Podcasts about him jesus

Basic Bible Study | Matthew, Mark, Luke & John (Part 7) This is part 7 of 7 In today's podcast, join Amy and Robyn as they continue their discussion in Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. Here is a breakdown of what was discussed: - Satan is constantly working against God & those who obey Him - Jesus turned water into wine - Jesus' ministry involved (1) helping others (2) speaking with authority (3) being in personal touch with people - what to read for next time “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT Opening a Bible for the first time can be intimidating. Join Amy & Robyn in an easy-to-follow discussion. This Basic Bible Study is perfect for beginners & those who have never read the Bible. Look for new podcasts every Tuesday & Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIBLE RESOURCES https://biblehub.com/ https://www.bible.com/ http://betterdaysarecoming.com/bible/pronunciation.html https://biblespeak.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/mybasicbiblestudy WEBSITE http://www.mybasicbiblestudy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can contact us via e-mail or regular old snail-mail: Basic Bible Study 7797 N. 1st St. #34 Fresno, CA 93720 basicbiblestudy19@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

rwh26april Ep.361 – Run With Horses Podcast – Resilient Faith Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast Author pages with links to all books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith   Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is simple in many ways, but potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to grow, to live intentionally and to join in His mission. It's very cool that we can do that together! Thank you for joining me today! “If you're new here, you can check out past episodes at runwithhorses.net. As always, I appreciate your feedback, questions, and reviews!” Resilience is the ability to withstand, recover and even thrive in the midst of life's challenges while trusting God to accomplish His work. Resilience is really about our Faith. It is the strength and endurance to keep pressing forward in the face of adversity, maintaining faith in God's sovereignty and goodness. Resilience is not simply about surviving difficulty, but about growing spiritually and becoming more Christ-like in the process. Biblical Understanding of Resilience Patience Matures Our Faith: James 1:2-4 See trials as opportunities for spiritual growth: Resilience is tied to patience developed through trials. Instead of letting trials break us, we allow them to refine and mature our faith, making us more like Jesus. God's Strength in Our Weakness: The Apostle Paul exemplifies resilience in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: Resilience in the Christian life is not about our own strength, but about relying on God's strength. Our weakness becomes the vehicle for God's power to work through us, glorifying God and accomplishing His Will. Imitate Christ's Example: Hebrews 12:1-2, Follow Jesus' example of enduring the cross, all for the joy set before Him: Jesus endured because He had an eternal perspective. Resilience, for the follower of Christ, involves fixing our eyes on the hope and reward that await us in eternity. Tis life is the journey that God uses to prepare us for eternity with Him. Trusting God's Promises Leads to Hope: Romans 5:3-5 : Hope is really important when we face challenges. And there is always Hope in Jesus! Trials refine our character and deepen our relationship with God. Knowing Him and His purposes, ultimately makes us more resilient in our Journey of Faith. Resilience and Discipleship In the life of a believer, resilience is directly connected to discipleship and spiritual growth. Discipleship is not just about learning doctrine or performing religious duties; it is about becoming more like Jesus. As we endure trials with faith and patience, we grow in spiritual maturity and learn to depend on God more fully. Resilience Shapes Character: As we persevere through challenges, our character is refined, and we learn to love, trust, and obey God more fully. Romans 5:3-5 shows that tribulation produces perseverance, which leads to stronger character and unshakable hope. Resilience Cultivates Faithfulness: Discipleship is about the journey of following God daily in every circumstances. 1 Peter 1:6-7 reminds us that our faith is tested, and once proven, brings glory to God: As we remain faithful under trial, we demonstrate the genuineness of our faith. This faith, Real, tested and proven, will bring glory to God. Spiritual Growth Through Trials: The process of growing as a disciple requires us to be resilient. Trials are the training ground for spiritual maturity if you are a disciple of Jesus. He never promised an easy path! But He promises that it would be worth it in the end. The Role of the Holy Spirit in Resilience The Holy Spirit is integral to developing resilience. Romans 8:11 speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit to give life and strength to believers: The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead enables believers to live with endurance, overcoming obstacles and remaining faithful in trials. Prayer and trusting God to work when our strength is gone are both Key for developing the abiity to get up every time life knocks you down. Resilience Keeps You On The Path To Christ-likeness As we endure hardship, we grow in patience, character, and hope, which ultimately leads to greater spiritual maturity. This process is central to ongoing discipleship, as it shapes us into the image of Christ. A disciple of Jesus is on a continual journey of growing in faith, learning to rely on God's strength daily, and persevering through life's trials. Both disciples and disciple makers have a role to play in this journey of Faith. Spiritual strength is nurtured through the spiritual disciplines as we deepen our relationship with God, and learn to trust in His faithfulness. How To Develop Resilience See the Big Picture: God is at work in the world and trials are normal and natural. The goal is not to avoid them but to grow through them. Let God accomplish His work in your life. God opens doors for ministry through our personal trials, look for them! Do everything that you can to grow and mature your Faith! Be intentional about life, particularly your spiritual life. Embrace God's Word: One of the foundational ways a disciple develops resilience is through a deeper understanding of and trust in God's Word. The Bible gives an eternal perspective for enduring trials. By studying Scripture, disciples learn what God is doing and learn to trust His promises, which gives them the strength to persevere. Psalm 119:50: A Deeper Relationship with God: Resilience is nurtured through a close relationship with God. Everything that we do to draw closer to Him helps prepare us for the next challenge. Prayer, meditation and memorizaton of the Bible and time with God's family all strengthen our trust in God's provision, wisdom, and presence. Jesus modeled these in His own life, we should do no less. Philippians 4:6-7: Through Reliance on God's Strength (Not Our Own): Resilience is not about self-sufficiency, but about relying on God's strength. The Apostle Paul was a model of this truth, understanding that his weakness allowed God's strength to be more clearly displayed. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: A disciple develops resilience by recognizing that through their weakness that God's power is most evident. This humility and dependence on God's grace is key to enduring trials with perseverance. Through Practicing Obedience and Faithfulness in Small Things: Resilience is developed when a disciple learns to be faithful in the small things, trusting God in everyday life. Obedience, even in seemingly insignificant matters, builds the foundation for enduring greater trials. Luke 16:10: By being faithful in small matters, a disciple strengthens their ability to endure more significant trials and challenges. Through Fellowship with Other Believers: Resilience is also cultivated in the context of community. Believers encourage one another, pray for one another, and share in each other's struggles. Being part of a supportive Christian community strengthens a disciple's ability to persevere. Hebrews 10:24-25: Fellowship provides encouragement and accountability, helping disciples remain resilient as they navigate life's challenges. How a Disciple Maker Helps Others Develop Resilience A disciple maker has a unique role in helping others grow in resilience by walking alongside them, providing guidance, and encouraging them to press on in their faith. Here's how a disciple maker can help others develop resilience: Modeling Resilience through Personal Example: One of the most powerful ways a disciple maker can encourage resilience is by modeling it in their own life. When a disciple maker faces trials and shows how they rely on God's strength, it serves as a powerful testimony for others to follow. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7: Teaching the Importance of Perspective: Disciple makers can help others develop resilience by teaching them to have an eternal perspective on their trials. They can point others to the hope of eternal life and the ultimate victory that awaits, even in the midst of hardship. Romans 8:18: By helping others keep an eternal perspective, disciple makers teach them to view their trials in light of God's promises and the hope of future glory. Encouraging the Practice of Spiritual Disciplines: Disciple makers should encourage the regular practice of spiritual disciplines—prayer, Bible study, worship, and fasting—as these practices strengthen the disciple's spiritual resilience. Colossians 2:6-7: Spiritual disciplines help to deepen a disciple's relationship with God, which builds the foundation for resilience. Providing Encouragement and Accountability: A disciple maker should be a source of encouragement and accountability, especially in difficult times. They can remind the disciple of God's faithfulness, pray for them, and offer counsel that points them back to Christ. Galatians 6:2: Helping others bear their burdens is an essential part of developing resilience. A disciple maker should walk alongside their disciples, offering support, encouragement, and wisdom during trials. Helping Disciplines Focus on God's Promises: Disciple makers can help others develop resilience by pointing them back to God's promises in times of hardship. The promises of God's presence, provision, and protection provide a firm foundation for resilience. Isaiah 41:10: A disciple maker can continually remind those they are discipling of the faithfulness of God, helping them to trust in His promises during difficult times. Conclusion A disciple of Jesus develops resilience by deeply engaging with God's Word, prayer, dependence on God's strength, obedience, and fellowship with other believers. A disciple maker helps others develop resilience by modeling it, teaching the importance of perspective, encouraging spiritual disciplines, providing support, and focusing on God's promises. Together, these practices foster a strong, enduring faith that enables believers to press on through trials and grow more like Christ in the process. Doctrine Today Spiritual Warfare   It's not easy to keep going when the journey is long and tough. The good news is that Jesus understands and takes the journey with us. You never have to face the trials alone. Stand tall and lean on Jesus in the middle of Life's storms, trusting that He is growing you into the person you need to be.   – “Thank you for listening today! -If you enjoyed the show you can listen to all the past shows wherever you listen to podcasts. A good place to start is at runwithhorses.net. You can also write me at norman@runwithhorses.net or leave a comment on the Run With Horses Podcast facebook page. Don't be discouraged by the challenges you face. Keep your eyes on Jesus and embrace the opportunity to grow through the trial. Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus and never stop running."

Basic Bible Study | Matthew, Mark, Luke & John (Part 5) This is part 5 of 7 In today's podcast, join Amy and Robyn as they continue their discussion in Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. Here is a breakdown of what was discussed: - John the Baptist paved the way for Jesus by preparing others to welcome Him - Jesus was asking questions of religious leaders at age 12 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT Opening a Bible for the first time can be intimidating. Join Amy & Robyn in an easy-to-follow discussion. This Basic Bible Study is perfect for beginners & those who have never read the Bible. Look for new podcasts every Tuesday & Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIBLE RESOURCES https://biblehub.com/ https://www.bible.com/ http://betterdaysarecoming.com/bible/pronunciation.html https://biblespeak.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/mybasicbiblestudy WEBSITE http://www.mybasicbiblestudy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can contact us via e-mail or regular old snail-mail: Basic Bible Study 7797 N. 1st St. #34 Fresno, CA 93720 basicbiblestudy19@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week, we will look at five different encounters that people have with Jesus after the Resurrection. Today, we'll start by looking at the Walk to Emmaus. In this story, two disciples are walking, and Jesus walks alongside them. They tell Him (Jesus) all that has happened in Jerusalem, and Jesus then unpacks all the Bible, and shows them how it is all pointing to Him. Shameless plug: here's a link to Method(ist) to the Madness, our new, hopefully entertaining podcast about church history. - https://methodisttothemadness.buzzsprout.com/Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today's passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%3A%2013-35&version=NRSVUEYou can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. You may have heard Jesus described before as the Good Shepherd, but did you know in the same passage that He says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” So while Jesus is the Good Shepherd and the gate, The Bible describes us as sheep. And it's honestly a good metaphor. Sheep will wander off without much thought as to the danger of being away from the shepherd. And the truth is we all do that kind of wandering away from God in our sin. But the Good Shepherd is chasing after us. You know, the Bible has a beautiful picture…it says, “All we like sheep have gone astray, each to our own way, but the Lord has laid upon Him—Jesus—the sin—or iniquity—of us all.” You know, Jesus waits for us to respond to His offer of salvation. The question is for us...what are we waiting for? For more, visit our website at sharelife.today.

SUMMARY    “After the departure of some “disciples” of Jesus (not the “Twelve”) because of the offensive nature of Jesus's message (6:60), the Gospel continues to show the kind of responses the message and ministry of Jesus yields. Since the beginning of the Gospel, the narrative has been depicting the dramatic interaction between light and darkness, God and the world (1:5). In this section of Scripture, conflict is not far away but right at home, with the very people with whom Jesus should have found the most connection and support—his own family.” - Edward W. Klink KEY TAKEAWAYS    Main Idea: Jesus' faithful obedience to the Father is seen as He prioritizes God's mission and agenda over man's. Jesus embraces His true identity (1–5) He rejects the idea of being a religious celebrity  He does not want superficial faith, but faith in Him  Jesus prioritizes His Father's will, not ours (6–13) He fulfills the Father's divine appointments  He came to reveal truth and shine the light on the cynicism and fear of men

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Luke 1:26-38 - The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Gregorian Chant benefits the body and soul https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2025/02/gregorian-chant-benefits-body-soul-john-horvat.html 3) The importance of exposing conspiracies and their architects  https://www.knightsrepublic.com/single-post/the-importance-of-exposing-conspiracies-and-their-architects 4) They want to make proclaiming that Jesus is King illegal https://gatewayhispanic.com/video/they-want-to-make-proclaiming-that-jesus-is-king-illegal/

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a - Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary Saint Joseph, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Why are over 1000 Catholics going to Mar-a-Lago this evening? 3) Pro-life speech before entering courtroom by Fathers Dave Nix and Fidelis Moscinski Pro-Life Heroes Convicted:The Cost of Defending the Unborn 4) President Trump, it is time to stop abortion in America https://www.knightsrepublic.com/single-post/to-the-president-it-is-time-to-stop-abortion-in-america

As we look at this passage in Luke 11:37-54, we need to rememberthe setting Jesus was in where He is declaring judgment, the six “woes”, uponthe Pharisees and religious lawyers, who are also called scribes. In verse 35, Jesushad just made the public statement, “Therefore take heed that the lightwhich is in you is not darkness.” It was then that a Pharisee invited Jesusto come into his house and dine with him. He was hoping to catch Jesus sayingor doing something so that he could accuse Him of breaking the Law of Moses andthen he could expose Jesus as a false prophet or teacher.  This morning, I couldn't help but think how that Jesus notonly accepted the invitation, but when He is in this Pharisee's house sittingat this meal with him that Jesus pronounces these stinging words of judgmentupon all the Pharisees. When Jesus didn't wash His hands before He ate, thePharisee immediately was thinking that if Jesus was a true prophet he would nothave broken the Law of Moses and traditional teaching of the lawyers.  It is then that the Lord gives this message exposing the hypocrisyof the religious leaders of His day. The religious Pharisees and lawyers claimedto have the truth and the light of God because of their “knowledge” of the OldTestament Scriptures. But they needed to “take heed” that the light they haveis not darkness”. In Jesus first recorded message in Matthew 6:23, He said, “Butif your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore thelight that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”  We should take heed also! The greatest darkness is a “religious”darkness. To be deceived into thinking and believing that our religion of gooddeeds of “righteousness” that we can do, will save us. Remember what Paul wrotein Romans 10:1-4: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israelis that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal forGod, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God'srighteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have notsubmitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law forrighteousness to everyone who believes.” Religion and Bible knowledge without Jesus Christ is what thePharisees of both Jesus' and Paul's day had as they sought “to establish theirown righteousness”.  What a powerfulmessage for us today! We can know the Bible forward and backward and attempt tokeep it in our own way and strength, and think we are “right” with God. Paulwould also write in 2 Corinthians 3:6: “Who also made us sufficient asministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for theletter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Yes, trying to keep “letter ofthe Law” in our own strength brings both deception and death.  There is no greater deception than religious and self-deception!In James 1, we are warned about this kind of deception in several verses. Jamessays this kind of religion is empty, vain, useless! This is basically a warningto believers who have the Bible but are not practicing the love of God in caringfor the poor, helpless, widows and orphans. We look into the mirror of God's Word,but we refuse to clean up the inside and we become hypocrites and at the sametime think that we are “right” with God.  A good verse to end with today is found in 2 Corinthians5:21: “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, thatwe might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Let's make sure we aretrusting in a personal relationship with Jesus and His salvation and His imputedrighteousness and not an outward religion of “right” deeds and good works! God bless!

