Podcasts about Helper

Hey, it's Katie and I want to welcome you to this special bonus episode. It'll be here for you completely ad-free for the next week so you can get a feel of what it's like to be a PREMIUM member. If you'd like an easy ad-free experience for all of our podcasts - that's over 200 episodes each month, then JOIN PREMIUM today at https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at hello@womensmeditationnetwork.com to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 07:30PM

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM. This service is designed to prepare God's people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service.  The dialog sermon explains the coming of the Helper, the Holy Spirit (St. John 15:26-16:4), which is taught in the Holy Gospel for the Sixth Sunday in Easter. Learn-by-Heart will include the hymn “My Church, My Church” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #90), Table of Duties: To Husbands: 1 Peter 3:7, Col 3:19, and St. John 16:14 and To Wives: Eph 5:22, 1 Peter 3:5-6, and Ephesians 4:10-12 --Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL). Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Exaudi-5-28-2025.pdf Responsive Prayer: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2024-ASBH.pdf Insert for Hymn: June-25-Presentation-of-the-Augsburg-Confession-Insert-2024.pdf https://vimeo.com/1086598813?share=copy

Join us as we chat with Chuck Simons to learn where he started in the grooming industry, and how he developed his very cool products.  He is the producer of Susy's Goldilocks Brush: the Flexit he tells us about that, too.

https://newsongpeople.com/messages/risen-ascended-the-ongoing-ministry-of-jesusRisen & Ascended: The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus | Sarah BlountWhy does the resurrection still matter today? What benefits are ours because Jesus is alive? And what does His ascension mean for our daily lives?From the empty tomb to the throne of heaven, this message unpacks why Jesus' victory over death is not just a past event—but our present hope and eternal future.Discover why Jesus is not only the risen Savior but also our ever-present Advocate and the only High Priest we'll ever need.Message Notes:Luke 24:1-9 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Why does the resurrection matter to us? What benefits are ours through a once-dead-but-now-alive Lord?Christ's resurrection means the death of Jesus was enough.1 Corinthians 15:17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then death has power over Him and defeated Him.If death has power over Jesus, He is not God.If Jesus is not God, He cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins.If Jesus cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins, our sins are not completely paid for before God.If my sins are not completely paid for before God, then I am still in my sins.Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save.2. Christ's resurrection gives us power for new life—right now.Romans 6:5-11 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.We are not just practicing the way of Jesus, but we are also participating in His death and resurrection.Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. 3. Christ's resurrection guarantees our future resurrection.He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.Luke 24:50-51 … and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.Luke 24:52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.The GREAT JOY of the Ascension: 1. Jesus is not absent from us for even a moment.John 16:7 It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. 2. The ascension guarantees that our bodies will be in heaven.Christ's flesh in heaven is the pledge that ours will be there too.Colossians 3:1–3 says So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 3. We have an advocate & intercessor in heavenThe cross was His sacrifice. The resurrection was His victory.The ascension is His ongoing ministry.Jesus, Our Only High Priest. (Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 25–26; 10:10–18).Jesus died in our place, and He lives to pray for us.1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;#HeIsRisen #ResurrectionSunday #Luke24 #EmptyTomb #JesusIsAlive #GospelHope #NewLifeInChrist #RisenSavior #VictoryOverSin #PowerOfTheResurrection #Romans6 #Romans8 #EasterMessage #Ascension #JesusOurAdvocate #HighPriest #ChristIsRisen #LivingHope #JesusLives #Colossians3 #1Corinthians15 #FaithInJesus #HolySpiritPower #TheCrossAndResurrection #KingJesus #EternalLife #ChristianTeaching #BiblePreaching #ChristOurIntercessor #HeavenlyHope #SeekTheThingsAbove

  Dr. Melvern Katzman is an amazing example of someone who is growing older with gusto and with a great sense of humor. He is a family man who cherishes his family connections, and has a revolving list of hobbies that keep him current and focused. He has the can do it spirit that has navigated him throughout his 97 years! --- Watch the episode here    Listen to the podcast here    Super Ager & Super Helper: Dr. Katzman, 97, Solves My Tech Crisis! Welcome to the show. We are continuing a series of episodes with people who are considered to be super-agers. Dr. Melvern Katzman, who lives in Toronto, is 97 years young and will be talking to us about what it takes to get to his age. Dr. Katzmann practiced optometry for 60 years, was actively involved in his professional organizations, his faith, and was a leader for Habitat for Humanity. Most recently, at age 97, he chaired his condo buildings 40th anniversary party. He is definitely growing older with Gusto. Let's get started.      Welcome to the show, Dr. Katzman. Thank you very much for having me. Staying Vital At Any Age: Dr. Katzman's Secret Sauce To Joyful Aging I just have to tell my listeners, this is like so impressive before we even start the conversation. Dr. Katzman was having some trouble getting onto the podcast recording platform. He showed you effort like within a half hour, he did it all figure out, and here we are. I'm so impressed because I am a techno Neanderthal, and you're 97 years old, and I couldn't do what you did. I'm impressed. I wanted to ask you, people who come on our show or are selected because they've shown by example, their attitude towards growing older, and you're growing older in a positive and productive way. What would you tell someone who's maybe 50 years old what to do and how to grow older without being fearful of growing older? Let's say this. I really provided for my old age. I have many hobbies and I'm involved in the community, involved in my condo. When my time came to retire, I had plenty of things to do to keep my mind off being feared. Tell us a little bit about what you did to stay vital all these years. What were some of your hobbies? I know you do genealogy, and check me out. That was pretty impressive, too. I'm a stamp collector, a coin collector, involved with the condo, which I expanded into being involved with the federal government, the provincial government, and the municipal government. I'm quite active in the community. What would you say to our readers that has given you the greatest strength as you navigate through life's ups and downs? I think I'd have to go back to my family, my mother, my father, my in-laws, and one uncle who is my mentor. They provided a lot to me. They were the ones who made Mel Katzman. A Love Story & Lasting Connections: Family & Friends At 97 Dr. Katzman, tell our readers the wonderful story about how you met your wife. Believe it or not, it was that mentor uncle who made a blind date. He once had a function. He saw my supposed next and my wife, and he said, “That would be a nice girl for Mel.” We made a date, but he didn't realize her age. She was 17 and I was 24 and she wouldn't refuse the date because of my uncle. When we saw each other, that was it. Love at first sight, right? It's amazing. Talk to our readers a little bit about the importance of creating and keeping a strong circle of friends. There aren't too many friends. There aren't too many of my friends left. I seem to be the last one. What has happened? Children learn by observing and copying the actions and habits of adults. Throughout your life, I know you must have had a wide circle of friends. I had a lot of friends. Most of them, believe it or not, were younger than my wife and I. From my synagogue was one source. We belong to many organizations, and my activities in the community have created a lot of friends. Why do you think that you and your wife were drawn to younger people, or I should say,

Theo Lightbourne speaks from Psalm 120 on God as our Helper, Keeper, Protector, and Perseverer.

#128 Take an inspiring look at the homeschool journey with Jennifer Henn in this episode of "Homeschool Yo Kids." From struggles to success, Jennifer shares her 19+ years of homeschooling experience, offering practical advice, creative ways to simplify education, and a growth mindset to help parents reimagine what learning looks like. Discover how grit, perseverance, and a supportive learning environment can lead to student success while nurturing strong family bonds.Jennifer discusses empowering students through personalized approaches, overcoming learning disabilities, and fostering character development. Her passion for unburdening homeschool parents shines as she provides actionable tips for creating a thriving homeschool community and embracing unconventional learning experiences.JenniferHenn.comJennifer Henn, The Homeschooler's Helper, teaches parents how to homeschool with a contagious passion that inspires parents to embrace their child's strengths and natural curiosity. She's taught Homeschooling 101 and parenting workshops for over a decade. She's an author, speaker, and board member of Unite Homeschool Network. Learn more at JenniferHenn.comJoin the conversation and learn how to homeschool with confidence, no matter where you are in your journey. Don't miss Jennifer's insights on balancing academics with life skills, building relationships, and finding the right resources. Visit HomeschoolYoKidsExpo.com and follow our channel to stay connected, explore helpful resources, and join a supportive community dedicated to education and growth. Together, let's make learning empowering and fun for every family!#educationalresources #homeschoollessonplans #homeschoolcurriculum #homeschoolingonlineresources #homeschoolingsupportCHAPTERS:00:00 - Introduction00:40 - Reasons for Homeschooling10:00 - Trauma from Traditional Schooling11:18 - Jennifer's Homeschooling Journey17:45 - Teaching Kids to Read20:10 - Effective Math Teaching Strategies20:50 - Homeschooling Multiple Kids at Once23:10 - Evaluating Julie's Homeschooling Approach27:40 - Transitioning to Public School35:35 - Importance of Character Development39:14 - Building Self-Esteem in Children42:50 - Understanding Learning Styles44:26 - Simplifying the Homeschooling Process47:58 - Addressing Peer Dependency54:32 - Self-Care for Homeschooling Parents56:45 - Importance of Mom Playdates59:25 - Finding Jennifer Hen Online1:01:18 - Key Takeaways for Parents1:03:28 - Closing Remarks

On this Memorial Day weekend, we honor those who gave their lives for our freedom—and we turn to the One who gave His life to set us free forever. The Rev. Reagan Cocke reflects on Jesus' promise to make His home with us and send the Holy Spirit as our constant Helper and Advocate. Drawing from personal testimony and John 14, he reminds us that we are never alone—Christ is with us in our struggles, our service, and our suffering. Even now, in the space between D-Day and VE Day, between the Cross and Christ's return, we live with the assurance of victory and the peace that the world cannot give.

