Podcasts about his commandments

Read OnlineWhen it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. John 21:4–6Recall the first time there was a miraculous catch of fish in the Gospels. In Luke 5:1–7, Jesus was preaching to the people on the shore from where He sat in Peter's boat just a short distance away. After preaching, Jesus told Peter, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Peter did so and there was such a large catch of fish that the Apostles needed help to haul it in.In today's Gospel, some three years later after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples from the shore and instructed them to cast their nets “over the right side of the boat.” They did so and caught 153 large fish. In commenting on these two passages, Saint Augustine teaches that the first miraculous catch was a sign that the Gospel would be preached to all people, which is indicated by Jesus simply saying “lower your nets.” But after the Resurrection, Jesus specifically tells the disciples to cast their nets “over the right side” to indicate that grace is now given to those who stand on His right side and are separated from the condemned who are on His left. Thus, this second miraculous catch symbolizes the end of the age when the good and the bad are judged. Saint Augustine also notes that the 153 large fish, caught off the right side of the boat, are a symbolic representation of those who conform not only to the Ten Commandments but also receive the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit by grace. He explains that 10 + 7 = 17 and if you add all the numbers together between 1 and 17 you arrive at 153. Thus, these 153 fish represent everyone who receives His gift of grace and obtains salvation. The boat represents the Church, and the gift of salvation is offered by Christ through His Church.One clear message we must take from Saint Augustine's interpretation is that grace and mercy are offered to all, but not received by all. At the end of our lives and at the end of the world, judgment will take place. Those who responded to the offer of grace and mercy, repented of their sins and gave their lives to Christ will eternally share in the Resurrection. But those who refused to follow His Commandments and closed themselves to the transforming power of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will be separated from eternal joys.Facing the reality of hell is not pleasant, but it is a message that must not be ignored. It is a message that is real and, therefore, hell is a possibility for us all. Therefore, it is important to remind ourselves from time to time of this spiritual truth. Are you among those 153 large fish found on the right side of the boat? Do you allow the ministers of Christ within the Church, represented by the disciples in the boat, to draw you to Christ through preaching and the Sacraments? Though all of us might quickly answer “Yes” to that question, we should never fail to be attentive to the fact that salvation requires action on our part. It requires that we accept Christ Jesus by following His Commandments and live by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit as it is dispensed by the Church.Reflect, today, upon the symbolism found in this Resurrection account. Consider the fact that the Gospel has, indeed, been shared with you. Have you listened to the Word of God as it is preached by the Church? Do you immerse yourself in the grace given through the Sacraments? Do you follow the Ten Commandments faithfully? Do you continually open yourself to the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit? Seek to be among that catch of fish caught on the “right side.” Never doubt that hell is real and possible. For that reason, never waver from your fidelity to Christ, so that you will remain firmly grounded in His grace and share one day in His Resurrection.My resurrected Lord, You have offered Your grace and mercy to all, but not all have responded. I pray that I will always be among those who continually respond to Your invitation. I repent of my sin, dear Lord. Please help me to stay faithful to Your commands of love and to be daily immersed in Your transforming Spirit. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe Stock Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Do you ever have trouble following rules because you feel like they restrict you in some way? The Lord has given us the Ten Commandments not to take away our freedom but rather to allow us to be truly free. St John Paul II said “freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in doing what we ought” The CCC 2057 states that the Ten Commandments first must be understood in the context of Exodus when God liberates his people from Egypt. By giving the Ten Commandments God is revealing His Will and thus revealing His heart to us. “In making his Will known God reveals himself to his people.” CCC 2059The Catechism explains that it is in the New Covenant that Jesus affirms the validity of the Ten Commandments when he responds to the rich young man to keep the commandments in order to attain eternal life. In a different gospel passage when someone asks Him which one is the greatest commandment He replies you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and the second is you shall love your neighbor as yourself. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus not only confirms the commandments, He elevates them. The First three commandments include love of God and the last seven are about love of neighbor.The Ten Commandments I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not kill.You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall covet tour neighbor's wife.You shall not covet your neighbor's goods. The CCC 2071 explains that God has written natural law on the hearts of every human being, but God need to reveal the Ten Commandments because of our fallen human condition. He has given us His Commandments to clearly show how he wants us to live. These commandments can be difficult to follow but “what God commands he makes possible by his grace.“ CCC 2082We live in a culture where some believe that there is no moral absolute. However, if we truly embrace the Ten Commandments as a sign of God's love for us, and not His control, we can pursue the genuine freedom that He created us for. We can become truly free when we follow His Law, which is His Will and also His heart. 

By Mario Seiglie - The history of the Passover is discussed from its origin in Genesis 1 during the Creation week when days are established with signs. In Exodus, God tells Moses how the Israelites will be freed from Egyptian bondage when the first Passover is established. Then, God delivered His Commandments and

March 6, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Close of the CommandmentsDaily Lectionary: Genesis 1:20-2:3; Mark 1:14-28What does God say about all these commandments?He says, “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20: 5–6)What does this mean? God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore, we should fear His wrath and not do anything against them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore, we should also love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Why does God give His Commandments? It's not because He has some spare commandments lying around and wants to keep us busy. It's not that He needs something for us to do to show how much we like Him. God commands us to do (or not do) because He doesn't want those He loves to be hurt. Coveting our neighbor's stuff and relationships causes hurt. Taking away our neighbor's life, family, things, and reputation causes hurt. Rejecting authority causes hurt. Rebelling against God causes hurt. And our Lord isn't happy when we hurt those whom He loves, even when we hurt ourselves. Jesus loves you. That's not just some Sunday School song. The creator of all things cares so much for you, His creation, that He will give His life for your sake. He sacrifices Himself to pay for your sins. And He does all this before you've even done anything yet. His love is not earned. It is given freely to you. Breaking those Commandments is to throw away God's Gifts of love, of life, of forgiveness and to cling instead to sin and death. There are consequences for that. And those consequences do last for generations. I think of the things screwed up in my own family, and I see them passed down to my kids. And I don't want that for them. But I also see the faith that has been passed down from generation to generation. And maybe you're the very first generation in your family to trust Christ. There is His promise; hold tight to it. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Our works cannot salvation gain; They merit only endless pain. Forgive us, Lord! To Christ we flee, Who pleads for us endlessly. Have mercy, Lord! (LSB 581:12)-Rev. Eli Davis, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grants Pass, OR.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Visit the timeless rhythms of the Christian life with award-winning author Harold L. Senkbeil. As he addresses the concerns and pressures of the world today, you'll discover that even while the world is dying, Christ's death brings about life. True life. One that He offers to you. Order Now!

“This is how we know we have come to know Him – IF we obey His Commands!” This is so important: if we know Jesus and the reality of being forgiven, then we need to demonstrate that by obedience to His Commands. Because John says in v4ff, “The man who says, ‘I know Jesus', but doesn't keep His Commandments, is a liar – this is a very strong statement – and the Truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His Word, in him the LOVE of God is perfected. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” It's not just the talk, you must walk the walk. V9ff, “He that says he is in the Light and hates his brother, is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother is in the Light and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and doesn't know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him”…  V12, John says, “I'm writing to you little children because your sins have been forgiven in Jesus' Name.” Walk as He walked. Amen.

1 John 5:1-5“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Victory for Born-again Christians (v.4)  The Purpose of I John: The Assurance of the New Birth  TEN Evidences of the New Birth Those who are born of God obey His commandments. ( 1 John 2:3-4) Those who are born of God walk as Christ walked. ( 1 John 2:5-6) Those who are born of God don't hate others but love them. ( 1 John 2:9) Those who are born of God don't love the world. ( 1 John 2:15) Those who are born of God confess and embrace Jesus as the Son of God. ( 1 John 2:23) Those who are born of God practice righteousness. ( 1 John 2:29) Those who are born of God possess the Holy Spirit. ( 1 John 3:24_) Those who are born of God listen submissively to the apostolic Word. ( 1 John 4:6) Those who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ. (1 John 5:1) Those who are born of God overcome the world. ( 1 John 5:4)  Two Common Misunderstandings Living Out the Victory of Faith

Hanukkah reading for the believer Hebrew Roots helps us to place the candle in the position reserved for the Shamash (the servant candle which is set appart from the other eight candles by being elevated.) Place another candle in the holder on the far right of the menorah. Light the Shamash and as you do say: "Yeshua said: I am the light of the world." Recite the following: "Blessed are you O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified our lives through His Commandments, and has allowed us to kindle the Hanukkah lights." Numbers 7:1-17, Genesis 1:1-5, 14-18, Psalm 30, John 10:22-42

What do you need? What do you get the man that has everything? Nothing. We have all that we need by simply loving God and keeping His Commandments. The pursuit of what we "need" is a ploy by the devil to draw us away from our Lord. For more information about this episode contact us at 209 722 0312 or email churchofchrist95341@gmail.com

Episode 148: Do I Have a Purpose? You were created on purpose and filled with purpose by your Creator. Our purpose is to glorify our Heavenly Father, to fear God, and keep His Commandments. We are to follow Jesus and lead others to Him. When we read in Genesis that we are to be fruitful and multiply. This isn't only bearing children, it is also spiritual multiplication. Jesus never multiplied physically, but He multiplied spiritually. Your purpose includes spreading the gospel and helping others come to know Jesus. Our God given purpose requires that we no longer go along with the crowd. We are called to be set apart. As we grow to know God more and engage Jesus, we should becoming more and more like Jesus. God uses every single thing we go through to transform us into who He created us to become. It is a continual progression until we meet Him face to face. Satan wants to detour us from pursing the purpose we are to fulfill. He hisses and points us to our selfish desires or anything other than God's plan for us. We must recognize this as spiritual warfare and stop believing His lies. Get in God's word - it is the truth. Engage Jesus in every moment of your life and you will experience the more He came to offer. And what He came to offer you as you follow Him far surpasses anything you will leave behind. Ask God daily to reveal your purpose for the day. Say yes to God and surrender your life to Him. Today is the day to start being about your Father's business. We are here to help you step into your purpose. Feel free to reach out to us at https://forms.gle/utvdGEX5uths18tX9 and let us know how we can come alongside you. Check out the Engage and Lead course, the Stickwithitness Course, and our Coaching Programs at https://www.engageformore.com/store CONNECT WITH US AT: ▶︎Website: https://www.engageformore.com ▶︎Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/EngageforMore ▶︎Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163312072559573 ▶︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/engageformore/ We exist to encourage you to engage and experience the more Jesus came to offer. Here's Pam's book - https://a.co/d/er42DKW Here's Pam's Blog - https://www.pampegram.com/master-what-matters Here's Pam's Website - https://www.pampegram.com #engageformore #christianwomen #christiancoach #dailydevotional #inspiration #motivation #faith #purpose

Want to love God more? Find deeper ways to obey His Commandments...not just the letter of the law, but the heart!

"His Commandments are Not Burdensome" Charlie Woodward, 7.7.2024 by

Listen up .... God's Chosen Ones! Our Lord and Savior takes witchcraft very seriously. Point blank- it's forbidden. (See Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Friends, we can't be half in the world and half in Christianity and think the Lord is going to bless and protect us for being disobedient to His Commandments. Especially, His chosen ones who He has called to speak on His behalf. Listen to this headful prophetic warning! Blessings xo- Melia's Services -> https://meliadiana.com/our-services Melia's Books ->https://meliadiana.com/books Melia's Courses -> https://meliadiana.com/vertical-relationship-academy FREE Resources - > https://meliadiana.com/resources

In Jesus' day, two prominent realities organized Jewish life, the Temple and Torah. At the Temple, sacrifices were made, feasts celebrated, and worship offered. Through the Torah, God instructed His people to live holy lives by keeping His Commandments. Over time, Israel's religious leaders developed extensive and complicated teachings for how the Law of God should be applied in specific areas. But as often happens, when human beings add to God's law, we end up subtracting from it. Rule keeping and score keeping replace heart devotion. Following customs and traditions can't fix your sinful heart. Only Jesus Christ, through His atoning work on the cross, can grant forgiveness of sins and a transformed heart.

In Jesus' day, two prominent realities organized Jewish life, the Temple and Torah. At the Temple, sacrifices were made, feasts celebrated, and worship offered. Through the Torah, God instructed His people to live holy lives by keeping His Commandments. Over time, Israel's religious leaders developed extensive and complicated teachings for how the Law of God should be applied in specific areas. But as often happens, when human beings add to God's law, we end up subtracting from it. Rule keeping and score keeping replace heart devotion. Following customs and traditions can't fix your sinful heart. Only Jesus Christ, through His atoning work on the cross, can grant forgiveness of sins and a transformed heart.