The Sword or the Cross? (audio) David Eells 2/23/25 Please be patient with me and I will share something that just may save your physical and eternal life. If you are not willing to believe only what the scriptures say concerning your relationship to this evil world and its God-ordained plan in your life, you don't need to waste your time with this revelation. When Peter used the sword to keep Jesus from going to the cross, He said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”. Even though the true saints will not agree with much that is about to happen in this world, they will not take “the sword” of man and break their covenant with God as the apostates and their leadership will. God's plan for His people is demonstrated by Jesus. (Joh.12:23) And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (Loseing our life is mostly losing our carnal self life to partake of the life of Christ.) (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. As Jesus was a seed sown in the dirt of this earth, so must we be. The wicked of this world are the dirt that puts to death the fleshly husk of the seed so that the inner life may come forth and bear fruit. As a lamb does not struggle with a wolf, the seed does not struggle with the dirt but permits it to fulfill its purpose. (Luk.10:3)...I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. In God's plan wolves devour the flesh of the lambs. He uses the wicked to chasten His children. (2Sam.7:14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. (2Cor.4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. The glory of God will be manifested in those who will “resist not him that is evil” but will “turn the other cheek” and permit the dirt to do its job. No one else can drive the nails, friend. You are unable to do it and other Christians shouldn't do it. It is God's plan to use the harlot and the beast to crucify our old man. (Act.2:23) Him (Jesus), being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. (4:27) For of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, (28) to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass. Through death to self at their hands, the world will see Jesus in us and we will be enabled to fulfill the great commission. (1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. In the days when God's people were ruled over by the Roman beast it was written: (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God. (2) Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. Though Christians are forbidden to take the mark and image of the beast, they are also forbidden to take up arms against secular nations over them. This puts the people of God in a position of weakness like Jesus when He submitted to His cross instead of fighting. (Note: Some falsely say that the U.S. is not typed in the Scriptures. In Revelation, we see that Babylon is the Queen of the world, an end-time world superpower, a very rich nation that trades with the whole world. Both Revelation and Daniel say it is the head of all the nations and was called the “great eagle” in Ezekiel 17. Jeremiah 25 shows that it will bring destruction to the Middle East and then fall in what appears to be a nuclear attack from the nations. Revelation 18 says this will be in one hour of one day. Who, with common sense, would not see that this ancient eagle lives again in our day and has been secretly ruled by a satanic, corrupt, and perverted deep state? Most recently Babylon is being conquered by our modern day Cyrus who ruled in ancient times as Media-Persia. Using Babylon and her king as a type of the U.S. and her President, God warned his people to submit to her as far as secular matters go. (Jer.27:5) I have made the earth, the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it unto whom it seemeth right unto me. (6) And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant.... (7) And all the nations shall serve him.... (8) And it shall come to pass, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. This has happened. (9) But as for you (Christians), hearken ye not to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: (10) for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.... (12) And I spake to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. (13) Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? The modern day apostate leadership has served Babylon turning against the Word of the Lord. And the rebels have been chastened by their “sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence”. (14) And hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you. (15) For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that ye may perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you. And these depopulationists have murdered the apostates who trust in man's vaccines rather than the clear Word. Also we will see that true Christians are not to take up arms in the worlds wars. Our kingdom is not of this world as Jesus said. That is not to say that God doesn't have mercy on ignorance. In this way God will cleanse His body of those that refuse to obey and go to their cross. We are now close to the beginning of the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation in Revelation 12 where the dragon/serpent chases the woman Church into their wilderness refuge to be taught of the Man-child. What brings us to our cross? Jesus said, “Love your enemies”, not shoot them, and “turn the other cheek”, not make war on them. God will chasten the Christians who “take the sword”. Our Lord said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”. I am certainly not excusing the government's actions in any of this but if David Koresh, the leader of the Davidians' stronghold in Waco, Texas, in early 1993 had not broken God's covenant and stored up that arsenal with the intent to use it against the government, he and his followers would still be alive. Bear witness that God did not defend them. God will bring the U.S. against His people and their apostate leaders because they have ignored His covenant. (Hos.8:1) [Set] the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle [he cometh] against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. (2) They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee. (3) Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him. (4) They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. In the days of Jesus, the apostate people of God were in bondage to the Roman beast for their rebellion against the Word. These stiff-necked people of God were in constant revolution against the Romans and paying a great penalty for it. (Mar.15:6) Now at the feast he used to release unto them one prisoner, whom they asked of him. (7) And there was one called Barabbas, [lying] bound with them that had made insurrection (revolution), men who in the insurrection had committed murder. (8) And the multitude went up and began to ask him [to do] as he was wont to do unto them. (9) And Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (10) For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. (11) But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. (Jn.18:40) They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Notice that Barabbas and many with him were in prison for making a revolution against the Romans. Jesus suffered in the place of this Jewish patriot. In like manner, the true body of Christ will suffer innocently because of “Christian” patriots who will revolt against the beast. In another type, Barabbas was chosen out of all the Jews that were in prison with him to be released. Barabbas means “son of the father”. Because Jesus went to the cross, a remnant of these people who truly are “sons of the Father” will be forgiven and saved. Militant patriots do not understand what the Holy Spirit showed in this text, that killing Romans or Americans is “murder” and that those who steal from them are “robbers”. Remember, God did not defend almost 1000 very religious patriots whom the Romans destroyed. In 66 A.D. when the Jews rebelled against the Romans, they captured this mountain 1000 meters above the Judean wilderness. In a well-supplied, seemingly impregnable fortress, the Jews attempted for seven years to hold out against the Roman beast. In a clear type, all but a remnant of seven committed suicide and brought an end to the worldly state of Israel. “Christian” rebels in our day will, in effect, commit suicide by fighting against the beast and bringing an end to the worldly state of the Church. The Timothy McVeigh's of this world are not patriots in God's kingdom. The real heroes are those who leave worldly governments up to God and choose their cross over rebelling against His Word. Like Jesus, Paul gives us a type of how innocent Christians in our day will be falsely accused as rebels and imprisoned or killed. In Acts 21:38, a chief captain said to him, “Art thou not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?” Notice once again that an Egyptian, representing the old carnal man, was leading Jews to kill Romans. The “Christians” who are led of the old man today will fight against the beast. God will not tolerate those who call themselves patriots in order to rebel against governments and God's Word. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God.... (2) Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. Let our Cyrus do his job to take down Babylon while we preach the gospel to all, which is our job. Jesus gave us permission to “flee” like sheep before the wolves, but not to fight in the flesh as wolves. (Mat.10:16) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (23) But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. Notice that this persecution will spread the Word through the cities of God's people and He will come. Praise His Name! While the carnal people of God were having their revolution against the government, Jesus and the disciples were having a spiritual revolution against their flesh. Jesus said, “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (the Word). For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law: and a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household” (Mat.10:34-36). Notice when you get saved they are often on the other side until they get saved. Tertullus, speaking against Paul's spiritual revolution, said, “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections (revolutions) among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). They always call us a sect or cult for obeying the Word. Jesus and Paul's revolution was to use the Word to separate the chosen from the carnal church of his day. Neither of them had anything to do with wrestling with a flesh and blood beast system. That was the harlot's revolution. We are to be patriots of the Lord's kingdom, not the U.S. Like Jesus, “My kingdom is not of this world”. Because they would not obey Jesus, the Jews were led by their deceiving leadership to their own destruction and that of their city in 70 A.D. This was also the cause of its destruction in other times. (Ezr.4:19) And I decreed, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. (5:12) But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. Every beast kingdom was raised up by God to chasten and bring into bondage and crucifixion His rebellious people and so it is with the Babylon of our day. Our warfare is not with flesh and blood men but with the demon principalities and powers that rule them (Eph.6:12). (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Jas.4:7)...resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Many will fight to keep from going into captivity but only God determines if one needs this for their maturing. (Rev.13:9) If any man hath an ear, let him hear. (10) If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Only God gives authority to the beast to bring His people into bondage or death. M. Cox relates a dream he had concerning these principles. I had a dream so real that every time I think about it, it becomes more vivid just as if I was there. I was sleeping in our small farmhouse with a few other people one night. Sometime in the dead of the night all of a sudden I heard the thunderous boom of these military helicopters and airplanes. Then this helicopter landed right beside our house. All the occupants of our house were rounded up and taken away by the helicopter, probably to prison work farms. I was just standing there amazed, thinking these people never resisted, or tried to run away. And they all acted like I wasn't there. I thought that they had forgotten me. Soon after they left, another helicopter came. They were probably told that they had forgotten one of the occupants. I was naturally scared so I hid under the bed, shaking like a leaf with my legs sticking out. The soldiers didn't have any U.N. symbol but were probably a makeshift multi-national army. A black and a white soldier had yellow torches and machine guns with them. They were looking and thrashing everywhere trying to look for me. The black soldier was looking under the bed I was under. The funny thing was I was right in front of him with my feet sticking out but it appeared he couldn't see me. Suddenly, it dawned on me that I was invisible to the soldiers. They couldn't see me. After a while, the soldiers left frustrated at not being able to find me. I must say that the fear and terror of the situation was unbelievable. A few days later this helicopter came and sprayed this chemical and the surrounding place turned all brown. They probably had been given orders to let no survivors that they couldn't find live. Anyway, even before they sprayed I noticed that the surrounding vegetation looked brownish, maybe from nuclear fallout. Miraculously, with all this happening I was still alive and the dream ended there. Notice that God's people did not resist and only those who needed captivity were taken. We should not put it beyond God's ability to supernaturally hide those who do not need more crucifixion. If He could translate me halfway around the world to preach, He can certainly make us invisible to the enemy. Bob Aicardi also had a dream like this. I found myself cautiously walking the floors of a very large government building, which was occupied by foreign troops, and I knew that as an American I was not supposed to be there. I was noticed by a worker, who set off an intruder alert. Down the corridor, the entrance doors slammed shut and locked. As I walked up to the doors they opened and I passed through to escape. Once outside, perimeter guards were alerted and were all about. I walked through them as invisible and saw another man doing the same thing. I said to him, “Isn't the blood of Jesus wonderful?” We see that not only can God protect those who are mature but He can also give rest to those who need to submit to their cross. (Joh.19:11) Jesus answered him, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above. Like our Lord, we are to receive everything as from God and leave retaliation up to Him. (Rom.12:17) Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Our old man wants to live by defending self and retaliating, but our obedience to these commands crucifies that carnal nature in us. Satan seeks through well-meaning people to keep us from this cross. (Mat.16:21) From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. (22) And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. Notice that Peter, by the spirit of Satan was a stumbling block by trying to dissuade Jesus from going to His cross. Peter later took the sword, to try to enforce his way and again met with rebuke. (24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. Even when we are at our best, the hidden carnal nature must be crucified. (1Pet.2:20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it], ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. (21) For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously. What could be clearer? We are to follow in Jesus' steps by cooperating with God's process of using the harlot religious system and the beast kingdom to bring us to the cross. We are not to resist them by force. The laws of our kingdom do not permit us to fight in the flesh to escape captivity. (Joh.18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. In the days leading up to a civil war in the midst of the One World Order, many will stand up against the U.S. as the king of the South. Included among these are some of God's people who will try to impose their vision of the kingdom of God in the U.S. by violent methods, but they will be killed. (Dan.11:14) And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the children of the violent among thy people shall lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they shall fall. God will not permit fleshly methods to have any success so that His people learn to walk in the Spirit. (12:7)...It shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of (self in) the holy people, all these things shall be finished. Notice that our temptation to use our own power must be crucified. (Zec.4:6)...Not by (our) might, nor by (our) power, but by my Spirit, saith Lord of hosts. War is of the world and is motivated by lust, not God. (Jas.4:1) Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Those who join with the world to make war on their enemies are enemies of the cross and of God. (4) Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Those who preach peace and safety and refuse to cooperate with God in this process of falling to the earth to die will be cut off. (Amo.9:8) Behold, the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; save that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. (9) For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like as [grain] is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least kernel fall upon the earth. (10) All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, The evil shall not overtake nor meet us. We are coming to the same tribulation days of sifting as it was with Peter. (Luk.22:31) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: (32) but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not. Even though Peter initially denied the Lord, he got back up and became a strong leader who gave up his old life. Satan is ordained of the Lord to sift the disciples to get the husk that is his, so that God may have the pure fruit of Christ. Here is a prophecy through Thomas S. Gibson that relates the persecution the U.S. will bring against Christianity to separate the true saints from the tares. Thus says the Lord, repent and listen to the Word of God. Note that there shall be persecutions arising in all places, throughout the U.S. and Canada, and through Europe. These nations shall rise up in persecutions against My people. It shall purge the Church. Those of Mine, that are truly Mine, who walk in power and are committed to Me, they shall stand in this persecution no matter what it brings. But listen to Me, and heed Me. For thus saith the Lord, I am God, and I am allowing this, for it shall purge My Church. For there are many that shall quickly deny Me, shall quickly deny the truth, quickly revert to a world religion, shall quickly deny the power of the Word; they deny the truth of the Word. They shall quickly deny many things, and they shall become politically correct for the day and the age that they live. For they do not want to be in persecutions and they do not want to stand against the world. They love the world, and they are part of the world, and they were never part of Me. But they have a form of Godliness in the Church, and they were in the Church, shining as Christians and looking as Christians in outward appearance, but in their heart they were not of Me. This shall purge the Church and bring to pass what I have said; I will separate the sheep from the goats; that is, My people from the world. God is sovereign in the happenings of history in order to show us what will happen in the latter days, for, “That which hath been is that which shall be”. In the time of the tribulation of Christ's day, Rome had swallowed up the people of God. Through Babylon's type we see that the U.S. would swallow up the people of God before her fall. (Jer.51:34) Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath, like a monster, swallowed me up, he hath filled his maw with my delicacies; he hath cast me out. (35) The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. Because Babylonish U.S. tried to save herself by sacrificing God's lambs on the altar of religious unity and political correctness, God will take vengeance on her. (36) Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry. (37) And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant. ... (41) How is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth seized! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! (42) The sea (of men) is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. (43) Her cities are become a desolation. by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence Please also listen to the audio series Honor the king? and How Shall We Die? and read Torment to Those Who Fight Back.   The Militant Apostates Rebel God is raising up the beast kingdom of the tribulation to crucify us as their forefathers crucified our Master. At the same time, the beast will purge Christianity of those who refuse to go to their cross of death to self. At first you may think I am wrong about this but if you will bear with me you will be overwhelmed with proof from God's Word. This is God's M.O. Because Christians do not stick to their command of spreading the Great Commission a competition has raised up which is unhealthy for us. When God is fighting against our enemies with His angels we are seen as guiltless and there is no competition between us and the world, which ruins our witness. The devil is being permitted by God to stir up competition so that paranoid, disobedient Christians will fight this government in the flesh and be destroyed. The Lord said to me once that “Spirits of paranoia will stir up Christians to fight against this country. In this way I will cleanse my Church of those that refuse to obey and go to their cross.” Conspiracy addicts are the prime spreaders of this paranoia. But we are to fear nothing but God who “works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Isa.8:11) For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, (12) Say ye not, A conspiracy, concerning all whereof this people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be in dread [thereof]. (13) The Lord of hosts, him shall ye sanctify; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. You ask, “But David, what about the Deep State Illuminati conspiracy that has taken over our government to bring war and their New World Order?” Fear “him who worketh all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph.1:11). The Deep State Illuminati are nothing without God's permission. They and many others like them are sent by God to deceive those who do not love truth and to judge those who need it. Therefore, we are not to wrestle with flesh and blood but principalities and powers. Physically we are to permit them to cleanse the body.  (2Th.2:9) [even he,] whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (10) and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. “The lowest of men” are raised up to lead the beast to crucify rebellious Christians. We need them. (Pro.16:4) The Lord hath made everything for its own end (Hebrew: His own purpose); Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Some say, “But I know some of these conspiracies are real”. I do, too, but the flesh is stirred up to fight when we think on the conspiracies, rather than the promises and the way of the cross. We are taught to study Truth rather than the evil in conspiracies because Truth has power unto Godliness, which delivers from evil. (Rom.16:19)....I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. Those who are taught to recognize counterfeit bills don't study counterfeits because there are too many possibilities. They study the real bills. That way they can recognize all counterfeits. The Word gives us eyes to see all errors. Some waste all their time studying evil governments and have no faith. But what we bind on earth is bound in heaven and He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy. All secular governments are evil just as the one in Jesus' day but He stuck to the business of the Father, taught the Word, and let patriots like Barabbas fight with flesh and blood to their own destruction. I also know that the beast government will persecute and crucify the saints when the time comes. I say along with Jesus, “Not my will, but thine be done”. If we are not willing to give up our carnal life in order to be obedient to the Word, then we will not be counted worthy of a heavenly life. Any who stir up God's people to take the sword will be guilty of their blood when they die by the sword, as the Word says will surely happen. Antichristian militant “Christians” will not stand for their rights being taken away and will fight against their governments. What do you think they will do when world law is imposed and the mark of the beast is inevitable? Civil war. States are seeing their Constitutional authority undermined by the socialistic moves of the past Obama and Biden administrations and the Deep State shadow government. Also, a litany of leftist, global U.N. treaties that were resisted by more conservative administrations are waiting in the wings to give sovereignty to the U.N. beast over families, women, and children, opposing free trade, opposing democracy and Christian freedom, bringing intrusive emissions laws, etc. The last three leftist presidents were just the men to open the flood gates. But God through the saints confession has and will cast down the dominion of Satan. Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels;  8  and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9  And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. 10  And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. 11  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death. Militia's of conservatives, including many of God's people, have already trained and armed to fight against the U.S. government but look what God can do! Satan, who starts wars is cast down. Presidential voting fraud fiascos revealed the underlying dangerous polarization between conservatives and liberals. Ammunition sales rose significantly as did talk of civil insurrection and state secession. Much of this was by conservatives. Congressmen were openly warning of civil violence. Ammunition and gun sales began to get worse when the Obama and Biden administrations took the country in a sharp left turn. Clearly, the fear of where we are going and the conspiracies are corrupting people's minds and taking away their peace. Whether you agree with their militant thinking or not, all Christians will be blamed for these excesses. The liberal news media, although wounded now, will gladly continue to sway popular opinion against their historic enemy, the conservative Christians. Left-wing harlot “Christianity” will, of course, join in this attack proclaiming to be the true heirs of Christ, while they sleep with the beast in their politically correct tolerance of other faiths. What happened to the Jews in WWII will happen to the Christians and, ultimately, what happened to Germany will happen in the world. The world will become more antichrist and increasingly hate, persecute, kill, and bring God's carnal people into bondage. Oh, because of the recent successes you don't believe this? Read Revelation 12 and 13, which speaks of persecution and leads to the mark of the beast, without which many will be put to death and go to heaven. Ezekiel, as a type of the Man-child, prophesied that the apostate leadership of God's people would be brought into bondage by the “great eagle”, as a type of the U.S. He also saw and warned that part of that leadership would lead part of God's people to rebel against the “great eagle” to their own destruction. (Eze.17:2) Son of man...speak a parable unto the house of Israel; (3)...A great eagle with great wings...came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar: (God's people were likened in Scripture to the tall cedar evergreens of Lebanon because of their properties of eternal life.) (4) he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof (the immature leadership of Christianity), and carried it unto a land of traffic (Babylon); he set it in a city of merchants (Babylon). The top apostate leadership of Christianity, typed by Zedekiah, was taken into bondage in Babylon and his sons were killed and his eyes were put out, and he was put to death. (5) He took also of the seed of the land (God's people), and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters.... God's people will be put “beside many waters”, which are the peoples of the world depicted by the “many waters” that the harlot sits upon in Revelation 17:1,15. Therefore the people of God, righteous or apostate, were taken into bondage and put under the authority of the religious harlot, as it was in Jesus' day. (6) And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature (the harlot cannot overcome to lift herself from the earthly), whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine. The false prophet leadership of the harlot will rule with the ten kings as the little horn among the ten horns in the U.N. beast under the “great eagle”. The Lord confirms this interpretation in the text. (12) Say now to the rebellious house... Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and brought them to him to Babylon. The nations with the “great eagle” at the head will confirm a covenant with this false prophet leadership of God's New Testament people, uniting them with the false religions in the U.N.. (13) And he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land. Notice in these verses that the king and all of the princes of Israel were called “him” meaning they are a corporate False Prophet. This covenant will be hidden from the apostates and their leaders. They will fulfill the type of the Jews in Jesus' day, who didn't realize that they had made a covenant with the beast to crucify the saints. To keep the peace, the Roman beast gave the apostates authority over the saints. History repeats. The strong delusion of the letter of the Word has already convinced the false leadership of Christianity of a fairytale covenant between a man called the antichrist and the letter Jews. Meanwhile, the real covenant will be fulfilled in the spirit under their noses. To them this could not be the covenant because they have not yet been raptured and their antichrist hasn't shown up. This covenant with the beast will make God's apostate people preach an even more impotent gospel because it is a covenant of tolerance for all false religions and all sinners in a vain effort to bring peace to the world. (14) That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. The apostates will be permitted to stand in the world as the base kingdom of the religious harlot. We just saw the word “covenant” mentioned in verses thirteen and fourteen. It was at this point in my revelation that the Spirit said to me, “From the first mention of the word “covenant” in verse thirteen count. How many verses does the word “covenant” cover?” Thirteen is the number in Scripture that stands for apostasy and rebellion. Including verse thirteen, the word “covenant” covers seven verses (13-19). I was impressed that this represents the seven years of the covenant of the beast in the Tribulation. Then I heard, “How many times is the word “covenant” spoken in those verses?” “Covenant” is mentioned six times in these seven verses. Six is the number of man and of the beast. As we saw, the sixth book, sixth chapter, sixth verse and sixth word of the New Testament is “man” (Rom.6:6). It was at this point the Spirit directed me to count, “How many verses before the “covenant” is broken?” In the “midst” of the fourth verse the words “covenant he brake” are spoken. That makes 3 ½ verses or years before the break and 3 ½ verses or years after the break. The covenant is broken “in the midst of the seven” years. (16) As I live, saith the Lord, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he (the apostate leadership) brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. This also is in the “midst of the seven” verses, which is a quote from the Hebrew in Daniel 9:27. “And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one seven: and in the midst of the seven (Hebrew) he (beast) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”. Notice in these two verses that the apostate rebel leadership of God's people will break the covenant so the beast will cause the “sacrifice” to cease. At the time when the crowns of authority will be taken from the seven heads and given to the ten horns, the beast will make the mark compulsive. This will be a vain attempt to enforce peace by identifying those who are in covenant with the beast and those who are enemies and/or commit crimes. This will cause both true Christians and militants to be enemies of the state. The U.S. already has created the literal mark and is exporting it to the world. The U.S. will use its persuasion over the beast kingdom to make the mark compulsive in the midst of the Tribulation. Many apostate Christians will take it and become reprobated. What is left of their life of submitting their “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” will cease as an “abomination that maketh desolate”. In this same text we see the nature of this rebellion which breaks the covenant of peace. (15) But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape? This covenant is broken when the rebellious people of God, who were told by God to submit to Babylon, as we shall see, instead went to another “great eagle with great wings”, Egypt, for strength to fight with arms against her. (Eze.17:7) There was also another great eagle with great wings and...this vine did bend its roots toward him. Notice that the same terminology is given to describe a second eagle. This is because both of these great eagles represent the U.S. Foolish Christians in the U.S. will go down to Egypt to fight with her when they see their rights being taken away or, for some when they see the mark coming. What does Egypt represent? God's people came out of Egypt and were baptized in the Red Sea where the Egyptians, representing the old man, died. To go back to Egypt spiritually is to trust in the strength of the old man, the arm of the flesh. (Isa.30:1) Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin, (2) that set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt! (3) Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. Some of God's foolish people with a conservative patriotic faction of this nation will take up arms to fight against it. This pits the “great eagle” against the “great eagle”, or civil war. God asked the question in our seven verse text: “shall he break the covenant, and yet escape” (Eze.17:15)? God's answer to this question is that these rebels will be crushed: (17) Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war.... (18) For he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape.... (21) And all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and ye shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it. When Peter used the sword to keep Jesus from going to the cross, He said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Mat.26:52). Even though the true saints will not obey the religious aspects of this peace covenant, they will not take “the sword” of man and break their covenant with God as the apostates and their leadership will. The last of the seven verses says this. (19) Therefore thus saith the Lord: As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, I will even bring it upon his own head. The righteous will keep God's covenant even if it costs them their physical life but the self-willed will rebel. Some religious people say the mark of God trumps the mark of the beast, and that because they believe in once saved always saved. After bringing apostate Israel as a type of the Christians under his dominion in the beginning of what we would call the tribulation, Nebuchadnezzar appointed the Zedekiah administration to rule over them. This is the “he” above who rebelled with a large portion of Israel. Jeremiah, who represented the Man-child, prophesied against these apostate rebels in the parable of the two baskets of figs. (Jer.24:8) And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus saith the Lord, So will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, (9) I will even give them up to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil; to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. (10) And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers. On the other, hand those who submitted to the Word of the Lord through the Man-child Jeremiah were the blessed of the Lord. (24:4) And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, (5) Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good. (Notice that this captivity is going to be “for good” to the “good figs” who obey the Word and refuse to rebel.) (6) For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land (Notice Father will bring them to the New Jerusalem and land because Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the former apostate Jerusalem and land.): and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. (7) And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. All we have to do is replace the church in the Ezekiel 17 parable of civil rebellion above with natural Israel and we see another more natural interpretation, which is being attempted now. The U.S., which is at the head of the nations, is pushing Israel hard to give up land and make a covenant with the nations around them. Israel's natural ally in the United States is the apostate Christians and Jews who militantly support her. Since this ultimately will be a political and religious covenant both of these interpretations are coming to pass at the same time. It is certainly true that the beast is forcing both Israel and the Christians to give up their land now. Beastly laws are forcing Christians out of the moral ground that they have held on to issues such as abortion, sexuality, schooling, displays of Christian heritage, etc. In the U.S., this holy ground has been held since the more Christian times of the founding fathers. Eventually Israel and the apostate Christians will rebel against this covenant and turn to the militant arm of flesh represented by the great eagle of Egypt. Then they will both find themselves a burdensome stone that have something in common; the ire of the nations. Perhaps this is God's plan to infuse more Christian influence into Israel so that the elect among them will be saved and come out. Now I would like to share a few revelations that warn of these things.   Survivalism Coming in Evil Times G.W. - 08/22/2012 (David's notes in red) I had a dream where David and I were sitting and talking in what I believe represented the world. As we talked, there was complete and utter chaos going on all around us. It appeared that the whole world was turned upside down and was shaking. Several major catastrophic events had occurred. (Eve saw seven major earthquakes go around the world. The shakings are coming now to prove what is not to be trusted in: governments, nationalism, personal strength, religion, money, people, etc. Heb.12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned [them] on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape] who turn away from him that [warneth] from heaven: (If we don't obey God's voice, we will be shaken and judged.) 26 whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. 27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: 29 for our God is a consuming fire. The people who were around us started to act completely insane. They were worse than animals because animals have some sense of control. These people were consumed by fear of the shaking that they were experiencing. It was almost like everything was falling apart all around and nothing was holding together. (Shakings like natural disasters, failed economy and incomes, loss of food and basic services, no health care, crime, martial law, war, terrorism, no fixes in sight, etc., will cause men's hearts to fail them. Luk.21:25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. David said, “I told you they would act like this”. As he said this, a hysterical young girl started to try and grab me (persecution from immature Christianity). It was apparent that she had no sense of sanity left. (She acted like a drowning person who would pull someone under to save herself.) (They will fall for the beast promises of a worldly fix, like a covenant with many.) It was apparent to me that the girl possessed no inward thoughts; her whole focus had become grabbing and groping (with the intent to destroy) everything around her. As the unfolding happened, I began to think about relationships I had when people would lose control when the pressure was too much, but it was nothing compared to this. Everywhere I went there was disorder. It was the basic breakdown of every fundamental element of society. I saw people on the floor shaking for excessive drunkenness and cliques forming that were full of evil and worldly behavior. (When domestic dogs lose the moral compass of a master, they revert back to the pack mentality to survive. It's us against them, guns and crime for survivalism.) One of the people looked like an old Popeye (I can't remember in the dream what he was doing). (Popeye was the worldly hero who was endowed with worldly strength to solve every problem.) I could discern before ever knowing the guy that things were not right with him. But I wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt and a chance. In the end, he proved just as corrupt as everyone else. (Those who are strong and righteous in the world's eyes will fail for not having the spiritual answer to their problems.) I thought to myself, I knew I shouldn't have been hanging out with that guy. What was I thinking? I knew he would do this. (Let us not be influenced by their ways of seeking help or solutions.) At the end of the dream, I remember tasting blood in my mouth and it was very painful. I took my hand to wipe my mouth of the blood and when I looked down on my hand, there were little white meat particles on my hand, instead of blood. (A warning to not devour one another, as the strong in the world will do to save themselves. Gal.5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.) These coming times are to separate the wheat from the tares. The wheat will not compromise their convictions and will endure the trial trusting in the Lord and holding to His Word. Mat.13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things (not numeric) that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. Don't be bribed by your need to break God's Word. He has given all authority to you to receive your needs by His Word. Php.4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Inflation and the War on the Saints Jerod Thomas - 10/22/2010 (David's notes in red) There was this dollar bill that was about the size of a small computer monitor, like a 17-inch screen. (Strangely enough I have an enlarged hundred dollar bill and I just measured it at 17 inches long.) And, interestingly enough, it had what looked like a screen because I could see images forming out of it. Words were forming out of it. I saw one of the words was “punishment”. I also saw this country (the U.S.) and the face of Benjamin Franklin. (Benjamin's face is on the $100 bill. Will the punishment of the U.S. be that what a dollar would buy would soon cost $100, as the value drops and they print more and more creating inflation?) Then I saw Cain, Abel's brother. Cain's eyes were bloodshot and he looked like a character from a western movie. He had shot his gun. (Cain, who “was of the evil one” [1Jn.3:12], slew the chosen seed, as it will be in these days.) He had a very strong spirit on his face. It was the spirit of murder and then his eyeballs disappeared and I was able to see inside of his eye sockets; it was as if I was staring into the very depths of his soul. It was pure darkness, literally. It was pitch black. Mat 6:22-23 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! And then I saw an image of Satan as that darkness. He was in an elevator, as in that “Devil” movie (2010) that just came out in theaters. (The seven-headed, ten-horned body of the dragon in Revelation 12 represents a corporate Cain, the body of all lost mankind inhabited by Satan. These will attempt to devour the woman Church.) It was the most awful, defiling presence I had ever felt from demons. Satan was trying to scare and consume me with that spirit of murder and through my fear I would have given in, but I didn't want to wake up out of my sleep and run because I felt the LORD was with me and I wanted to fight that devil. (Through murder, Satan will attempt to intimidate the saints into obedience to him, which is the spiritual mark of the beast.) My voice was different because I was in the middle of a war and that war was resisting the devil, and I spoke with a very aggressive and raspy voice, and I said to that devil, “God is greater!” Then that devil left. Jas.4:7 ... Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Luk.10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Praise God Almighty that I was able to experience this and triumph through Him. To Him be the glory and honor, dominion and power now and forevermore, in Jesus' name, Amen. What Is Inflation? A simple commonly used definition of the word inflation is simply “an increase in the price you pay for goods”. In other words, a decline in the purchasing power of your money”. But there is more to inflation than that. There is “Price Inflation” and “Monetary Inflation”. Technically, Price Inflation is when prices get higher or it takes more money to buy the same item. Monetary Inflation is an increase in the money supply which generally results in price inflation. This acts as a “hidden tax” on the consumers in that country. Monetary inflation is commonly referred to as the government “printing money” although the actual process is a bit more complex than just cranking up the printing presses the effects are essentially the same. As the money supply increases, the currency loses its purchasing power and the price of goods and services increases. This process usually takes 18 months to two years, so the government is able to spend the newly minted dollars at the old value before consumers realize that they have been cheated into accepting something that will purchase less than they originally thought it would. Summary: When inflation skyrockets and poverty is everywhere, men become desperate and crimes against humanity become rampant. Governments who are looking for scapegoats and want to cut someone out of their meager benefits will find that the god of this world, who has taken them over, will anoint them with reasons to blame and persecute the Christians. The dragon/beast is coming to make war on the saints. Make sure you have your armor on.

Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Jori discusses with her listeners what the angel told Joseph about Mary, that she would bear a Son, and they he should name Him Jesus for He would save his people from their sins. Scripture References:Matthew 1:212 Timothy 3:16-172 Peter 1:21Matthew 9:9Matthew 5-7Matthew 1:1-7Luke 3:23-38Matthew 1:18-25John 3:16 Scripture translation used is the Legacy Standard Bible.  “Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.comFIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code.  I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links.LSB Single Column Biblehttps://amzn.to/4g9C47oESV MacArthur Study Biblehttps://amzn.to/3C1cpQwInk Joy Penshttps://amzn.to/3EaZ8oRMr. Pen HighLightershttps://amzn.to/3PE20x8Mr. Pen Bible Journaling Kithttps://amzn.to/40pib6o  JOIN DR. JORI IN DEVOTIONAL JOURNALING IN 2025Check out this 9 min YouTube Video outlining her journaling strategy! Don't Forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/lqe9TO7RSz4 BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters  in the Holy Bible.  The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals.  Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive   LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING?              CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up.  https://a.co/d/9B5krQlhttps://a.co/d/iycFlnNHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzdsEmail: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com  Support the show

“But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.” (John 5:36 NLT) Jesus returned to Jerusalem to observe the holy days at the temple. While He was there, He passed the pool of Bethesda, a place of hope and despair. The waters of the pool seem to have had a healing effect. Many people believed that an angel occasionally came down to stir the waters. And the first person who entered the pool after the waters had been stirred would be cured of their ailment. That explains why crowds of sick, blind, disabled, and paralyzed people gathered on the five porches that surrounded the pool. They each hoped for a miraculous healing. One man had been disabled for 38 years. But since he had no one to help him into the water, he had no hope for healing. Or so he thought. With one sentence in verse 8—“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” (NLT)—Jesus changed his life forever. The man was healed instantly. He picked up his mat and walked away. Only to be busted moments later by the Jewish religious leaders. It turns out that the healing had taken place on the Sabbath. And in Jewish culture, there were all kinds of rules about what people could and couldn’t do on the Sabbath. So when the religious leaders saw this man who had been disabled for four decades suddenly walking, the first thing they wanted to know was . . . why he was carrying a mat on the Sabbath. And when the man identified Jesus as the One who had healed him, the Sabbath police went after Him. They didn’t express awe over Jesus’ healing power. They didn’t praise Him for His compassion and concern. Instead, they harassed Him for breaking their Sabbath rules. These hypocritical religious leaders, with their misplaced priorities, were so concerned about Jesus’ growing influence that they started looking for reasons to have Him put to death. Jesus gave them everything they needed and more. He referred to God as “My Father,” which was the same as calling Himself equal with God. He pointed out that everything He said and did had God’s blessing. That meant His words were God’s truth. He claimed the power of judgment over everyone. He made it clear that anyone who didn’t honor Him—including the Sabbath-obsessed religious leaders—didn’t honor God, who sent Him. Jesus told them that the power of eternal life rested with Him. And that He was carrying out the will of His Father. So anyone who opposed Him opposed God’s will. He reminded the religious leaders that they had taken John the Baptist seriously—and John the Baptist’s entire ministry was built on testifying that Jesus was the Son of God. And then He pointed out that the religious leaders revered Moses and his —and Moses had written about Him (Jesus) centuries before. The truth that Jesus’ enemies couldn’t wrap their heads around still gives us assurance and confidence today: Every reliable witness testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord celebrates the 8th day of our Lord's life. On that day He is obedient to the Law of Moses in being circumcised. It is also on that day that the father was to give the child a name. Joseph gives Him the Name that is above all other names. He names Him Jesus in obedience to God through the message of an angel. Circumcision is fulfilled by Baptism in the new and eternal covenant. When we are Baptized, we are both washed clean and given a new name. Our new name is an adopted child of God.