"Have you received The Holy Spirit?" What a strange question to ask a person who claims to be a disciple! But this was the question that the Apostle Paul asks 12 disciples of John the baptizer in Acts 19, what is even more strange is their response, "we have never even heard of a Holy Spirit!" Many "believers" today claim to be disciples, and might have heard of The Holy Spirit, but have no evidence of His manifest presence in their lives, are you one of them? In this message, my goal is to encourage you to seek The Holy Spirit by showing you who He is, why we need Him and how to receive Him. If you see areas you need to correct but have no strength in yourself to change, stay tuned, The Helper is on His way!

Join us for a special live stream episode of the Art Marketing Podcast, where hosts Nick Friend and Patrick discuss the transformative impact of AI on the art world. They dive into the features of their innovative tool, Art Helper, designed to streamline marketing tasks for artists and photographers. Discover how AI can serve as your new marketing assistant, helping you get your work in front of more eyeballs and ultimately sell more art. Tune in for valuable insights, audience feedback, and practical tips to elevate your art business! (00:00) - Introduction to the Live Stream (00:10) - AI's Impact on the Art World (01:00) - Understanding Artist Needs (03:30) - The Role of AI in Marketing (05:00) - Art Helper Overview (06:30) - Feedback and Feature Prioritization (08:00) - The Importance of Consistency in Marketing (10:00) - The Power of Automation (12:00) - The Value of Marketing for Artists (14:00) - AI as a Business Assistant (16:00) - Overcoming Bottlenecks in Art Sales (18:00) - The Importance of Eyeballs on Art (20:00) - Maximizing Output and Engagement (22:00) - The Promise of AI for Artists (24:00) - Real-World Applications of Art Helper (26:00) - Encouragement to Take Action (28:00) - Final Thoughts on Embracing AI (30:00) - Conclusion and Call to Action ArtHelper Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/arthelperai/ Keep up with the latest https://linktr.ee/artmarketingpodcast Signup for a free account on ArtHelper and use my jazzy coupon code which is POD.  This will give you a free month of the Pro plan that has all the bells and whistles: https://www.arthelper.ai/

Hey Nurse Mom, Caregiver friend,  You care for everyone so well, but do not have the time, energy or belief left to care for yourself. I believe if we truly found ourselves worthy of the crown, found our worth as a daughter of the King and lived in that truth, we wouldn't find ourselves in Stressedout-ville or Burnout Bay. I think it all comes back to worth. self-worth. Do you know he created YOU as a masterpiece! And he planned all the good, amazing things you would do in this life- abundant life. And do you know he died for YOU? So that He could spend eternity with you in a perfect place with no sin or brokenness. God says you are worthy! Will you believe Him? Let's deep breathe, pray and meditate on the scripture and may it transform our hearts and minds. The verse for our breath prayer is: 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. Ephesians 2:10 AMP 3 min : Inhale: I am Your masterpiece, Lord Exhale: Created for the good works You already prepared   Shalom Shalom,  Xx, Shan  ……CONNECT…… Are you in burnout or just stressed??  Take the Free QUIZ  

If you play OSRS, and you use Runelite, chances are you've used the Quest Helper Plugin a few times. Join Oxie and Michael as they sit down with the man behinds the scenes of one of Runelites biggest plugins! Support Quest Helper - https://www.patreon.com/zoinkwiz

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 07:30PM

At the end of many of these groups, my only thought is that the beauty of the writings of the fathers is exquisite. Often when reading them one is both pierced to the heart, but also raised up and consoled. This is surprisingly so in this hypothesis on contrition. None of the fathers' writings appear to be an abstraction, but rather their words reverberate with the pain and the love of those who experienced the struggle with sin.  One comes to know not only the weight and burden of sin, but a kind of otherworldly darkness to which it drags the soul. A soul begins to understand how the demons act as accusers; seeking to cast it down into the depths of despair after having coaxed it into sin. There are two kinds of contrition with which we must become familiar. The first is rooted in fear; the acknowledgment of the coming judgment and the consequences of turning away from God. The soul becomes painfully aware of what it is to turn away from He who is light and life. The second kind of contrition, however, arises out of desire for the kingdom. Once a soul has tasted the sweetness of God‘s compassion they weep tears over any way that they turn from the depths of that Love. That are hearts would be watered with this kind of contrition is an extraordinary gift! To see contrition as a gift is admittedly difficult. Yet in reading the fathers one comes to see that it is not only the prerequisite for the spiritual life, but also the path that opens one up to the deepest consolation. To see ourselves as we truly are, to stand in the light of the truth, may be extremely painful, but that light comes from the Physician of souls, who in the very act of revealing our sins removes them. It is then with freedom that the soul can entrust itself to God to chastise it; knowing that “a broken and contrite heart the Lord will not scorn”.  Every breath becomes a groan; a cry of love that is united to the groan of the Spirit that dwells within the human heart. The humbled soul is then elevated, exalted, to God who embraces his prodigal child and rejoices. This bitter path then is the path to true joy. And taking it, the soul loses interest in anything else around him; most of all the actions of others or their sins. He will judge no man, knowing that he himself will soon stand before the Judge of all. Imagine hearts that take up the burden of their own sins, that do not say so much as a word on their own behalf and that confess what they have done and accept that whatever comes to them is just and fitting for it comes from the hand of the Lord! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:13:35 Myles Davidson: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/9068317091?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz 00:18:08 Anthony: I knew it! Jazz music. :) 00:23:24 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 241 A paragraph starting “For many….” 00:23:45 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 241 A paragraph s..." with

