 Corinthians 1–7 “Be Ye Reconciled to God” The children will come away learning: Heavenly Father comforts me, and I can comfort others. Remembering how God has comforted us inspires us to offer comfort to others. And I believe in being honest. Paul taught that servants of Christ have “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty.” This is an honesty podcast for kids.
2 Corinthians 1-7: Here is what you have to look forward to this week: SEGMENT 1 FATHER OF MERCIES SEGMENT 2 HAPPY TO THEIR HEART SEGMENT 3 DEAR YOU, LOVE, JESUS SEGMENT 4 OUT WITH THE OLD SEGMENT 5 PERFECTING HOLINESS The Don't Miss This Newsletter including tips for kids, teens, couples and individuals can be found at: www.dontmissthisstudy.com Videos can be found on YouTube: Don't Miss This Emily Belle Freeman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybellefreeman/ Instagram: @emilybellefreeman David Butler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdavebutler/ Instagram: @mrdavebutler Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.