Podcasts about his father

Obedience to God isn’t always easy—especially when life feels unfair, confusing, or painful. Many of us find ourselves in seasons we never would have chosen: job struggles, long-term illness, relationship tension, infertility, loneliness, or waiting on God for answers that seem delayed. This devotional reminds us that God’s discipline is not meant to harm us, but to shape us. When the Lord convicts us or redirects us, it can feel uncomfortable at first. But when we stop resisting and surrender fully, we begin to discover something surprising on the other side: joy. Jesus is our greatest example of obedience. He endured rejection, suffering, and even the cross—not because it was easy, but because He trusted His Father completely. Scripture shows us that Jesus obeyed with the joy set before Him. He knew the pain was not the end of the story. In the same way, God may be calling you to surrender something today—an unhealthy relationship, a destructive habit, fear, pride, control, or even a schedule that leaves no room for Him. Obedience may require hard decisions, but God never asks us to surrender without purpose. The promise is clear: joy is found in God’s presence. When we obey Him, we aren’t losing freedom—we’re stepping into the fullness of life He designed for us. Obedience isn’t just duty; it’s a pathway to deeper peace, deeper joy, and deeper closeness with Jesus. Main Takeaways God’s discipline is rooted in love, not punishment. Obedience may feel painful at first, but it leads to joy and peace. Jesus is our model: He endured suffering while trusting the Father’s will. God may be calling you to surrender something so He can restore your joy. True joy is found in God’s presence, not in perfect circumstances. Today’s Bible Verse: "This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:8-14 NIV Your Daily Prayer Prayer excerpt for listeners: “Help us to have hearts to love You, minds to know You, and wills to obey You.” Listen to the full prayer here. To view the prayer in written format, visit the links below. Continue your devotional journey and find more encouragement here: LifeAudio.com – Christian podcasts, devotionals, and faith resources Crosswalk.com – Daily devotionals, prayers, and Bible-based encouragement This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.orgTrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Read Online“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” Luke 9:23–25Today's Gospel presents us with one of the great paradoxes of our faith: the only way to save one's life is to lose it by taking up Christ's Cross and following Him. This truth defies human reason; we can only fully grasp it through divine revelation. The wisdom of the Cross is hidden and transformative, revealing a deeper reality that our natural instincts might miss.Imagine gaining the whole world. What would that look like? From a secular perspective, it could mean possessing immense wealth, enjoying complete freedom, acquiring fame, and holding worldly power. Is it possible to attain all that the world offers and still save your soul? What if you were charitable, giving ten percent to the poor? What if you lived in luxury without being attached to it? Is that truly feasible? Though some might convince themselves it is, Jesus' life teaches us otherwise. He wasn't wealthy by worldly standards. He had no earthly power in the conventional sense. He didn't seek comfort or luxury. His singular focus was the salvation of souls, and He lived that mission fully.This raises another question: Was Jesus happy in this life? His earthly existence was marked by hardship. He was born in a cave, escaped Herod's attempt on His life as an infant, and likely lost Saint Joseph at a young age. He endured 40 days of intense temptation by satan, was rejected by His own people in Nazareth, and, though loved by many, was hated by others. Ultimately, He was betrayed, unjustly condemned, beaten, and crucified.Is that happiness? Not in a worldly sense. But Jesus' happiness was in doing the will of His Father. This obedience, this perfect fulfillment of His divine mission, brought a happiness beyond our human comprehension—a deep, abiding joy rooted in perfect love and surrender to God's plan. As we begin Lent, a good question to ask ourselves is: “Am I happy?” Many people struggle with this question. Like our Lord, we endure trials, suffering, and disappointment. Jesus wasn't exempt from these; He faced the full range of human experience. He likely faced rejection as a boy because He was different. He knew the sorrow of losing loved ones and faced the daily demands of work to help support His family. In the mystery of the Incarnation—God becoming man—the Son of God intimately shares in every human suffering. He understands our struggles and sorrows firsthand. This is why Jesus can look at us with compassion and say, “I understand.” He is not only divine and transcendent, He is also intimately close, having lived through the very trials we face. It is this reality that makes His words in today's Gospel so powerful: “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” The Cross is the roadmap to true happiness. Our human nature might seek to avoid suffering, but Jesus invites us to embrace it with grace, uniting it with His own suffering. Through the Cross, we find victory and fulfillment in ways that our natural reasoning could never grasp. Reflect today on the wisdom of the Cross. Human reason alone will never fully comprehend it or accept it as the path to happiness. Let God's truth elevate your mind to see beyond the false promises of the world. Embrace the Cross with trust, knowing that it is the gateway to true joy, peace, and eternal life. My wise Lord, too often I rely on my limited understanding, trying to find happiness through worldly means. Grant me Your gift of wisdom so I may see the glory of the Cross and the sacrifices to which You call me. Help me take up my Cross daily and follow You, trusting that it is the true path to the fulfillment I seek. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jesus is given his cross by Theophile Marie Francois LybaertSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Pastor Garry Clark continues to look at the Words of Jesus and how they're spoken with His Father's Will, to persuade us to change our human way of thinking...

Episode 888: Our King Can't Be Over-Hyped! Jesus could have called upon His Father to send legions of angels to rescue Him, but He chose to endure the cross—for YOU! In this episode of Good News, Greg unpacks the final moments of Jesus' life in a way you've never heard before! Download or request your FREE Study Notes for this series at https://gregfritz.org/study-notes/. Greg Fritz is on a mission to get the truth of the Good News to as many people as possible. The truth is God has a plan and a meaning for your life. You are extravagantly and deeply loved by God, and you were created for a purpose.  Receive a free CD and our newsletter: https://www.gregfritz.org/free-cd/   Follow Greg on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregfritzministries/  Follow Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregfritzministries/ Watch more videos: https://www.gospeltruth.tv/   Learn more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrR9Rsx4h_RqYigda2PysZQ  Email us: info@gregfritz.org  Partner with us:  https://gregfritz.org/partners/ Donate: https://gregfritz.org/donate/