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A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Easter Psalm 82, St. James 1:17-21, St. John 16:5-15 by William Klock How'd your week go?  Several times—actually, a bunch of times—I found myself thinking about what I preached last Sunday—thinking about the hope that lies before us.  Thinking about how Jesus, risen from the dead, is the beginning of God's new creation and how he—and his gift of the Holy Spirit—give me assurance that what God began that first Easter morning he will one day complete.  Thinking that because I am by faith in Jesus the Messiah, I will one day know that new creation in all its fullness.  And I was thinking about that because—a bunch of times this week—I was looking forward to that day when God will set everything to rights.  Because I hope that in God's new world there will be no broken spokes or being chased by dogs on the River Trail, no need to change timing belts or ball joints, and maybe the best part: no arguments started by random strangers on the Internet and no relationships with old friends strained by current events.  Because all those things did happen to me this week.  None of them were earth-shatteringly horrible—and I'm glad of that—but they remind me that the world is not as it should be.  And then I read the news and I learned about a man stuck in bureaucratic immigration limbo with seemingly no hope of getting out of it.  Having been through that process, his story resonated with me.  And I read about a farmer in Vermont stuck with a bill for thousands of dollars assessed on his cattle feed from Canada because of tariffs.  His business profits for the year gone.  And there's absolutely nothing he can do.  And reading about people stuck in the middle of wars.  And a friend shared an article about the persecuted church in China.  And all I can do is pray, which feels like it's not enough and some people say it's a waste of time.  But I know it's not, because Jesus has risen and I know that means that God's new world has begun and one day he'll set everything to rights.  And so I hope and I pray that it may be “on earth as it is in heaven”. And then I started looking at this week's scripture lessons.  And there's the Old Testament lesson from Job and that verse we read in the procession at funerals: I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though this body be destroyed, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.  Brothers and Sisters, there's that same hope.  Job had faith that the Lord would vindicate him. And the Psalm.  Psalm 82 has been with me, running around in my head all week. God has stood up in the council of heaven:          in the midst of the gods he gives judgement. How long will you judge unjustly:          and favour the cause of the wicked? Judge for the poor and needy:          and save them from the hands of the wicked. They do not know, they do not understand, they walk about in darkness:          all the foundations of the earth are shaken. Therefore I say, “Though you are gods:          and all of you sons of the Most High, Nevertheless you shall die like man:          and fall like one of the princes.” Arise, O God, and judge the earth:          for you shall take all the nations as your possession.   Psalm 82 is from a group of psalms written by Asaph.  Asaph was Samuel's grandson and he and his sons were commissioned by King David to worship the Lord.  That was their job.  They were court worshippers.  And in Psalm 82, Asaph cries out with the whole people of Israel at the injustices of the world.  The gods of this age favour the wicked.  They will not come to the aid of the poor and needy.  In other words, Asaph knew that the world is not as it should be.  And yet Asaph knew what the Lord had done for Israel and he knew his promises and so he could sing out about the Lord, the God of Isreal, as the great judge in heaven.  Asaph had hope that the Lord would hold the powers of this present age accountable.  Asaph closes with that confident prayer: Arise, O God, and judge the earth: For you shall take the nations as your possession.  This was how Israel prayed “on earth as in heaven”.   Things were going well for Israel under King David, but even then, Asaph, with the people of Israel, still had a profound sense of the brokenness and the fallenness of the world.  It was the Lord's plan, as he called and created a people for himself, that this people would know the crushing weight of sin and death.  He allowed them to become slaves in Egypt.  And he delivered them that they might know his grace and his faithfulness—so that they might know that he is the God who keeps his promises and that he is the judge who will vindicate the cause of the poor and the oppressed.  And this became Israel's story and Israel's identity.  Over and over she would find herself being crushed under the heel of this or that pagan king, and she would cry out to the Lord, and he would come as the great judge to vindicate Israel and to defeat her enemies and to rescue her.  And as this was the identity and story of Israel, so it would be the identity and story of the Messiah, and then the story and identity of the Messiah's people, of the church. But the disciples weren't expecting this.  No one—or almost no one—in Israel was expecting this.  The Messiah was supposed to come and break this cycle.  In him God's new world would come, they would all be raised, and they would reign forever in a world set to rights—once and for all.  And they were sort of right, but they got the timeline wrong.  And that's because they'd forgotten the promises and the part of the story where God calls and sets apart this special people for himself in order to bring the nations to him in faith.  Only a people who knows suffering, who knows the crushing weight of sin and injustice, can carry God's forgiveness and justice to the world.  That's why the Messiah had to die.  Sin and death had to do their worst, so that Jesus could rise triumphant over them.  Deliverance comes through suffering.  Forgiveness and new life require sacrifice.  But they'd forgotten this and this is what Jesus has been trying to explain to the disciples through the lessons we've had from John's gospel these past weeks.  And so he says in John 16:1: I've said these things to you to stop you from being tripped up.  They will put you out of the synagogues.  In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will suppose that they are in that way offering worship to God.  They will do these things because they haven't known the Father or me.  But I have been talking to you about these things so that, when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them.   Jesus by this point has already explained to them that very soon he's going to be leaving them.  That was bad news enough.  But now he tells them that after he's gone, persecution is coming.  Their unbelieving Jewish brethren will throw them out of the synagogues—which means cutting them off from the Jewish community, from family, friends.  They will become outsiders in their own community.  Some of them, Jesus warns, will even die for their faith in him.  And when that happens, Jesus knew, it will be really tempting to give up.  They thought that the Messiah was going to put an end to all the suffering and tears, but now Jesus is warning: you're going to know suffering and tears the likes of which you've never known before—and all for my sake. I didn't say these things to you from the start, Jesus goes on, because I was with you.  In other words, as long as Jesus was with them they were still pretty sure of how all this Messiah stuff was going to work out.  Again, the Messiah would usher in God's new world and everything would be great.  And then, with Jesus gone, they're going to be tempted to give up—just like we saw them hiding behind locked doors.  If Jesus goes away without setting everything to rights, well, he must not have been the Messiah after all.  That would be the logical conclusion.  And they'd do their best to go back to their old pre-Jesus lives.  So now Jesus is getting them ready.  He goes on: But now I'm going to the one who sent me.  None of you asks me, “Where are you going?”  But because I've said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.   Well, yes.  If Jesus is leaving, how's he ever going to accomplish his messianic mission?  But this is what Jesus wants to stress to them—even though they won't understand right away.  This is his messianic mission: Truly, truly I say to you: It's better for you that I should go away.  If I don't go away, you see, the Helper won't come to you.  But if I go away, I will send him to you.   Just in case it isn't clear, what Jesus is talking about here is his ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit.  The risen Jesus couldn't stay here forever.  When his own people cried out for Jesus' crucifixion they declared, “We have no king but Caesar.”  It was the ultimate rejection of both their God and their Messiah.  It was blasphemy and until that moment, if you'd asked anyone in Jerusalem if they considered Caesar their king, they'd have laughed at you.  The Lord was their king.  But they became so outraged by Jesus' messianic claims, so outrage with the things he said about the temple, that they shouted the unthinkable to Pilate: “Crucify him!  We have no king but Caesar.”  And then to spite them, Pilate posted those mocking words on the cross: “This is the King of the Jews”.  But when God raised Jesus from the dead, he vindicated him.  It was a divine declaration that Jesus really is the Messiah and that he really is Israel's (and the whole world's) king.  And kings have to take their thrones.  And since God's work of new creation has only just begun and Jesus' throne is in heaven, that's where he had to go to begin his rule.  The king couldn't stay here forever.  But—the second thing Jesus is saying here—if he goes, he will send the Helper—God's own Spirit—and God's Spirit will make the reality of Jesus resurrection and of God's new creation real to us.  The end goal is for heaven and earth and God and human beings to be reunited.  Jesus, the God man, is the embodiment of that hope.  But consider, Brothers and Sisters, that the gift of the Holy Spirit is too. The title John uses is parakletos.  In Greek it literally means “called alongside”, which is a powerful image of who and what the Spirit is for us.  He comes alongside as our helper, our intercessor, and our advocate.  And this is essential.  Like I stressed last week, as the disciples began to realise the significance of Jesus' resurrection, they got excited.  They were ready to go out and shout it from the rooftops of Jerusalem.  But Jesus stressed to them: “Wait.  Wait until I send the Helper.”  Because enthusiasm will only get us so far.  Jesus has given his people a mission, but enthusiasm and excitement alone won't fulfil it.  We need the help of the Holy Spirit.  So Jesus goes on here in verse 8: When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong on three counts: sin, justice, and judgement.  In relation to sin, because they don't believe in me.  In relation to justice—because I'm going to the Father, and you won't see me anymore.  In relation to judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.   God's people had longed for their day in court and for the Lord to vindicate them—just like we read in Psalm 82.  And Jesus' point here is that it's finally going to happen.  Except it's going to be his people—this new Israel—who will finally get their day before the judge.  And as Jesus' people bring their case before the great Judge, the Spirit will be there to help them—to be their advocate.  The Spirit will present the evidence for the world's sin.  But there's no reason for the Spirit to bring exhibit after exhibit showing the world's—and that's not just the pagan nations, but also unbelieving Israel—it's not necessary for the Spirit to put every last sin on display to prove the world's rebellion against God.  All the Spirit has to do is present as evidence the world's rejection of Jesus.  Either you stand with Jesus and on the side of God's new creation and are part of the world set right, or you stand in solidarity with sin. And, second, Jesus says, the Spirit will convict the world in relation to justice.  If you're following along, some of your translations might say “righteousness”.  These are the same word in Greek.  “Justice” fits the context better here.  Jesus' point is that the world thinks it has justice on its side.  Like he told them earlier: They will kill you and in doing so they'll think that they're offering true worship to God.  But Jesus' resurrection from the dead and his ascension to his throne are the evidence of his vindication by the Father.  At the cross the world issued its verdict against Jesus, but when he raised Jesus from the dead and enthroned him in heaven, God overturned the false verdict of the world and declared his son to be the Messiah and the world's true lord.  If you want justice, look to Jesus, because everyone who trusts in Jesus and gives him their allegiance as king shares in that verdict. And, third, Jesus says that the Spirit will give evidence that the world is wrong in relation to judgement.  The world was about to pass judgement on Jesus and condemn him to death as a false messiah, but his resurrection and ascension would prove the world wrong.  And not long after that the world would pass the same judgement on Jesus' people, on the church, but Jesus promises that the Spirit will stand with them and continue to prove the world's judgement wrong.  The Spirit will continue to present the evidence of Jesus resurrection and ascension as proof that the devil has been defeated and that death itself no longer has the final say. Brothers and Sisters, the Holy Spirit isn't just our advocate before the judge, he is our comforter amidst the trials Jesus promised we will face as we take up our crosses to follow him.  Jesus promised his disciples and he promises us that we will face hatred and even persecution—sometimes martyrdom—for the sake of his name.  But because we know he is faithful, because he has vindicated Jesus, we can trust that the judge of all the earth will do what is right.  Even as we face death itself, we know that death has been defeated.  As the Father raised Jesus from death, so he will raise us if we are in him. And the Spirit comes alongside us not so we can hunker down inside our churches like the disciples hunkered down and hiding in the dark that first Easter weekend.  The Spirit comes alongside us to empower us as we go out.  As we take our message of hope and forgiveness, of the world set to rights and tears wiped away, as we take that good news of Jesus, crucified and risen and Lord to the world.  This is the point of our Epistle today from St. James. Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes down from above, from the Father of lights.  His steady light doesn't vary.  It doesn't change and produce shadows.   I have to think that when James talks about the good and perfect gift coming down from the Father of lights he's talking about the Holy Spirit.  Yes, everything good we have is a gift from him, but the Spirit is the gift above all others.  For Jesus in John's gospel, the Spirit was the one who would come alongside to help and advocate for us.  For James, the Spirit shows us the constancy and faithfulness of the Father.  The gift of the Spirit is proof for James that God keeps his promises, because the life of the Spirit is the thing he'd been promising to his people all along: his own presence with them to give them a new heart and set them to rights. James goes on in 1:19. So, my dear brothers [and sisters], get this straight.  Every person should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.  Human anger, you see, doesn't produce God's justice.  So put away everything that is sordid, all that overflowing malice, and humbly receive the word which has been planted within you and which has the power to save our lives.   In other words, let the Spirit transform you.  Let the Spirit make you—or maybe better to align you with—God's new creation.  The example James uses is anger.  Anger is what wells up from the fallen human heart in response to injustice, but responding to injustice with anger—and James isn't talking about righteous or just anger, but about malice and pride—responding with anger just compounds the problem.  Sin can never make another sin right.  Instead, God's word has been planted within you.  Let the Spirit cause that world to take root and grow.  That gospel word is what has saved your life.  But if you let the Spirit grow that word in you, if you let God's word shape you, if you let the Spirt make you a truly gospel person, that life-saving combination of word and Spirit will overflow from you and you will be a gospel light in the darkness of the world, you will be a beacon of God's new creation in the midst of the old.  Word and Spirit working through us will make us a people ready to endure suffering and persecution so that we can, even if it's just in small ways, so that we can bring God's justice into the world, so that we can wipe away the tears and proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord. Brothers and Sisters, this is how God's new creation comes.  This is how he wipes away the tears and set things to rights.  Jesus started it when he rose from the grave, but God's word and God's Spirit, working through the church—through us—as we go out into the world, not only bring God's salvation to individuals, but as we are transformed one by one, the gospel, the word, the Spirit create a whole new culture with Jesus and the gospel at its core.  One day Jesus will come back for the final act, to cast down death and to fully bring heaven and earth back together once and for all.  But that day will come because his people, empowered by his word and by his Spirit have been faithful in being his new creation right here in the midst of the old.  So, Brothers and Sisters, go out in peace to love and serve the Lord.  Alleluia! Let's pray: Father, as we asked in the Collect we ask again: fix our hearts on the good things you have promised.  Keep the hope of your salvation and of your justice ever before us, that we might go out full of your Spirit, to live and to proclaim the good news of Jesus and his kingdom.  Through him we pray.  Amen.