There's no greater gift our daughter and son-in-law could have given us than the little guy that was our first grandchild and the ones that have come since. From the night he was born, our hearts were all wrapped around that precious new life and they still are for all our grandchildren even though they're grown up. We would jump at the chance to babysit, and believe me; our rates were well below the market. But eventually, we took him home, and it was our turn to relax. That's the cycle of life. I had my chance to be the father of a child when my children were born. A grandchild is grand, but he's really not your child. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "God's Got No Grandchildren!" Now, I love being a grandfather. God doesn't. Well, He loves being a Father, but the Bible reveals the startling, unsettling truth that God has no grandchildren. Lots of children, but no grandchildren. There really is no more critical, life-or-death issue in our lives than whether or not we belong to God. Not whether we believe in Him; whether we belong to Him; whether or not we have a personal relationship with Him. So much in this life and everything after this life depends on whether we are in God's family. Our word for today from the Word of God can really help us determine if we are or we're not. It's found in John 1:12. God says, speaking of Jesus, "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." Now, notice we're not automatically born a child of God. We're all His creation, but we're not all His children. There's got to be a spiritual birth for that to take place. And apparently a lot of people who know a lot about Jesus, who have been around Jesus a lot, who are in a religion about Jesus can miss Jesus. These verses tell us that Jesus "came to that which was His own, but His own did not recognize Him." God makes it clear that you don't belong to Him unless you have personally been born into a relationship with Him as His child. He has no second-generation people in His family. You won't go to heaven because your mom or dad belongs to Jesus, or because your son or daughter does or your husband or wife. You're not God's child just because you've been around God's children your whole life, even if you've been acting like one of God's children. My daughter is my daughter by one simple fact: there was a day she was born into my family. Without that birth, there's no relationship. Without a personal spiritual rebirth, there is no relationship between you and God, no forgiveness, no heaven. And God tells us exactly how and when you can be spiritually born. His children are those who it says, "received Him (Jesus)...those who believed." That means the day you reach out to Jesus in total trust and say, "Lord, You are my only hope of having my sins forgiven, of belonging to God, because You are the only One who died to pay for my sins, to pay the awful death penalty; to take my hell to go to Your heaven." In short, "Jesus, I'm Yours." You may be surrounded by Christianity, but missing Christ. Well, today could be your day to change that. It could be your spiritual birthday forever. If you want to begin this incredible relationship with Jesus Christ and know that you have, then let's have a definite beginning. Let Him know that. Tell Him that right now, "Jesus, knowing about You is not enough for me. I want to know You. Having a religion about You is not enough. I know that it will never be enough to get me into heaven or You would have never died on that cross. But, Jesus, I see now how personal that was and I embrace You, I grab You like a drowning person grabbing a lifeguard. You are my only hope, Jesus. And beginning today, I'm yours." To help you know you belong to Him, would you please go to our website today? You'll find some things there that will really help you be sure. That website is ANewStory.com. All these years beneath all the Christian words and Christian activities and maybe masks you've known in your heart that someone was missing, and it's been Jesus all along. But that's about to end if you'll give yourself to Him. Then when God opens His family album on Judgment Day - the one with no grandchildren - there you'll be: a child of God, born this very day.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."   Merry Christmas! On this Christmas day, I thought it would be appropriate to go back to Luke 2 and once again read the real Christmas story and make a few comments about it. Everyone loves the story of a Baby in a manger! But the sad thing is that most of the world would like to keep this Baby there. It is there you can cuddle Him and tell Him how sweet He is. And if you can keep Him there you can control Him because He is only a Baby. But my friend, Jesus is far more than a Baby in a manger.   The angel declared to the shepherds that this Baby was the Savior, Who is Christ the Lord! It was only through a human birth that Jesus, the eternal, preexistent Son of God, the second Person of the Godhead Trinity, could robe Himself in human flesh so that He could be our Savior. Joseph was told by an angel in a dream that he was “to take Mary as his wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).   In order to die in our place for our sins Jesus had to become flesh. Hebrews 2:14-15 puts it this way: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The payment for our sin is death (Romans 6:23). Someone has to pay the penalty and Jesus as the perfect, sinless, spotless, Lamb of God, voluntarily was willing to lay down His life for us!   The story of Jesus is, from the cradle, to the cross and death, to the grave, to a glorious resurrection, and then to the right hand of the Father on the throne in heaven! Jesus came to be our Savior! And He qualified because He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One! At the time Jesus was born the name Jesus was a very common name given to boys. So, Jesus was distinguished from all other men with His title: Jesus, the Christ! And there is only one Jesus, the Christ! He alone is the fulfilment of the Old Testament Prophecies who came to redeem us from death. (Ephesians 2:4-10).   But not only is Jesus the Savior and Messiah, He is “the Lord”.  Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.”   Jesus is the Sovereign God and has the right to rule as Lord over our lives! Have you submitted to His authority over your life?   God bless!

Mary's Love December 22, 2024 Elwyn Johnston Luke 1:26 – 38 Verse of the Week: “the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.” Luke 1:49 1. God trusts you “the angel Gabriel was sent from God…to a virgin named Mary.” Luke 1:26 & 27 2. God will remind you of His presence “The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you” Hebrews 13:5 3. God desires to move you further into your destiny “you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” Luke 1:31 “Mary was very perplexed…. Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be'” Luke 1:28 & 34 4. Remember, this is spiritual “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” Luke 1:35 “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 “the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.” Luke 1:49 5. Love God and submit to His plan “may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:John 2-4 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey.. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome, dear ones, to the Daily Radio Bible. Today is December 18th, and it's day 353 of our journey through the Scriptures. I'm your host, Hunter, your Bible reading coach and brother. As we explore the Gospel of John, chapters 2 through 4, we will witness Jesus' miraculous transformation of water to wine at Cana, His passionate cleansing of the temple, and His deep conversations with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Our focus today is on recognizing that all signs point to Him—Jesus, our source of life, joy, and transformation. We'll conclude with heartfelt prayers and reflections, anchoring ourselves in the love of God. Join me, let's dive in and experience the Word together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: All the signs are pointing to him. There's the sign at the wedding feast. He turns water into wine. And here we see the sign of the healed boy simply at the word of Jesus. A boy is healed. The fever is gone. The prayer is answered. Christ is what all the signs are pointing to. And even at this season when we celebrate the advent of Jesus, may these days before the Christmas week remind us that all the signs are pointing to him. He is our wedding feast. He's the one who gives wine for our water. He's the one that answers our deepest heart's cry. All of it points to him. There are many more signs in this gospel. May our hearts be open to all of them. May we have eyes to see through this Advent season who He is, that He is Emmanuel. He's come to identify with all of humanity by becoming a human. That he is going to offer himself on behalf of all the world to free us, to rescue us, and liberate us, that we might experience the life that he shares with the father and the anointing of the spirit, that he has embraced us and included us into that very life and joy. The incarnation shows us the depth of his love and it also shows us the depths of your own value, how God values you, that you are deeply loved. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will see that well, that I'll see the signs. They're all pointing to him, to what he's done and who we are in him. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, and my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mt 1:18-25 - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with Child and bear a Son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a Son, and he named Him Jesus. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Cardinal Müller: “A Church that no longer believes in Jesus the Christ is no longer the Church of Jesus Christ” https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/cardinal-muller-a-church-that-no-longer-believes-in-jesus-the-christ-is-no-longer-his-church/

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:18-25 - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with Child and bear a Son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a Son, and he named Him Jesus.

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. While the people of Bethlehem slept, there was a young woman, ten months pregnant, resting in a stable. She had arrived earlier that day with her husband and found that there was no room in any of the inns for them to stay. They'd come to be part of an ordered census from the Roman governor. And while the little town slumbered away that night, Mary labored and had her son, and she named Him Jesus, just as the angel had told her. He was born to save His people from their sins. And today, over two thousand years later, He's still working a miracle in those who place their trust in His death on the cross. Jesus lived the perfect life we that couldn't and died the death we should have to save us from our sins. And the Bible tells us “to all who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” For more on hope of the Gospel, visit our website at www.sharelife.today. That's www.sharelife.today.

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - Lk 1:26-38 - The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Most Blessed Mother, pray for us, who have recourse to thee! Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 7:14, 1 Samuel 16:7 In today's Scripture, we look at an incredible and great announcement from the angel Gabriel to Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God, Jesus. In this season of Advent we also look with anticipation to the incredible and great announcement of Christ's return.  This will not be a quiet visit to just one person, this will be an announcement the whole world will see and hear! As we look at today's reading, the question for us is how will we react to the announcement of the Savior's birth? We can learn from Mary… The angel Gabriel came to Mary, saying, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” (Hold onto that word favored - we're coming back to that!) She was pretty shocked, but the angel said to not be afraid and he announces to her that she will conceive (even though she is a virgin) and have a son.  She is to name Him Jesus and he will be the Son of the Most High - His kingdom will never end. This child being announced is the long awaited Messiah! He is the fulfillment of the prophetic word all through the Old Testament. Call Him Jesus     1. Jesus = God Saves     2. Son of the Most High - God with us     3. Reign on David's throne     4. Kingdom will never end!! As the story continues, Mary asks how this could be as she is a virgin. The angel tells her that the Holy Spirit will come on her and the power of the Most High will over come her and that the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.  The angel concludes with, “No word from God will ever fail!!” What a great line! Sometimes that seems hard to believe, especially if we are going through a difficult time, but we have a clear word from God that His word never fails, that in the end all who trust in Jesus will share in His victory!  In the end WE WIN!  GOD KEEPS HIS WORD - no word from God will ever fail! But there's a word here that speaks directly to us today as we walk by faith in our Savior - “Why was Mary CHOSEN (favored) to be the Mother of Jesus?  Highly Favored     1. 1 Samuel 16:7 we learn that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART.”  God is concerned about the heart and that's the heart of the reason He chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus.  We want to have her heart. People look from the outside in, God looks from the inside out.     2. Devout (see Luke 1:46-47) - She knew God and His faithfulness     3. Humble (see Luke 1:48) The Lord noticed her humble state - she understood she deserved nothing from God, but she also knew God is good and everything good comes from Him.     4. Obedient (see Luke 1:38) Her reply to the announcement was, “I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” She was willing to go along with the divine plan. She takes this Great Announcement as God's truth!  Our Savior is coming to earth!  We want the Lord to look at our hearts and we want Him to see hearts that are faithful before Him: devout, humble and obedient. Our reaction to this Great Announcement is to respond in joy and thanksgiving and praise to the goodness and grace of God in Christ.  This is a “WOW” gift!  What an incredible announcement and living in response to it is an incredible way to live!! https://www.awakeusnow.com Check out the video on our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/the-greats Check out the video on Youtube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOwOsas957DiSUd6oyPPusju&si=aF1BhWGvhZyBvUVi Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Perplexed Prophet - Matthew 11:1-19 Today we will see Jesus explain His calling to John the Baptist; we will also see Jesus explain John the Baptist's calling to the crowds; and finally Jesus' call for everyone to walk in the wisdom of faith. Matthew 11:1-19 Jesus sent out the first ones, and began training the next ones – just like we do to this day! The next ones probably included men like Justus and Matthias, who later would be the finalists to replace Judas Iscariot. Jesus explains John the Baptist's calling to the crowds - V. 7-15 JTB was more than a prophet because he served as the Messiah's forerunner – His prophetic ministry stood at the end of the age of Mosaic Law and at the beginning of the offer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of sins. - Luke 1:76-77 And many came to Him (Jesus). And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this Man was true. And many believed in Him (Jesus) there. - John 10:41-42 In Old Covenant days believers went to the Temple; In these New Covenant days believers are each Temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Thus every believer living in New Covenant days is ‘greater' than the greatest saint living under Old Covenant days. “You brood of vipers – who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our Father.” - Matthew 3:7-9 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. - 2 Tim. 3:12 JTB was the fulfilment of Malachi 4:5-6. John himself denied that he was Elijah (John 1:21), yet he came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Jesus explains His calling to John the Baptist - V. 2-6 John was probably both perplexed and perturbed! Perplexed because he had spoken of the Christ as bringing judgment to evildoers and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12). Perturbed because he was also related to Jesus (Luke 1:36), yet rotting in evil King Herod's prison while ‘cousin' Jesus was healing, not judging! Jesus answered JTB by citing the miracles He was doing, all in fulfilment of prophecies (see for instance Isa. 29:18-19; 35:5-10; 61:1). In his zeal for what we would call Christ's Second Advent (Coming) as Conquering King to bring absolute righteousness to Israel and judgment of God's enemies, JTB had minimized what we would call Christ's First Advent (Coming) to deal with both Israel and the world's bigger problem of spiritual lostness. No one will experience the physical external rule of the King who doesn't first experience the spiritual internal reign of King Jesus. What chokes every prayer and every hope is the memory of all the prayers H.and I offered and all the false hopes we had. Not hopes raised merely by our own wishful thinking, hopes encouraged, even forced upon us, by false diagnoses, by X-ray photographs, by strange remissions, by one temporary recovery that might have ranked as a miracle. Step by step we were ‘led up the garden path.' Time after time, when He seemed most gracious He was really preparing the next torture. - C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed, page 30 What are you going to do when your expectations of God's work in your life don't match up with the way He actually works? Will you still worship and follow Jesus? Or will you choose to be offended at Him because of your unrealistic expectations. Some of you may be perplexed and even perturbed at Jesus right now. I hope you will go to Him in prayer and get back to a place of surrender to God and His actual calling for you rather than your unmet expectations. Jesus' call for everyone to walk in the wisdom of faith - V. 16-19