Welcome back to In the Word with Malcolm Webber!Even though Jesus was and is God, He willingly emptied Himself of the “form” of God and the rights of His preexistent glory, and came in the form of a servant, obeying His Father even to the point of the terrible death of the cross. He did this for us; He did not look to His own interests, but to ours, serving us with an extraordinary and perfect example of self-giving love. Find out more about this love in the second part of Malcolm's message on Philippians 2:5-11, “Jesus' True Giving.”Related Resources from LeaderSource* Book: True Giving: A Brief Exposition of Philippians* Model Brief: Shaping a Culture of Generosity* Story: A Land of Faith, a Culture of Generosity* Video Course: Shaping a Culture of Generosity, Pt. 1* For More Teaching on Common Errors: Malcolm's MusingsNew to the series? Start here:More messages from Malcolm: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadersource.substack.com

We talk about worship like it lives in songs and sanctuaries, but what if it's really exposed in your calendar, your budget, and your reaction when God overturns your plans? This sermon walks through the Bible's big picture of worship and then lets Proverbs confront our control, our anxiety, and our quiet anger when life does not go our way. In Christ, who entrusted every step to His Father, we learn how to plan with open hands and trust the God who directs our steps.

John 12:27 "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. Jesus' death was in view, the divine grain of wheat must die. He knew the time was upon Him. Even in that moment, He contemplated the impact on those He loved— they too will serve Him by laying down their lives. To follow Him, they will have to despise the natural lust to be honored by men in this world. As He pondered His upcoming suffering, apparently the thought entered His mind that He might ask His Father to deliver Him from it. But No! He came to this hour for the purpose of suffering death in service to His Father and bear much fruit. He would serve His Father. He would follow Him. He would be where His Father is. He would do it to be honored by the Father with abundant fruitfulness. The question for us is this: Will we follow and serve Jesus by laying down our lives with His resolve?

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Sunday morning, the 15th of February, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Gospel of Mark 15:37,”And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.” Then we go to John 19:30:”So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” Mission accomplished. The job is done. What an amazing Saviour we have! He didn't stop halfway. He didn't say to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, ”Lord, I can't do this.” No, he finished the job. You and I must finish what we have started. You know an unfinished job is very ugly, like a half-built building. Rather don't start than stop halfway through. I looked up how long it took for King Solomon to build the first temple. It took approximately seven years and he finished it. What about the second temple? That took almost twenty to twenty-one years to build. We really need to work hard and finish what we have started.Michelangelo, that wonderful artist, when he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it took him four years, folks. He had to build his own scaffold. Can you imagine climbing up there? It is very, very high, and then he did it upside down, but he finished that work of art for the glory of God.That young student who's thinking of dropping out of university, don't do it, finish your degree. That marriage that you are working through, ”Angus, we just can't get it right.” Ask God to help you. Philippians 1:6 says:”being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” When you start something, you must finish. It's no good saying you started, rather don't start. Finish the job!Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