John 14:1–31I. I go to prepare a place for you. – 2II. Greater works than these will you do. – 12III. Ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – 14IV. I will ask the Father [to] give you another Helper. – 16V. You [will be] in me, and I in you. – 20VI. [The Spirit] will teach you all things and [help you remember] all that I have said. – 26VII. My peace I give to you. – 27

When we get saved and are born again through Jesus Christ, we also get the Helper... the Holy Spirit, to guide our steps according to how Jesus lived! He's like a friend that we get to have with us twentyfour-seven…what a gift!!! In today's message, Pastor Bill will tell you a little about that gift and how you don't have to live this new life alone! You have a personal helper with you every second of every day to guide you through this new walk and to help you grow closer and look more like Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 07:30PM

Author, podcaster, and Trendawg Nora McInerny joins Molls this week to talk about the DashCon of erotic book festivals, why the Cradle Catholics are beefing with the Catholic Clout Farmers, and how r/WeddingAttireApproval done goofed. Make sure you ⁠follow Nora's Substack, Feelings & Co.⁠ On The Afters: Millenial wedding cringe and the importance of checking teens for bad behavior GET TICKETS TO FRIENDS ONLY LIVE IN BOSTON ON JUNE 25TH WITH MOLLY MCPHERSON LINKS Trending with Nora Brick - Use code NORA for 10% off Trending with Molly Dr. Melaxin Peel Shot Moscow Murders Dateline episode A Million Lives - Baltimore Book Festival  Original video from percijay_fantasy author Perci Jay's website Catholic Drama Cradle Catholics vs converts - Sprucewoodboys video r/Weddingattireapproval Update! Kind of a miss  Follow us on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter Find more of Molly's stuff Find more of Tiffany's stuff