May 11, 2024 Today's Reading: Psalm 27:1a, 4-5, 10, 14; antiphon: Psalm 27:7Daily Lectionary: Numbers 13:1-3, 17-33; Luke 18:1-17Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Christianity is a waiting game. Much as you might want immediate results, the Psalmist teaches you that you have to wait. When affliction hits you, when there's suffering among your friends or family, when blessings are coming but they're not here yet, you'd love for God to step in immediately. But most of the time, God does not deliver His blessings, relief, or healing according to your preferred time schedule.So you have to wait for the Lord. You have to bear the affliction. You have to endure powerlessness. You can only anticipate the good that's coming sometimes. That's hard. Not only is that hard, that also can be faith destroying. Jesus' parable of the sower in Matthew 13 teaches that some receive the Word with joy for a time, only to fall away from it in times of persecution or suffering. Our sinful nature does not like to wait. Perhaps that's a good reason why God teaches us that we must sometimes.When God acts, He acts always at the right time. Whenever He withholds blessings, it is so your heart might learn to rely on His Word and promises. Suffering teaches reliance on God's Word for those who are willing to learn that lesson. Whenever God turns His face away in anger, it is so you might offer prayers to God and remind Him of His Word and promises that He has bound Himself to. When God allows suffering, it is so your heart learns that this world is not your friend but a valley of sorrows. But He also promises grace and every blessing to all who trust in His Word and conform their lives to living according to His Commandments.Therefore, Christianity is a waiting game of epic proportions. But as you wait for the Lord to show His mercy, you can be strong. Your heart can take courage. You can be bold. For God has not cast off His people forever. His anger may last a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. In Jesus, God has acted for your eternal good and blessing. In Jesus' death, God was reconciling the world to Himself. By Jesus' death, the Christians' heart finds all strength and courage. He suffers for your sins so you do not fall under God's eternal anger. Jesus is forsaken by God so that you would never be. Nothing makes a heart so courageous and strong as hearing the Gospel, that Jesus died and rose for you and your sins are forgiven. He also died in the fullness of time. God always acts at the right time. And that's good enough for faith. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, grant that our hearts do not lose courage as we wait for Your mercy, but instead find strength in Your Word and promises given in Jesus. Amen.- Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House. 

May 5, 2024 Today's Reading: John 15:9-17 Daily Lectionary: Numbers 3:1-16, 39-48; Number 4:1-8; Luke 14:25-15:10“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  (John 15:12)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Love is commanded. Therefore, this kind of love that Jesus speaks of is not a feeling. You cannot command anyone to feel a certain way. As much as you might wish to be able to command that hot girl in English class or the guy across the row in band to feel attraction to you, sadly, it doesn't work that way.The love that Jesus commands is action. Self-giving action, at that. This is not the kind of self-giving that a girl does when she finally gives in to pressure from her boyfriend to have sex. That's not self-giving, that's giving in. Jesus does not command sin, for sin is dangerous and destructive to people. Sex before marriage, for example, is a monstrous faith destroyer. That is why God set up His Commandments- to safeguard and protect you from dangers that would harm the good Gifts that God gives. Getting back to the self-giving nature of love, it is the kind of action that sacrifices money, time, a caring heart, and perhaps your popularity to help someone under affliction.Chief among the Commandments is love. Your love for fellow believers (especially in your congregation) is to reflect Jesus' love for you. You cannot truly know love, that is, without learning God's Word and believing the Gospel. You cannot truly show love where you are ignorant of the self-giving Jesus gave when He laid down His life for sinners. For Jesus not only commands love- He commands a specific love. This specific love mirrors Jesus' own actions for us.Because no one can keep this commandment by nature, we confess our lovelessness and receive Jesus' Absolution from our pastor as from God Himself. Our pastor's Absolution delivers forgiveness for our lovelessness. And it also refreshes us in Jesus' love for us. His love is action, meaning that in Confession and Absolution, Jesus is acting to communicate the righteousness He won for you by His death. Risen from the dead, Jesus has broken the power of death and defanged the devil. There is no condemnation for you who believe this. Therefore, receiving Jesus' love in the act of hearing the forgiveness of sins, we can then show the same kind of heart and forgiveness to those who sin against us lovelessly. God grant Your Spirit that we might! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.- Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House. 

The Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter tells us about Jesus' invitation to remain in His Love by following His Commandments, just as He remains in His Father's Love by following His Commandments. His Father wanted Him to die on the Cross to save mankind from sin and death. The acid test of whether we truly love God whom we don't see--it is so easy to claim we love Him--is by checking on how we love the others. Loving the others is crucial because God loves them too. He died for all of us. How is our struggle to love the others?

Since He is Love, He cannot but love us. We do not need to do anything to deserve His love for us. He simply loves us. We are able to love the others when we have been loved first by God. We love God in return by following His Commandments. His Commandments are a gift to us. This gift is a guide for us to blossom as human beings. When a trainer trains his dog to do certain tricks and the dog does them well, the trainer is happy. Something like that is what happens between God and us. We please Him when we follow His instructions.

April 30, 2024 Today's Reading: 1 John 4:1-11, 12-21Daily Lectionary: Leviticus 23:1-22, Luke 12:13-34Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Test the spirits? Are we talking about multiple choice? Fill in the blank? Maybe it's the dreaded essay test! Or worse - the kind of theological interview many seminarians take to be pastors. The theological interview is basically an hour-long spoken examination before two intelligent professors who can ask any theological question they want! That's not what St. John means, thankfully! “Testing the spirits” is John's way of saying that you are to test the Scriptural faithfulness of every preacher you hear.Why does John speak of spirits? What's that about? That's because, in the New Testament, no one could be a public preacher without having some spirit influencing him to speak. It was either the Holy Spirit, or it was an evil spirit. The Holy Spirit sends out pastors who speak of Jesus and His free salvation for you. They proclaim Scripture's teaching purely. We know they are influenced by the Holy Spirit because Jesus says in the gospel of John 15:26, “The Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, will bear witness about me.” All false spirits, however, send out preachers who persistently teach against what Scripture says. They may preach leadership skills or how to become a better person. They may preach that babies are innocent of all sin and don't need Baptism, or that God chose to only save some people and not all. Whatever it is they say, they don't speak according to Scripture.Test the spirits! But how can you know if your pastor is speaking Biblically or not? You hopefully haven't read the Bible as much as he has! But, you are taught the entire Christian faith by the Small Catechism. This is the “layman's Bible." This directs you to what God teaches. His Commandments teach what you are to do, but they convict your heart if you have not done them. The Creed teaches what God has done for you, to create you, but also to save you. God sent His Son to redeem all Creation, and the Holy Spirit now proclaims Jesus' salvation by the mouths of His pastors! The Lord's Prayer teaches you how to pray to God. The Sacraments of Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord's Supper teach you how God continues to give you His healing Gospel in the life of the Church. If your pastor is preaching what is in line with this? Tell him you appreciate it, and you appreciate him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit On Your servant now, we pray; Let him prove a faithful shepherd That no lamb be led astray. Your pure teaching to proclaim, To extol Your holy name, And to feed Your lambs, dear Savior, Make his aim and sole endeavor. (LSB 681:1)- Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House. 

We celebrate today a great saint in the Church. In fact, we recall St. Catherine of Siena who was declared by St. Pope Paul VI in 1970 a Doctor of the Church. Only a few women enjoy this distinction in the Catholic Church. We admire her for her availability to the purposes of the Lord in the politics and state matters of 14th century. The Gospel reveals to us two revelations: Our love for God is measured by how much we adhere to His Commandments; The Advocate or the Holy Spirit will be sent by the Father.

Short expounding of Nehemiah 1-5-11 - Sorry for missed start-----1.Verses 4-7 Nehemiah deep prayer request to keep--his covenant.----2.Verses 7-10 Nehemiah deep prayer request to not--cast them out if they turn to God and keep His--Commandments.----3.Verse 11 Nehemiah deep prayer request to--commission him because of his influence being a close--confidant -close friend-.

Today's readings from Holy Scripture teach us that Lent is the ideal time to clean out the Temple of our own hearts and to offer to God proper Divine worship by obeying His Commandments. Today's first reading teaches us that the Ten Commandments are the basis of our religious and spiritual life. Instead of restricting our freedom, the Commandments really help us to love and respect our God and our neighbour.The second reading reminds us that we must appreciate the Divine “foolishness” of the crucified Christ and obey His commandment of love as our expression of Divine worship. The Gospel gives us the dramatic account of Jesus' cleansing the Temple of its merchants and moneychangers, followed by a prediction of his death and Resurrection. Today's readings challenge us to keep our Covenant agreement with Jesus Christ, just as the Israelites tried to keep the agreements of the Old Testament Covenant with Yahweh by promising to obey the Ten Commandments. We become people of the New Covenant by loving others as Jesus did

In this week's study, I finish in Chapter 17. Before I get into the study, I discuss some new events about the global elite. I share with the listeners' a book that was wrote in 1958, by William Carr, titled ‘Pawns in the Game'In our last study we finished up with verse 16 and we seen that John informs us that the 10 horns or the 10 powers that sat upon the beast (Satan's system of destruction) shall hate the whore/harlot woman. Now keep in mind that this woman sits upon the beast. Why? Well the woman who intoxicates the worldrelies upon the beast for support and safety! As we finish reading the rest of this verse 16 ‘shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.' Don't over look this! Here John is telling us, even though this woman sits on this beast for protection, the beast throws her under the bus! Now keep in mind all those that followed after this whorish woman MAY also get thrown under the bus!The International Bankers are not interested in anything else other than obtaining for their own small and very select group, ultimate undisputed control of the wealth, natural resources, and man-power of the entire world. The only honest thought in any of their minds is that they obviously believe that they are so superior in mental ability to the rest of mankind that they are better able, than any other group of individuals, to manage the World's affairs. They are convinced that they can work out a plan of world government that is better than Yahweh's plan. For this reason they are determined to ultimately eliminate from the minds of all human beings all knowledge of Yahweh and of His Commandments and substitute their own New World Order based on the theory that the State (Satan) is Supreme in all things and the Head of the State (Satan) is, therefore, Yahweh Almighty upon this earth. Once people become convinced of this great truth they will realize that men of all races, colors, and creeds have been used, and are still being used, as “Pawns in the Game”.17           For = The word “For” connects the hatred for the harlot (seen in verse 16) with the reason for the hatred (in verse 17). Specifically, the Satanic kingdom hates the harlot because the harlot stands in the way of complete unity under Antichrist.Yahweh hath put it = (lit., gave it) into their = those of verse 16hearts to fulfill = (lit., to do) His will =  (go-may) His mind; opinion, the result of knowledgeand agree =  carry out (literally "do") one purpose  words = Greek. rhema, “hray'-mah” an utterance (individually, collectively or specifically); by implication a matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute)Apparently it is Satan's work, but Yahweh is over all, and He "shall send them strong delusion" (2 Thess 2:11. Compare Is 10:7). They carry out their own willful desires, but blindly fulfill the counsel of Yahweh.We have been introduced to this harlot and seen her associated with the name Babylon. Despite this association, I believe it is best to understand them as separate entities.In Revelation, the harlot is associated with idolatry. She is depicted as having been around for a long time (e.g. in Rev 18:20 she is implicated in the sufferings of prophets and apostles). As the “mother of harlots“, she is the source of several forms of idolatry. She is described as having led the kings of the earth into immorality. All of this indicates her continuous presence on earth.Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me at keitner@netzero.net

Fr. Allen Hoffa hosts this special episode to discuss how porn warps the marital act and the myths and misconceptions we as a Church need to address with His Commandments for marital intimacy.   Stop looking for love in all the wrong places LOVE never uses another Mutual exchange is not only important, but it is also mandatory

Don't Confuse Your Fertilizer With An AppetizerScrtipture referencesLuke 13:6-9Key points1.  This may be your last go around, so accept God's fertilizer and start producing fruit before He cut's you down and you end up Underground.Luke 13:22-302.  We have been warned about the end of times, be it the Rapture are our eye closure, so accept this fertilizer and stay ready for our Earthly departure.Ecclesiastes 3:9-15Ecclesiastes 12:8-143.  Our main duty in life is to fear God and keep His Commandments, so stop putting God behind your worldly entertainment.1 Peter 5:8Matthew 6:19-344.  If your God is the almighty dollar, then Satan has got you by the collar, why not seek first The Kingdom of God and all His righteousness and your finances will be forever blessed.Psalm 19:7-14

Psalm 111:7-10 7 The works of His hands are verity and justice; All His precepts are sure. 8 They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. Today, I am calling our pastor's chat, “In God We Trust”. I just checked to make sure, but on our United States currency you can find these words still stamped on them, “In God We Trust”. In a day and age when it is hard to know who to trust because of the apparent lies and deceitfulness of our culture and government, it is wonderful to know that we have a God of the Bible that we can put our trust in. Remember that Psalms 111 and 112 were most likely written by some Levite after the Babylonian captivity. Life was not easy for the Jewish remnant that returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon to reestablish the nation and to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Their neighbors were often hostile, the Persian officials were not always cooperative, and the economic situation was difficult. In this time of great discouragement, the psalmist wanted to assure them that Jehovah was able to take care of them. The psalmist of Psalm 111 encouraged them in verse 1 to praise the Lord anyway. In verses 2-6, he reminded them of the great and awesome works of God! Now, in verses 7-9, he exhorts them to take the time to look into God's Word and rely on it. And finally in verse 10, he tells them to fear the LORD and be willing to obey His Commandments. From the works of God it was an easy transition to the Word of God, for it is God's Word that brought all things into being and that keeps things together (Psalm 33:6-11). God gave His law to His people so that they might enjoy His blessings. His righteousness is forever (v. 3), but so are His covenants (vv. 5, 9) and His precepts (v. 8). God's Word is trustworthy, and we can rely on it. His precepts are given in love and His promises never fail. As for the covenant He made with Israel, He has been faithful to keep it even when Israel was not faithful to obey it. If we obey His Word, He is faithful to bless; if we disobey, He is just to chasten us in love. As the people of God, we bear His name and want to glorify His name in all that we say and do. "Holy and awesome is his name," To the Jewish people, God's name was so awesome that they would not speak the name "Jehovah" but substituted "Adonai" lest they would inadvertently blaspheme His holy name. Would that God's people today had such reverence for the name of the Lord! The awesomeness of God's name leads to the importance of fearing the Lord and obeying His will. The fear of the Lord is a topic mentioned frequently in Scripture, especially in the book of Proverbs. It is not the slavish fear of a criminal before a judge but the loving and reverential fear of a child for his or her parents. If we want to understand God's works and God's Word, we must maintain this reverential fear of the Lord, for this attitude is the basis for receiving spiritual wisdom and understanding. (See Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7 and 9:10.) The word "beginning" means "the principal part," and without this we are unprepared to learn God's truth. But fearing the Lord leads to obeying the Lord, and obedience is important to spiritual understanding (John 7:17). Remember the old hymn says, “Trust and obey, there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey! Yes, my friend, today you can still “Trust in God”! God bless!