Saturday, 14 February 2026   Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28   “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that the Son of Man is about to come in His kingdom, and then He will give each according to his practice. He next says, “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here.”   The Greek verb is a perfect participle. As can be seen, the NKJV fails to properly elucidate this, saying, “some standing here.” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a translation that accurately translates the verb. Instead, they rely on a present tense or present participle rendering. But Jesus' words indicate a completed action, the results of which are still present or relevant, “having stood here.” The same perfect participle is found in the same context in Mark 9:1. Combined with the words, “some...here,” this limits the scope of what is said to those present. Of those referred to, Jesus next says they are those “who not they should taste death.”   A new word is seen, geuomai, to taste. It is used figuratively here to indicate experiencing. It is aorist subjunctive, viewing the whole as a single completed event. In other words, these will not experience death, “until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”   The meaning of this is widely debated. Is this referring to the transfiguration? Does this speak of the resurrection? Is it the beginning of the church at Pentecost? Is it the destruction of the temple in AD70? Is it referring to the millennial kingdom? And so on. Each of these has its supporters. For example, some believe that Jesus' words in John 21:22 mean that John is still alive and he will be one of the two witnesses. One of several problems with that is that the two witnesses will be killed before the Son of Man returns. Further, Jesus' words in Matthew 16:28 are plural, indicating more than one person. One of many problems with the destruction of the temple view is that Jesus didn't return in AD70. If He did, other words of Jesus would be a complete failure, such as Matthew 24:27.   There is no record of such an event, something that would not be lacking. That is an unbiblical attempt by preterists to dismiss any future prophecy, including the restoration of national Israel as a literal, historical event.   The problem with the Pentecost view is that it was the Holy Spirit, not Jesus, who came upon the people in Acts 2. To conflate the meaning of one with the other is stretching the text like a rubber band, which will eventually snap. As for the resurrection view, as Jesus was not in a glorified state at the resurrection, that also seems to be a stretch of the intent.   The account that is noted next at the beginning of Matthew 17 follows in the same manner in all three synoptic gospels, which is a strong hint that tells us that the transfiguration is what Jesus is referring to. It is a kingdom foretaste for the benefit of the disciples. As it is recorded in the word, it is thus provided as a benefit for all.   This glorified state was then viewed by John when he received the book of Revelation, including Jesus' return in Revelation 19. For a fuller and more complete explanation of the details of Matthew 16, please continue reading the life application section of this commentary.   Life application: Chapter 16 of Matthew is a passage that petitions the Jews of the end times to consider who Jesus is based on their own history, comparing it to how He is portrayed in Scripture.   In verse 1, Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who asked for a sign from heaven. As in Chapter 15, these types of men represent the same thinking and paradigm as the rabbis of Israel today. Jesus told them that they could read the signs in the sky, but they could not discern the signs of the times.   With the coming of the end times, the Jews of Israel would naturally be expected to understand the situation they are in, but they will be clueless about the matter. In verse 4, Jesus said that the generation was wicked and adulterous, something akin to what Peter calls the Jews who rejected Jesus in Acts 2:40. Jesus continued that no sign would be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.   As explained, the sign of the prophet Jonah is the destruction of the temple, it being a year for a day based on Jonah's proclamation, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”   In the end times, the Jews will have to look to their Scriptures, understand that their temple was destroyed and they were exiled for rejecting Jesus, internalize this truth, and then have faith in Him based on that.   As an explanation of the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, in verse 5, the disciples went across the Sea of Galilee. As such, they crossed the Jordan because the Jordan runs through the sea. Being on the other (east) side signifies those who have not come through Christ to be saved. Jesus told them in verse 6 to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They thought He was talking about bread. But He corrected them by recapping the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand.   These miracles, anticipating the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, testify to His being the Messiah. What He was warning them about was the doctrine of those false teachers, not about bread. Their doctrine is to be equated with the false doctrine of the rabbis and other law teachers of the end times who have returned to law observance, temple worship, etc. It is a warning that the end times Jews are not to follow those Satan-led examples. Faith in Jesus, as represented by the feeding of the masses, is what brings restoration with God.   In verse 13, it is noted that Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea is derived from Caesar. The idea of being a Caesar is the deification of the individual. He is attributed a god-like status. Philippi is from Philip, a lover of horses. But in Scripture, a horse is metaphorically used as a source of military pride –   “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7   Abarim rightly defines Philippi with the lengthy paraphrase, They Who Lean On Their Military Complex. It is exactly the source of pride that Israel of today is heading towards. Their military superiority is their source of pride and is exalted to god-like status. This will only increase after the battle of Gogd/Magog.   It is in this prefigured end-times state that Jesus asks them who He is. The various answers are answers you could expect from Jews. Jesus was a prophet (or false prophet) or whatever. However, Simon Peter proclaims Him the Christ. What was Jesus' response? “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.”   The same name that was acknowledged as the sign in verse 4 is now noted by Jesus. He is Simon (Hearer) Son of Jonah. In other words, he represents the Jews who have understood (heard) the sign of Jonah. To be a son signifies identity. The end times Jews who acknowledge Jesus as the Christ are “sons of Jonah,” because they have made the connection by understanding the sign. In essence, “We missed Him when He came, but we know now who He is.”   It is on this proclamation that Jesus will build His out-calling of those in the end times. They will receive the keys to the kingdom of the heavens, entering into the millennial reign of Christ. In verse 21, Jesus spoke of His destiny to suffer and die. Peter's words of admonishment stirred Jesus to turn His back on him, call him Satan, and tell him he was not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.   It is a warning to the end times Jews that they are to accept a crucified Savior as the role of the Messiah. Israel looked, and still looks, for a conquering Messiah, but His role as the crucified Messiah is what God highlights in Him more than all else.   From there, Jesus told the disciples the words about denying themselves and losing their souls in order to save their souls. The thought is "losing their souls (meaning their lives) in order to save their souls."  It is exactly what is seen in Revelation –   “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9, 10  &   “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Revelation 15:2   In verse 27, it said, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers.” This is exactingly described in Revelation 19:11 –   “And I saw the heaven having been opened. And you behold! Horse, white! And the ‘sitting upon it' being called ‘Faithful and True,' and in righteousness He judges, and He battles” (CG).   Jesus is coming in His Father's glory. In Matthew 24, it notes that in the end times, He will send out His angels (Greek: messengers) to gather His elect.   