Earlier in the Catechism, we unpacked Mary as the Mother of Jesus. Now, we look at what it means for Mary to be the Mother of the Church. Fr. Mike makes it clear that, when he entrusts his disciples to Mary, his Mother, from the Cross, he's entrusting us to her as well. Today's readings are from Catechism paragraphs 963-970. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Special Patreon Re-Release: Wholehearted Quiet Time with Naomi Vacaro   Today's message is not intended for little ears. We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message.    "So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things." Mark 6:32-34 (NIV)   **Transcription Below**   Questions and Topics We Discuss: How did your life with secret sin impact your connection with Jesus and what were some of those faulty beliefs you internalized that Christ later redeemed? How would you describe quiet time and its purpose? How does quiet time ripple out to effect everyone around us?   Naomi Vacaro is first and foremost a wholehearted follower of Jesus. She grew up as a daughter to missionaries in Outer Mongolia and then moved to Florida at the age of 18 to pursue a college degree. After graduating with a degree in graphic design, she worked as a wedding photographer and soon after felt led to create a journal called the Quiet Time Companion, along with an online ministry that would help Christians develop a daily habit of seeking Jesus. She now spends her time running the Wholehearted community and being a stay-at-home mom. She and her husband live in Florida with their son. Visit her online at wholeheartedquiettime.com or on Instagram.   At The Savvy Sauce, we will only recommend resources we believe in! We also want you to be aware: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.    Quiet by Naomi Vacaro   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Other Related Episodes on The Savvy Sauce: 150 Brain Science and Spiritual Abundance with Ken Baugh 259 God Speaks to His Kids . . . Here's How with Chris Allen   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   **Transcription**   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:10 - 1:51) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    Today's message is not intended for little ears. We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message.    Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at chickfila.com/East Peoria.    If you've been with us long, you know this podcast is only one piece of our nonprofit, which is the Savvy Sauce Charities. Don't miss out on our other resources.   We have questions and content to inspire you to have your own practical chats for intentional living. And I also hope you don't miss out on the opportunity to financially support us through your tax-deductible donations. All this information can be found on our recently updated website, thesavvysauce.com.   My guest for today is Naomi Vaccaro, and she has wisdom beyond her years that she articulates beautifully in her faith journey. She's humbly going to share some highs and lows, and she's able to pull out ways that the Lord has called her to live in the light. And she has practical suggestions for ways we can do the same.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Naomi.   Naomi Vaccaro: (1:53 - 2:01) Hi, Laura. Thank you so much for having me. I'm super excited to be here and just can't wait to dive into all this amazing conversation.   Laura Dugger: (2:02 - 2:10) Well, likewise, I feel the same. And will you start us off by just giving us a glimpse of your journey to becoming a Christ follower?   Naomi Vaccaro: (2:11 - 4:04) Yeah, absolutely. So, my story is probably very similar to many other believers who grew up in Christian homes. I know I'm not the only one who probably has a similar testimony.   But I was showed the gospel a thousand times in a hundred different ways over the course of many, many years. So, my coming to faith was definitely a slow blossoming over a long period of time. My first really memorable encounter with the Lord was when I was about seven years old.   I remember I was walking in the backyard of our home in Mongolia, which is where I grew up as a missionary kid. And during that evening, there was just this particularly beautiful sunset. And I just remember looking at the clouds in the sky and just seeing that sun dip below the horizon.   And I just knew my seven-year-old heart knew that God was real and that he was present and he saw me and he just loved me. And that was the first time I remember actually acknowledging him personally and really just wanting to be in a relationship with him. So, I would say that was when my journey of faith really started.   That's when it took root in my own heart, this longing for eternity. And then my understanding of the gospel was definitely limited to what a seven year old could grasp at the time. So, my relationship with Christ and the way I understood his grace, it deepened and it strengthened over time.   But I do believe that it was in that moment that I became committed to start the journey. And then it was just slow growth from there.   Laura Dugger: (4:05 - 4:48) I love it. Everybody's story is so personal to them, and it never gets old hearing how Christ has wooed people to himself. But in your new book, you write on page 15, I'm going to quote you saying, “My mom and dad took their role as parents even more seriously than their calling as missionaries.”   If there was one thing they persistently taught us as kids, it was that spending time with Jesus was a necessary part of everyday life. And so Naomi, as a mom myself with a similar conviction to create a spiritually vibrant home atmosphere, I would love to learn, how did your parents actually do that?   Naomi Vaccaro: (4:49 - 8:11) Yeah, that's a great question. I'm a mom myself now, and ever since becoming a mom, this is the question I just revisited over and over. And I'm just so grateful to have had the example that my parents gave to me.   And that's really what they did. So, my parents, first and foremost, they taught by example. Every morning without fail, my mom and dad would be the first ones up and they would each spend time with the Lord in their own routine, their own unique rhythm.   And so, it's funny, because for many years, I really thought that every other adult Christian had Bible time in the morning, just like my parents did. I thought it was just the thing adults did. And it wasn't until later in life that I realized how rare and special it was to have parents who sought the Lord so diligently and consistently.   They weren't just missionaries on the outside, you know, pastor on the outside. They had a private devotion to the Lord that was so vibrant and so real. And there was just no hypocrisy there.   Also, on the more practical side of things, I just also had the good fortune of being homeschooled, which allowed my parents a lot of flexibility and creativity with our education. So, one thing that my mom would do is every morning at around eight o'clock after we had all had breakfast, we would gather in the living room together. We would break open hymnals and sing some songs.   We would learn from a passage in scripture, and my mom would lead that time. Sometimes my dad would. And then we would pray together.   And then my mom would read a book out loud to all of us for about 30 minutes or so. And so that daily time, I just remember that being one of the most special parts of my childhood. And it was so enjoyable.   And I really think that it took the concept of a quiet time or seeking the Lord as one of the first things you did every day. It just made that rhythm really normal in my mind. So even now, it seems weird not to start my day with some kind of routine that welcomes the Lord into my day.   And I really attribute that to my mom and my dad and the way they educated us. So, my parents, they taught by example, and they integrated these beautiful rhythms into our lives at a very young age. So, if you are a parent and you really want that to become a reality in your home, just start first by creating this rhythm in your personal life.   Kids practice what we do, not just what we teach. They can sense hypocrisy very, very easily. And so, you first just need to make sure that you are devoting yourself to the Lord privately.   And they will see that and it will impact them. And then some of the ways you can bring your kids into your quiet time rhythm with you is you could have them sit next to you and have them read their own children's Bible as you read your Bible. And set aside a few minutes to pray with them every morning.   There are so many ways that we can start cultivating this culture in our home. But I really do believe that it all starts with our own sincere private devotion.   Laura Dugger: (8:12 - 9:01) That's really helpful to hear. And I like that progression of it begins with us and our commitment to our relationship with the Lord and growing there. But that's also helpful to see it play out that they kind of fed you through the hymns and through the Bible reading, but then also transferred that responsibility on to you to pursue that as well as you got older.   Something that really stood out when I read your book was your humility and vulnerability. So, I'm wondering if you can share a little bit more of your journey now. And specifically, how did your life with secret sin impact your connection with Jesus?   And what were some of those faulty beliefs that you internalized and Christ later redeemed?   Naomi Vaccaro: (9:03 - 14:43) Yeah. So, first of all, I just want to say, you know, this is where life happens. This is where things get real when we uncover our own failure, our own shame, when we bring it into the light.   This is just this is where God works. He works with humility. And that's why we should not be afraid to deal with these topics.   And so, I'm so excited to share my own story right now because I hope it will encourage someone else who might be listening. And it's something that I think we do need to talk about more in the Christian community. So basically, when I was eight years old, I was so young.   When I was eight years old, I was first exposed to pornography and erotica. And after that encounter, a secret sin of sexual fantasizing and seeking out more erotic content developed in my life. And this sin, the secret sin, did major damage to my walk with Jesus for a long time.   First of all, that's really what sin does, right? It separates us from God when we walk in a way that goes against his design, his good, good design for us. It destroys, it separates, it hurts.   And that's what it did for me for a long time. However, because of the grace of Christ, sin can only separate us from God if we let it. And so, I, at the time, I really did let my failure separate me from the grace of Jesus because I didn't really understand that the gospel applied to me as an already born-again Christian who struggled with sexual temptation.   I thought that you became a Christian because of the gospel, Jesus on the cross, the resurrection, the Holy Spirit, etc., etc. But deep down, I also really thought that once I was through the door of the gospel, that the Christian walk became up to me. So, every time I stumbled and fell into any kind of sin, but especially lust, because that was what I was so, so ashamed of, I would feel absolutely devastated.   And this was more than just a righteous conviction because it's good to feel devastated over our sin. This was a fear that I had somehow lost God's favor, lost his love, and particularly lost my salvation. I questioned my identity in Christ every time I stumbled in this way.   So, every time I would seek out this content and just give in to this inner sexual fantasizing, I would avoid having a quiet time for a few days because I really felt like I somehow had to do a penance, that I had to prove to God just how sorry I was. And so, this secret sin and the guilt that it gave me, it really did drive me away from Jesus, which I'm sure it just broke his heart because that is the last thing you want to do when you fall into sin is run away from God. And what's so sad is that I kept this in a secret for years.   I was eight when it started, and I was 13 when I finally got up the nerve to confess to my mother. I had prayed many times and confessed this sin to the Lord many times, but I wasn't seeing progress. I was still struggling, and I knew, I knew for years he was telling me, Naomi, you need to confess this to someone else.   You need to confess this to your mom. And I was so afraid of telling her that I was sinning in this way. I felt so dirty.   I felt so trapped and so terrified of losing her good opinion and the good opinion of anyone who would find out because I often equated the good opinion of others to love, especially as someone who's just a natural born people pleaser. But that morning when I finally confessed as a 13-year-old, the love and the grace that my mother showed me, it was the greatest reflection of the gospel I had ever experienced in my life up to that point. My sin didn't drive her away from me.   It actually drew her in closer, and that was the last thing that I expected. She embraced me. She came alongside me, and she made it clear that I was not the first or the last Christian to struggle with the sin of lust.   And she made me understand that I was not alone. And so, her reaction, it really did show me this fundamental truth, that our sin is what makes us absolutely irresistible to the compassionate heart of Christ. He hates sin because our sin is killing us.   But instead of casting us aside and pushing us away, he draws near in order to heal us. Jesus rushes to the side of a repentant sinner every single time. And that is what I learned through that journey of secret sin, wrestling inwardly, and then finally confessing in obedience to the Lord, confessing that sin to my mom.   Laura Dugger: (14:44 - 15:05) Wow. Thank you for bravely sharing that journey. That is such an encouragement.   And if someone is relating to your story, or maybe they're in the midst of their own experience of harboring some other form of secret sin right now, and it's creating distance between them and God, what encouragement would you like to offer them?   Naomi Vaccaro: (15:07 - 17:00) Yeah, so just run to Jesus. It all starts there. Just don't wait another moment.   Pause this episode if you need to. Hit your knees. Cry out to God.   Sin, it kills. It destroys. It separates us.   And the way we overcome sin is not by muscling our way through in our own strength. I've tried that. It doesn't work.   We have to combat sin by taking up the sword of surrender. We surrender ourselves to God, and then it becomes his strength that carries us through, that sets us free. So don't wait to confess.   Confess every single failure that's weighing on your soul. It doesn't define you in Christ. You are set free from his work.   So don't carry that garbage around anymore. Just don't do it. Jesus is so ready to embrace you, and it really is a lie that your sin makes you too dirty to approach him.   Jesus took care of that once and for all on the cross. So just like you embraced the gospel when you first became a Christian, now just cling to the gospel as you battle sin as a Christian. And then you can just ask yourself, you know, is there someone else that the Lord wants to bring alongside you in this struggle?   There's a reason why we are a body. There's a reason why we don't do the Christian walk alone, and that's because sin can't survive in the light, which is Christian accountability and confession. So, you will just be amazed at what God can do when you confess your sin to him and you make it known to other believers.   Just walk in that humility and trust that God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.   Laura Dugger: (17:01 - 19:50) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Did you know you can go to college tuition free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right.   Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University. Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia.   This online self-paced program includes 13 associates degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees and two master's programs, including an MBA. College courses are fully transferable both in and out of this program. This could even be a great option to complete your general education courses and then transfer to the college of your choice and save money in the process.   So, if you're looking for an affordable college option while simultaneously gaining valuable work experience and earning an income, Chick-fil-A East Peoria is the place for you. You don't have to go into debt to get a great education. To apply today, please go to Chick-fil-A.com/East Peoria and click on the career tab. You can also call the restaurant at 309-694-1044 to find out more. And if you aren't located near Chick-fil-A East Peoria, make sure you check with your local Chick-fil-A restaurant to see if they also participate in the Elevate program with Point University. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Well, it's amazing to think about intimacy because the very first building block of intimacy is honesty. And so, I think you're just laying out such a biblical view of how to walk in freedom and intimacy with God and others by confessing and saying out loud what we're struggling with. And I know that the enemy will try whispering to us and lying and twisting things saying that this will lead to something worse or lead to more bondage.   And yet your story reveals the truth that it actually sets us free. As we continue to walk through your journey, you next experienced euphoria from having a clear conscience. And you channeled your newfound energy into a spiritual discipline that you said you most wanted to improve, which was your quiet time.   So how would you describe quiet time and its purpose?   Naomi Vaccaro: (19:51 - 21:24) Yeah, so quiet time refers to the activities of Bible reading and prayer. And its purpose really is wonderfully simple and yet deeply profound. Simply put, having a quiet time is relating to God.   In any relationship, there needs to be back and forth communication, right? Listening and talking, receiving and sharing. So, when you become a follower of Christ, you are entering into a relationship with the Almighty God.   That is what Christianity is all about. So, reading the Bible is essentially listening to God share His heart with you. That's how you are getting to know the other being, the other person on the other side of this relationship.   And prayer is how you share your heart with God. God wants you to share about yourself. He wants to know you.   