As we said yesterday, Psalms 111 and 112 could be called twins. Neither have a title, we have no idea who wrote them, but most likely they were written by some Levite after the Babylonian captivity, probably early in the post-exilic period. Life was not easy for the Jewish remnant that returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. Their neighbors were often hostile, the Persian officials were not always cooperative, and the economic situation was difficult. Ezra the scribe and the prophet Haggai described some of these problems in their books. The psalmist of Psalm 111 gives us four instructions to follow if we would enjoy the help and blessing of the Lord in the difficult and discouraging situations of life. In verse 1, we should look up and be committed to praise and worship the Lord anyway. In verses 2-6, we should look around and remember the works of God! In verses 7-9, we take the time to look into God's Word and rely on it. And in verse 10, we learn to fear the LORD and be willing to obey His Commandments. First, we should deal with our discouragement with worship and praise (v. 1). We might not be able to rejoice in our circumstances, but we can always rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). This opening verse is actually a vow. The writer is determined to praise God no matter what happens. Sometimes we simply need to get ourselves by the nape of the neck and decide to do what is right no matter how we feel!  Notice that the psalmist does not stay at home and worship in private, as important as that is; he goes to the sanctuary and joins in with others. We encourage one another as we praise God together. The "assembly of the upright" is a smaller group of the psalmist's friends who, like him, are a part of the larger "congregation." All of us have people in church who are very special to us, and as long as we do not form an exclusive clique, there is nothing wrong with worshiping God with your close friends. The "small group" movement in the church today has proven very helpful, especially in larger congregations. But the important thing is that we are wholehearted in our worship, giving God our very best. Secondly, we should remember God's great and awesome works (vv. 2-6). God's people do not live in the past, but they know how to use the past to give them encouragement in the present and hope for the future. God's works reveal His attributes, for like Him they are great (v. 2), glorious, majestic and righteous (v. 3), wonderful, gracious and compassionate (v. 4), powerful (v. 6), faithful, just and trustworthy (v. 7), and holy and awesome (v. 9). Who could not trust a God with that kind of character! In reviewing the kinds of works God did, the psalmist also reminded us of what some of those works were (vv. 5, 6, 9). We should delight in pondering the record of God's works and learn more about the Lord from our study, but we should also review how He has worked in our own lives. The word "remembered" in verse 4 is "memorial." We may read it, "He has caused His wonders to be a memorial." In fact, Israel itself is a memorial to the power and grace of God. As Abraham went from place to place, he left behind altars and wells as memorials that God had brought him that way, and the Jewish nation left "memorial stones" after they entered Canaan (Josh. 4:1-7) and during their passage through the land. Jewish parents were commanded to teach their children the meaning of the special days and the memorial stones (Ex. 13:3-10; Deut. 6:4-9; Josh. 4:4-7). There should be special places in our lives that we mark where God can bring edifying memories to mind that will help us remember His greatness and grace. What are yours? God bless!

Walk by Faith not by Sight or according to the word of man. Get connected with the true source and develop the best relationship ever, in Jesus! Man can't do for you what Jesus can. Stop being fooled by the fakes. Following man will lead you to hell right along with them. Hell wasn't meant for you, but there sure is room for you there, right alonside your master, the devil. If you say you love the Lord Jesus, then you will live for Him. You will seek understanding, and you will above all else, keep His Commandments. The devil is manipulating them and they're manipulating you!

Saint Athanasius ChurchContra Mundum SwaggerVideo Version

We love to be victorious in life. But what's even better than winning is when we can win twice simultaneously. The Christian life is hard and costly. But thankfully what the Lord calls us to do is all about victory. We will discuss how obedience to His Commandments turns out for our Win/Win. Blessings!

Many people don't know nor want to believe that our Heavenly Father (God) has a Name that was removed from our Bible many years ago, and one of His Commandments is that we are not to take His Name in vain. In other words, we are commanded not to make His Name worthless or meaningless. An increasing number of Bible believers are seeking the heart of the Father like never before. We are learning that indeed, our ancestors have inherited lies. And it is time to expose the truths that the Enemy doesn't want us to know. He doesn't want us to know that our heavenly Father's name is Yahuah. It is a mighty Name that carries so much beauty and power and meaning. Yahuah's Name is very important to our understanding of Scripture and prophecy. It is prophesied that His Name will be restored in the latter days (Ezekiel 20:44). I know the challenges and hesitations that you will have as you dive deeper into these truths, but I want you to know the truth because I love you. Let's dig deeper. Contact Me: stephanie@promise-perspective.com Visit my website: www.promise-perspective.comSupport the show

Wisdom From Psalm 111 -112 & Proverbs 28: The Fear of Yehovah, and Obedience to His Commandments by Shawn Ozbun

I am surprised by the amount of people whom believe in God, who don't consider themselves blessed. As if God is only the God of Curses but not the God of Blessings. I mention in this message that according to scripture you can be blessed and cursed at the same time: 'I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) ' Revelation 2:9 We are in poverty but we are rich, we are under much tribulations but we are blessed. My subject for this messages surrounds the scripture Luke 18:29-30 where Christ proclaims that you can be Blessed In This Life & the Next: ““Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”” Luke 18:29-30 Personally in my entire life, I have never seen the righteous forsaken. Those or Them, he or she, diligently seeking after God daily, I have never seen that person forsaken “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalm 37:25 I've often said this to people, but thought we are cursed as a people. If you personally Follow Gods Laws, His Commandments, His Statutes, His ways and you will be individually blessed in this life and the next: “And when we were carried away captives to Nineve, all my brethren and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles. But I kept myself from eating; Because I remembered God with all my heart. And the most High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar, so that I was his purveyor.” Tobit 1:10-13

Intro  Paul Biondino III Founder and Creator of the Squeeze 10 Commandments Game. As a devout lover of God and his 10 Commandments, Paul has always felt a duty to share what it is like to always be with the Lord Him, and especially spoiled by Him. Paul wanted to create an opportunity for children to have a chance early in their lives to know God in this way. Loyalty to God and His Commandments is the key to obtaining his great promises for us.  Could there be any promises in our lives better kept than God's? Paul believes that our obedience to God molds the composition of our faith. The promises of God to those who love and teach His Commandments are the pearls to a great life. Those who truly love His Commandments receive spiritual wisdom, protection from danger, personal freedom, and many other temporal and spiritual graces.  Paul's mission is to share with all God's children that loving God and His 10 Commandments offers a lifetime of inexhaustible personal and spiritual favor. He tries to accomplish this through the Squeeze 10 Commandments™ Game, allowing children to PLAY, LEARN and CELEBRATE!  Top three takeaways  We need to put strong early foundations into our children.  But children need guidance give them the first golden key for life. Loyalty an obedience to God and his commandments in return for earthly protection and favor.  How the games helps all kids regardless of challenge.   Call to Action  Squeezeten Website   What is Next!  Thank you for supporting this show by listening and sharing with friends! If you like this podcast please rate and write a review of how this show has impacted or helped you!   Great ratings will accelerate the show's visibility to the nation so others can learn more about homeschool and find quality curriculum and the potentially join the homeschool community thus change the face of education forever!!   Who would have thought that we could change the education world with a click and a share!  Also if you would like to hear more about any specific educational topic please email me at realedtalk@gmail.com I would love to support your families educational needs in all areas!!   Bex Buzzie  The Homeschool Advantage Podcast    

Before we speak about the evidence of Islam and the Holy Quran's Divine origin, let me quickly introduce Islam. Islam is defined as the voluntary act of submitting yourself to God. When you become a Muslim, you submit and surrender to the will of God, just as the creation around you, providing you peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. Only when you submit to God, through a process of believing in Him and obeying His commandments, do you achieve an innate and lasting sense of security, true peace of mind, and surety of heart. As a Muslim, you don't live to fulfill your desires, lusts, and impulses; instead, by definition, a Muslim submits their will to the almighty God. You acknowledge and trust that God knows what's best for you, so you follow His guidance. You cannot live peacefully or successfully without religion, and this religion cannot be man-made. Religion must be utterly Divine, with no human alteration inherent. The only Revelation in the world today that still rings good and true is the final Book, the last and final Testament of God, the Holy Quran. All other traditional Revelations have been lost in the annals of time or undergone endless human-made modifications that have rendered them impractical for humanity. Unlike other sacred scriptures such as the Bible, the Holy Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning—and in a language that still exists today.Islam is a monotheistic faith that requires followers to admit and recognize the existence of one Supreme God and Being who is Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowledgeable, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, Most-Merciful, and Loving. Islam stresses the existence of only One God. The same God worshipped by Prophet Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Islam demonstrates the fact that, through the centuries, God has continued to bless humanity with holy Prophets bearing the same general message. The message is simple: you should worship God Alone with no partners, love Him with all of your heart, and follow His Commandments. If you follow this edict, you will live a content life in this world and enter Paradise eternally in the afterlife. If you do not believe in God and follow His commandments, you will live a depressed life and enter hellfire in the afterlife. Islam is not a religion solely based on creeds, customs, and rituals such as praying and fasting; instead, Islam is a complete way of life that guides followers in every aspect of their lives. Islam teaches the art of living and dictates how you should steer and navigate your life. Islam instructs you about the things in this life that are beneficial to you and those that are ultimately destructive and should be avoided. Islam states that everyday human acts, such as eating, drinking, greeting others, sitting, learning, dressing, sleeping, and giving charity, are all acts of worship if conducted for God alone and in accordance with His Divine Laws and guidelines. 

Today's Reading: Matthew 5:13-20Daily Lectionary: Job 2:1, John 1:19-34 “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Anchovies. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they give us a clue into what Jesus is saying: Salt is a preservative. It keeps meat from decaying into stench and worms.  So, Jesus compares us to salt for the earth—a preservative against the stench that comes from the lawlessness that happens on earth. In the Cold War, they had air raid drills. During them, everyone would either have to turn out their lights because, if they didn't, the enemy could see where to attack.  Our Lord says we are the light of the world, a city set on a hill. That sure makes us stand out in the darkness of this world. St. Paul writes that the children of God “shine as lights in the world…in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” (Phil. 2:15)  Christians have a unique calling from God toward the decaying stench and deep darkness of this world.  It is why He makes us hang around.  He doesn't want the world to be left to its own “flavor” or overrun by the darkness of the sinful heart.  It is our task to pray for the world, as Abraham interceded for the wretched cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  We're placed where we are in 2023 in order to shine light upon those who dwell in darkness.  Sometimes, we selfishly ask God to just give us some shelter from the world and rest from having uncomfortable conversations with trans friends. Our own salt loses its saltiness and it's easier to cover up our light.Jesus came not only to expose the rot and blindness of humanity, but to save and shine the pure light of God upon us.  His coming is not a divine “Just Kidding” about the wrath and death of sinners in the Old Testament.  His birth and life, His suffering and death, and His glorious resurrection show both God's just wrath and His mercy toward our sinful race. His mercy toward you, and extending to every single human being.  If we were to relax His Commandments, it may make things selfishly easier, but it's not the loving thing to do. The loving thing is what God has done, to send His Son to rescue us from the mire and bring us into His marvelous light.  In God's Son, we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.  He makes our lives testify that God's righteousness and salvation is found nowhere else than in Jesus Christ, the Light of the world.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.-Pastor Michael A. Miller is Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR.,Audio Reflections Speaker: Patrick Sturdivant, Development and Marketing Executive at Higher Things.Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