The final verse of the chapter then said, “Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Again, this is exactly what occurs in Revelation. Some of the end times Jews will make it through the entire tribulation, not seeing death until they behold Jesus coming in His kingdom.   These things are gleaned from Matthew 16, forming a picture of what is coming in the future for Israel.   Lord God, how precious it is to know that You will not reject Israel, even when the whole world is imploding, You will be with them and carry them as a people through the tribulation and into the time promised to them so long ago. Thank You for Your covenant faithfulness, even to those of us who fail You constantly. Amen. Matthew 16   16 And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2And answering, He said to them, “Evening having come, you say, ‘Good weather!', for the heaven, it is red, 3and early, ‘This day... inclemency!', for glowering, the heaven, it reddens. Hypocrites! Indeed, you know to discern the face of the heaven, and the seasons' signs, not you can. 4Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and a sign – not it will be given it – if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.” And having left them, He departed.   5And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread. 6And Jesus, He said to them, “You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   7And they deliberated in themselves, saying, “Because not we took bread!” 8And Jesus, having known, said to them, “Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed? Because you took no bread? 9You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took? 10Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand, and how many hampers you took? 11How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12Then they comprehended that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread, but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees.   13And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, “Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?”   14And they said, “These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”   15He says to them, “And you, whom you say Me to be?”   16And answering, Simon Peter, he said, “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.”   17And Jesus, answering, He said to him, “Blessed you are, Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood not it revealed to you, but My Father, the ‘in the heavens'.” 18And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades' gates, not they will overpower her. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound' in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed' in the heavens.” 20Then He enjoined His disciples that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ.   21From then He began, Jesus, to show His disciples that it necessitates Him to depart to Jerusalem and to suffer many from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be roused.   22And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him, saying, “Propitious, to You, Lord! No, not it will be, this to You!”   23And, having turned, He said to Peter, “You withdraw behind Me, Satan! Snare, you are, to Me. For you think not these of God but these of men.”   24The Jesus, He said to His disciples, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me. 25For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it. 26For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul? 27For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice. 28Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Friday, 13 February 2026   For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Matthew 16:27   “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus asked what profit it would be for a man to gain the world but lose his soul. He also questioned what a man could give for his soul. Jesus next says, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father's glory.”   What is Jesus talking about here? Ellicott says, “The fact that the Son of Man is about to come to execute judgment, clothes its abstract statement with an awful certainty.” The Pulpit Commentary says, “the final judgment would put things in their true light.” Gill says, “either a second time to judgment at the last day ... or in his power, to take vengeance on the Jewish nation.”   These thoughts of judgment essentially sum up the overall thought of what scholars say the verse is referring to. It is true that Jesus is coming in judgment. However, His words place “about” in the emphatic position. Word for word, it reads “About for the Son of the Man to come.”   With the emphasis on “about...to come,” it is a stretch to tie this into the final judgment. The chapter began with the Pharisees and Sadducees testing Him, asking for a sign from heaven. The contents of the chapter focus on faith in God's plans as the overarching theme.   Jesus is speaking to and about Israel under the law. As this is so, the “about...to come” is likely referring to Israel's judgment for rejecting Jesus. Understanding that this was the sign of Jonah Israel was to expect, as detailed in Matthew 16:4, it seems to be the logical explanation.   However, all three synoptic gospels mention this general idea of Jesus' coming (Matthew 16:27, Mark 9:1, and Luke 9:27). After each, the transfiguration is mentioned. The transfiguration is something only seen by Peter and John. They were told to tell no one what they saw until the Son of Man was raised (Matthew 17:9, Mark 9:9). They complied with this as noted in Luke 9:36.   Jesus is ultimately referring to the judgment of Israel in AD70, but His words at this time are immediately referring to the transfiguration. This continues to be seen in His next words, “with His messengers.”   When Jesus is transfigured, who is He with? Though getting ahead in the narrative, He is with Moses and Elijah. Jesus is not referring to angels. He is referring to those who received His word and passed it to the people of Israel.   Moses and Aaron are called messengers of the covenant in Acts 7:53 and Hebrews 2:2 (yes, those verses are referring to Moses and Aaron – see the corresponding Superior Word commentaries). John the Baptist is called a messenger in Malachi 3. Jesus equates him to Elijah in Matthew 11:14, and he is prophesied to come as the Lord's representative in Malachi 4:5.   These are the messengers Jesus is referring to now. Moses represents the law, while Elijah represents the prophets of the law. They will appear with Jesus at the transfiguration. Only then are the next words stated by Jesus. “And then He will give each according to his practice.”   A new word is seen here, praxis, a practice (Sure sounds like the Klingon planet's moon). HELPS Word Studies says, “a function, implying sustained activity and/or responsibility.”   Almost all translations make this thought a continuation of what has already been said in this verse. However, it is likely a separate sentence beginning with “And then.” There will be the transfiguration, something Peter will refer to in 2 Peter 1:18 as a witness to the truth of God in Christ.   With the testimony of these apostles, the nation of Israel can accept or reject their word. In their rejection of it, judgment will come. And it did come, just as Jesus said concerning the sign of Jonah. The temple was destroyed forty years later.   The judgment of Israel came upon each “according to his practice.” Was their practice faith in Jesus or continued trust in the law which He fulfilled? This is what Jesus is speaking about.   Life application: God's messengers are both earthly and heavenly. The context of the passage determines which is being referred to. The law was not received by angels from heaven. It was received by men who then passed it to the people of Israel.   Angels did not come to earth and sleep with human women in Genesis 6. Rather, the ungodly line of Cain intermingled with the godly line of Seth. Over-sensationalizing the word leads to confusion of thought and a misunderstanding of what God is doing in the redemptive narrative as it has unfolded throughout the ages.   If someone is constantly referring to such sensational things, it would be best to avoid their instruction on them. If that is all they speak about, they should be rejected entirely. The Bible's focus is on man's restoration and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Keep this in focus, and you will do well.   O God, give us wisdom to rightly discern what Your word is telling us. There are many things that are hard to understand, and there are a lot of teachings that contradict each other. We can easily get lost in a sea of disagreement. So, Lord, lead us to the proper evaluation of what is being said so that we will be rightly trained. Amen.