And just because He's God and He already knows everything doesn't mean He doesn't enjoy that intimacy with us. He wants to relate to us just like we would relate to anybody else. So of course, there are many other good reasons to read the Bible and pray.   But this really is the foundation of what having a quiet time is all about. It's how we cultivate and nurture our relationship with God Himself.   Laura Dugger: (21:25 - 21:31) And what would you say to someone who feels like their quiet time has become stale or boring?   Naomi Vaccaro: (21:32 - 23:20) So first, don't be alarmed. I get so alarmed when my quiet time becomes boring and I start second-guessing everything. But over time I've learned that this happens to everyone, and it doesn't mean you're no longer a Christian.   So just don't worry. Search your heart definitely and try to find the reason behind this season. There could be something more serious going on.   For instance, when I was walking through sin for many years, that was a huge issue that kept me from experiencing a lot of genuine delight with the Lord. So, there could be something like that that is causing trouble. Or it could just be that you are in a season that is draining your joy.   You could be walking through suffering, a significant suffering. And that should not be surprising to us that our circumstances and our suffering affect how we relate to God and the feelings we experience there. So, no matter what the reason is, the answer is the same.   Keep coming back to Christ. Even when it feels boring, I promise you the feelings will follow in time. And there are also some practical things that you can do to shake things up and make your quiet time a little more interesting if it's really just that simple.   For instance, you can bring worship music into your routine. I love worship music and that always sparks a lot of joy and just praise. You can also go on a prayer walk around your neighborhood.   You can start a new Bible study or a book. Just don't take your own lack of feeling too seriously. And just trust me that as you remain faithful in the discipline, the delight will follow in time.   Laura Dugger: (23:21 - 23:58) And I think that even ties into what you were saying earlier about confessing or just bringing things into the light. It's such a joy to get to do this in community. So maybe even sharing with your spouse, if that applies to you, or a friend or a loved one, if this is a struggle.   And I think they can also help shed light on what's going on. But you mentioned the word season. And so, let's take this from a proactive stance then.   If someone has a big life change coming up, like a move or a wedding or a new child, how can they prepare to adapt their quiet time to a new season?   Naomi Vaccaro: (23:59 - 26:10) Oh man, the seasons that you mentioned, each one of those have always affected my quiet time. Especially becoming a mom. Just shout out to all the moms out there.   So, I would just say, spend a good amount of time. If you see the season that is ahead of you, just spend a good amount of time praying over that season before it even arrives. Just trust that the Lord, He will give you the grace you need to transition into your new role.   And prepare your heart before the Lord to receive this sanctification, because that's what transition does. It reveals weakness in us. It reveals where we've maybe placed a lot of our hope and confidence in places other than Christ.   And so, walk into that sanctification confidently that the Lord is with you. And then just do your best when that season comes. Do your best to maintain your quiet time routine.   But don't worry too much if things get lost for a little while. It really does take time to regain our footing after a big transition. The main thing is to just not give up the habit altogether.   Just keep fighting for pieces of it as much as you can. And then overtime it will get easier. For me, it took me about six months to relearn my quiet time routine after I got married.   And after I had a baby, it took me a solid year before I became consistent again. It was really, really hard. And even now as a working mom, I still really struggle to find consistency.   So don't freak out. Don't linger on any kind of sense of failure. Just return to the Lord in whatever moments He provides.   And just know that His mercies are new every single morning. And just because you're struggling to have a quiet time in a new season of life doesn't mean that Jesus is not with you, that He's not walking with you and making you into more of His likeness. He is.   He still delights in you. He loves you. He has not left you.   He is still right there.   Laura Dugger: (26:11 - 26:24) I think that's such a real picture because it is a fight and it's worth the fight. And Naomi, how have you seen quiet time ripple out to affect everyone around us?   Naomi Vaccaro: (26:25 - 28:38) Oh man, I feel like I could talk about this one question for a long time because it really does affect everyone. It affects everything. Because when you think of what having a quiet time is, it is connecting us with the God of the universe.   And not only that, it is welcoming Him into our lives and making us more like Christ. So, when we do that regularly, consistently, there literally isn't anyone in our proximity who will not be positively affected by that. The more we are absorbing Scripture and engaging with the Lord in prayer about what's going on in our lives, the people in our lives, the things that weigh us down or lift us up, the more we do this and reflect Christ to the world around us, the more people will be impacted.   So, our marriages, we'll just start there. They will become so much sweeter as we lean on the love of Christ. Trust me, your spouse cannot be your ultimate fulfillment.   And when we look to our spouse to fulfill every single one of our needs, marriage becomes really hard. But the more we lean on our true source of joy and satisfaction, marriage actually becomes really, really wonderful. So, for the sake of your marriage, have a quiet time.   And the same is true for our kids. They are not meant to be the center of our universe. And they will feel so much more happy and secure as we find our joy in the Lord.   They cannot bear the weight of our worship. And so if you want kids who are just full of joy, then spend time with the Lord and trust him to take care of them. And then obviously just our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends, our relatives, everyone we encounter will feel the ripple effect of our own private devotion to God.   I truly do believe that one person who is faithful to seek the Lord on a regular basis will have an impact that resounds throughout eternity itself. I really, really do.   Laura Dugger: (28:39 - 28:49) And do you think it's ever possible to selfishly prioritize our allegiance to these spiritual disciplines above other priorities?   Naomi Vaccaro: (28:50 - 31:30) Yes. Absolutely. And this is something I do talk about in my book, and I share some content there that really impacted me when I was learning about flexibility in our spiritual disciplines.   So, I think it's really important to realize that having a daily quiet time is not a command in Scripture. It's not a sin issue if you don't have a quiet time. It's a relationship issue.   So, the actual function of Bible reading and prayer is not some kind of non-negotiable ritual that we perform. Ultimately, the Christian walk is about loving the Lord, our God, with all we have and loving our neighbor as ourselves. God will never ask us to compromise on either one of those.   He will never ask us to sacrifice one for the other. So loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength will also always look like loving our neighbor as ourselves. Sometimes it looks like changing a diaper instead of opening up that Bible study we're just dying to get into.   And sometimes it looks like running out the door to help someone in an emergency rather than having our regularly scheduled prayer time. Our spiritual disciplines need to be flexible enough to be interrupted. Otherwise, we are making the routine itself too important.   And I really believe the best example of this is Christ himself. There are multiple instances in Scripture where Jesus allows his prayer time with the Father or even his journey down the road to be interrupted by the needs of others. Jesus was always ready to stop and serve, even if that meant shifting his other plans.   Now we all have our own capacity, so that doesn't mean you always have to be rushing to this person and that person. It just means that you need to be willing to let go of your routines in place of the leading of the Holy Spirit. Wherever he wants us to go to love God and love others, that's what we need to remember.   And then just remember that quiet time is not the end goal in itself. That is not the ultimate end of the Christian life. Love for God and love for others really does go beyond daily Bible reading and prayer.   Sometimes our quiet time will need to be changed or postponed in order for us to love others the way God wants us to.   Laura Dugger: (31:31 - 32:42) I love scenarios that are both and, and you're laying that out for us, that quiet time both is important and its worthy of being prioritized and flexibility is important and Christ-like as well.    Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights? Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy! Another part of your book just made me smile when you were talking about whether you believe prayer and Scripture reading are non-negotiables, but you also invite readers to journal for a variety of reasons. And I love journaling as well.   But from your standpoint, will you elaborate on some convincing reasons to give journaling a try?   Naomi Vaccaro: (32:44 - 35:36) Absolutely. So, I am also an avid journaler. I have been journaling since I was about eight years old.   And over time, I really have just seen so many amazing benefits to journaling. Like you said, it's not a non-negotiable element to a quiet time. It's not absolutely necessary to journal.   Whereas I would say Bible reading and prayer are necessary because they are our modes of communication to the Lord. So, journaling really is more of a bonus element. But keeping a diary will always be something I recommend for several reasons.   So here are my main reasons why I recommend journaling. So, first of all, journaling really does help us process our emotions. We've got a lot of feelings rolling around inside of us.   And sometimes it is so good to just wrestle those feelings onto a page so that we can look them over, analyze them, process them, submit them to the Lord, and maybe understand why we are feeling a certain way and then what next steps we should take to address those emotions. So that's my first reason. Journaling really helps us process our emotions.   Also, I think most people understand that this is a huge benefit of journaling. But journaling really is a wonderful way to preserve our memories. There are so many stories I would never have remembered if I didn't write them down years ago.   And I just absolutely love, it gives me so much joy to go back through my old journals and read about events and what I thought about certain events that happened years ago. And at the time, those things seemed so big and important. But now they are just the sweetest memories that I get to pass down to my children, hopefully, and hopefully their children.   So yes, journaling also helps us preserve our memories. And then finally, I think the most compelling reason to journal is the way it helps us keep a record of God's faithfulness in our lives. So how many times do you and I pray over something super specific, something we are super worried about, and then that problem is solved.   The Lord provides, and the need is met. And then the next day, we kind of forgot all about it. We just move right along to the next worry.   I know that I do this all the time, and journaling has really helped me in this area. I get so caught up with now that I forget about all the dozens and hundreds of times that God has been faithful to provide and protect and comfort me in the past. So journaling is just such a good, practical way to deepen our faith as we record and remember how good God has been to us over time.   Laura Dugger: (35:36 - 35:56) And I even think the Bible encourages this in different ways when it's talking about writing this down or passing this on to your children. Or one of my favorites in the last part of Proverbs 3.21 says, preserve sound judgment and discernment. Do not let them out of your sight.   And so, I just echo all that you're saying.   Naomi Vaccaro: (35:57 - 35:58) Yes.   Laura Dugger: (35:58 - 36:08) When we consider the Holy Spirit's impactful role in our lives, how can we discern when we're being spirit-led versus flesh-led?   Naomi Vaccaro: (36:09 - 38:20) You know, what's so amazing about being a Christian is that we have been given the gift of the Helper, with a capital H, you know, the Holy Spirit who now dwells within those who belong to Christ. It's so amazing. So, if you look at yourself in the mirror right now, you can just know the Holy Spirit is looking right back at you.   It's pretty amazing. We get to walk every day hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirit. And the more we listen to Him and let Him guide us in our lives, the easier it will be to hear Him again.   And that's what we want. We want to be spirit-led people. So how do we do that?   The age-old question. So, one thing that we can always be certain of is that the Holy Spirit will never contradict the revealed will of God in Scripture. The Holy Spirit is a part of the Trinity.   They are all so connected in their purpose. They are one. And yes, the Spirit, He can work in our emotions, and He often does.   But the problem is, our feelings can be so tricky. And we always want to measure them against the Holy Word of God because that is where our source of truth is found. So, this really is the truest test for the leading of the Holy Spirit versus the leading of our flesh.   Our flesh will always be self-centered. And the Holy Spirit will always be Christ-centered. The Holy Spirit exists to magnify Christ, right?   So, as we look at Christ and adore Christ, then the Holy Spirit will grow stronger and stronger inside of us. So that's what I would encourage you to do. If you want to discern the difference between the Holy Spirit's leading and your flesh's leading, then really just start with studying God's Word.   Bring it into your home, your soul, your day-to-day life, and you will begin to discern the difference in no time.   Laura Dugger: (38:22 - 38:28) And how can we spur one another on to love and good deeds, especially in community?   Naomi Vaccaro: (38:29 - 40:15) So first, you need to be in community in order to spur one another on to love and good deeds, right? So, we really do need to start there because we're living in a time, especially in our country, I think around the world, where there is just a pandemic of loneliness and people are not living in community. So start by finding that community.   Find a local body of believers in Christ to do life with. And I don't just mean a Sunday morning service. Find people that you can see multiple times a week and start to get vulnerable and involved in each other's lives.   Start a prayer group together. Gather your kids and have a regular play date. Do game nights with the whole family.   Just think outside the box of Sunday morning. And after that, I just really believe that in order to love one another well, we need to bring it back to the whole topic of this conversation. We need to start with our own private relationship with God.   If this vertical relationship between God and us is out of whack, then our horizontal relationships with others will really just start to disintegrate. So, we need to begin with our own relationship with Christ and begin by praying for the people in your community as you spend time talking with Him. He will be the one to fill you with the love you need to then go and pour it out to the other members of your community.   And that is what spurs Christians on to love and good deeds. And it always has been.   Laura Dugger: (40:16 - 40:29) Well, Naomi, I'm enjoying this conversation. And if anybody wants to continue the conversation, where would you direct us online to find you and begin implementing these rhythms that you've taught us today?   Naomi Vaccaro: (40:30 - 41:09) Thank you, Laura. I've had such a great time talking with you, too. And I would just love to chat with anyone else who wants to come and start a conversation.   You can find me on Instagram at Naomi Vaccaro. And you can find my ministry, Wholehearted, where we focus on discipling Christians to have a daily quiet time. You can find that ministry on Instagram at WholeheartedQuietTime.   Also, our website is WholeheartedQuietTime.com. And that's where we have our blog and our online shop and a lot of free resources. So please come on by.   I would love to meet you.   Laura Dugger: (41:09 - 41:28) Wonderful. We will link to that in the show notes for today's episode. And you may be aware we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge or insight.   And so, as my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Naomi Vaccaro: (41:28 - 41:51) Yeah, I love this. Savvy Sauce. There's a lot of things I could say, but when it comes down to it, my savvy sauce really is getting a good night's sleep.   I become a monster if I don't sleep enough. So, I need to get my rest. I cannot recommend it highly enough, people.   Get yourselves eight hours every night. Amen to that.   Laura Dugger: (41:51 - 42:17) That is wonderful savvy sauce. And maybe that's part of the reason and more so your connection with the Lord. But I just experience you as such a peaceful and kind and gentle person.   And I can hear all of the passion about this coming from you. So, thank you for the work that you're faithfully doing with Wholehearted. And thank you for being my guest today.   Naomi Vaccaro: (42:18 - 42:34) Thank you, Laura. I just feel so encouraged and so, so loved by God through this conversation. And I cannot wait to see what he is going to do in His people through your work, your podcast, and Lord willing, my book.   So may His will be done.   Laura Dugger: (42:35 - 46:36) Thank you so much, Naomi.    One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone.   Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible.   I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ.   I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you. We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