On the first Christmas, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. We are told that at the angels appearing, the shepherds were terribly frightened. The angel announced to the shepherds: And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:1012). The Christmas story does not begin with the shepherds, or with the angels visit to Mary with the words: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:31-33). The story of Christmas began long before the promise made to Marys fianc, Joseph: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20b-21). The story of Christmas begins in Genesis 1:1 with the words: In the beginning. It involves an antagonist (the devil), it is all about a hero (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and it is about our need to be rescued (we have a sin problem). The story of Christmas is a story that transforms unlike any other story; it is a story identified by one word in the Bible, and that word is, Gospel which means, good news. Of this good news, the apostle Paul wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The Christmas story is about the promised savior born to be kingthe Lion of the Tribe of Judah from whom, The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet (Gen. 29:10). Christmas is the ancient promise that the Son of David would be unlike any other king in that God would, establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:13). The coming King who would save His people from their sins would be Immanuel (Isa. 7:14)God with us. What is the Helmet of Salvation? Like the soldiers shield, the helmet could be taken of and put back on. The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of bronze and had cheek pieces to provide protection to his head. Like the breastplate of righteousness, Paul draws his language from Isaiah 59:17, He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak. If you recall from my sermon on the breastplate of righteousness, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 who was, pierced for our offences, and was crushed for our wrongdoings is the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, which begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear (v. 1). The One who is able to save is the One to Whom righteousness and salvation truly belongs. When redemption and righteousness was beyond the reach of sinful humanity, Immanuel put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head and was born of a virgin to save us from our sins. But what does it mean to be saved from our sins, and is salvation something that can be taken up and put off like a helmet? To answer those questions we must answer what salvation is. Salvation literally means, preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. In the strictest and most biblical sense, salvation is something that has happened in the past, but it is also happening in the present, and yes... it is also something that will happen in the future. In other words, Jesus came to save his people from their sins so that they can be saved from the past, the present, and in the future, from the full curse of sin. How so? Well, think about what was announced: Jesus came to save His people from their sins. When Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was brought under a curse, and that curse includes not only our propensity to sin against God, but also death and the vandalizing of a peace with God all of humanity was intended to enjoy. Here is what the Bible says: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). So, when it comes to our salvation, Timothy Keller said, The Bible says every Christian stands in the middle of three tenses of their salvation. You cant understand the glory and the beauty of it unless you see it. In fact, you wont be able to understand the Scripture and you wont be able to understand whats happening to you if you dont understand.[1] We stand in the past tense of our salvation: You have been saved from the penalty of sin and pardoned from your guilt and now have been covered under the righteousness of Christ and are justified before a holy God (1 Pet. 3:18). We stand in the reality that we have been saved from the penalty of sin! We stand in the present tense of our salvation: You are being saved in the sense that God is changing you through the power of His Holy Spirit. The evidence of your nature to sin is still there and the struggle against your own sin is very real, but each moment that you move closer to death on this side of eternity is one step closer to Christlikeness. This is the fight I was talking about last week. In this present life you, Christian, fight the good fight of the faith and by doing so, we take hold of the eternal life to which you have been called (1 Tim. 6:12). We stand in the reality that we are being saved from the power of sin! We stand in the future tense of our salvation: Because we have been saved from the penalty of sin and we are being saved from the power of sin because Jesus, as the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, is able and will indeed rescue us from all sin. The third verse in the carol, Joy to the Word, rightly states: No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make his blessings flowFar as the curse is found. Jesus came to save us from our sins in the sense that He will make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found, and on that day: Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54), what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4), sorrow and singing will flee away (Isa. 51:11), every tear will be wiped away (Rev. 21:1-4), and all things will be made new (Rev. 21:5). We stand in the reality that we will be saved from the presence of sin... forever and will receive a better and more glorious Eden! The salvation that Jesus came to deliver is not something we take off and put on again, so what then is the helmet of salvation? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation: But since we are of the day, lets be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.Because we are saved, being saved, and will be saved... we live in the hope of our salvation no matter what the enemy launches at us or does to us, the night is almost gone, and the day is near (Rom. 13:12). How Do You Take Up the Helmet of Salvation? To take up the helmet of salvation is to live in the reality that this mortal life is not the end and that you are now, and forever will, remain a child of the living God! The helmet of salvation protects your head, it protects your mind, it protects your line of sight so that you can see the hope that is yours in Christ. When things in life seem to go south, when this life is shortened by disease, when this worlds resources are stripped away, when the proverbial rug is pulled from underneath, and when it seems that all in this world is lost... you can respond with gospel-centered hope: For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison... (2 Cor. 4:17). The helmet of salvation is the assurance of our salvation! Listen, there are two dangers that every person faces if they are a part of any Bible teaching and gospel centered church. The first danger is to believe that you are a Christian when you are not. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus with your mind for the salvation of your soul with little consequence to the way you are living your life today, then you may not be a genuine Christian. True saving faith is to believe and trust that Jesus life, death, and resurrection is enough for the salvation of your soul; the evidence that you genuinely believe and trust in Jesus as your savior will be evidenced in your standing in your past salvation, present salvation, and hope in your future salvation. Do not forget Ephesians 2:8-10! You were saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and the purpose for your salvation is stated in verse 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Genuine saving faith in Jesus will be evidenced by a changing life that looks more and more like Jesus life over the years. The second danger you face in the local church is that the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation. If the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation successfully, he will have a better chance of tempting you to live closer to your sin rather than closer to Jesus as your savior. When you take up the helmet of salvation, you stand in the shoes of the gospel of peace, with your identity in Christ firmly belted around your waist, the righteousness of Christ securely fastened over your chest, so that you can take up your biblically saturated faith. When the devil attempts to undermine your salvation, you can take up your helmet of salvation knowing that only because of Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! When you take up your helmet of salvation in the enemys presence, you do so with confidence, knowing: ...that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). When the attacks come and the devil or your flesh is all up in your face to tempt you to doubt the sufficiency of Christ, you take up your helmet of salvation with the assurance of 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... (2 Cor. 4:79). How do you know that the salvation Jesus provided is enough? The One born to save His people from their sins is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace promised long ago (Isa. 9:6-7). He is the promised King whose, times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2). The One born King of the Jews is He who was declared long before His birth through the virgin Mary: I am the first and the last, and there is no God besides Me (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17-18). Jesus can save because He is the righteous Branch of David who is called, Yahweh Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6). He is Him who is, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation... by Whom all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). The salvation Jesus provided is enough because, while He existed in the form of God as the Divine Son, He humbled Himself, by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (see Phil. 2:1-11). This is why we can have every confidence that Ephesians 1:7-8 is all that we need for the hope of our salvation: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. So, in light of all that Jesus is and all that he did to secure your salvation, who are you, Chistian? You are chosen by God before the foundation of the world (1:4-6)! Who are you Christian? You are redeemed as a child of God by the blood of His own Son... namely Jesus (1:7-12)! Who are you Christian? You are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of the living God until the day when redemption is finally complete (1:13-14). You can have all the confidence that Jesus is enough because He alone is the Divine Warrior qualified to live the life you could not live for the purpose of dying a death you deserved! Jesus is your righteousness, and He is your salvation! On December 4th, I read something Thomas Watson wrote that Jonathan Gibsons O Come, O Come, Emmanuel included in his devotional. When it comes to what our salvation means, Watsons words seem to capture the beauty and magnitude of the Jesus who came to save his people from their sins: He was poor that he might make us rich. He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven... that the Ancient of Days should be born,--that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle,--that he who rules the stars should suck the breast,--that a virgin should conceive,--that Christ should be made of a woman which himself made,--that the branch should bear the vine,--that the mother should be younger than the child she bore, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother,--that the human nature should not be God, yet one with God: this was not only amazing but miraculous. If you a Christian, Jesus is the hope of your salvation for He is the helmet of your salvation. If you are not a Christian, you can receive Him as the Hope of your salvation by surrendering your life to Him as your Savior. [1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

On the first Christmas, an angel appeared to some shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night. We are told that at the angels appearing, the shepherds were terribly frightened. The angel announced to the shepherds: And so the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Luke 2:1012). The Christmas story does not begin with the shepherds, or with the angels visit to Mary with the words: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:31-33). The story of Christmas began long before the promise made to Marys fianc, Joseph: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20b-21). The story of Christmas begins in Genesis 1:1 with the words: In the beginning. It involves an antagonist (the devil), it is all about a hero (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and it is about our need to be rescued (we have a sin problem). The story of Christmas is a story that transforms unlike any other story; it is a story identified by one word in the Bible, and that word is, Gospel which means, good news. Of this good news, the apostle Paul wrote: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The Christmas story is about the promised savior born to be kingthe Lion of the Tribe of Judah from whom, The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet (Gen. 29:10). Christmas is the ancient promise that the Son of David would be unlike any other king in that God would, establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:13). The coming King who would save His people from their sins would be Immanuel (Isa. 7:14)God with us. What is the Helmet of Salvation? Like the soldiers shield, the helmet could be taken of and put back on. The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of bronze and had cheek pieces to provide protection to his head. Like the breastplate of righteousness, Paul draws his language from Isaiah 59:17, He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak. If you recall from my sermon on the breastplate of righteousness, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 who was, pierced for our offences, and was crushed for our wrongdoings is the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, which begins with these words: Behold, the Lords hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear (v. 1). The One who is able to save is the One to Whom righteousness and salvation truly belongs. When redemption and righteousness was beyond the reach of sinful humanity, Immanuel put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head and was born of a virgin to save us from our sins. But what does it mean to be saved from our sins, and is salvation something that can be taken up and put off like a helmet? To answer those questions we must answer what salvation is. Salvation literally means, preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. In the strictest and most biblical sense, salvation is something that has happened in the past, but it is also happening in the present, and yes... it is also something that will happen in the future. In other words, Jesus came to save his people from their sins so that they can be saved from the past, the present, and in the future, from the full curse of sin. How so? Well, think about what was announced: Jesus came to save His people from their sins. When Adam and Eve sinned, all of creation was brought under a curse, and that curse includes not only our propensity to sin against God, but also death and the vandalizing of a peace with God all of humanity was intended to enjoy. Here is what the Bible says: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned... (Rom. 5:12). So, when it comes to our salvation, Timothy Keller said, The Bible says every Christian stands in the middle of three tenses of their salvation. You cant understand the glory and the beauty of it unless you see it. In fact, you wont be able to understand the Scripture and you wont be able to understand whats happening to you if you dont understand.[1] We stand in the past tense of our salvation: You have been saved from the penalty of sin and pardoned from your guilt and now have been covered under the righteousness of Christ and are justified before a holy God (1 Pet. 3:18). We stand in the reality that we have been saved from the penalty of sin! We stand in the present tense of our salvation: You are being saved in the sense that God is changing you through the power of His Holy Spirit. The evidence of your nature to sin is still there and the struggle against your own sin is very real, but each moment that you move closer to death on this side of eternity is one step closer to Christlikeness. This is the fight I was talking about last week. In this present life you, Christian, fight the good fight of the faith and by doing so, we take hold of the eternal life to which you have been called (1 Tim. 6:12). We stand in the reality that we are being saved from the power of sin! We stand in the future tense of our salvation: Because we have been saved from the penalty of sin and we are being saved from the power of sin because Jesus, as the Divine Warrior of Isaiah 59, is able and will indeed rescue us from all sin. The third verse in the carol, Joy to the Word, rightly states: No more let sins and sorrows grow,Nor thorns infest the ground;He comes to make his blessings flowFar as the curse is found. Jesus came to save us from our sins in the sense that He will make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found, and on that day: Death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54), what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4), sorrow and singing will flee away (Isa. 51:11), every tear will be wiped away (Rev. 21:1-4), and all things will be made new (Rev. 21:5). We stand in the reality that we will be saved from the presence of sin... forever and will receive a better and more glorious Eden! The salvation that Jesus came to deliver is not something we take off and put on again, so what then is the helmet of salvation? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the helmet of salvation is the hope of our salvation: But since we are of the day, lets be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.Because we are saved, being saved, and will be saved... we live in the hope of our salvation no matter what the enemy launches at us or does to us, the night is almost gone, and the day is near (Rom. 13:12). How Do You Take Up the Helmet of Salvation? To take up the helmet of salvation is to live in the reality that this mortal life is not the end and that you are now, and forever will, remain a child of the living God! The helmet of salvation protects your head, it protects your mind, it protects your line of sight so that you can see the hope that is yours in Christ. When things in life seem to go south, when this life is shortened by disease, when this worlds resources are stripped away, when the proverbial rug is pulled from underneath, and when it seems that all in this world is lost... you can respond with gospel-centered hope: For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison... (2 Cor. 4:17). The helmet of salvation is the assurance of our salvation! Listen, there are two dangers that every person faces if they are a part of any Bible teaching and gospel centered church. The first danger is to believe that you are a Christian when you are not. If you believe that you can believe in Jesus with your mind for the salvation of your soul with little consequence to the way you are living your life today, then you may not be a genuine Christian. True saving faith is to believe and trust that Jesus life, death, and resurrection is enough for the salvation of your soul; the evidence that you genuinely believe and trust in Jesus as your savior will be evidenced in your standing in your past salvation, present salvation, and hope in your future salvation. Do not forget Ephesians 2:8-10! You were saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and the purpose for your salvation is stated in verse 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Genuine saving faith in Jesus will be evidenced by a changing life that looks more and more like Jesus life over the years. The second danger you face in the local church is that the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation. If the enemy can get you to doubt your salvation successfully, he will have a better chance of tempting you to live closer to your sin rather than closer to Jesus as your savior. When you take up the helmet of salvation, you stand in the shoes of the gospel of peace, with your identity in Christ firmly belted around your waist, the righteousness of Christ securely fastened over your chest, so that you can take up your biblically saturated faith. When the devil attempts to undermine your salvation, you can take up your helmet of salvation knowing that only because of Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! When you take up your helmet of salvation in the enemys presence, you do so with confidence, knowing: ...that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). When the attacks come and the devil or your flesh is all up in your face to tempt you to doubt the sufficiency of Christ, you take up your helmet of salvation with the assurance of 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... (2 Cor. 4:79). How do you know that the salvation Jesus provided is enough? The One born to save His people from their sins is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace promised long ago (Isa. 9:6-7). He is the promised King whose, times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity (Micah 5:2). The One born King of the Jews is He who was declared long before His birth through the virgin Mary: I am the first and the last, and there is no God besides Me (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17-18). Jesus can save because He is the righteous Branch of David who is called, Yahweh Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6). He is Him who is, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation... by Whom all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers, or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:15-16). The salvation Jesus provided is enough because, while He existed in the form of God as the Divine Son, He humbled Himself, by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross (see Phil. 2:1-11). This is why we can have every confidence that Ephesians 1:7-8 is all that we need for the hope of our salvation: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. So, in light of all that Jesus is and all that he did to secure your salvation, who are you, Chistian? You are chosen by God before the foundation of the world (1:4-6)! Who are you Christian? You are redeemed as a child of God by the blood of His own Son... namely Jesus (1:7-12)! Who are you Christian? You are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of the living God until the day when redemption is finally complete (1:13-14). You can have all the confidence that Jesus is enough because He alone is the Divine Warrior qualified to live the life you could not live for the purpose of dying a death you deserved! Jesus is your righteousness, and He is your salvation! On December 4th, I read something Thomas Watson wrote that Jonathan Gibsons O Come, O Come, Emmanuel included in his devotional. When it comes to what our salvation means, Watsons words seem to capture the beauty and magnitude of the Jesus who came to save his people from their sins: He was poor that he might make us rich. He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven... that the Ancient of Days should be born,--that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle,--that he who rules the stars should suck the breast,--that a virgin should conceive,--that Christ should be made of a woman which himself made,--that the branch should bear the vine,--that the mother should be younger than the child she bore, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother,--that the human nature should not be God, yet one with God: this was not only amazing but miraculous. If you a Christian, Jesus is the hope of your salvation for He is the helmet of your salvation. If you are not a Christian, you can receive Him as the Hope of your salvation by surrendering your life to Him as your Savior. [1] Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