John 12:25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. Let's just focus on the first phrase. Jesus stated it as a fact: he who loves his life loses it. He surely means “loves his life in this world” since he contrasts it with “hates his life in this world”. What does He mean by love? I suggest love in this context means that one identifies with, is attracted to, and draws satisfaction from the things and people in this world. He who loves his life in this fallen world is certainly dead. For Jesus is life, and He hates this fallen world, and it hates Him. Anything that isn't of Him is dead. Again, Jesus alone is life. To love something that is dead is to reveal the lost state of the heart. When we live to love with Jesus we love what and who He loves. Loving life in this world is not what He loves. He loves His Father and the things above. In the Spirit, Paul wrote, “set your mind on things above and not on the things that are on the earth”. Do you have a love relationship with your life in this world? If so, Jesus said assuredly, you will lose it. There is a Hebrew word used at the end of an important statement in the Psalms. It's the word “Selah.” It means to pause and ponder what is said. Selah.

Stuart Wachowicz - TVCA1412 - It is not uncommon to find professing Christians expressing the notion that the God of the Old Testament was harsh and does not reflect the love and kindness that Jesus taught. They also feel that there is somehow a difference between what God sought from mankind in the Old Testament as compared to the New. Many believe Jesus came to change the expectation that we would keep His Father's law, and was therefore a kinder, gentler God. But does this perspective match with scripture? Understanding who Christ was before His human birth provides ground-breaking insight into these important questions.

John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." This is not what I would have expected to hear from Jesus had I been Philip or Andrew. I would have expected something like, “Great! Bring them to me.” or “Where are they? Take me to them, I'd be happy to talk with them.” Does Jesus' answer surprise you? What is it about some Greeks wanting to see Him that signals that the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified? I'll give my two cents worth. Jesus knew that all things come from His Father and He only did what the Father showed Him. From His worldview, it was the Father who brought the Greeks to see Him. It's a sign that God loves the world, the non-Jews, just as He does the Jews. It's the fulfillment of what Jesus told Nicodemus when He told him that the wind (the Spirit) was going to blow where it wishes and that Nicodemus couldn't know where it was coming from or where it was going. The Son of Man was to be glorified by laying down His life for believers from every tribe, tongue, people, or nation. God gathered representatives from all the nations of the world to witness the righteousness of God placarded for all to see and believe. The Greeks' arrival told Jesus what the Father was doing. The hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Jesus is glorified as we seek Him as our Savior and Lord.

Welcome back to In the Word with Malcolm Webber!Even though Jesus was and is God, He willingly emptied Himself of the “form” of God and the rights of His preexistent glory, and came in the form of a servant, obeying His Father even to the point of the terrible death of the cross. He did this for us; He did not look to His own interests, but to ours, serving us with an extraordinary and perfect example of self-giving love. Find out more about this love in the first part of Malcolm's message on Philippians 2:5-11, “Jesus' True Giving.”Related Resources from LeaderSource* Book: True Giving: A Brief Exposition of Philippians* Model Brief: Shaping a Culture of Generosity* Story: A Land of Faith, a Culture of Generosity* Video Course: Shaping a Culture of Generosity, Pt. 1* For More Teaching on Common Errors: Malcolm's MusingsNew to the series? Start here:More messages from Malcolm: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadersource.substack.com