Jump start your week with a Jump Start REWIND, read by Roger Shouse.

John 3:32-34. “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure. I read these three verses together this morning because the apostle John taught about truth using John the Baptist's testimony regarding Jesus. Yesterday, I defined truth as what God does, says, and sees. I hope you can see how I came to that definition from these verses. Jesus is truly God, for He is the truth. He says what He hears and sees. If He hears it, it is the truth. If He sees it, it is the truth. If He does it, it is the truth. It is enlightening that John the Baptist connected Jesus' speaking the words of God and His giving of the Holy Spirit. What is the connection? In chapter 1, verses 33-34, John the Baptist said of Jesus, “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” To baptize in the Holy Spirit is to give the Spirit without measure. So let's connect truth: what God does, says, and sees, of which Jesus testifies, and Jesus giving the Holy Spirit without measure. When Jesus speaks, the Father and the Son are giving the Spirit of truth. Jesus called the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17, the Spirit of truth. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth.” To give the Holy Spirit to be with us forever is to give the Spirit without a standard of measure or limits. What Jesus sees the Father saying, doing, He also says and does. When God works, He works through His Word and His Spirit. Hopefully, now you can see the connection John saw between the word of Christ and the giving of the Spirit. They are united and inseparable. Now let me connect this reality to living to love with Jesus. The words Jesus hears and the act of giving the Holy Spirit come from God, who is love. 1 John 4:7-8. “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” How is one born of God? According to Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, one is born from above by the word of God and the Spirit of God. He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water [which is a reference to the Word of God] and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” When we receive the living word of God, Jesus Christ, we receive the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. The fruit of receiving the word and Spirit of God is love. I hope you can see that living to love with Jesus in the power of the Spirit comes from the reality of the connection of Jesus speaking the words of God and giving the Spirit without measure. So, God is true, and God is love. If we are practicing the truth, we live to love with Jesus, who is God, in the power of the Spirit. That's our purpose for living. It is why a God of love sent His Son into this world. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