Today's Scripture: https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/111/LUK.16.NIV Welcome to the Daily SOAP from New Hope.  This is Paul Brooks, your guest host for today.  I hope you are having a good day.      Today we will explore Luke 16.  If you haven't read it yet, you might want to do so now.  I will be focusing on Luke 16:1-15 and, specifically, Luke 16:9 from the NIV version.    Scripture – Luke 16:9: [Jesus said,] “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”   I am drawing here a passage from The Parable of the Shrewd Manager.  Let me set the stage.  We learned in Luke 15:1-2 the following: 1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  We can surmise from a passage later in Luke 16 that The Parable of the Shrewd Manager was shared at this same time.  So, Jesus is speaking to the detestable tax collectors and other sinners (like us) and is teaching about “true” wealth versus “earthly” wealth while the Pharisees sneer at Him.    Like some other parables, this one made me think twice.  In it, a rich man calls in the manager of his estate, accuses him of wasting his possessions, and summarily fires him.  The manager, worried about his future, then proceeds to contact his master's debtors and forgive large portions of their debts.  He does this to curry favor, hoping that his future will be better for that favor.  These are debts owed to his master, not to him personally.  In our world, this would set off a string of police filings, lawsuits, legal expenses, social media rampaging, and overall ugliness.  Yet in this lesson, the master actually commends the manager for these actions because he had acted shrewdly.  Jesus goes on to say, “8For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.  9I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”    What is Jesus saying to us here?  This sounds confusing.  I think he is contrasting our way of life as “People of the world” with the life we should lead as “People of the light”:     Our Earthly World – “People of the world” Shrewdness often means figuring out how to get more out of others for our own benefit.       Take care of yourself at others' expense.    The Goal is to attain worldly wealth and other “valuables”.    Jesus's Perfect World – “People of the light” Shrewdness is blessing others who, like us, have debts to pay – just as He blessed us and forgave our debts through his birth, death, and resurrection.   Take care of yourself by living like Jesus.      The Goal is to follow His Commandments and Example, and so attain eternal life with Him.     On its face, this seems to be a money-related lesson.  Jesus ends this parable as follows: 13 “No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”  But there is more to this lesson than simply money.    Luke goes on to write in verses 14 and 15: 14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.  15[Jesus] said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.  What people value highly is detestable to God.”  This, in my opinion, goes well beyond money.  What did the Pharisees value, and what does our society still value, in addition to money?  We value respect.  We value status.  We value power.  We value consideration.  We value positive feedback.  We value like-mindedness.  We value things that build us up on the eyes of other human beings.  We lock them in the treasure chest of our souls.  Sometimes we count them.  And where we have been “slighted” or “shorted” or “affronted”, we write that down and track it as one of those worldly debts.  It's all part of our personal “portfolio” … our “treasures.”    But what does Jesus tell us to value?  The list is long, but it starts here, from Matthew 22:37-40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”    In this season of Christmas, as we approach that glorious day after tomorrow when we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, maybe we should take a minute and think about those “treasures.”  Who owes us a worldly “debt”.  Who do we hold accountable for any of those worldly assets?  How can we forgive them of that burden, thus unburdening ourselves in the process? Wouldn't you treasure the gift of “forgiveness” by someone you had offended in some manner?  I know I would.  After all, God gave us the greatest gift of all – full free forgiveness and a welcome into “eternal dwellings” with Him.      As Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-20: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”    I invite you to pray this with me.    Almighty and most merciful Father.  I am too quick to focus my attention on the treasures of this world.  I store them in the vault of my soul and pull them out and count them as valuable items.  These “assets” include the “debts” I perceive others “owe” me.  Like money or status, I pull them out from time to time and recount them, often to make myself feel better, or more “righteous” in some way.  But, in reality, they tear me down.  Doing so is not what you command of me – to love others as myself.  I am sorry and I want to do better.  Please forgive me and help me be more like you.  As you forgive me, let me also forgive others of these worldly things, and in doing so glorify you.  And, even more so, let me be a blessing to my neighbors in other ways.  Let me be part of your ministries, bringing your Gospel, your help, your love to all who need them.  As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, help me remember that you came to be with us that we might know you, to listen to us, to walk in our shoes, to care for us, to teach us, to die for us, and through your resurrection, to live with us now and through eternity.  I pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.    This has been the Daily SOAP from New Hope.  We hope you will join us to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning or both.  But wherever you are, Celebrate!  God is with us!!  God is with you!!!  Rejoice!!!!   I'll leave you with a poem by Phillips Brooks titled, Christmas Everywhere.    Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight!  Christmas in the lands of the fir-tree and pine, Christmas in the lands of the palm-tree and vine, Christmas where snow peaks stand solemn and white, Christmas where the cornfields stand sunny and bright.  Christmas where children are hopeful and gay, Christmas where old men are patient and gray, Christmas where peace, like a dove in flight, Broods o'er brave men in the thick of the fight;  Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight! For the Christ-child who comes is the master of all; No palace too great, no cottage too small.    Paul Brooks . . . . . We hope you have a blessed Christmas! We invite you to worship with us this Christmas Eve at one of our Worship services, Saturday, December 24th at 3, 5, or 7 pm, in-person or online at https://www.findnewhope.com . And Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25th in English or Spanish at 11 am in-person or online. Go to findnewhope.com to plan your visit! Our staff and leadership employ what's called the “S.O.A.P. Method”. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Each day, we read one or two chapters of Scripture and focus on one particular verse. We make some observations about how that verse touches us, discern how it applies to our lives, and offer a prayer related to what we have read. -- Donate via PayPal to support the podcasts and the Technical Arts Ministry of New Hope! https://goo.gl/o2a9oU Subscribe at: http://www.findnewhope.com/soap (813) 689-4161 keywords: devotional, bible study

There's only one thing God requires of you you!-Obedience to His Commandments. Many people are complying to human standards or living in conformity to societal values.. But God wants an individual commitment to His standards through obedience irrespective of what others are doing. If you make up your mind to recognise God's authority and obey His laws including keeping His Sabbath, look not to what others are saying or doing. OBEY! Simply because God has said so.

Our function on this Earth is to fear God and keep His Commandments. If we stay true to the course and fulfill this purpose, the things we hope for will come to pass. Even though the wicked can make poor decisions that have good outcomes, we can't be distracted and must continue to make righteous decisions, no matter the outcome. For more information about this episode contact us at Ministry@churchofchristmerced.com

Summary: The Fear of God is Liberating! While the fear of man, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the enemy, can be debilitating.  Ray Comfort shares how he recognized the fear of the Lord that eventually led him into a relationship with Christ and developed a hunger for truth and righteousness. God led Ray on a ministry journey that has impacted millions around the globe.  Join Ray and host, Doug Stringer as they discuss how the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the truths of God's Word and His Commandments can lead others to know Him as well.  Share this message with a friend and subscribe for weekly encouragement and inspiration! Visit AWordInSeasonPodcast.org for a free 30-Day Devotional. Learn more at: SomebodyCares.org and join us to support this ministry and disaster response efforts.   You can also receive weekly Provoke-a-Thought emails, monthly teaching emails, periodic ministry updates, or join our prayer team by signing up here!   FOLLOW US ON:   Facebook: @SomebodyCaresAmerica  Youtube: SomebodyCaresAmerica  Rumble: SomebodyCares or  Twitter: _SomebodyCares. Instagram: SomebodyCaresAmerica LinkedIn: Somebody Cares America

This message is about navigating our ways towards fulfilling God's purpose for us on earth through His Commandments. Please stay tuned and remain blessed.

To help humanity navigate to Him, God the Almighty sent down Books with His Prophets to teach and show humankind how to live their lives pleasingly in His eyes - a way of life that comes with contentment in this world and the next while avoiding punishment in the afterlife and attaining Paradise. These Books sent by God are study guides and instructional manuals on how one's life should be lived. Through his Revelations to humanity delivered with Prophets, God reveals His Wisdom, Laws, and Instructions. The Holy Quran says that in every age, a Book is revealed. God has sent forth a number of them in the past, but with the last and final Revelation arrives the Glorious Quran, as revealed to the latest and final Prophet, Muhammad PBUH. The Holy Quran is meant to be the Book of Guidance for people living today until the end of time, whereas past Scriptures were meant only for past nations; therefore, they no longer need to be preserved. Muslims believe that the Holy Quran has abrogated all previous Scriptures before it, meaning the book cancels the rulings of the earlier Scriptures and renders them inapplicable going forward-- since these preceding Scriptures were meant for earlier nations, not for us. In His infinite Wisdom, God did not feel fit to send down the Holy Quran at the time of previous nations. Although different Revelations came to various Prophets and nations with slight differences in law (what is allowed and prohibited), the general message and theology remained the same: worship God alone and follow His Commandments. The Holy Quran is a guide or instructional manual teaching how to live one's life. It was revealed to guide humanity through every aspect of life. The Holy Quran is a personal guide to navigating a person through daily struggles. Just as when you buy a computer or any electronic device, the machine comes with an instructional manual dictating how it should operate. One is advised to read the instructional manual of life, the Holy Quran, and live as our Creator has commanded. How else would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he receives clear and practical instructions regarding what God wants from him? If one follows the guidelines carefully, he shall be rewarded with a better life here in this world and the Hereafter. If you disobey God and go against His commands, you will face the consequences in this world and the Hereafter. The Holy Quran is the primary source of Islam for all Muslims. The Book is and always has been written in Arabic. The Holy Quran is so unique in content and style that it cannot be translated; therefore, any translation is to be taken only to interpret its meanings. Distinctions must be drawn between the Holy Quran and its translations. Any translations of the Holy Quran are not the Holy Quran in its true and pure form; they are merely explanations of the Original Masterwork authored by the Almighty. A translation of the Holy Quran is not the Word of God. Different translations are intended to help non-Arabic-speaking audiences comprehend its meaning. Since each translation is not the original work and is only human-made in content, it is an imperfect translation bound to contain errors. Some translations may be superior to others in their linguistic style or interpretations. Still and all, there is only one version of this timeless Book, and it contains the exact Arabic words spoken by God, as revealed to Prophet Muhammad PBUH by the Angel Gabriel.  Unlike other Scriptures of God, not one letter of the Holy Quran has been changed since its Revelation. Everything found in the Holy Quran is true, with no evidence of contradictions or falsehood, and the truth of the book will remain so for eternity.  If a Muslim in Asia reads a verse of the Holy Quran, one can be sure that another Muslim is reciting the exact words in faraway Africa. No differences will exist between the two reciting. God has promised to preserve the Holy Q

Even though people often have more respect for those who speak the truth, being consistently truthful can be a very difficult thing. But God is a God of truth, and He has made it clear to us in His Word that people who tell lies encounter serious consequences -e.g., Ananias and Sapphira-. --There are all kinds of ways in which we are often untruthful - whether it is exaggerating, leaving out details, believing untruths about other people without evidence, or telling outright falsehoods. One small lie starts great fires, and the Lord assures us that liers don't have a place in heaven. The Psalms describe those who dwell on God's holy hill as being those who tell the truth. --As believers, we strive to be truthful because we have put on Christ. He is the only human being Who has never lied- and if we love Him, we will endeavor to imitate Him and keep His Commandments. Is His Spirit within us, helping us to tell the truth no matter what the cost-

Obedience is the first law of heaven,when we live in Premortal life meaning Pre-exestence,we live as a sons and daughters of God as a spirit before we born here on earth.God command us to obey His Commandments,those who obey have the promised blessings,to search more clearly about this I invite to come unto Christ by logging on www.come unto Christ.org,they can have more answers to your question regarding this matter.

Our God is a just God. He is also merciful. In this study you will learn what the Bible says about how great God's mercy is on us and what He is willing to do for us if we just believe in Him and His Son and ask to be saved. When one is truly saved and loves God we will naturally want to keep His Commandments just as if a man and a woman truly love each other they will want to be faithful and true to each other by keeping their own commandments between them. A husband would not be very happy with his wife if she was sneaking around on him or using him for materialistic things. A wife would not be happy with her husband if he was committing adultery or maybe even something as simple as not REMEMBERING important days that are special between the married couple such as anniversaries or birthdays etc. How merciful would your husband or wife be if you cheated on them? Would they even stay with you and give you another chance? Well the God that this channel serves is so merciful that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us so we can be forgiven our sins and have eternal life. With Him expressing His love in such an amazing way this should make us all naturally want to keep His Holy Law. We love Him because He first loved us. Praise you Father and Praise you Lord Jesus. PDF for the Bible Study: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XvtcXKCMXqA5YYXbqdWo28YOYWnk-A-T/view?usp=sharing Link For Lesson 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFqAKZMlEG4&t=2s

In this sermon, we looked at Jesus' promise in John 14:15-26 to send the Spirit of Truth to His disciples to help them after He is gone. Jesus tells His disciples that they are to keep His commandments after He is gone as evidence that they belong to Him. This sounds like an impossible expectation to fulfill until Jesus explains that God will send the Holy Spirit to teach, remind and empower them to love God and keep His Commandments. He offers this to us, too. Out of His love for us, God sends His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, fulfilling everything that is required of us. As Christ followers, we are to strive in every way to love Jesus and keep His commandments. This isn’t a legal transaction, but a whole-hearted effort rooted in faith that the Holy Spirit will empower those who believe to this end.

We have a King. His name is JESUS! When you try to live your life without THE King bad things happen. That's what happens over and over in the book of Judges. They would turn their focus away from the One True God, and then He would remind them of His Commandments.

We have a King. His name is JESUS! When you try to live your life without THE King bad things happen. That's what happens over and over in the book of Judges. They would turn their focus away from the One True God, and then He would remind them of His Commandments.