Luke 1:26-38; “Mary's Story”  The Christmas story is familiar to most of us, but Pastor Dodge gives us a fresh view of this well know story over the next few weeks beginning today with the story of Mary, Jesus' mother. Mary's name means bitter.  She was born in an obscure village, raised in a difficult time when the children of Israel were in bondage to Roman master. BUT her Son would not only redeem Israel - He would redeem the world. Very little is know about Mary. What we know is that she was a virgin born in the town of Nazareth, a town not even mentioned in the Old Testament. However, God chose an obscure little town and an unknown young woman to be the carriers of His promised Savior. Though Mary's name means bitter, God changes things! He turns bitterness into joy! A unique birth, a unique mother and a unique child!   Today, Christmas is under attack. Yet perhaps it's more than that. The battle is larger than the attack on Christmas, it's a battle that goes back to the garden of Eden. It's not a war on Christmas, it's a war on God. The human race, since our fall, has been hostile to the things of God. But! The magnitude of God's love is that He breaks into our world even when we are His enemies. Let us pray that God would move in the lives of people to reveal His incredible goodness. This well-known story shows us many things:     ⁃    God breaks into the life of Mary and He still breaks into our lives today.     ⁃    Mary willingly listened to God's message to her through the angel Gabriel and His Word is still active and alive today!     ⁃    Gabriel tells her what to name her son. She is to name Him Jesus, meaning “God saves” and God continues to save His people today through faith in Christ Jesus.     ⁃    Mary asked “I am a virgin, how will this be?” Gabriel responded through the Holy Spirit and the angel goes on to say in Luke 1:37 “For no word from God will ever fail.” God's promises are assured. He does the impossible!  He does what no human being can accomplish - our redemption! Jesus alone redeems and saves.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit using the Virgin Mary to conceive and bear a Son - God's one and only Son - Jesus breaks into our world with His saving grace! Today's reading ends with Mary saying, “I am the Lord's servant, may your word to me be fulfilled” and then the angel left her. Such a powerful example of trust - she hears the word of God, receives it, believes it and rejoices in it. So much to learn from Mary. She's not just our Savior's mother, she is an amazing role model for any who desire to be servants of the Lord.  Things that stand out about Mary that we can apply in our own lives as well:     1.    Devout Faith - trusted God even when what Gabriel told her seemed impossible.  We too are called to devout faith in God today.     2.    Humility - humble individual who knew it wasn't about her, but about God. A truth for us to internalize too.     3.    Obedience - she listened, obeyed and followed God. Faith saves and when we have faith we will obey!  Faith shows itself in obedience.     4.    Worship - sing praises- thank God for what He has done. As we celebrate Christmas we're not simply looking back to what happened long ago at Jesus' first coming. We're also looking forward to His final coming when He returns - when He reigns and rules forevermore! Check out our website –   https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life. This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Have you ever had someone unfairly criticize you? Or maybe misrepresent you? Maybe even flat out lie about you? How did you react? Did you sling some accusations of your own? Let it go? Ignore it? Or just boldly declare that it doesn't matter what anybody else says or thinks? Except the truth is, it does. It matters because as followers of Jesus, we don't just represent ourselves, we represent something and someone much bigger. We stand for something that matters for eternity. And how we represent Him - Jesus - matters a lot!    As we come to our study of 2 Corinthians this week, we find Paul speaking truth to power, so to speak. He's been criticized, his motives and authority have been questioned, and he's not just going to let it go. But the way he responds probably isn't what you'd expect. ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP ----------------------------------- Let us know that you were watching with us and you will be entered to receive a free prize by completing our Connection Card: http://dsf.church/ecard   Give Online: https://www.simplechurchgiving.net/App/Giving/dsf Message Notes: https://www.dayspringfellowship.com/sermons   Like, comment & subscribe to stay updated! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayspringkeizer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DayspringKeizer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dayspringfellowship Website: http://dsf.church #dayspringkeizer #dayspringfellowship #2024sermon ___________________ Thanks for watching Dayspring Fellowship's worship service! At Dayspring Fellowship, we believe there is nothing more important than your spiritual growth.

Feels Like Home-pt 3 The Power of Mission Jesus said, “…GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19, 20 NLT “Jesus traveled through all the cities and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News…”  Matthew 9:35 NLT “…the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Good News about Jesus.” Acts 8:4 NLT “But how can they call on Him (Jesus) to save them unless they believe in Him?  And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?  And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is what the scriptures mean when they say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.'”   Romans 10:14, 15 NLT STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN Luke 10: 30-35 NLT HOW TO BE MISSIONARY Your Mission Begins in Your Heart “he felt deep pity”  Luke 10:33 NLT   “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.  It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16 NLT “So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ.” Colossians 1:28 NLT Your Mission is to Do What You Can “Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.”  Luke 10:34 NLT THREE PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE: The robber's: What's yours is mine and I'll take it The traveler's: What's mine is mine and I'll keep it The Samaritan's: What's mine is yours and I'll give it Your Mission Outcome Multiplies With Partners

How would life change if we actually believed God loved us deeply and had our backs? Let's dive in and find out! Join Kent this Sunday at Harmony. EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316 to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give ). Get the fill in the blank bulletins my.harmonychurch.cc/bulletins. ------------------------------- OPENING ILLUSTRATION: How many times a day does worry or anxiety pop up in your mind? I don't want to lose you by getting you to jump into anxious thoughts, but think about it for a second… Here's a few things I find myself anxious or worried about -I'm not sure how we're going to pay that bill -How are we going to get everyone to where they need to go -When am I going to have time to finish that project with everything I've got to do -I'm afraid I'm not going to be home on time because of this meeting -Oh no, my phone is ringing, what do I do? ;) -I feel like I'm losing my kid -I wonder if a person is secretly judging me -I'm worried we won't have enough for retirement -I don't know what to do with my kids -I can't figure out what I did wrong with my spouse I mean, let's be honest, we could go on and on, couldn't we? Worry and anxiety are at epidemic levels in our country. Look at this chart: [put chart on screen] If you are older, you don't get it and if you're younger, you don't know how someone couldn't get it… This calls for compassion and some reconsidering of our how we order our world… b I think it calls for going back to the one who created you and listening to see if His words could have some meaning in your life… I want to read some of Jesus' words and look at them in the context of how we all live our everyday life and then ask the question What if we took Him seriously - what would life look like for you? Mt 6:25-34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Does anybody else feel like at this point you are wanting to say to Jesus “don't worry about life and eat or drink? That's all I do Jesus is worry” I feel like some of us make worry out like it's a sport - we're so good at it that if there was an olympics in worry, we'd have been in Paris this last summer… I want you to notice something about what Jesus is doing here. Jesus is trying to elevate your vision - move your eyes upwards. b “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” ILLUSTRATION: Years ago, I had a really good friend who I was talking with. After a few minutes of talking with him he stopped me and said, “Hey, what's going on with you, you haven't shared one real thing about your life with me, you're just keeping everything at a surface level.” Jesus is trying to get you past a surface level of life. He wants you to find joy and freedom, to be able to really embrace life - but you know as well as I do that when you are caught up constantly worrying about the next bill, worrying about your time, your food, your whatever that you are not living life, you are staying on the surface… Life is more… and your anxious, controlling, and predicting the future is keeping you from the now. 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]? I want to ask you two questions that Jesus asks you here - really ask them. Are you more valuable than birds to God? It seems like a silly question at first - probably your instant answer is “yes”. But can I ask it another way? Do you really believe you are valuable to God? My experience has been most people can believe that others are valuable to God, but not themselves. I personally struggle with that. Intellectually I know God loves me, but at a gut level, I wonder how He could… Part of your anxiety, and mine, comes from an inability to rightly believe how much God really loves you. b What would change if you really believed God was good and that He loved you madly? some of you need to stop listening to this sermon and spend the rest of the service thinking about that question. Jesus asks - Can you add a single hour to your life through worry? No, we can theoretically add to our lifespan in modern times, but guess what, when you die, you are dead, there is no adding to that time. Your lifespan is not theoretical, at some point it will be defined. Your worry does not change that end - it's an illusion. 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? The NIV always translates this as “you of little faith” or “why do you have so little faith”, but I've heard Greek scholars say it would be better translated as Little Faiths (the Greek word is oligó(little)pistos(faith)) Can I give you a little encouragement… Jesus is talking about this because He expects we'll struggle with it. He gives the prescription because we all have the ailment. b His disciples who saw, walked, ate, ministered with Him - Jesus gives them the nickname “Little Faiths.” You are not alone in this… 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?' or ‘What shall we drink?' or ‘What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Jesus very clearly tells us to not worry, but how can we do that? His answer is simple Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. b When worry pops up, when anxiety fills your brain - lift your eyes up, ask yourself, how can I seek His Kingdom and Righteousness today? Honestly, it won't be long till that turns into, “Jesus, how can I seek your kingdom and righteousness today - here and now… God is saying, “when you care for the things I care about, I will take care of you.” Actually as I really meditated on this something hit me that had never hit me before. CLOSING ILLUSTRATION: Recently Jenni and I had a huge financial burden strike us that we hadn't expected. I was really freaking out if I'm honest - I grew up poor and feel an incredible responsibility to care for my family and honestly always try and keep us from being in that position. I didn't know what to do. I prayed and just kept going towards Jesus and serving Him. Here's what's crazy. I got an envelope given to me - honestly, I didn't even open the envelope for a few days. But when I did, I found out it had exactly the amount we needed to pay the bills. It was crazy. But can I tell you what's even crazier? That has been my experience over and over again. That God takes care of our needs. He is faithful. One of the things that struck me is when you are seeking first God's Kingdom and His Righteousness - you tend to be around people who are doing that as well - we call this the church. And all of the sudden we are taking care of one another. I don't think Jesus is saying this will be magical. What He is saying is that when you are submitting your will to His Will, He will take care of you, part of how He does that is by using people who's will is submitted to Him as well. Can I tell you a secret? This isn't a get rich scheme. You can't do this to get God to pay your bills. He knows your heart and what you really seek. What it is, is insurance that if you give up letting money and security be your God and let God be your God, that He will take care of you. A great example of this is I heard recently how one of our connect groups stepped up to help a family in the group and supported one another - people giving money to care for the needs of others… See, When you give yourself wholly to Jesus you find a holy Jesus who holds you in His hands. --------------------------------

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

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

This teaching is from Matthew 22:1-40 and continues our exploration into Jesus' final week of his ministry before his death and resurrection. While there is rising anger against Him Jesus' heart is to continue to work to call those against Him to the truth of the Scriptures and to God.  Jesus makes it clear that it is possible to be incredibly religious and yet have no real genuine relationship with God. Pastor finishes exploring the 3 parables in Matthew 21 and 22 with today's dive starting with the third parable where we see that these individuals, the religious leaders, truly did not understand the scripture and did not respond to the obvious. 3 Parables     1.    Indictment (Matthew 21:28-32)     2.    Sentencing (Matthew 21:33-46) These two parables were discussed in last week's teaching. Use the links below to listen to Matthew Week 30)     3.     Execution (Matthew 22:1-14) is shown in the Parable of the Marriage Feast. It starts by saying the kingdom of heaven is like a King (God) who prepared a wedding banquet for His Son (the Messiah coming to Israel).  All of Israel was invited - the One they have been longing for!  The king sends out his servants to let the invitees know of the banquet, but even though they have been eagerly anticipating the Messiah's arrival, verse 53 says, “but they refused to come.” The king again sends his servants out to announce the banquet saying the dinner is prepared and all is ready! Come to the wedding banquet! (The long awaited Messiah is here!!  Come celebrate!) The parable goes on to say the invited paid no attention to this second invite and some seized the servant announcing the invite and killed him.  This enraged the king and he sent his army and destroyed the murderers and burnt down their city. (This is a foreshadowing - Jesus knows what is coming - because religious leaders and others rejected Him - not only reject Him but will kill Him and so this is Jesus giving a head up that judgement is coming to the city of Jerusalem (this will be discussed further in the upcoming weeks) The parable continues with the king telling the servants that as those invited did not come that they are to invite anyone they find.(prostitutes, tax collectors, and the non-Jewish world - Gentiles). And the servants filled the wedding hall. In verse 11 the King (God) notices a guest that is not wearing wedding clothes so the king asks him how he got in without the wedding clothes that he was offering to everyone who came. (The white robes of righteousness through faith in Jesus 
Christ). The man not having the clothing was thrown out into the darkness. Jesus is making it very clear that there is salvation and life forever found through faith in Him and Him alone.  He is challenging the religious leadership to see Him for who He is - the prophesied Messiah they have been waiting for! After Jesus told this Parable the Pharisees decided to lay plans to trap Jesus.  They united with the Herodians in a well-planned attack with the question that no matter which way Jesus replied, He would be found guilty by one or the other group. The question: “What is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”  If He answered yes, pay the tax to Caesar, the Pharisees would have risen up against Him as they were not happy to be under the control of Rome and despised paying tax to the very ones whose rule they were under. If He answered not to pay the tax then the Herodians would have risen up against Him as they supported Roman rule. But Jesus cuts their scheming plan off at the knees by His reply:”Show me the coin used for paying the imperial tax. Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied “Caesar's.” Jesus continues, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.” Jesus' answer was brilliant. His answer doesn't allow either of them to accuse Him of anything. His response amazed them so they left Him and went on their way. The dissension around Jesus is rising with verbal attack after verbal attack. At each attack the crowds hear Jesus' answers and they are astonished at His teaching while the religious leaders get angrier. Further on in chapter 22 Jesus is asked this question, “Which is the greatest command in the law?” Jesus' answer: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your mind!' This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the law and prophets hang on these two commandments.” Again they are amazed, but Jesus comes back immediately with a question for them! And it's a really good one!  Come back next week to find out!! Visit our website here https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website https://wpww.awakeusnow.com/matthew-discipling Watch the video from Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOxHZDaamNk9DaM7h7LejJj7 Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app. We invite you to join us for our Sunday service every Sunday at 9:30am CT (live or on demand) here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

In this episode of Fathom Beyond Sunday, Pastor Kyle and Christina get into names used for God the Son - Jesus Christ. If you've ever wondered why we sing about Emmanuel at Christmas and call Him Jesus the rest of the year - this episode is for you! Join our hosts as they dig into names used in the Bible for the Son of God. This trinitarian series within the NAMES series is narrowing our focus so we can delight in the character of God revealed in His names. Join the discussion!LIKE, SUBSCRIBE AND SHAREPlease take a minute to leave us a review. You can also help us spread the word about this podcast by giving us a share on social media or texting the link to a friend! OTHER WAYS TO CONNECTCatch up on previous episodes, or check out our other podcasts here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/ If you would like prayer, information about next steps, or are new to Fathom, text FATHOM to 97000 and follow the prompts - we would love to hear from you!CONNECT WITH US ANYTIME, ONLINEwww.fathom.churchchristina@fathom.church

Kingdom Come “Jesus Training” Luke 8:1 Jesus redefines the Kingdom of God The Kingdom of God is where the will of God is done by the people of God in the power of God. The people of God are the people of the King The people of the King are disciples of Jesus The first people of the King were “the Twelve” Jesus calls disciples to be “with Him” To be “with Him” is to follow closely to Him We are “with Him” to learn from Him We are “with Him” to be trained by Him Jesus trains disciples for life in the Kingdom Training in the way of Jesus Training to do the will of God Training to be like Jesus Training in the skills of Jesus What are the top 10 Kingdom skills a disciple must learn? (Rate yourself as Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) Remember, you haven't learned it until you're doing it. B   I   A              1. Learn to know and trust God B   I   A              2. Learn to handle the Word of God B   I   A              3. Learn to minister to others B   I   A              4. Learn to share the Gospel B   I   A              5. Learn to love people B   I   A              6. Learn to pray B   I   A              7. Learn to take up your cross (live surrendered) B   I   A              8. Learn to overcome temptation B   I   A              9. Learn to breathe (live in the Spirit) B   I   A              10. Learn to disciple another person Jesus invites his disciples to be with him so that he might train them in Kingdom work. God has been “with you” preparing you to step out by faith and help others follow Jesus.

Again, we can't forget that the theme of the Gospel of Luke is joy and rejoicing as we will see throughout the book. Everything changes when God shows up! The great need for America and the world in these fearful days of war, chaos, violence, hatred and division, is for God to show up! Luke records how God first showed up to Zacharias with a message that he and his barren wife Elizabeth would have a son that they would name John. God then showed up to Mary with a message that she miraculously would conceive and have a Son, and she would call Him Jesus!   When Mary visits her relative Elizabeth and greets her, John leaps for joy. Both Mary and Elizabeth are rejoicing as they share with each other what God is doing in and through their lives for the people of Israel. Finally, nine months after Zacharias hears the message from the angel, their son is born (v. 57). God always keeps His promises!   Now, the joy of Zacharias and Elizabeth is expressed with praise! Divine joy can't be restrained! It must be expressed externally! And that is what takes place through the end of this first long chapter of Luke! Divine joy has a wonderful way of spreading to others! “When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her” (v. 58).   God's blessing was resting abundantly on Zacharias and Elizabeth. He sent them a baby boy, just as He promised; and they named him "John" just as God had instructed. The Jews looked on children as a gift from God and a "heritage from the Lord" (Pss. 127:3-5; 128:1-3), and rightly so, for they are. Israel would not follow the practices of their pagan neighbors by aborting or abandoning their children. When you consider that almost a million babies are aborted each year in the United States alone, you can see how far we have drifted from the laws of God. It is especially sad and appalling that just this month the Democratic National Convention celebrated abortion by promoting it with speeches and testimonies.   Traditionally, a baby boy would be named after his father or someone else in the family; so the relatives and neighbors were shocked when Elizabeth insisted on the name John. Zacharias was not only mute but he must have also been deaf, so they made signs to ask what the baby should be named. And he wrote "His name is John" on a tablet, and that settled it! Immediately God opened the old priest's mouth, and he sang a hymn of praise.   Zacharias first words are so interesting! In verse 67, the people asked, “What kind of child will this be?” You would have thought that Zacharias would have talked about what the angel had told him in the temple about his son John. But instead, he talked about Jesus. Read verses 67 through 75. Amazing!!! Divine joy and praise always glorify Jesus.   When we truly experience the divine presence of Jesus in our lives, our joy will overflow with praise giving glory to Him! And this is what happens when God shows up! God bless!