Main Topic Sermon by evangelist David Fisher from Fan Into Flames Ministry, on going through storms in life, using Mark 4:35–41 (Jesus calming the storm) and Isaiah 43:1–3 to call believers to a deeper revelation of Jesus rather than just rescue from problems.​ 1. Introduction: Word of God and Worship Word of God as powerful and authoritative, likened to a hammer that breaks rock (Jeremiah, Jesus' words never passing away).​ Welcome to Pastor Dave Fisher; context of recent ministry, prayer week, and sensing an increased move of the Spirit in the church and region.​ Worship as an act of defiance against the devil: choosing to shout unto God with a voice of triumph regardless of circumstances.​ Isaiah 43 read as a promise to God's people: when you go through waters, rivers, and fire, God is with you and you will not be destroyed.​ 2. “Going Through It”: Life's Unrelenting Storms Honest acknowledgement that many feel they are “going through it” (days, months, even decades of trial).​ Personal testimony of Dave and Shelley facing the most difficult mental, emotional, and spiritual season of their marriage.​ Introduction of Mark 4: disciples in a literal storm used as metaphor for any life trial.​ 3. The Main Question: “Who Is This Man?” Common application: Jesus stills our storms; affirmation that He can, does, and will.​ Central thesis: believers are not the main characters; the primary point is revelation of Jesus' identity, not mere deliverance.​ If God rescues us but we do not gain a deeper revelation of Jesus, our faith will be shaken at the next storm.​ Key question from the text: “Who is this man?”—this is the heart of the narrative and the sermon.​ 4. Crossing to the Other Side: Assignment and Opposition Jesus' simple statement “Let's cross to the other side of the lake” implies divine direction and assignment, not a casual trip.​ On the other side (Mark 5) is the demonized man with a legion; the crossing is about confronting hell and freeing a captive.​ Any call to follow Jesus and advance His kingdom will be opposed by powers of darkness; storms often accompany assignment.​ Demons recognize Jesus' identity and authority even before the disciples do; they know His power over them.​ 5. Storms, the Enemy, and Our Focus Enemy's purpose: incite fear, paralyze faith, and block God's purpose by overwhelming us with storms and problems.​ Some storms may be directly demonic; others are used by the enemy to assault mind, emotions, and focus.​ When overwhelmed by what we are going through, we forget what we are going to (our assignment).​ Disciples' early lesson: following Jesus includes storms; in this world we will have tribulation, but Jesus has overcome.​ 6. Presence in the Storm vs. Our Perception Fierce storm (earthquake-like on the water); seasoned fishermen are terrified as the boat fills with water.​ Core promise: Jesus is in the boat—in the midst of the storm—fulfilling God's word, “I will be with you.”​ Call to defiantly declare God's word over symptoms and senses: choose His word over sight, feelings, and thoughts.​ Warning: if we fail to discern the source of the storm, we fight the storm instead of the enemy behind it.​ 7. Jesus' Peace and Identity vs. Disciples' Panic Contrast: disciples terrified; Jesus asleep on a cushion—same boat, same storm, radically different response.​ It can feel like Jesus is present but passive, silent, or indifferent; these feelings are real but not true.​ Jesus' inner rest flows from knowing His Father, His identity, His origin, His assignment, and His destiny.​ Believers likewise know their beginning (saved), their assignment, and their end (with Him), so anything in between is in the Father's hands.​ 8. Fear, Faith, and Revelation Disciples' cry “Teacher, don't you care we are going to drown?” contrasts Jesus' word “We're going to the other side.”​ Only one declaration can be true; revelation of who He is corrects our conclusions about our situation.​ Critique of purely informational faith: information about Jesus must become Spirit-given revelation in our hearts.​ Areas dominated by fear reveal where we lack revelation of who Jesus is (e.g., healing, provision, family).​ 9. Jesus Rebukes the Storm and the Source Jesus responds to their cry by rebuking wind and waves with authority (“Silence, be still” / “shut up and knock it off”).​ Same language used to address demons, suggesting confrontation with spiritual forces behind the storm.​ Believers are invited to speak with that same delegated authority to the spirit behind the storm.​ Emphasis: the real battle is not with circumstances but with Satan, who seeks to destroy faith and block assignment.​ 10. Christ's Deity and the Disciples' Holy Terror Immediate calm reveals Jesus is doing what only God does in the Old Testament—ruling the chaotic waters.​ This event unveils not just His power but His deity: Jesus is God, the eternal Word made flesh.​ After the calm, Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”—implying they need not have feared.​ The disciples become “absolutely terrified” in a holy way; divine presence is more awe-inspiring than any storm or demon.​ 11. From Survival to Thriving: The Goal of Storms God's purpose is not mere survival but thriving in the midst of storms through deeper revelation of Christ.​ What we magnify (storm or Jesus) will master us; magnifying Christ brings freedom from storm-mastery.​ Storms can serve as opportunities for maturity and revelation (James 1:2–4 referenced).​ Encouragement: do not wait for storms to seek revelation; build it now in the Word.​ 12. Practical Response: Defiant Declarations and Spiritual Warfare Call to become a defiant people against the enemy, not against God: spiritual warfare, shouting, and praise.​ Personal example: walking around the house proclaiming God's word, pleading the blood, attacking the devil by the Spirit and the Word.​ Use Scripture to declare truth over fear, sickness, and oppression; don't believe everything you think.​ Weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to pull down strongholds and cast down imaginations.​ 13. Extended Declarations: “Who Is This Man?” Corporate ministry time: congregation invited to the altar to declare who Jesus is, not just receive prayer.​ Long series of biblical declarations describing Jesus' identity and work (never leaving or forsaking; bread of life; light; shepherd; vine; way, truth, life; resurrection and life).​ Christ as reconciler, sin-bearer, seated in highest honor, head of the church, victor over sin, death, and Satan.​ Christ as Alpha and Omega, visible image of the invisible God, creator and sustainer, Lamb slain yet standing, coming King.​ 14. Shout of Triumph and Closing Exhortation Congregational Jericho-style shout as an act of spiritual warfare, linked to breaking chains and walls falling.​ Second, louder shout encouraged, likened to (but surpassing) cheering at a football game (Super Bowl Sunday reference).​ Affirmation that walls are coming down, demons are fleeing, and victories are being won because of Jesus' kingship.​ Dismissal: leave with praise, a shout, and an awareness of spiritual battle; take God's word and do warfare in Jesus' name

In a time when the disciples were troubled and perplexed, Jesus gave them the assurance that He was preparing a place for them in His Father's house. He also reminded them that this Place was only made possible through Himself - Jesus.