Love and obedience are forever linked. It is our love for God that keeps us obedient to His Commandments. Those commandments are fundamentally based in a specific type of love: a love of self sacrifice. For more information about this Episode contact us at Ministry@churchofchristmerced.com

Introduction: Three Evidences That You Love Jesus (John 14:15-24): You keep His Commandments . (John 14:15) You have the Holy Spirit . (John 14:16-20) 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? Five Facts about the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17): He is a gift to everyone who receives Christ. (John 14:16) He is God, just as Jesus is God. (John 14:16) He Permanently lives within you. (John 14:16) He Reveals God's truth. (John 14:17) He's Unavailablenavailable and Unknown to the world. (John 14:17) Jesus is Real to you. (John 14:21-24) 1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 14:15-24What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?Why do you think obedience is the way you demonstrate your love for Jesus (John 14:15)?Jesus said you know the Holy Spirit (John 14:17). Give specific reasons / examples of how you personally know Him. How would you describe this relationship to someone?Pretend a friend confides in you with this statement: “I truly want to obey, I really want to show Jesus I love Him, but I fail so often. I am so weak.” → How would you respond?BreakoutPray for one another.

Set Free to Live Free | The Ten CommandmentsFor too many of us, we think that God gives us His Commandments so that we can know how to get Him to love us. If we obey God enough, we think, then He'll save us. But that's not the case. God first saves us and then He gives us His Commandments. They aren't there to get Him to love us, they are there because He loves us and wants what is best for us.- Pastor Ron KoolTo give, please visit: https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgrSupport the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)

In this episode we conclude our look at The Sermon on the Mount by looking at Matthew 7:24-29 where Jesus instructs us to build our house on the Rock by not only hearing His Commandments, but doing them.

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:23-26) 76 And notice another, while we’re on it, Lot. Jesus said, Himself, “Remember Lot’s wife.” If the Word isn’t so important, if reasoning is all right; when that Angel said to Lot and his family, “Go to Zoar, but don’t look back!” And Lot’s wife, on a little insignificant thing as to turn and look back, but it was contrary to the Word, she turned to a pillar of salt. 77 Then you say, “Telling women about cutting their hair, wearing clothes…?” God said don’t do it! You follow the Word. Lot had, no doubt, a nice wife, but she didn’t follow the Commandment to the Word. Lot! Eve was a good woman, but she didn’t follow the Commandment to the Word; just reasoned a little with it. 78 “Isn’t it reasonable, Brother Branham, that we should do this? I’m an American citizen, I—I have a right to do whatever I want to. That’s my American privilege.” It’s your American privilege, but not your Christian privilege. For, by Christian, you are a sheep; and a sheep forfeits its rights. It lays still and lets you take away from it all the rights it has. But a goat will kick up a storm about it. That’s right. But a sheep forfeits its rights. And a Christian always forfeits their national rights if its contrary to your Christian rights. 79 Lot’s wife merely looked back, [Brother Branham snaps his finger—Ed.] that was it! Now what did that do? It tells us here in Abraham, and Lot, that the thing that they set forth there, an example. And we cannot get away from it. 80 Hebrews, the 11th chapter, said, “These things was for our example. Seeing that we’re compassed about with such a great cloud of witnesses. We are to lay aside every sin.” What is sin? Unbelief! “Every sin, every unbelief of God’s Word, that does so easily beset us.” 81 We come up against something, say, “Well, they preach that, that that was…” Don’t you do that! You do just what God said do. Stay with It, to the letter! Say, “It don’t make any difference.” 82 All right, the only thing I can say is what the Word says. And Jesus strictly said that, “Remember Lot’s wife.” She merely looked over her shoulder. Eve merely stopped for a moment. That’s all she done. Lot’s wife just looked back. And if…God turned that righteous man, Lot, his wife, to a pillar of salt, by just a little bitty thing, just disobeying His Commandments enough to just look back and see what all that fire was about, and she turned to a pillar of salt, and stands there yet today as an example that God means what He says. 62-0707 - "Jehovah-Jireh #3" Rev. William Marrion Branham ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Order your own copy of the Family Altar at http://store.bibleway.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Website: http://10kworlds.com Anchor FM: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/10thousandworlds Youtube: https://bit.ly/2kb9Rak --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support

Our GOD is the GOD of Providence. A very warm welcome to our Bikers church family, visitors from near and far and our Biker brothers and sisters. Once again it is a great privilege and honour to share GOD'S Word with you and I thank GOD and Pastor George for the privilege. Our GOD is the GOD of Providence! Ons GOD is die GOD van Voorsiening Why this sermon? just listen here: Philippians 4:19 - And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.   I want to take you back to a scene that you may have heard of or possibly read many times from your childhood days to today. The Israelites are freed from the Egyptian yoke, they are in the desert, it's only sand and then more sand and maybe a little oasis here and there however, they were fed, their flocks of animals and all livestock were fed. GOD provided for them Supernaturally, fresh manna and quals every day for forty years, they were even instructed not to store up as it would go rotten, because GOD is the PROVIDER. HALLELUJA And later on, the Israelites started to moan and groan, the people needed water’ they were thirsty, their livestock needed water in a baron, dry desert. Where will Moses and Aaron find water for the people, they called unto GOD in prayer and again Supernaturally HE supplies to their need. Numbers 20:6-11 (Amp) - Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) and fell on their faces [before the Lord in prayer]. Then the glory and brilliance of the Lord appeared to them; and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying’ Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock in front of them, so that it will pour out its water. In this way you shall bring water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their livestock drink [fresh water]. “So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water].  Let's go back into history again, so Joseph was sold as a slave and thought to be dead, we all know the story. Years later while there is a terrible famine in the land the following scenario plays off, Genesis 45:5-8 (Amp) - Now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to save life and preserve our family. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five more years in which there will be no ploughing and harvesting. God sent me [to Egypt] ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great escape. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and Lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. GOD is the GOD OF PROVIDENCE! So, Samson and his parents are traveling, and the following scene plays off, Judges 14:9 (Amp) - So, he scraped the honey out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave them some, and they ate it; but he did not tell them he had taken the honey from the body of the lion. GOD is the GOD of Providence Many years later JESUS CHRIST speaking says the following in: Matthew 6:26 (Amp) Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?  JESUS in Matthew 10:29-31 (Amp) says the following: Are not two little sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered [for the Father is sovereign and has complete knowledge]. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Again, I say, our GOD is the GOD of Providence! I want to repeat our leading scripture Philippians 4:19 (Amp) - And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I want to emphasize; GOD is our GOD of PROVIDENCE. I say this because it has been written over and over for us in the Bible, let me just remind you, GOD has not changed, do you believe this? I do, we as a family and me in person have experienced the Providence of GOD repeatedly in our lives, More recently through the lockdown period, time and time again GOD provided supernaturally, I can with confidence say my faith in JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY has grown immensely during the past year. Surely there are many of you that can testify to the same and confirm the GOODNESS of our PROVIDER, GOD. There is a condition or let me say an ultimatum to HIS provision though, we need to have a living relationship with JESUS CHRIST, we need to live according to HIS commandments, according to HIS Word, according to HIS SON’S example. I cannot gossip and bad mouth others, then I indirectly sow rotten, negative seeds and then expect the best harvest for myself, We can't complain about everything, yet we don't give our best in everything we do, we can't expect positive results while having a negative attitude and mindset, we can't be grumpy and miserable and expect others to be friendly and excited to see and meet us, it's written, what we sow is that what we ultimately will harvest. We can't live in hatred and expect to be loved; we actually need to love our neighbour as it is written. Just listen to JESUS'S own words in John 14:21 (Amp) - The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” Just think on that, GOD will make HIMSELF real to us, we however have a responsibility to become a living example of JESUS CHRIST to everyone we encounter, we need to speak life, we need to speak blessings instead of curse, we need to inspire, motivate and encourage because we possess the Dynamos Power of the HOLY SPIRIT, we possess LIFE. Remember this scripture in Ps 16:11 (Amp) - You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. In a time, such as we are experiencing now, the pressures of the world system, like the covid pandemic, the crumbling of the financial system as we know it, I want to encourage you, GOD loves us all equally, HIS blessing and favour is for all those that love and obey HIS Commandments. We however have to apply our FAITH in GOD, we need to serve HIM and others unconditionally. By Honouring HIS SON JESUS CHRIST with our entire beings, doing HIS Will, when applying our FAITH, the Supernatural will happen, we can and will thrive in a time such as this. I want to confirm my statement with the following scripture: Luke 12:29 -32 (Amp) - 29So as for you, do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink; nor have an anxious and unsettled mind. 30 For all the [pagan] nations of the world greedily seek these things; and your [heavenly] Father [already] knows that you need them. 31 But [strive for and actively] seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. I am closing with the following scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 (Amp) - 5Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart. And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways now and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

Nicolaitan Christians teach that His Commandments are the 10 Commandments. What does Scriptures teach?

This massive revelation came to me this morning.It revolves around the truth that God's Word is always creative.The Creator speaks creative words.This includes His Commandments as much as His prophesies and promises.Thus, when He commands us to, "Be perfect, even as your Heavenly Father is perfect," those words have the power within them to create that result within you......those words have the creative power to make you perfect, to create perfection within you......if you receive them implanted by faith.Thank You!If you'd like to say, "Thank You!" and fund the increased production of resources like this, you can support my work here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/lexmckee

Introduction: The First Letter of John Ch.1 Introduction, The Incarnate Word. God is Light. Ch.2 Christ Is Our Advocate. Do Not Love the World. The Promise Is Eternal Life. Ch.3 Children of God Love One Another. Ch.4 Testing the Spirits. God is Love. Ch.5 Overcoming the World. This Is Written That You May Know. Introduction: The Second Letter of John Ch.1 Walk According to His Commandments. Introduction: The Third Letter of John Ch.1 You Walk in the Truth. Introduction: The Letter of Jude Ch.1 The Warnings of History to the Ungodly. Keep Yourselves in the Love of God.

Love and obedience are two Christian virtues which we are called to obtain. When it comes to doing the Will of God, we do so through our love for Him and obedience to His Commandments. When Christ said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven…” it is because children have, utilizing their innocence, these two virtues. A good child loves and obeys their parents and acts accordingly. When it comes to our relationship with God, we have become His children. For it states in 1 John “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!... Beloved, now we are children of God…” You know if a child has been raised with love and has a love for his or her parents if he or she acts according to the will of the parent without being asked. In other words, the child does not need to be asked to do his or her chores around the house; he or she does so out of love. This same love is what we are all called to have for our Father who is in Heaven.

To love Him is to indeed live for Him. You can know of Him all day, but that doesn't mean you know Him. If you know Him you will keep His Commandments! When you love Him your desire is to be pleasing in His sight. Not some time, but all of the time! It will be a 24/7, 365 day a year lifestyle. A New Creature is what you'll become seeking after the Lord. Many talk it, but don't walk it!

In this detailed podcast I explain the importance of His Commandments, keeping them, and how they always been around! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/terrance-whitlock/support