  We will continue with the verse Gen. 2:3.  The Hebrew - not the English - suggests that God stopped creating works that were still yet to be done!  Huh?  Works yet to be done?  Works created but had not even started or were completed? Works for the future? This is too awesome since this implies that we, made in His image, are to go and work just like Him.  Hmmm, does the Bible teach that? It suggests right from the "get go" we were created for a purpose.  But, did God specify it in His Word and not imply or suggest? It seems clear also that this implies Jesus as well.  He said that He is doing the works given to Him by the Father.  He tells those listening to Him then in John 5 that He will even do greater works than what they just saw (He had just healed a man lame for 39 years).  On top of that Jesus tells us on the night before He died in John 14 that if we are His true talmideem - His true disciples - that the works the Father gave Him Jesus gives to us and we also will even do "greater works."  It is as if Gen. 2:3 is God's first prediction of the good news coming in the future.  Now the verse Eph. 2:8-10 makes sense.  Yes!  We are saved by grace but at the same time we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus (that means we the ones called by His name, we are the ones who state that Jesus is our Lord, our Savior, God, we are His true disciples) for GOOD WORKS created BEFORE HAND!!  This is an amazing connection of Eph. 2:8-10 to the Torah.  But, why should it surprise us.  When Paul wrote the letter to Ephesus the only Bible they had was the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament.   This lesson will also address the Documentary Hypothesis - a theory that states that Moses never wrote the Torah.  We will study this anti-Bible theory and show that it is false.  It comes against Jesus' own words when Jesus states clearly many times that the Torah is of Moses or the Torah are the "books of Moses."  Below is a link to a deep scholarly article from the Associates for Biblical Research that shows the Documentary Hypothesis is wrong and should be buried forever.   Here's the link ... https://www.biblearchaeology.org/research/topics/biblical-criticism-and-the-documentary-hypothesis/2328-the-documentary-hypothesis On top of that, the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת Shabbat in Hebrew) testifies of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus the Christ.  Check it out from one of the chapters in one of the class books from Light of Menorah.  Here's the link - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/owszf7iszt7wkykkonggs/SHADOW-OF-MESSIAH-OVER-THE-SHABBAT.pdf?rlkey=axyzu36d3x1457cmp5z823xrw&st=m5flxovt&dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

We learn about Jesus' genealogy, establishing His royal and Abrahamic lineage. The miraculous conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit is revealed, and Joseph is instructed to name Him Jesus, meaning “He will save His people from their sins.” The visit of the Magi highlights Jesus' recognition as King by foreign wise men. King Herod's attempt to kill Jesus leads to the Holy Family's flight to Egypt, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah's early life. John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus, preaching repentance and baptizing people. Jesus' baptism by John marks the beginning of His public ministry, with God's voice affirming Jesus as His beloved Son. Jesus resists the devil's temptations in the wilderness, demonstrating His obedience to God. He begins His ministry in Galilee, calls His first disciples, and starts preaching about the kingdom of heaven, performing miracles and healing the sick. Bible Project Introduction to Matthew

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 6th of July, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Book of Jeremiah 23:6:“In His days Judah will be saved,And Israel will dwell safely;Now this is His name by which He will be called:THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”Oh, isn't that a beautiful title for our beloved Saviour? THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS! Then we go straight to Matthew 1:21: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” You see, it is His righteousness in you and I, my dear friend, that will save us, no good works of our own, it's no efforts of our own. In fact, the more we try, the more we mess up. Jesus will save His people and no-one else can save them. Luther tried it and then he found a little scripture, Romans 1:17: “The just shall live by faith.” His eyes were opened. He saw that it was actually Jesus who was his righteousness, not him, not his fasting, not his praying, not his beating himself up. No, it was Jesus. Wesley found the same thing. He said, “A strange warmth came over my heart, scales fell from my eyes.” I believe he was born again and filled with the Spirit on that memorable Bible study that took place in Aldersgate in London, and then of course, the revival broke out. John Newton, the slave ship captain: “I once was blind but now I see, I was lost but now I am saved.”You know, there is a beautiful song written by Jack Campbell and Jimmie Davis and this is how it goes: “I can't take a heart that's broken make it over againBut I know a man who canI can't take a soul that's sin sick wash it whiter than snowBut I know a man who canSome call Him Saviour the Redeemer of all menBut I call Him Jesus for He's my dearest friendIf you think that no one loves you and your life is out of handI know a man who canI can't walk upon the water and I can't calm a raging seaBut I know a man who canI can't cause blinded eyes to be opened or the lame get up and walk again Oh, but I know a man who can”Today, call upon that Man. His name is Jesus Christ and He will undertake for you, my dear friend. I don't know what battle you are fighting at the moment but give it to Him because He can!Jesus bless you and have a lovely day,Goodbye.

In John 15, Jesus shares a story about the vine, branches, and the vinedresser, emphasizing the importance of abiding in Him (Jesus). This powerful illustration speaks to the abundant LIFE that is NECESSARY for every believer. Pastor Jessica shares five points about the Abiding Life that we must ALL walk in.Pneuma Life Church with Pastors Jason & Jessica Huffman in Saint Johns, Florida: Together we pursue God's presence and purpose. Join us live for services each Sunday at 10AM4100 Race Track Rd. (Durbin Creek Elementary) Saint Johns, FL 32259 Visit us online at: https://pneumalife.churchEmail: hello@pneuma.life Facebook: @HelloPneumaLifeInstagram: @pneumalifeYou can give at https://pneumalife.church/give/Plan your visit at https://pneumalife.church/plan-your-visit/ Get involved at https://pneumalife.church/get-involved/See what's happening at https://pneumalife.church/event-calendar/

Today's episode is tender and contains topics that can be challenging if you have walked through, or are walking through, pregnancy loss. But this episode also has the potential to bring a lot of hope and healing wherever you are on your journey. You will feel less alone if you have walked through miscarriage or still birth. And if you haven't, you'll come away feeling better equipped to come alongside someone who has. It is my prayer that through the conversation in this episode, God will meet you where you are with His kindness and care.  Today I talk with my new friend, Jackie Gibson, an Australian living in Philadelphia with her husband and children. Jackie is also the author of the book, You Are Still a Mother: Hope For Women Grieving a Stillbirth or Miscarriage.    I read Jackie's book in one sitting. Even though I experienced a miscarriage 14 years ago, her book deeply ministered to my heart. I felt so seen and comforted and so equipped to help my fellow mama's who experience this kind of grief. I can't recommend this book enough, whether you have walked through pregnancy loss yourself, know someone who has, or just want to have resources to refer to when loss comes.  Jackie shares her own story of losing her daughter at 39 weeks to still birth. And then we discuss the hardship of suffering, and the way Jesus comes alongside us in suffering. We also cover a lot of other topics, like how we can share about loss after it happens, the strange feeling of shame that can happen after pregnancy loss, how we can help moms who are experiencing loss, PTSD and trauma after pregnancy loss and so much more.  My tears were near the surface through this whole episode because I have such a tenderness for every other mama who has lost a baby. I hope you'll listen to this episode knowing that if you are hurting you are not alone, and in my heart I am giving you the biggest hug.  Here are some quotes that really stood out to me in this episode: *This is a club no one wants to be a part of.   *Miscarriage can be such a very lonely grief.  *We need to invite people into our grief and ask them to walk through it with us and pray for us. But for some reason we have this fear in doing that and part of that is this shame that we have done something wrong or that our bodies have failed us.  *I'd been a Christian for many years, but in those moments, I felt like I met Him (Jesus) again for the first time.  *God can give us gifts even in suffering.  *Even though your arms are empty, your heart still carries your baby wherever you go.  *To write names down or to say them, when these mothers rarely get to hear their babies named or acknowledged, means so much to a grieving mom, whether it is fresh grief, or it's been years.  *Our babies have dignity and value no matter their size because they were made by God.  *From the very start, their lives matter and they are worthy of both grief and honor. GE *It is never too late to remember your baby and to mark that little one's preciousness. JG *This is a story about Him and how He is always good, even in the darkness. JG *The moon is still round even when we can't see it, and God is still good, even when we don't feel like He is. JG *Are we going to keep believing in the darkness what we have seen in the light? Lilias Trotter  More about Jackie: Jackie's husband wrote a book about loss for kids as a result of talking to their son through the loss of his baby sister. It is called, The Moon is Always Round.  Jackie isn't on social media, but please share her book and this episode with friends who need the comforting and helpful message she brings.  If you haven't already, please take a minute to subscribe to this podcast. I'd also be so very grateful if you leave a 5-star rating and write a quick review.  Reviews are incredibly helpful to me as a new podcaster. Thank you for listening and being part of my team.  I love you guys! Greta  

Questions from Ephesians 1:1-3:21 If God chose me before the foundation of the world? Do I really have free will? Yes. But the real question is this: Is your free will limited to your spiritual condition? In the second sermon of our Ephesian series, I preached an entire sermon on the infamous Ephesians 1:4-6, and in that sermon, I answered what it meant to be chosen by God, here is what I said: To be chosen means that God predestined you to something. Predestination means, to determine something ahead of time before its occurrence.[1] So, according to these verses, before God invented dirt, He planned for your adoption as a son or daughter through all that Jesus would do on your account for your sin on a cross that we all deserved. It is very difficult, within the context of Ephesians to explain Ephesians 1:4-6 any other way than to take at face value the clear and direct language he used in these verses; Paul could not have been any clearer: He chose us in Him [Jesus] before the foundation of the world He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. So, where is our free will in these verses? I will tell you where it is; your free will is somewhere between Ephesians 1:4 and 2:10. We are chosen before the foundation of the world according to Ephesians 1:4, we were dead in our offenses and sins according to Ephesians 2:1, and it is, by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God according to Ephesians 2:8. The in-between in these verses is that you were born and lived before Jesus in your spiritual deadness, and your will was only free to operate within the nature of your spiritual deadness, until Ephesians 2:4-5 happened to you, which was this: But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. So, here is how your free will expressed itself while you were dead in your offenses and sins: you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest (vv. 2-3). In Ephesians 2:2-3 we are given a list of how our free will expressed itself: We followed the prince of the power of the air (the devil). We were disobedient. We lived in the lusts of our flesh. We indulged the desire of our flesh and mind. We were children of wrath. I dont know any other way to understand Ephesians 1:4-6 and 2:1-3 than to read 1:4 at face value: He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. There was no other way for God to save us than to do what we are told that He did in Ephesians 2:4-5, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. Now listen to me: God made us alive, but He did not believe for us! What this means is that your will was once limited to your spiritual deadness until God made you alive in Christ. The thing that God did for you in Ephesians 2:5-6, enabled you to experience and participate in what Paul describes in 2:8, which states: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. If God chooses who will be saved before the foundation of the world, why did He command His disciples: Go and make disciples of all nations and to, teach them to follow all that I commanded (Matt. 28:19-20)? The reason why Jesus has commanded His disciples to make disciples of all nations and the reason that it is a sin not to do so, is because the way He has chosen to make the spiritually dead, alive in Christ is through His Word proclaimed through your mouth and your actions. The means by which God has chosen to create something out of nothing and to raise the dead has always been through the authority of His Word proclaimed and the power of His Spirit. Permit me to show you from the Bible how and why this is so: In the first two verses of the Bible, we read in Genesis: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, Let there be light and there was light (Gen. 1:12). Psalm 33:6 describes what happened in Genesis 1:1-3 this way: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their lights. God spoke (proclaimed) as the Holy Spirit (i.e. The Spirit of God) was hovering over the surface of the waters and created everything out of nothing! In Romans 10, we are given the means by which God will make the spiritual dead alive: But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heartthat is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes in Him will not be Put to shame. (Rom. 10:811) You cannot believe unless you hear the Word of God, and you will not believe unless the Spirit of God exercises the same power that created the galaxies and raised Jesus from the grave! What other possible thing could Paul have meant when he wrote in Romans 10:14, How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? This is why Jesus commanded His people: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:1920). How can I know for sure that I am a Christian? Listen carefully to Ephesians 1:7-8 again: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. There is only one who is able to provide redemption and forgiveness of our sins, and it is Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way! In Ephesians 2:12, it says: remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. In other words, apart from Christ there is no hope, and you are without God. A positive way of spinning this verse is this way: If your hope is in the Jesus who died for your redemption and the forgiveness of your sins, then you have hope and you have God. You can know for sure that you are a Christian if you are sure that the only hope you have for the forgiveness of your sins is faith in the Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived the perfect and sinless life you could not live, died a death for sins you are guilty of, and rose from the grave on the third day. Listen to what Jesus said to someone who was very religious but not yet a Christian: And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:1416). To add to this, we are told in 1 John 2:23, Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. The evidence that you truly have embraced Jesus as your redeemer and savior includes faith in all that He is, but also a love for God, His Word, and a desire to live a life that pleases Him. Love for God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed (1 Cor. 16:22). Love for the Word of God: If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15). Here is another passage to consider: The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:46, NASB 2020) A Desire to Live a Life that Pleases God: Here are three passages that need little explaining: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand. (John 10:2729) In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:1718) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:2223) Think about what is said in Ephesians 2:1-5. The difference between the dead and the living is evidenced by the posturing and behavior of the creature. The evidence between who is dead and who is alive is seen in how the dead and the living walk. Is this not the point of Ephesians 2:10? You were chosen, you who were once dead have now been made alive with Christ: we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM. We just sang that same glorious truth: I was breathing but not alive All my failures I tried to hide It was my tomb 'til I met You ('Cause when) You called my name (and) I ran out of that grave Out of the darkness into Your glorious day You called my name (and) I ran out of that grave! Ephesians teaches us that we were saved to become holy and blameless (1:4) and created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (2:10). How do I become holy and blameless and what are the good works I am supposed do? We were saved to be holy and blameless. This does not mean that we still do not struggle with sin, for we are told in the Bible, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us (1 John 1:9-10). However, as I said the last two Sundays, your process and progress of living a life that develops and grows towards holiness and blamelessness must include an increasing dependence upon a bowing in surrender before God the Father (3:14), an abiding in God the Son (3:17-19), and a reliance upon the power of God the Spirit (3:16). The only way that will continue to happen is when you continually lay down your pride before the Father, a hunger and thirst of Jesus as your righteousness, and walk in step with the things of the Holy Spirit. Permit me to give you some ways you can do this: The God who is able has spoken and has given us His word. If you want to know His thoughts, then you have got to listen to His word (the Bible). The more you read the Bible, the deeper your understanding of God will become. And the deeper your understanding of God develops, the more childlike your faith will become. Here are some ways you can begin to listen to God. Pick a book in the Bible (i.e. the gospel of Mark) and read it. Then after you have read it, read it again more thoughtfully. After you have read it more thoughtfully, read it again. You will be amazed by what you will see in Gods word and how it will speak to you by doing this practice. Make the Sunday morning gathering a priority. God has ordained the preaching of His word to build and encourage His people. Sitting at home with a steady diet of YouTube channels and people you always agree with will starve your soul. You need to be with Gods people who may not see things the way you do and to sit under the preaching of Gods word from a pastor you may not always agree with. Join a Life Group. You need a community of friends who love God and His word that love you that you can have speak into your life. The Jesus who lived the life you could never live and died the death you absolutely deserved has commanded you to follow Him. Think carefully about what Jesus said: If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:27). Clearly Jesus does not want you to hate your family, but what He does want is your allegiance above anyone and everything else. But to follow Him, you have to pursue Him. Pursuing Jesus requires you to hear, obey, and practice His ways. Let me show you something that may help you understand Ephesians 2:10 better; I want you to see what Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:19-20 against the backdrop of what Paul wrote concerning the good works that, God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. What Paul wrote: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Eph. 2:10) What Jesus commanded: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:1920) The good works that God wants you to walk in is the mission Christ has commanded us to be engaged in. The word Go can be translated: as you are going make disciples. As you live in your neighborhood, as you are at work, as you are in the Starbucks line waiting to get your coffee, as you are living in your little world as one who was once dead, but is now alive with Jesus make disciples. I promise that if you listen to Gods word and yield your heart and life to it, and if you seek to follow Jesus, you will increasingly become aware of your limitations and Gods power available to you through His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will never contradict the Word of God and He will never minimize the call to follow Jesus. I want to do something in conclusion that I think will help tie together everything I have said this morning, and I would like to do it in the form of responsive reading. I am going to read some passages in the Bible, and after each passage, I will have you read in response Ephesians 3:20-21. Responsive Reading Pastor Keith: You were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:15) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:1922) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:1419) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: Therefore, walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:16) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) [1] From Lexham Research Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.