The Right Table #RTTBROS #Nightlight"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." — Matthew 23:27You know, I saw something on social media the other day that really stopped me in my tracks: "Don't beg for a seat at a table Jesus would flip over." Now that'll preach, won't it?It got me thinking about all the times we exhaust ourselves trying to earn approval from systems and people that Jesus Himself would challenge. We bend ourselves into pretzels, compromise our convictions, water down our witness, all to get a seat at some table that looks impressive from the outside but is spiritually bankrupt on the inside.Jesus had zero patience for religious performance. When He walked into the temple and saw the money changers turning His Father's house into a marketplace, He didn't politely ask for a seat at their table. He flipped the whole thing over. "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13).Here's what I've learned, and I'm too soon old and too late smart on this: the tables that demand the most from us often offer the least in return. They want our conformity, our silence, our willingness to play the game. But Jesus came to flip those tables, not franchise them.Think about the religious leaders of Jesus' day. They had the best seats, the longest robes, the public recognition. People were literally begging for their approval. But Jesus looked past all that religious window dressing and called it exactly what it was: dead men's bones dressed up to look alive.The truth is, we spend so much energy trying to impress people who are impressed by all the wrong things. We're hustling for validation from systems that value appearance over authenticity, position over character, performance over transformation.But here's the beautiful part of the story: while the religious elite were guarding their exclusive tables, Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners. He was pulling up chairs for the outcasts, the broken, the ones who knew they needed a Savior. "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (Matthew 9:12).Jesus isn't asking you to beg for a seat anywhere. He's already prepared a place for you at His table. And let me tell you, that table is set with grace, mercy, and unconditional love. No performance required. No games to play. Just come as you are.So maybe it's time to stop exhausting yourself trying to earn approval from tables Jesus would flip over. Maybe it's time to walk away from systems that demand you shrink yourself to fit in. Maybe it's time to remember that you already have a seat at the only table that truly matters.History is just His story, and in His story, there's always room at the table for broken people who know they need a Savior.Let's pray: Father, give us the courage to walk away from tables that require us to compromise our convictions. Help us find our worth not in the approval of man, but in Your unconditional love. Remind us that we already have a seat at Your table. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #Nightlight #Authenticity #GraceBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 6th of February, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Gospel of John 17:21. And this is Jesus speaking to His Father: ”that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” I want to speak to you this morning about relationships, and I want to speak to you about probably the hardest place to keep a relationship. Where is it? It's at home. Oh yes, I can see you smiling, and some of you aren't. It's not easy. The first murder in the Bible after the creation of the earth was between two brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain killed his brother, Abel. Look at the dispute that Abraham had with his nephew, Lot, when they argued about who was going to have the high land and who was going to have the low land. What about Moses and his brother, Aaron and his sister, Miriam? What an argument they had! If God hadn't intervened there, there would have been big trouble because of family.What about David and Absalom? David was so blinded by the love that he had for his son, that he couldn't see that his son was plotting to kill him. If it wasn't for David's men, his own son would have killed him. What about Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark? They had a terrible fallout because of John Mark, and Paul said, ”I'm not going with him again. He let us down once before and that's it.” Barnabas said, ”No, well I am taking him.” And they split up.Now, this is not a negative message, my dear friend, it's a challenging message. Jesus says that you and I must love one another in the family so that the world can believe that the Father sent Jesus down to the earth. “A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love, one for another.”John 13:34-35A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you. That you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love, one for another.By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love, one for another.Let's love each other. Let's sit down after this message and say, ”Dad, I forgive you”; ”Mom, I forgive you”; “Son, I forgive you.”; “ Daughter, I forgive you.” For Christ's sake, let's do it. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

“The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” — 1 John 4:14 It is a sweet thought that Jesus Christ did not come forth without His Father's permission, authority, consent, and assistance. He was sent of the Father, that He might be the Saviour of men. We are too apt to […]

January 24, 2026Strength to Strength welcomed Ian Miller to share how to seek Jesus' kingdom first in 2026.Too often we sacrifice what's most important on the altar of the urgent. With so much demanding our attention, how can we keep first things first?I want to take a look at Jesus' life and learn how he stayed connected to and focused on His Father's purpose for His life. Together we will explore what it looks like to get clarity of purpose so that we can steward our story.An interactive question-and-answer period follows.https://strengthtostrength.org/stewarding-your-story-in-2026/Buy Ian's book here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/ian-miller/abundant-life-leader-planner/paperback/product-gj9gqwp.htmlMore info on Caleb Summit here: https://www.calebsummit.org/

My guest today is Ben Horowitz, the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz. Since its founding in 2009, a16z has grown into one of the most influential firms in venture capital, reshaping how technology companies are funded and how power and ideas move through Silicon Valley and around the world. This conversation focuses on sides of Ben's story you don't often hear. Ben reflects on the people who shaped him, including Nas, Andy Grove, and his father, and shares why he chose to personally fund new technology for the Las Vegas Police Department. We also talk about how he thinks about a16z's responsibility in shaping the trajectory of America, the scale of his ambition for the firm, and what he sees as the biggest risk facing the country. Please enjoy this great and unique conversation with Ben Horowitz. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Ramp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ramp.com/invest⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Vanta. Trusted by thousands of businesses, Vanta continuously monitors your security posture and streamlines audits so you can win enterprise deals and build customer trust without the traditional overhead. Visit vanta.com/invest.  ----- This episode is brought to you by Rogo. Rogo is an AI-powered platform that automates accounts payable workflows, enabling finance teams to process invoices faster and with greater accuracy. Learn more at Rogo.ai/invest. ----- This episode is brought to you by ⁠WorkOS⁠. WorkOS is a developer platform that enables SaaS companies to quickly add enterprise features to their applications. Visit ⁠WorkOS.com⁠ to transform your application into an enterprise-ready solution in minutes, not months. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ridgeline⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ridgelineapps.com. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Timestamps (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:02:43) Episode Intro: Ben Horowitz (00:03:27) The State of America Right Now (00:06:06) How Policy Could Destroy America (00:08:29) AI Changes the Laws of Company Building and Investing (00:11:40) Why AI Researchers are Paid $100M (00:13:16) Thoughts on Growing Inequality (00:18:07) Societal Challenges Due to AI (00:19:56) Ben's Scope of Ambition for the Next 20 Years (00:22:48) Andy Grove's Influence on Ben (00:27:44) Starting Andreessen Horowitz (00:32:53) Early Mistakes (00:36:17) What Capital Markets Are Missing (00:37:44) Why VC and Not PE (00:40:03) Tradeoffs with Scale (00:41:10) A Culture is Not a Set of Ideas, it's a Set of Actions (00:43:05) Lessons from His Father (00:45:03) Exciting Use Cases of AI (00:46:46) Ben's Friendship with Nas (00:50:05) Funding New Technology for the Las Vegas Police Department (00:54:07) The Kindest Thing