St Polycarp On the 16th day of the Coptic month Meshir, we celebrate the life of St Polycarp the Peace-Maker.Pangratios was born about 69 AD to a Christian family who received its Christian faith from the very Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Apostolic Ages, the young church survived and was strengthened by visits from the chosen Apostles and the Apostles’ disciples. With such a strong religious background, it is not difficult to understand how one could become such an ardent defender of the Orthodox Faith.History tells us that Pangratios became a priest and was chosen by the bishop at the time as His Grace’s personal secretary. One of the first stories told about Father Pangratios and how he derived the name of "Polycarp" is as follows:A drought had brought disaster throughout the countryside of Smyrna. The crops had failed, animals were dying, and disease was spreading due to the lack of clean water. The community would not be able to endure much longer. The bishop and his young priest, Pangratios, exhorted a three-day period of prayers and fasting to be observed by all Christians. Father Pangratios and as many as could manage, fasted the entire period. Finally on the third day, the clouds began to appear in the Heavens; that afternoon the rains came and refreshed the parched land.Everyone rejoiced and it soon became known throughout the land that God had ended the drought in answer to the fast and prayer of Father Pangratios and the faithful Christians. Soon Father Pangratios was being called by a new name: Father "Polycarp" which means "many fruits."Appointed to be Bishop of the See of Smyrna by the Apostles themselves, at the age of 40, he provides us with an important link in our long historical chain of Orthodox tradition clasping together the Apostles and the Second Century Church. The See of Smyrna’s present day location is Izmir, Turkey on the Aegean Sea in Asia Minor. St. Polycarp was soon to become: a bishop known for good works, a renowned defender of the Orthodox Faith against Gnosticism, and a noble martyr.St Polycarp sat at the feet of St. John the Apostle. Documents written by St. Polycarp confirm that he knew others "who had seen the Lord in the flesh." It can only be imagined the lessons that St. Polycarp learned from these blessed men. But a glimpse of his knowledge obtained from them can be found within St. Polycarp’s teachings.He taught that one should rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, to serve God in fear and truth and to always walk in His Commandments. St. Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians is filled with these messages using quotes from the Holy Gospel, Acts, and the Epistles of the New Testament. It seems that this particular saint not only was a link between the Apostles and the Second Century Church but a faithful transmission of church doctrine as well.St. Polycarp devoted much of his life to refuting Gnosticism. Being a strong defender of Orthodoxy, he admonished all heretics. It is written that St. Polycarp once met a heretic Marcion in the street. Marcion asked if St. Polycarp recognized him. St. Polycarp replied, "Indeed I do for you are the firstborn of Satan!"St. Polycarp’s martyrdom is perhaps one of the most endearing. On a day in February about 155 AD this great bishop departed with the honor of the crown of martyrdom to the Heavenly Reward. His martyrdom is much more than a story; it is an actual recorded eyewitness account.The year in which St. Polycarp was martyred was during a civil celebration in Smyrna and games were being held in the local amphitheater. The beasts had killed a Christian boy for his Christian beliefs. The crowd blamed St. Polycarp for installing these beliefs in the mind of the young boy and called for his death also.The faithful, against his wishes, insisted he go to a nearby farm. St. Polycarp prayed night and day for all men and for all the churches throughout the world. One night in prayer he had a vision that his pillow blazed with fire. He knew then he would be burned alive.The legal authorities in the upper room of the farmhouse discovered him. St. Polycarp ordered a meal for his captors and asked for an hour in which to pray. When the saint finished praying he was taken on a mule to ride back to the city. On the way to the amphitheater he was insulted and threatened but he would not deny God. In the amphitheater facing his death, He confessed the Lord God with his very last breath.When the executioners came to tie St. Polycarp to the stake to be burned he asked them to leave him as he was. So, they bound his arms only yet, they did not tie him to the stake to be burned. A great fire was lit and a great flame burst over the entire pyre completely covering St. Polycarp’s body. The flames failed to consume his flesh. The executioner then stabbed his body with a dagger. Once dead, the flames reduced St. Polycarp’s body to ashes. This was an aged man who died with valor. His testimony was a simple one; he loved the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with his very life.Lessons from this storyAt the heart of this story is found a lesson. Beneath St. Polycarp’s endurance, nobility, and obedience was peace. The way in which he drew each breath was one of peace. If the weather was foul he prayed and fasted. His teachings were of joy and ways that would lead to peace. If Gnosticism was to be refuted he confronted the heretics staunchly yet he had the peace of the Lord with him. When discovered in the upper room, he invited his captors for a meal. Before his being led back into the city he prayed. With peace, he faced the flames of fire. Peace on earth, that famous three word saying refers directly to Christ walking among us. Peace comes from Jesus Christ, from knowing Him and welcoming Him into your daily life. The Peace that St Polycarp had almost 2,000 years ago, is the very same peace we have today. Time does not fade truth, it only makes it stronger.PrayerLord, lead us to learn from St. Polycarp, the true meaning of peace and how to apply it in our daily life. As we martyr ourselves to the daily temptations of this world, help us to not let that be replaced by anger for our own failings. Help us to always find peace in our daily struggles. Give us strength to be like St Polycarp and offer peace in response to passion, for blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the "children of God." May the prayers and intercessions of St Polycarp be with us all, amen.

Short expounding of Nehemiah 1-5-11 - Sorry for missed start-----1.Verses 4-7 Nehemiah deep prayer request to keep--his covenant.----2.Verses 7-10 Nehemiah deep prayer request to not--cast them out if they turn to God and keep His--Commandments.----3.Verse 11 Nehemiah deep prayer request to--commission him because of his influence being a close--confidant -close friend-.

Short expounding of Nehemiah 1-5-11 - Sorry for missed start-----1.Verses 4-7 Nehemiah deep prayer request to keep--his covenant.----2.Verses 7-10 Nehemiah deep prayer request to not--cast them out if they turn to God and keep His--Commandments.----3.Verse 11 Nehemiah deep prayer request to--commission him because of his influence being a close--confidant -close friend-.

Segment three of this series focuses on keys to discern between and recognize the difference between authentic manifestations of YHVH’a supernatural ability in the lives of His people and manifestations of lying signs and wonders that seek to mimic the Spirit of YHVH to draw people away from His Words and His Commandments

The Setting. The opening section of the Book of Numbers, we've entitled, “Getting Ready.” This section continues the Exodus narrative and finds the people still encamped at Sinai, where God had given the people His Commandments. The mountain of God had served as a vivid and powerful picture of the awesome holiness of God. The mountain was set apart as holy and stern warnings had been given about carelessly coming too close. This is the location of approximately the first 10 chapters of Numbers. As we survey the opening, let us consider three glorious truths.

When we fear God and keep His Commandments, we build on solid ground.

As we continue our sermon series on "Improving Your Baptism" this week we looked at what it means to be hidden in Christ, that is where is our identity now that we have received the sign of the covenant? For far too many believers their walk with Christ never gets passed the "I believe" stage. However, Christ and the Apostles are clear that to love God is to love His commandments. But isn't our salvation based on faith and not works? Absolutely! Our obedience to the Ten Commandments is not the way that we are saved, but are the fruits of a life lived in light of our new life found in the finished work of our Redeemer. If we are struggling in sin then one of the greatest blessings of looking back at our baptism is that it reminds us that we are a part of God's heavenly kingdom not because we "made a decision", but because God chose us to be His. This recalling of the promises made in our baptism is one of the ways the Lord spurs His people to not just do what He says because we have to, but to show our thanksgiving and love for His wisdom and truth. So truly the Christian should not lie or steal or commit adultery because they belong to Christ and out of a sense of gratitude and love we follow His Commandments and live in light of the Gospel of Grace.

KINGS AND KINGDOMS Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is loving, why is human suffering possible? Does the weight of a great life fall on God’s sovereign control, or are there human factors involved too? In this preaching series, KINGS AND KINGDOMS, we will explore how God has delegated to individual believers a kingship, with responsibility to understand the principles that make the kingdom thrive. We will learn how to engage spiritual authority, how to defuse the emotional shame that drives a king to live like an indigent, and ultimately how to live like God’s royal people. If you have ever had questions of why “God let this happen,” you will find nurture, freedom and a deep sense of security from this series. TODAY’S SERMON NOTES ROMANS 5:17 AMP For if because of one man’s trespass (Adam’s original lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing GRACE (unmerited favor) and the free GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS [putting them into right standing with Himself] REIGN AS KINGS IN LIFE through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).   IF GOD IS SOVEREIGN,  AND WE ARE KINGS, WHY…?   THE ANSWER COMES UNDERSTANDING TWO THINGS 1.     God’s Sovereignty 2.     The Nature of Evil   1 TIMOTHY 6:14-15 AMP [Timothy said] Keep all His precepts unsullied and flawless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), Which [appearing] will be shown forth in His own proper time by the blessed, only SOVEREIGN (Ruler), the KING OF KINGS and the LORD OF LORDS…” JOHN 8:32 NKJV [Jesus said] And you shall KNOW THE TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall MAKE YOU FREE.   THE POWER OF AN UNTRUTH 1.       The truth you believe will make you free! 2.       Partial truth is an untruth! 3.       The untruths you believe will keep you bound!   STERILIZE THESE PARTIAL TRUTHS God’s Sovereignty The Nature of Evil   WHAT IS SOVEREIGNTY? Above or superior to all others; independent of all others; under no rule or law outside Himself.          GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IS FIXED WITH FINALITY IN REDEMPTION!   GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IS EXPRESSED WITH FINALITY IN GOD’S WORD!   PSALM 89:34 NKJV [God said] My COVENANT I will NOT BREAK, NOR ALTER the WORD that has gone out of My lips. MALACHI 3:6 NKJV [God said] For I [am] the LORD, I DO NOT CHANGE.   ERRATIC SOVEREIGNTY VERSUS PREDICTABLE SOVEREIGNTY   GOD IS ONLY IN CONTROL OF THE PART OF YOUR LIFE YOU GIVE HIM CONTROL OF!!!!   DEUTERONOMY 30:19 NKJV [God said] I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have SET BEFORE YOU life and death, BLESSING and CURSING; therefore CHOOSE LIFE, that both you and your descendants may live; DEUTERONOMY 28:1-2 NKJV [God said] IF YOU diligently OBEY the voice of the LORD your God, to OBSERVE CAREFULLY all His COMMANDMENTS which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 and all these BLESSINGS shall come upon you and overtake you, BECAUSE YOU OBEY the voice of the LORD your God: DEUTERONOMY 28:15 NKJV BUT it shall come to pass, if you DO NOT OBEY the voice of the LORD your God, to OBSERVE CAREFULLY all His COMMANDMENTS and His statutes which I command you today, that all these CURSES will come upon you and overtake you:   HOW MARGINAL AND LOOSE CAN WE GET BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR?   MATTHEW 18:18 CEV [Jesus said] I promise you that God in heaven will ALLOW WHATEVER YOU ALLOW on earth, but HE WILL NOT ALLOW anything YOU DON'T ALLOW.   JOSHUA 24:15 CHOOSE YOU this day who you are going to serve… ISAIAH 66:3 THEY HAVE CHOSEN their own ways… MATTHEW 16:24, 25 If any man WILL come after me… 2 PETER 3:5 They deliberately [WILLFULLY] FORGET [what God said]… JOHN 5:40 And you WILL NOT come to me, that you might have life.    IT’S NOT PERSONAL AND GOD IS NOT TARGETING YOU. IT’S SPIRITUAL LAW!   NEXT WEEK HOW EVIL HAPPENS!

What is Acceptable in the sight of God. The wisest man except for Jesus was Solomon and he wrote in the Scripture: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His Commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” There is a lack of the “fear of God” that is respect for God’s Word today.

Forgetting God by neglecting His Commandments

Forgetting God by neglecting His Commandments

Believing in God's Prophets and Messengers is a fundamental part of Islam. Muslims believe God sent Prophets and Messengers to convey his Message to humanity. The Holy Quran states: "And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid Ta’ghut (false deities).’ And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So, proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers" (Quran 16:36) Every people, every nation was given a Prophet, and they were sent with the tongue of their people. Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad is the only universal Prophet meant for the whole Globe since he is the last and final Messenger. All other Prophets and Messengers including Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus peace be upon them were only sent for a particular group of people/tribe who lived before us. Islam states all Prophets came with the same general Message to Worship Only One God and Follow His Commandments. Whereas some finer details differed from one nation or Book to another, the Theology and God never changed. Due to God's Mercy and Love to humanity, God continued to send Prophets and Messengers to deliver give good news and warning to their people. The general Message was whoever worships the One God and follows His commandments will go to Paradise for eternity. And whoever worships other than Allah and goes against His Commandments will enter the Hell Fire. The Prophets also came to teach their people how to purify oneself. Every Messenger was given Inspiration from God. Some of those Inspirations were written down and complied to become more extensive Books. The Prophet & Messengers that God sent to humanity to convey His Message cannot make mistakes for speaking on behalf of God. Humanity could not attain true knowledge of morality and ethics without the knowledge from their Creator to reveal what is truly good and evil. Muslims believe that God communicates His guidance through human Prophets. These Prophets were sent to guide their people, not only by preaching people to worship the One God and follow His commandment but by example with their actions. A Messenger (Rasool in Arabic) has a higher rank than a Prophet (Nabi in Arabic). A Messenger is sent to a tribe or people that did not believe in the Message and generally sent with a new Revelation (Divine Laws). A Prophet (Nabi in Arabic) is someone that was sent to a people or a tribe that already believed in the Message and carried and continued the same Revelation from the prior Messenger before Him. Every Messenger is a Prophet, but not every Prophet is a Messenger by default. The Islamic Tradition states there are about 124,000 Prophets that were sent to people and nations and 310 and some Messengers. There are 25 Prophets mentioned by name in the Holy Quran. Prophet Adam Prophet Enoch (Idris in Arabic) Prophet Nuh (Noah) Prophet Eber or Heber (Hud in Arabic) Prophet Methuselah (Saleh in Arabic) Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) Prophet Lot (Lut in Arabic) Prophet Ishmael (Ismail in Arabic) Prophet Isaac (Ishaq in Arabic) Prophet Jacob (Yaqoob in Arabic) Prophet Joseph (Yusuf in Arabic) Prophet Job (Ayoub in Arabic) Prophet Jethro (Shuaib in Arabic) Prophet Moses (Musa in Arabic) Prophet Aaron (Harun in Arabic) Prophet Ezekiel (Dhul-Kifl in Arabic) Prophet David (Daud in Arabic) Prophet Solomon (Suleiman in Arabic) Prophet Elijah (Ilyas in Arabic) Prophet Elisha (Al-Yasa in Arabic) Prophet Jonah (Younus in Arabic) Prophet Zachariah (Zakariya in Arabic) Prophet John (the Baptist), (Yahya in Arabic) Prophet Jesus (Isa in Arabic) Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon them all. Muslims believe all Prophets and Messengers were mere human beings, not divine or semi-divine. They do not have the right to be worshipped, adored, revered, venerated and nor did they claim so. Video & Article By: TheSincereSeeker

All praises to the MOST HIGH YAHin KING YAHUSHA HA'MASCHIACHS name in the Power of HIS RUACH HA'QODESH.HalleluYAH!Beloved join me as we learn more about fearing YAHUAH by keeping HIS Commandments through HIS Beloved SON YAHUSHA HA'MASCHIACH.Who died for us, so that we may have the Gift of Everlasting Life. John 3:16/revelation 5:9-10HalleluYAH!