Questions from Ephesians 1:1-3:21 If God chose me before the foundation of the world? Do I really have free will? Yes. But the real question is this: Is your free will limited to your spiritual condition? In the second sermon of our Ephesian series, I preached an entire sermon on the infamous Ephesians 1:4-6, and in that sermon, I answered what it meant to be chosen by God, here is what I said: To be chosen means that God predestined you to something. Predestination means, to determine something ahead of time before its occurrence.[1] So, according to these verses, before God invented dirt, He planned for your adoption as a son or daughter through all that Jesus would do on your account for your sin on a cross that we all deserved. It is very difficult, within the context of Ephesians to explain Ephesians 1:4-6 any other way than to take at face value the clear and direct language he used in these verses; Paul could not have been any clearer: He chose us in Him [Jesus] before the foundation of the world He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. So, where is our free will in these verses? I will tell you where it is; your free will is somewhere between Ephesians 1:4 and 2:10. We are chosen before the foundation of the world according to Ephesians 1:4, we were dead in our offenses and sins according to Ephesians 2:1, and it is, by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God according to Ephesians 2:8. The in-between in these verses is that you were born and lived before Jesus in your spiritual deadness, and your will was only free to operate within the nature of your spiritual deadness, until Ephesians 2:4-5 happened to you, which was this: But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. So, here is how your free will expressed itself while you were dead in your offenses and sins: you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest (vv. 2-3). In Ephesians 2:2-3 we are given a list of how our free will expressed itself: We followed the prince of the power of the air (the devil). We were disobedient. We lived in the lusts of our flesh. We indulged the desire of our flesh and mind. We were children of wrath. I dont know any other way to understand Ephesians 1:4-6 and 2:1-3 than to read 1:4 at face value: He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. There was no other way for God to save us than to do what we are told that He did in Ephesians 2:4-5, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. Now listen to me: God made us alive, but He did not believe for us! What this means is that your will was once limited to your spiritual deadness until God made you alive in Christ. The thing that God did for you in Ephesians 2:5-6, enabled you to experience and participate in what Paul describes in 2:8, which states: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. If God chooses who will be saved before the foundation of the world, why did He command His disciples: Go and make disciples of all nations and to, teach them to follow all that I commanded (Matt. 28:19-20)? The reason why Jesus has commanded His disciples to make disciples of all nations and the reason that it is a sin not to do so, is because the way He has chosen to make the spiritually dead, alive in Christ is through His Word proclaimed through your mouth and your actions. The means by which God has chosen to create something out of nothing and to raise the dead has always been through the authority of His Word proclaimed and the power of His Spirit. Permit me to show you from the Bible how and why this is so: In the first two verses of the Bible, we read in Genesis: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, Let there be light and there was light (Gen. 1:12). Psalm 33:6 describes what happened in Genesis 1:1-3 this way: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their lights. God spoke (proclaimed) as the Holy Spirit (i.e. The Spirit of God) was hovering over the surface of the waters and created everything out of nothing! In Romans 10, we are given the means by which God will make the spiritual dead alive: But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heartthat is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes in Him will not be Put to shame. (Rom. 10:811) You cannot believe unless you hear the Word of God, and you will not believe unless the Spirit of God exercises the same power that created the galaxies and raised Jesus from the grave! What other possible thing could Paul have meant when he wrote in Romans 10:14, How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? This is why Jesus commanded His people: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:1920). How can I know for sure that I am a Christian? Listen carefully to Ephesians 1:7-8 again: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. There is only one who is able to provide redemption and forgiveness of our sins, and it is Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way! In Ephesians 2:12, it says: remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. In other words, apart from Christ there is no hope, and you are without God. A positive way of spinning this verse is this way: If your hope is in the Jesus who died for your redemption and the forgiveness of your sins, then you have hope and you have God. You can know for sure that you are a Christian if you are sure that the only hope you have for the forgiveness of your sins is faith in the Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived the perfect and sinless life you could not live, died a death for sins you are guilty of, and rose from the grave on the third day. Listen to what Jesus said to someone who was very religious but not yet a Christian: And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:1416). To add to this, we are told in 1 John 2:23, Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. The evidence that you truly have embraced Jesus as your redeemer and savior includes faith in all that He is, but also a love for God, His Word, and a desire to live a life that pleases Him. Love for God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed (1 Cor. 16:22). Love for the Word of God: If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15). Here is another passage to consider: The one who says, I have come to know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:46, NASB 2020) A Desire to Live a Life that Pleases God: Here are three passages that need little explaining: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand. (John 10:2729) In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:1718) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:2223) Think about what is said in Ephesians 2:1-5. The difference between the dead and the living is evidenced by the posturing and behavior of the creature. The evidence between who is dead and who is alive is seen in how the dead and the living walk. Is this not the point of Ephesians 2:10? You were chosen, you who were once dead have now been made alive with Christ: we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM. We just sang that same glorious truth: I was breathing but not alive All my failures I tried to hide It was my tomb 'til I met You ('Cause when) You called my name (and) I ran out of that grave Out of the darkness into Your glorious day You called my name (and) I ran out of that grave! Ephesians teaches us that we were saved to become holy and blameless (1:4) and created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (2:10). How do I become holy and blameless and what are the good works I am supposed do? We were saved to be holy and blameless. This does not mean that we still do not struggle with sin, for we are told in the Bible, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us (1 John 1:9-10). However, as I said the last two Sundays, your process and progress of living a life that develops and grows towards holiness and blamelessness must include an increasing dependence upon a bowing in surrender before God the Father (3:14), an abiding in God the Son (3:17-19), and a reliance upon the power of God the Spirit (3:16). The only way that will continue to happen is when you continually lay down your pride before the Father, a hunger and thirst of Jesus as your righteousness, and walk in step with the things of the Holy Spirit. Permit me to give you some ways you can do this: The God who is able has spoken and has given us His word. If you want to know His thoughts, then you have got to listen to His word (the Bible). The more you read the Bible, the deeper your understanding of God will become. And the deeper your understanding of God develops, the more childlike your faith will become. Here are some ways you can begin to listen to God. Pick a book in the Bible (i.e. the gospel of Mark) and read it. Then after you have read it, read it again more thoughtfully. After you have read it more thoughtfully, read it again. You will be amazed by what you will see in Gods word and how it will speak to you by doing this practice. Make the Sunday morning gathering a priority. God has ordained the preaching of His word to build and encourage His people. Sitting at home with a steady diet of YouTube channels and people you always agree with will starve your soul. You need to be with Gods people who may not see things the way you do and to sit under the preaching of Gods word from a pastor you may not always agree with. Join a Life Group. You need a community of friends who love God and His word that love you that you can have speak into your life. The Jesus who lived the life you could never live and died the death you absolutely deserved has commanded you to follow Him. Think carefully about what Jesus said: If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:27). Clearly Jesus does not want you to hate your family, but what He does want is your allegiance above anyone and everything else. But to follow Him, you have to pursue Him. Pursuing Jesus requires you to hear, obey, and practice His ways. Let me show you something that may help you understand Ephesians 2:10 better; I want you to see what Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:19-20 against the backdrop of what Paul wrote concerning the good works that, God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. What Paul wrote: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Eph. 2:10) What Jesus commanded: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:1920) The good works that God wants you to walk in is the mission Christ has commanded us to be engaged in. The word Go can be translated: as you are going make disciples. As you live in your neighborhood, as you are at work, as you are in the Starbucks line waiting to get your coffee, as you are living in your little world as one who was once dead, but is now alive with Jesus make disciples. I promise that if you listen to Gods word and yield your heart and life to it, and if you seek to follow Jesus, you will increasingly become aware of your limitations and Gods power available to you through His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will never contradict the Word of God and He will never minimize the call to follow Jesus. I want to do something in conclusion that I think will help tie together everything I have said this morning, and I would like to do it in the form of responsive reading. I am going to read some passages in the Bible, and after each passage, I will have you read in response Ephesians 3:20-21. Responsive Reading Pastor Keith: You were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:15) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:1922) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:1419) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) Pastor Keith: Therefore, walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:16) Congregation: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:2021) [1] From Lexham Research Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.

Episode 61, correlates with Isaiah 61, which is all about hope, freedom, restoration, and the heart and compassion of God. It was also the very prophecy that Jesus read in the temple to declare that HE is the Messianic fulfillment of this word. A very bible passage in light of today's episode, where guest Anna Wilkes (Ep. 19: Giving Birth While Eating Gluten) returns for the third part of our series on prophetic God dreams fulfilled. Here we are (9 months later, no less!) with Anna sharing how she is now finding herself in a full circle moment from the dream she shared last July about giving birth. Soon after her dream, God began to invite her to step back into things that previously brought her joy and reveal that He is not afraid to decadently fulfill her dreams. In this episode, we discuss how God is birthing new life in her, bringing about deliverance from generational issues, and calling her deeper into her destiny. You don't want to miss this episode - God is revealing His heart and nature to Anna in a really special and unique way!*Scripture References: Isaiah 61; John 11:11; Isaiah 43:19“I went into a season at the end of last year that was really hard. I think I realized as I pushed into the Lord how much more intimacy there was for me that I'd kind of gotten used to not having. I was drawn into a season that was so much deeper and so much more rich. I felt myself come into that and it just happened so naturally. I just started to do things that I used to do that were very me.”“It's like I've been drawn into this thing where it's all-encompassing, and I'm in love with it because it's Him [Jesus]...it just feels like there's this beautiful moment where everything's gone quiet. And it's just me and Him and this Book and He's just telling me about myself and about Him. I just wouldn't trade it for the world.”“As you're talking about your love for this unexpected language and topic, everything else has kind of fallen away and this has become the focus with Him - it sounds like a new mother with a baby. It sounds like what happens when you give birth and you're just utterly in love with this true thing that is a part of you.”More on Breathing Underwater Membership HEREInterested in 1:1 coaching with Margaux : Free Consultation HERE Join the Community and Newsletter: HERE Email: margaux@permissiontoreign.comInstagram: @permission_to_reignIntro Music by Coma-Media from PixabayImage by Claire Fischer from Unsplash

In this podcast episode of "Rhythms That Restore," host Cherisse and guest Britney Christie Missionary, Co Founder of Be Free Revolution & The Retreat House Memphis to discuss the spiritual journey of shifting from "doing" for God to learning to "be" with God. Britney shares her experiences of feeling burdened during missionary work and how she found peace in contemplative practices and learning from spiritual teachers. They explore the importance of slowing down, worship, and seeking God's perspective, especially during life's challenging times. The conversation touches on the biblical story of Mary and Martha and the balance of work, rest, and renewal that Jesus modeled. The episode concludes with plans for a part two and encourages listeners to embrace soul-care and share the podcast.   Welcome and Introduction (00:00:02) Cherisse welcomes the listeners and introduces the podcast episode. Psalm 119 Reflection (00:01:16) Cherisse shares a reflection on Psalm 119 and the importance of meditating on God's word. Introduction of Britney Christie (00:03:37) Cherisse introduces Britney Christie, highlighting her role and impact on the podcast. Britney Christie's Missionary Work in Kenya (00:06:38) Britney shares her journey of starting Be Free Revolution and The Retreat House Memphis, and her mission work in Kenya. Discipleship and Spiritual Journey (00:13:21) Cherisse and Britney discuss discipleship, spiritual growth, and the journey and growth of faith. Transition to Spiritual Rhythms and Disciplines (00:22:28) Britney discusses the importance of prayer and spiritual disciplines during her mission work and spiritual journey. Being with God (00:22:58) Britney discusses feeling burdened and seeking God's provision for strength and perspective. Discovering Contemplative Practices (00:24:07) Britney shares how understanding her personality led her to embrace contemplative practices and learn from spiritual teachers. Being for God vs. Doing for God (00:26:31) Britney contrasts being for God with doing for God, emphasizing the importance of slowing down and being with God and His people. Rhythm of Work and Rest (00:30:08) The discussion focuses on the rhythm of work, rest, and renewal, comparing it to the example set by Jesus and the need to reset life rhythms. Links and Mentions: Personality discovery and contemplative practices, "Worship and reading a psalm for strength":Spotify Song: Preachers Harvest Playlist, Song of the Lamb" "Being with God instead of doing for God": " "Slowing down and being with God's people": "Serving God as an offshoot of being with Him": "Jesus modeling going on mission and then coming away to rest and recharge."  Authors: Ruth Haley Barton, Dallas Willard and John Ortberg  Connect with Britney Christie via email: britney@befreerevolution.com for more information about Be Free Revolution & Global Missions in Kenya and The Retreat House Memphis how you can attend and what services offered: Inner Work Personal Coaching, Spiritual Direction, Relationship Coaching or even a curated Silent Retreat for yourself or group of friends. Also, find The Retreat House Memphis & Be Free Revolution on Instagram. Connect with Cherisse on Instagram @cherissehixson01, Facebook or email cherissehixson@hotmail.com for any questions or advice on digging deeper. I would love to journey beside you and hear from you.  If you loved this episode share it with a friend and then leave a 5 star review. Your reviews help us to share the word with other woman searching for a podcast like ours to refresh and renew their spirits. 

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a - Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus Who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Bishop Sheen quote of the day Matthew Arnold joins Terry to confront the current evils facing the Church today from without AND within

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a - Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus Who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Bishop Strickland and Terry discuss the decision by the Coptic Orthodox Church “to suspend theological dialogue with the Catholic Church after its change of position on the issue of homosexuality” as well as Saint Frances Cabrini, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint John Paul II

Today, we are talking about the challenges faced by working moms and finding strength in abiding with Christ amidst the chaos of daily life. We explore the importance of prioritizing our relationship with God over the never-ending to-do lists that often consume our days.   Some of the key points that we cover are: The Struggle of Balancing Work and Motherhood: As working moms, our schedules often overflow with commitments and responsibilities. We discuss the challenges of finding time for ourselves and our faith amidst the busyness of life. The Temptation of Self-Reliance: It's easy to fall into the trap of relying solely on our own abilities and strengths to get through each day. We explore the dangers of this mindset and the importance of leaning on Christ for guidance and support. The Invitation to Abide in Him: Jesus calls us to abide in Him, to remain connected to the true source of strength and peace. We discuss practical ways to cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ and find rest in His presence. Prioritizing Being Over Doing: In a world that values productivity and accomplishment, we're reminded of the importance of focusing on who we are becoming rather than what we are doing. We explore the transformative power of abiding in Christ and allowing Him to shape our hearts and minds. Practical Steps Towards Transformation: We share practical tips for incorporating prayer, reflection, and scripture into our daily routines. By positioning ourselves to hear from God and aligning our actions with His will, we can experience true transformation in our lives. Join us on this journey of faith and motherhood as we learn to abide in Christ despite the growing to-do list. Together, we'll find strength, encouragement, and hope in the midst of life's challenges. Tune in to this episode and discover the joy of living in intimate communion with our Savior.     Set up a free connection call by clicking the link.     >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>   Connect with Lindsay: - Free FB Community: Faith Led Working Moms Community - Instagram: FaithLedWorkingMoms - LinkedIn: Lindsay Walker - Email: lindsaywalkerllc@gmail.com

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Lk 1:26-38 - In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Commentary on the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith declaration "Fiducia Supplicans" https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20231218_fiducia-supplicans_en.html

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 1:18-25 - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with Child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this Child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a Son, and he named Him Jesus. Bishop Sheen quote of the dayFather Charles Murr joins Terry to discuss Bishop Sheen's reflections on Mary's three day loss of the Child Jesus at the Temple as well as after the Crucifixion; do we also lose Jesus at times?

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - LK 1:26-38 - The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”Then the angel departed from her. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Archbishop Agüer: Why Does Francis Hate Good Priests? https://www.complicitclergy.com/2023/11/28/archbishop-hector-aguer-why-does-francis-hate-good-priests/ 3) Over 350 attacks on U.S. Catholic churches since May 2020 https://catholicvote.org/tracker-church-attacks/ 4) Five miraculous facts about Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas https://www.churchpop.com/4-amazing-facts-about-our-lady-of-guadalupe-in-one-infographic/