We hope you enjoy today's Scripture reading and devotional aimed at equipping you for moral and spiritual transformation. Today's Bible reading is Psalm 121. To read along with the podcast, grab a print copy of the devotional. ESV Bible narration read by Mike Bullmore. Follow us on social media to stay up to date: Instagram Facebook Twitter

Send us a textBiblical Manhood & WomanhoodGenesis 2:18-25Chris McKnight, Lead Pastor/ElderMay 11, 2025 - Mother's DayMessage 7 in the series

In this message, we explore what it truly means to receive comfort from the Holy Spirit, our promised Advocate and Helper. At Living Hope, our mission is to love authentically, disciple deeply, and live as a true church family. But have we been missing God's comfort in the process?Discover how:We often seek comfort in things that don't satisfy; phones, food, work, or distraction.The Holy Spirit is the only source of true comfort, promised by Jesus in John 14.God's nurturing heart is shown through powerful, maternal images in Scripture.Biblical figures like Hagar and Elijah were met by God in their wilderness moments with tender care and healing.The Holy Spirit not only comforts us individually but works through the church to bring healing and hope.We also take time for inner healing, reflecting on wounds related to motherhood and learning practical ways to daily invite the Comforter into our lives.

Welcome!We're so glad you joined us today for worship! We'd love to get to know you and connect after the service, if you'd also like more information about Salem you can text the word "online" to (919) 322-8605 and someone will contact you later this week. Next StepsIf you feel prompted to respond to what you hear today, text the word "next" to (919) 322-8605 and you'll receive options for how we can help you take the next step in your spiritual walk. Learn more about Salem at https://www.salem-bc.org

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE COMMENTS, ?? or prayer requests send a textWhere do you turn for help? Who do you have to help you in life? Who comes to your aid? Who helps you take care of your problems? Welcome to yesterday ended healing the traumas of life.Our friends and family have many of the same problems we have. Who has time to help you? I'm your host Dennis Dobbin, and I'm here to teach you that the Lord is your helper. Give a listen.

In this episode of Pray the Word on Hosea 13:9, David Platt teaches us to seek and receive—rather than ignore and resist—God's help.Explore more content from Radical.

You are my helper and my savior. [NLT]

The Glory of GodWe will never achieve holiness on our own.

Pastor Nelms continues his teaching series on the Kingdom principle of sowing and reaping. Part 4 continues a deep dive into the Parable of the Sower, the key Kingdom Parable of sowing and reaping. Learn how to steward the word in your heart with the help of the Holy Spirit until revelation and faith comes. We pray you are blessed by this message.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/renaissance-school-of-the-spirit--3241606/support

Last night Pastor Chad led us as we began a new series called Rest On Us

This week in our "Good News" series, Pastor Brandon lets us in on the good news that help has come! We dive into the scriptures today to see that THE Helper, the Holy Spirit is not just a force or some mystical power but the third person of the trinity. Who helps align our thoughts with His thoughts, our actions with His actions; He helps us desire what is holy and brings life to our feelings. The good news is, the Holy Spirit is our helper! - Key Verses // John 16:7,13 - For Sermon Notes, the Connect Card, and our other online resources: https://linktr.ee/Celebrationchurchlive

Listen in as Brian Parker shares a message.

Fired Up #2 John 14:25-27, 16:12-15

In this Hot Topics message, we explore the often misunderstood subject of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three in one. Through scripture and simple illustrations, we learn how the Holy Spirit is both present and personal, not just a concept but God dwelling with us. He is our Helper who convicts, teaches, and empowers us to live boldly for Christ. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot fully walk in the purpose God has for our lives.

Tina Erwin is a Ghost HelperTina is passionate about being a "Ghost Helper." Her mission is to teach the living how to help the dead. She wants to empower everyone to help any ghost they may find. Tina says that this is the compassion we will all want for ourselves. She urges everyone to use The Crossing Over Prayer™ on GhostHelpers.com and in “The Crossing Over Prayer Book©”Tina has studied metaphysics all of her life, gaining insight into the mystical world of magic and spirituality. She is the author of eight books on metaphysics. Her writing comes from an intense desire to know and understand the hard science behind the unseen world of action and reaction combined with a sincere desire to share this understanding with other knowledge seekers.Ghosts just seem to find Tina. It's as if she's a "ghost magnet." In every single case, Tina says that these ghosts are looking for help and they tell her why they didn't cross over; they tell her their stories. She assists these souls by crossing them into the Heaven World. When a psychic only connects to a dead person, the ghost does not receive the critical assistance they desperately need.Her lifelong studies into the deeper meaning of events and actions were further enhanced by the experiences of a dynamic 20-year career in the Navy, working for the U.S. Submarine Force, retiring at the Commander level. Commander Erwin found the Navy to be a tremendous schoolhouse in which to study all the facets of behavior and karma, from the worst to the finest levels of humanity. She has a master's degree in Business and Management.You can find all of her books on AMAZON.COMYou can learn more about Tina at TinaErwin.com and Ghosthelpers.com

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comJohn 14 Jesus says twice to His Apostles: “Do not let your heart be troubled.” Jesus first tells them not to worry because He will go to heaven to prepare a place for them, and then He will return to take them home. They did not understand where Jesus was going, but He goes to the Father and is in perfect unity with the Father. Jesus explains that His disciples must honor Him by keeping His commandments. All who love Jesus must obey Him. Jesus assures the Apostles He will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to teach them how to establish His church. A second time, He tells them not to be troubled because the Spirit's presence will help them live with peace so that they can accomplish His work without fear.   This chapter takes place during the Passover meal Jesus engages in with His Apostles. Some of what is included is specific to those men, like the promise of the Holy Spirit to give them special knowledge. However, much of His teachings apply to all believers. Jesus has gone to heaven, and He will return to take home all who love Him and obey His commandments. In the meantime, we can live in peace because God loves us, and the Holy Spirit is active in helping us develop fearlessness in this life. The “ruler of the world” is among us and seeks to undermine our faith. But we believe that Jesus is with the Father and rules in victory over the adversary.  Wonderful Father, we call upon You to help us develop peace deep within our hearts. “Do not let your heart be troubled.” We hear the words of Jesus and seek to live this joy and assurance deep within us. Will you please help us to find this strength? We know the strength is in the resurrected and ruling Christ. And we know the Holy Spirit's help is readily available in the scripture. Please help us to remember to fill our lives with prayer and Bible study. We love and obey You, and we know that You love and protect us.  Thought Questions: -       What causes your heart to be troubled? And what do you know about the Father, Son, and Spirit that restores your peace? -       Jesus is the only way to be close to the Father. How are you pursuing a closer relationship with the Father through Jesus? -       The Holy Spirit helped the Apostles in incredible ways. How does the Holy Spirit help you in your walk and work for Christ?