What is HIS name?What is HIS SON'S name?Surely you know?Beloveds let us exalt our Heavenly FATHER together and give HIM thanks for HIS MELKIZEDEK King YAHUSHA HA'MASCIACH! HALLELUYAH!Let everything that have breath Praise ye YAH!Beloved's do you know there is a True MessiYAH and a False Messiah?The True MessiYAH...HIS name bears the FATHER's name.YAHUSHA ="YAH is Salvation"Beloved YAHUSHA said in John 14:6 that "HE is the WAY; The TRUTH and The LIFE...and no one can come unto the FATHER but by HIM." Beloved, if the MessiYAH says this, I believe it. See John 10, for more on the True Shepard. Bless YAHUAH for sending HIS ONE and only SON who knew no sin to be sin for us and to die for us. This is most amazing and humbling to know that ABBA YAH and YAHUSHA love us so that HE willingly laid down HIS life for us.HalleluYAH!HE had power to pick up HIS life again, this commandment HE received from HIS FATHER. HALLELUYAH.Coming to YAHUAH we can only come through YAHUSHA. And it is a Blessing to know that when we receive HIM, He gives us the power to become Son's of ELOHIYM.John 1:12-13The MELKIZEDEK YAHUSHA HAMASCHIACH is COMING AGAIN! MELKIZEDEK means "KING of RIGHTEOUSNESS"Following YAHUSHA we will need to get back to YAHUAHS Covenant: Those who keep HIS Commandments and have the Testimony of YAHUSHA HA'MASCHIACH.Rev 14:12HalleluYAH!Learn more about The Mystery of The MelkiZedek here:http://TorahtotheTribes.comHave questions, reach out to me at HISHADAYAH@gmail.com

It's great to know that God has a plan for us. His plan is for all of mankind. Is it fulfilled today? Yes, in the natural. No, in the Spiritual. Certainly, we messed that up when we submitted to Satan's will in Eden. We were to fear Him and follow His Commandments. This was to worship and be obedient to Him. God, of course, knew we would fail...So He built into His plan a redeemer. God's plan for mankind required Him to save us from ourselves, because we fell from His grace. This now requires us to be in relationship with Him. Although we couldn't make it happen, He can! We are called to be ambassadors to this world on His behalf. Showing this world there is a better way and a Savior! His plan sees the end from the beginning, the big plan of God then, has always been to redeem us after our fall, allow us to help rescue others, then make all who are redeemed, His heirs!

Islam is the voluntary ‘submission’ or ‘surrender’ to the Will of God, in exchange for the acquisition of peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. The Religion of Islam teaches and encourages one to submit to the will of God, in exchange to gain peace & contentment. The word Islam is the synonym of the noun ‘aslama’ which means ‘resigned or submitted.’ In the context of religion, it means, ‘to submit one’s will, to the will of God.’ The Religion of Islam encourages one to submit to the will of God, in exchange to acquire peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. Only when one submits to God, by believing in Him and obeying His commandments, does one achieve an innate and lasting sense of security, true peace of mind, and surety of heart.   The word 'Islam' is derived from an Arabic root word which means peace, purity, safety, salutation, submission, acceptance, surrender, and obedience. With the act of submission, one would attain peace within themselves, and in accordance with their Creator and their fellow beings. The religion of Islam demonstrates that only through the doing of good and the seeking of God’s pleasure can one find true happiness, peace, and contentment in life.   Man cannot live peacefully or successfully without religion, and this religion cannot be man-made. Religion has to be utterly Divine, with no human alteration. The only Revelation in the world today that still rings good and true is the final Book, the last and final Testament of God, The Holy Quran. All other traditional Revelations were lost in the annals of time or underwent endless human-made modifications that rendered them impractical for humanity.   Islam is a monotheistic religion; a faith in which followers admit and recognize the existence of one Supreme God and Being who is Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowledgeable, All-Loving. Islam stresses only One God. The same God of Prophet Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon them all. Islam demonstrates the fact that, through the centuries, God has continued to bless humanity with holy Prophets who come bearing the same general message.   The message is simple: one should worship God Alone with no partners, love Him with all his or her heart, and follow His Commandments. God is an entity worthy of worship, veneration, adoration, and reverence since He is the creator of everything. No other being is worthy of worship. This has always been God’s Message to mankind, as conveyed through the words of Prophets and Messengers.   Prophet Moses peace be upon him declared to the people of Israel: ‘Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). A full 1500 years later, Prophet Jesus peace be upon him repeated the same Message to the people of Israel: ‘The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord’ (Mark 12:29). Finally, 600 years later, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him called out across the hills of Mecca:   "And your God is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Beneficent, the Especially Merciful” (Quran 2:163)   Throughout history, anyone who practiced monotheism by submitting to the will of God and following his prophet was considered a Muslim. Human beings have been practicing Islam since the creation of Prophet Adam. Throughout the ages, God sent Prophets and Messengers to guide and teach their nations. All Prophets preached the same general Message to their nations. Muslim believe the Prophets preached that submitting to God would bring one peace and contentment to one’s heart in this world; and would award on the attainment of God’s kingdom and grace in the next world. No other is worthy of worship; not the Sun, the Moon, nor an idol.   Contrary to popular belief, Islam is not a new religion that came into existence 1400 years ago, back in the 7th century. Islam has existed since the first moment that man set foot on the earth.   “Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam (submission to Him)” (Quran 3:19)   Islam is the only religion that God ever commanded humankind to follow. Islam, therefore, is the only religion that has ever been acceptable to and ordained by God. Allah states in the Quran:   “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers” (Quran 3:85)   The final Prophet of mankind, Prophet Muhammad, was not the founder of Islam, as many people mistakenly think. Instead, he was sent as the last and final Prophet; one delivered from the hand of Almighty God to convey His message to our nation, the final nation.   Islam is not a religion solely based on creeds, customs, and rituals; rather, Islam is a complete way of life that guides man in every field and aspect of this sometimes-perilous existence. Islam teaches the art of living; how one should steer and navigate his or her life. Islam instructs us about the things in this life beneficial to us, and that which is ultimately destructive and should be avoided.   Islam guides followers in every aspect of their lives. Islam emphasizes how the belief in God empowers one to become more righteous, obedient, moral, and ethical overall; rejecting all forms of evil. Islam changes a person’s thoughts, actions, and life perspective; helping them to see this world as it is, and to prepare for the afterlife.   Muslims believe Islam neither neglects the needs, wants, hopes, and aspirations of this worldly life; nor does it abandon the preparation needed to ready oneself for the hereafter where man shall live eternally. Islam takes the middle path. It is better for one to ponder deeply about his or her future, and to live a good life in anticipation of his/her future eternal life. Each person is expected to devote some time to his present life to ponder what will occur in the life to come.   Islam is a religion based on faith, love, compassion, peace, mercy, goodwill, and ethical treatment to all of God’s creations including humankind, animals, and plants. Islam is a religion based on self-righteousness, in which Muslims strive to perform good deeds toward the attainment of their salvation, and the goal of entering Heaven with God’s Mercy in the afterlife.   A person that submits his or her will to Almighty God and follows His commandments is called a Muslim. A Muslim is one who does not follow his desires, lusts, and impulses. A Muslim is one that does right, stands for good, and loves God with all his or her heart. The act of knowing and loving God is the only thing that can bring about true contentment in the soul. If one does not have a relationship with his Creator, his soul will always seek something to fill the emptiness in his or her heart. All the wealth and material goods of this world could never be able to fill the emptiness and gap of a vacant soul. Happiness is not derived from the gathering of possessions. Real wealth is obtained only from the richness and contentment of the heart and soul. And the only true poverty is the poverty of the spirit and heart.   Islam answers the fundamental questions that malign the conscience of every human being. Why was I created? What am I doing here? What is the purpose of my existence? Islam delivers a meaningful purpose to one’s life in this world; and the guidance needed to fulfill one’s life purpose.   Other religions do not answer the big questions of life, such as ‘Who made us?’ ‘Why are we here?’ and ‘Where are we headed?’ Man cannot live peacefully in this world without knowing who he is, who has created him, where he is headed, what his role is, and how to fulfill that role to the best of his or her ability. The need to answer these questions has been implanted in man’s inner nature by the Almighty. However, the human intellect alone cannot answer these questions unaided. Muslims believe Man needs Divine guidance to discover these all-important spiritual answers. The answers lie in Islam.   Islam teaches people that they were created to worship God and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness; a concept that includes the fear of God, the love of God, His recognition, piety, and loyalty. Since Islam encompasses all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in the execution of all human affairs.   Islamic worship is not limited to religious rituals such as praying and fasting. Instead, Islam clarifies that everyday human acts such as eating, drinking, greeting others, sitting, learning, dressing, sleeping, giving charity, are all acts of worship if done for God alone and in accordance with His Divine Laws and guidelines. The teachings of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhamad peace be upon him can supply both ethereal mercy and a healing for the human soul. They provide the ultimate guidance for leading a productive, successful life. Islam demonstrates the best way of living a life.   God created man to be a follower and a worshipper. If he is not devoted to God, he will devote himself to others; whether they are false gods, saints, idols, philosophers, etc., following them by thoughts and actions that would lead him astray. In Islam, Muslims do not worship the creations of God, such as the sun, the moon, or an idol; instead, they worship the Creator Himself. Islam recognizes that God has created humans with an innate eagerness and ability to seek God, to acknowledge and understand the existence of their Creator.   The highest and most significant thinkers of the past never would deny the various signs that point to the existence of their Creator. However, what led many people of the past astray is the lack of knowing God properly and the fact they did not have access to a true and preserved Revelation originating from God. Aimed at the ones that deny God’s existence, God poses an argument in the Quran stating:   "Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?" "Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain" (Quran 52:35-36)   The aim of these verses is for mankind to reflect and ponder on the fact they could not have come into existence from nothing, nor could they have created themselves. In another Verse, God states the skies and the Earth are fashioned perfectly, hence showing proof they were originated from the act of a Creator.   "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason" (Quran 2:164)   The miracles of nature, the Earth, the Universe are enough evidence to show mankind that there is ‘something bigger than us.’ Humanity does not need God to show them anything more for them to believe; the world is already enough of a miracle.   "It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals]. He causes to grow for you the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. In that is a sign for a people who give thought. And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. In that are signs for a people who reason. And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed, in that is a sign for a people who remember. And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided, And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided. Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So, will you not be reminded?" (Quran16:10-17)   Surely these words will answer the questions and address the doubts of people who ponder, people who think, people who reflect.   The Religion of Islam states that God forces no one to submit to His Will. He has laid out a clear path for human beings while making it known that humans must choose from two routes: The straight path that leads to Heaven, or the erroneous way which leads to hell. Human beings are free to make their own choices. Islam forces no one to submit. A human who worships God, pledging their devotion to Him and obeying His commands, has grasped the firm handhold and eternal bond that will never break. Whoever denies God’s existence or worships anyone other than Allah, stands to face eternal punishment in the hereafter. Life is a test of one’s faith. God the Almighty, out of his abundant Love and Mercy for humanity, has not left us in pure darkness; leaving us alone and unenlightened to discover the right path through the frailties of guesswork or trial and error.   God gifted mankind with an intellect and a logical mind that can reason, ponder, and reflect. God bestowed upon humanity the gift of Divine Guidance, that outlines the Criterion for ultimate truth and knowledge.   One is expected to use his or her intellect and reason to contemplate and recognize God’s signs, to build a relationship with Him, and to follow His guidance. These signs serve to speak loudly, without the need of talking to God directly, which would then not require any effort or reflection by the human.   "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do" (Quran 16:97)   The disbelievers, the rejecters of the truth, the deniers of God, will live a narrow, depressed life in this world and abide in hellfire forever in the hereafter.   "And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind" (Quran 20:124)   The goal of Islam is for the one to become a faithful servant of God. Judgment Day is a blink away. You live, and you die, and then you will inevitably be resurrected to face your Lord, who will judge you based on the way you lived your life.   "…Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him, we will return" (Quran 2:156)    

Islam is the voluntary ‘submission’ or ‘surrender’ to the Will of God, in exchange for the acquisition of peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. The Religion of Islam teaches and encourages one to submit to the will of God, in exchange to gain peace & contentment. The word Islam is the synonym of the noun ‘aslama’ which means ‘resigned or submitted.’ In the context of religion, it means, ‘to submit one’s will, to the will of God.’ The Religion of Islam encourages one to submit to the will of God, in exchange to acquire peace and contentment in this life and the hereafter. Only when one submits to God, by believing in Him and obeying His commandments, does one achieve an innate and lasting sense of security, true peace of mind, and surety of heart.   The word 'Islam' is derived from an Arabic root word which means peace, purity, safety, salutation, submission, acceptance, surrender, and obedience. With the act of submission, one would attain peace within themselves, and in accordance with their Creator and their fellow beings. The religion of Islam demonstrates that only through the doing of good and the seeking of God’s pleasure can one find true happiness, peace, and contentment in life.   Man cannot live peacefully or successfully without religion, and this religion cannot be man-made. Religion has to be utterly Divine, with no human alteration. The only Revelation in the world today that still rings good and true is the final Book, the last and final Testament of God, The Holy Quran. All other traditional Revelations were lost in the annals of time or underwent endless human-made modifications that rendered them impractical for humanity.   Islam is a monotheistic religion; a faith in which followers admit and recognize the existence of one Supreme God and Being who is Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowledgeable, All-Loving. Islam stresses only One God. The same God of Prophet Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon them all. Islam demonstrates the fact that, through the centuries, God has continued to bless humanity with holy Prophets who come bearing the same general message.   The message is simple: one should worship God Alone with no partners, love Him with all his or her heart, and follow His Commandments. God is an entity worthy of worship, veneration, adoration, and reverence since He is the creator of everything. No other being is worthy of worship. This has always been God’s Message to mankind, as conveyed through the words of Prophets and Messengers.   Prophet Moses peace be upon him declared to the people of Israel: ‘Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). A full 1500 years later, Prophet Jesus peace be upon him repeated the same Message to the people of Israel: ‘The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord’ (Mark 12:29). Finally, 600 years later, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him called out across the hills of Mecca:   "And your God is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Beneficent, the Especially Merciful” (Quran 2:163)   Throughout history, anyone who practiced monotheism by submitting to the will of God and following his prophet was considered a Muslim. Human beings have been practicing Islam since the creation of Prophet Adam. Throughout the ages, God sent Prophets and Messengers to guide and teach their nations. All Prophets preached the same general Message to their nations. Muslim believe the Prophets preached that submitting to God would bring one peace and contentment to one’s heart in this world; and would award on the attainment of God’s kingdom and grace in the next world. No other is worthy of worship; not the Sun, the Moon, nor an idol.   Contrary to popular belief, Islam is not a new religion that came into existence 1400 years ago, back in the 7th century. Islam has existed since the first moment that man set foot on the earth.   “Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam (submission to Him)” (Quran 3:19)   Islam is the only religion that God ever commanded humankind to follow. Islam, therefore, is the only religion that has ever been acceptable to and ordained by God. Allah states in the Quran:   “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers” (Quran 3:85)   The final Prophet of mankind, Prophet Muhammad, was not the founder of Islam, as many people mistakenly think. Instead, he was sent as the last and final Prophet; one delivered from the hand of Almighty God to convey His message to our nation, the final nation.   Islam is not a religion solely based on creeds, customs, and rituals; rather, Islam is a complete way of life that guides man in every field and aspect of this sometimes-perilous existence. Islam teaches the art of living; how one should steer and navigate his or her life. Islam instructs us about the things in this life beneficial to us, and that which is ultimately destructive and should be avoided.   Islam guides followers in every aspect of their lives. Islam emphasizes how the belief in God empowers one to become more righteous, obedient, moral, and ethical overall; rejecting all forms of evil. Islam changes a person’s thoughts, actions, and life perspective; helping them to see this world as it is, and to prepare for the afterlife.   Muslims believe Islam neither neglects the needs, wants, hopes, and aspirations of this worldly life; nor does it abandon the preparation needed to ready oneself for the hereafter where man shall live eternally. Islam takes the middle path. It is better for one to ponder deeply about his or her future, and to live a good life in anticipation of his/her future eternal life. Each person is expected to devote some time to his present life to ponder what will occur in the life to come.   Islam is a religion based on faith, love, compassion, peace, mercy, goodwill, and ethical treatment to all of God’s creations including humankind, animals, and plants. Islam is a religion based on self-righteousness, in which Muslims strive to perform good deeds toward the attainment of their salvation, and the goal of entering Heaven with God’s Mercy in the afterlife.   A person that submits his or her will to Almighty God and follows His commandments is called a Muslim. A Muslim is one who does not follow his desires, lusts, and impulses. A Muslim is one that does right, stands for good, and loves God with all his or her heart. The act of knowing and loving God is the only thing that can bring about true contentment in the soul. If one does not have a relationship with his Creator, his soul will always seek something to fill the emptiness in his or her heart. All the wealth and material goods of this world could never be able to fill the emptiness and gap of a vacant soul. Happiness is not derived from the gathering of possessions. Real wealth is obtained only from the richness and contentment of the heart and soul. And the only true poverty is the poverty of the spirit and heart.   Islam answers the fundamental questions that malign the conscience of every human being. Why was I created? What am I doing here? What is the purpose of my existence? Islam delivers a meaningful purpose to one’s life in this world; and the guidance needed to fulfill one’s life purpose.   Other religions do not answer the big questions of life, such as ‘Who made us?’ ‘Why are we here?’ and ‘Where are we headed?’ Man cannot live peacefully in this world without knowing who he is, who has created him, where he is headed, what his role is, and how to fulfill that role to the best of his or her ability. The need to answer these questions has been implanted in man’s inner nature by the Almighty. However, the human intellect alone cannot answer these questions unaided. Muslims believe Man needs Divine guidance to discover these all-important spiritual answers. The answers lie in Islam.   Islam teaches people that they were created to worship God and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness; a concept that includes the fear of God, the love of God, His recognition, piety, and loyalty. Since Islam encompasses all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in the execution of all human affairs.   Islamic worship is not limited to religious rituals such as praying and fasting. Instead, Islam clarifies that everyday human acts such as eating, drinking, greeting others, sitting, learning, dressing, sleeping, giving charity, are all acts of worship if done for God alone and in accordance with His Divine Laws and guidelines. The teachings of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhamad peace be upon him can supply both ethereal mercy and a healing for the human soul. They provide the ultimate guidance for leading a productive, successful life. Islam demonstrates the best way of living a life.   God created man to be a follower and a worshipper. If he is not devoted to God, he will devote himself to others; whether they are false gods, saints, idols, philosophers, etc., following them by thoughts and actions that would lead him astray. In Islam, Muslims do not worship the creations of God, such as the sun, the moon, or an idol; instead, they worship the Creator Himself. Islam recognizes that God has created humans with an innate eagerness and ability to seek God, to acknowledge and understand the existence of their Creator.   The highest and most significant thinkers of the past never would deny the various signs that point to the existence of their Creator. However, what led many people of the past astray is the lack of knowing God properly and the fact they did not have access to a true and preserved Revelation originating from God. Aimed at the ones that deny God’s existence, God poses an argument in the Quran stating:   "Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?" "Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain" (Quran 52:35-36)   The aim of these verses is for mankind to reflect and ponder on the fact they could not have come into existence from nothing, nor could they have created themselves. In another Verse, God states the skies and the Earth are fashioned perfectly, hence showing proof they were originated from the act of a Creator.   "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason" (Quran 2:164)   The miracles of nature, the Earth, the Universe are enough evidence to show mankind that there is ‘something bigger than us.’ Humanity does not need God to show them anything more for them to believe; the world is already enough of a miracle.   "It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals]. He causes to grow for you the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. In that is a sign for a people who give thought. And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. In that are signs for a people who reason. And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed, in that is a sign for a people who remember. And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided, And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided. Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So, will you not be reminded?" (Quran16:10-17)   Surely these words will answer the questions and address the doubts of people who ponder, people who think, people who reflect.   The Religion of Islam states that God forces no one to submit to His Will. He has laid out a clear path for human beings while making it known that humans must choose from two routes: The straight path that leads to Heaven, or the erroneous way which leads to hell. Human beings are free to make their own choices. Islam forces no one to submit. A human who worships God, pledging their devotion to Him and obeying His commands, has grasped the firm handhold and eternal bond that will never break. Whoever denies God’s existence or worships anyone other than Allah, stands to face eternal punishment in the hereafter. Life is a test of one’s faith. God the Almighty, out of his abundant Love and Mercy for humanity, has not left us in pure darkness; leaving us alone and unenlightened to discover the right path through the frailties of guesswork or trial and error.   God gifted mankind with an intellect and a logical mind that can reason, ponder, and reflect. God bestowed upon humanity the gift of Divine Guidance, that outlines the Criterion for ultimate truth and knowledge.   One is expected to use his or her intellect and reason to contemplate and recognize God’s signs, to build a relationship with Him, and to follow His guidance. These signs serve to speak loudly, without the need of talking to God directly, which would then not require any effort or reflection by the human.   "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do" (Quran 16:97)   The disbelievers, the rejecters of the truth, the deniers of God, will live a narrow, depressed life in this world and abide in hellfire forever in the hereafter.   "And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind" (Quran 20:124)   The goal of Islam is for the one to become a faithful servant of God. Judgment Day is a blink away. You live, and you die, and then you will inevitably be resurrected to face your Lord, who will judge you based on the way you lived your life.   "…Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him, we will return" (Quran 2:156)          

All is Vanity without Jesus Christ--Text Verses- Ecclesiastes 12-13-14 --1.- The Conclusion of the Whole Matter--2.- Fear God, and keep His Commandments--3.- God shall bring every Work into Judgment

Overview – The “How” To Love. 1 John 5:1-5. Throughout John’s entire epistle, he has been beating love, love, love, into the heads of Christians, over and over, and over again, and up until this point he has just given us a couple of ways of how we are supposed to love. That all changes today though, because in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 5, he tells us the undisputed, hands down, way of all ways, of “How” to love, in the perfect ways that God loves. He writes in verses 2 & 3 - By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. He tells Christians that they truly love other Christians by loving God, and keeping His Commandments. That seems a little backwards, doesn’t it? How does anyone love anyone else, by loving God and keeping His commandments? I spend the majority of the sermon explaining the idea that John is writing to us about, so please take a listen, and leave "a like" and "a comment". I look forward to hearing from you. May God bless you as you diligently seek Him Pastor Ed

True religion is not simply a scrupulous, external observance of rules, laws, traditions and rituals. it is a loving, obedient relationship with God expressed in obeying His Commandments, worshiping Him, recognizing His presence in other human beings and rendering them loving and humble service.

In this session, we continue our discussion of Fellowship - Overcoming - Changing the World. We need to have faith in and partner with the Greater One within us, and to develop a deep confidence in God's love. Only then will we have the boldness we need to stand and function within God's Kingdom and His Commandments. Confidence, boldness, and obedience opens the doors to dynamically answered prayer!

"Blessed Are They That Do His Commandments..." There are blessings from the Lord for those that choose to follow His Commandments! So, to have the Best Life, the Blessed Life, you're going to need to... WALK THIS WAY!

At the start of Chapter 10, Jesus sends out 70 missionaries to minister to the towns of Galilee. He sends them in pairs in order that they may be a microcosm of the Church, and also because Torah establishes the validity of a claim by the testimony of two witnesses. Making no specific provisions for the lambs that He "sends among wolves," these missionaries are radically dependent upon their Heavenly Father and others' hospitality. Notice the "wages" Jesus gives His laborers: they receive nothing beyond food and lodging. Modern Christians do well to serve Christ radically, as much as their state in life will allow.It will be worse for the towns of Galilee who reject these missionaries than it was for Sodom and Gomorrah. The 70 become God's powerful instruments and report wondrous signs of a great shake-up in Heaven. Truly, the Kingdom of God is at hand, just waiting to be grasped.One cannot attain His Kingdom through study alone, as Jesus said, "I offer You praise, O Father ... because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest of children." We are foolish if we do not trust fully in Jesus' promise that He and the Father will manifest themselves to those who keep His Commandments. Blessed are we who are able to know and follow the Messiah, for all previous generations longed for the opportunity given to us. The least in the Kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.A lawyer then questions Christ about eternal life, and Jesus confirms that the path to Heaven is by living the two great commandments expressed in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself.’ When the lawyer asks who his "neighbor" is, Jesus tells him the parable of the Good Samaritan, which calls all who hear to practice mercy. Limiting the mercy we show distances us from our heavenly Father. The house of Martha and Mary is the site of a key scenario: Mary listens devoutly to Jesus while He warns her sister, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, one thing alone is needful." As His disciples we take Him – the only necessary thing – into every part of our lives.Chapter 11 begins with lessons on prayer: the Lord's Prayer and teachings on importunate (persistent) prayer. In every case, the Christian prays when he asks, keeps asking and continues to ask again in hopes that the door may be opened unto him. We must be fully engaged in our faith, even if this requires much practice in prayer.Beelzebub, "Lord of the Fly", was originally a play on words mocking the name for the Canaanite god, "the Lord Prince." By the time of the Luke's gospel, the name refers to Satan. After one exorcism, some question whether Christ is in league with Satan, but He affirms "a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." He exhorts those healed from demons to sanctify their lives and prepare for when the demon returns with seven others, attempting to reconquer their souls. Instead of acting like the woman who shouts praises in unbridled emotion, to truly praise Him we must "hear the word of God and keep it;" we must repent and allow the Word of God to become incarnate in our lives. Christ gives them only the sign of Jonas, for signs and miracles alone will not produce faith. In every generation, those that seek only miracles or "religious fairy tales" are in grave error. While at a dinner with some Pharisees, Jesus rebukes them for "washing the outside of the cup" while leaving the inside filthy; he criticizes other hypocritical acts. He also chastises the lawyers who exploit loopholes, steal and bury the key of knowledge from others. He then warns, "the blood of all the prophets shed from the of the foundation of the world may be required of this generation," and our punishment will be the same if we neglect so great a salvation. Everyone must beware the leaven of the Pharisees (especially their hypocrisy); we must have no fear about the body's death. Jesus acclaims both a fear of God and an awareness of His tender compassion and care for us. Our study concludes with promise that the Holy Spirit will be our advocate during times of persecution and a warning never to blaspheme against Him.

The Golden Nugget for this series is Mark 11:23-25. When we do things that pleases God then we keep His Commandments. It will set in More ...