Listen to Jesus' prayer, His honest appraisal of His relationship with Father God and His deep love for His disciples and for us! His heart is so transparent that we feel a hush in the room, even though we weren't there at the time. How amazing it is for us to realize He had developed the same heart for His followers and the world as His Father has. Is that not, the heart we are to ask for?Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Adam Maddock, and Phil Reaser

The Cold Murder of His Father: Do You Have Information? A Case That Still Haunts Los Angeles, California. More than a decade later, the killing of Joseph Gatto remains one of Los Angeles' most haunting unsolved crimes. The Home Invasion that took his life did not just devastate a Family, it reshaped the inner world of his son, former California lawmaker Mike Gatto, and pulled him into a dark, unresolved mystery that continues to demand answers. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. Joseph Gatto was 78 years old, strong, active, and deeply woven into the fabric of his community. Friends believed he would live to be 100. Instead, he died 22 years too soon. Check out his Podcast appearance, and content shared for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and most major podcast platforms. On November 12, 2013, Joseph Gatto was shot inside his Silver Lake Home, a neighborhood often described as one of the safest and most culturally vibrant areas of Los Angeles. The following day, his daughter, arrived for their weekly dinner and made a discovery no family should ever have to endure. After calling out his name, she found her father slumped over his desk on the third floor, dead from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin . Silver Lake, once described by Forbes as the “hippest” neighborhood in Los Angeles, is known for its art culture, creativity, and sense of community. Joseph loved it there. A retired art teacher, he had spent decades giving back, teaching high school and college students, selling concessions at Dodger Stadium at night, and creating art as a jewelry maker and author. In 1985, he helped found the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where he led the visual arts department. The Cold Murder of His Father: Do You Have Information? A Case That Still Haunts Los Angeles, California. “He was prominent throughout the community and liked by everyone,” friends recalled. To many, the idea that he would be the victim of a violent crime was unthinkable. Yet investigators quickly determined Joseph Gatto had been killed during what appeared to be a Home Invasion robbery. There were no obvious signs of forced entry, but the house had been ransacked and a file cabinet breached. Police later said they were looking for a man seen breaking into cars in the area around the same time, suggesting the murder may have been linked to a local burglary spree. Available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and most major Podcast networks. Despite suspect sketches, extensive media coverage, and a $50,000 reward, the case stalled. Over time, it became what investigators now acknowledge as a cold case. The Cold Murder of His Father: Do You Have Information? “The murder of Joseph Gatto captivated Los Angeles,” said Robert Kovacik, anchor and reporter for NBC Los Angeles. “Many veteran journalists still wonder how and why it happened. The details of this horrible crime and those affected by it continue to fascinate.” At the time of the murder, Mike Gatto was an up-and-coming political figure, serving as a four-term member of the California Legislature representing Los Angeles. He chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee, served as Assistant Speaker, and authored several pieces of landmark legislation. Publicly, he was immersed in the world of politics. Privately, his life had been shattered. Mike Gatto has said he believes his father's killer is still out there. Look for The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. That belief, and the frustration of unanswered questions, pulled him into what he describes as the world of noir: wild theories, unyielding detectives, missed connections, and unimaginable violence. Friends, neighbors, and family members wanted justice. Detectives repeatedly told the public the case would be solved. As the years passed, those assurances faded. The impact of the crime eventually found its way onto the page. The Cold Murder of His Father. In his book, "Noir by Necessity: How My Father's Unsolved Murder Took Me to Dark Places", Gatto chronicles the investigation and its toll with unflinching honesty. The book reads like a thriller, but it is rooted in real grief, real clues, and a real system that, in this case, failed to deliver answers. “This is a modern murder mystery,” Gatto has said, “and a candid look at how the dark underbelly of Los Angeles collided with the political world.” The book details every lead, every theory, and every haunting detail Gatto uncovered as he tried to make sense of his father's death. It also explores the psychological cost of living with an unsolved crime, how it reshapes memory, trust, and one's understanding of justice. Available for free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other podcast platforms. Today, the story continues to resonate far beyond Los Angeles. It is discussed across News platforms and shared on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple, and Spotify, where true crime audiences continue to ask the same question: Do You Have Information? That question is not rhetorical. Authorities have long maintained that someone knows something. Mike Gatto has continued to push for answers, keeping his father's case in the public eye and urging anyone with knowledge to come forward. The Family still waits for closure. The city still wonders how such a crime could happen in a place that felt so safe. The Cold Murder of His Father. A Case That Still Haunts Los Angeles, California. Joseph Gatto was more than a victim. He was a teacher, an artist, a founder, a father, and a fixture of his community. His death marked the violent intersection of crime, politics, and personal loss, one that forever altered the life of his son. The full interview is available Free on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and excerpts are being shared on Facebook and Instagram as part of a broader dialogue about incarceration, reentry, and personal responsibility. You can find the show on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn, as well as read companion articles and updates on Medium, Blogspot, YouTube, and even IMDB. More than a decade later, The Cold Murder of His Father remains unresolved. And until the truth comes Home, the mystery of Joseph Gatto's death continues to haunt Los Angeles. Mike Gatto's book, "Noir by Necessity: How My Father's Unsolved Murder Took Me to Dark Places", is available now. More information can be found at his website. Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer. You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at Jay@letradio.com , or learn more about him on their website . Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page , look for the one with the bright green logo. Be sure to check out our website . Be sure to follow us on X , Instagram , Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin and other social media platforms for the latest episodes and news. The Cold Murder of His Father: Do You Have Information? A Case That Still Haunts Los Angeles, California. Attributions Amazon Project Cold Case Mike Gatto Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Audio Transcript Yeah, Full house this morning. There we go. So, yeah, it’s good to meet in God’s house and to sing praises to the Lord. So today we are going to continue our sermon series in the book of Luke. And so if you have a Bible, you can go ahead and open up there. And if you don’t have a Bible, there should be some blue Bibles in the chairs that you can go ahead and grab. And so we are in Luke chapter six. And we’re going to be reading verses 12 through 19. And so this passage is focusing on the calling of the 12 disciples and the events that follow right after their calling. And so I’m going to read this passage and then I’ll pray and we’ll get started. So here’s what the word of the Lord has for us this morning. Luke 6:12. In these days he went out to the mountain to pray. And all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them 12 whom he named Apostles Simon, whom he named Peter and Andrew his brother, and James and John and Philip and Bartholomew and. And Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alphaeus and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. So that’s God’s word for us. Please pray with me. God, thank you that you speak to us through, through your holy word that you have preserved so that we might hear from you. Now I pray God that you would indeed speak, and God you would help me to speak your word and that you would give us hearts and ears to receive what you are saying this morning. It’s in Jesus name we ask these things. Amen. All right. So up until this point in Luke’s eyewitness account of Jesus life, Jesus has done a lot in the region of Galilee and in Judea. And in the very beginning of Jesus ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, followed by a supernatural phenomenon with the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus like a dove and the voice of the Father declaring, this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Jesus was then led into the wilderness for 40 days, where he was tested and tempted by Satan and where he overcame the devil through God’s word. Jesus taught in the synagogues throughout the surrounding area of Galilee, teaching that the scriptures were now being fulfilled in him. Jesus declared that he is the Son of man, who has authority to forgive sins. The Bridegroom of God, the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus had casted out demons, proving his authority over spiritual realms of darkness. Jesus had healed many people of a variety of sicknesses and malformities, including fever, disease, leprosy, paralytics, withered hand and and much, much more. Jesus had called forth specific individuals to begin following him that nobody would expect, including outcasts and fishermen and a tax collector. And with all of these things Jesus had done and continued to do, he was doing the will of his Father. But now a shift in Jesus ministry strategy was about to happen. So no longer was Jesus going to continue his mission in solidarity. And although Jesus certainly could have done this, that’s not what God planned to happen. Instead, Jesus would now choose 12among those who had been following him since the baptism of John, and they would become his personal disciples. And so understand, like this is no small thing for the ministry of the Son of God this moment here in our passage, as we know that these 12 disciples would go on after Jesus to establish God’s church for the edification of the saints and for the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. So the establishment of God’s kingdom for generations would come, beginning with these 12 disciples. Through these 12, by the power of God, lives would change and the world would change. So how does Jesus make this very big decision? Looking at verse 12 in our text, it says in these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. So before choosing the 12 disciples, we learn that Jesus removes himself from all distractions by going to a mountain in Galilee and he goes there alone to pray to God the Father. And Jesus did this actually early, early on in his ministry that Luke mentions. And he’s doing this at the days when the Pharisees hate for Jesus was only increasing more and more as we learned about from last week’s sermon. And as Luke had mentioned, Jesus had done this in the past. What is unique here in this passage is that this is the only time Luke records Jesus takes all night to pray in isolation. Like the only other time Jesus comes close to doing this is in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. And so there’s two Reasons why I think God’s Word gives us this information and why Jesus prays all night. The first reason is to show us the humanity of Christ. Jesus is fully God and fully man. And therefore during his time on earth, there are times when Jesus knowledge or power were willingly limited in order for him to be fully human. And so to put it another way, Jesus subjected himself to the Father’s will by choosing not to exercise the full limit of his divinity during his life and ministry on earth. So Jesus never stopped being God, but also he was man. And Jesus dependency upon prayer with his heavenly Father shows us the humility of Christ as he had to depend on his Father at times to reveal to him what the Father’s will was. And since this is such a large decision happening here, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer seeking the Father’s will. The second reason I think Jesus did this is to teach us about the vital importance of prayer. So when faced with a large decision that Jesus knew was part of God’s will for his life, he didn’t say like, I’ll pray about it and then like walk away and like forget to pray about it or just kind of briefly mention it to God in prayer and then just kind of go further about his day. Like actually Jesus, like knowing that he was going to choose the 12among this crowd of disciples, like took, made the disciplinary action to step away from the busyness of ministry to be alone with God and to pray not for five minutes, not for 15 minutes, and not for an hour, but all night long until the text tells us like the sun rose the next day. Like, let that sink in. This is vitally important what Jesus is doing and taking this time to pray. And if the Son of God felt that prayer was this vitally important for his ministry, then how much more vitally important is prayer for God’s people and determining God’s will for our lives? Jesus is the perfect example of what it means to be a Christian and what it means to walk by faith in the living God who hears and answers prayer. And so we as God’s people, we must do the same and carve out devoted time to pray to God individually as a family and corporately if we want to carry out God’s will for our lives. And so if your prayer life is lacking, then let the example of Jesus encourage you to make time for prayer this week. Make some like, attainable goals on how you can devote more time to prayer this week so that God’s will may be done in your life. For God delights in hearing and answering the prayers of his saints. And if the perfect Son of God depended on His Father to lead and direct him while on this earth through the power of prayer, how much more do we need to depend on our heavenly Father through prayer? That being said, moving to verse 13, it says, and when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them 12 whom he named apostles. So the sun rises after Jesus long night of prayer, and Jesus knows who he is going to choose as his 12 student. 12 students. The meeting that Jesus had with his heavenly Father in prayer made it clear who would be chosen and what he would teach them that morning. It’s important to note that the only reason the disciples are made like one of the 12 is, is because Jesus graciously chose them to become his apostles. Like, this isn’t something that they signed up for, but rather something Jesus called them forth to do and chose them to do. And with that line, like John the Baptist understood this as well. John the Baptist said this about his own ministry. A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given to him from heaven. It is by the grace of God and his choosing that these men are made into 12 disciples for the purposes that God set long ago. And the word apostle that is here in our text that Luke points out, it literally means to send. And so this is signifying the mission that was given to these men, to these disciples from Jesus. So in both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark, Jesus choosing of the 12 apostles involves giving them authority to be sent out to preach, to cast out demons, and to heal every disease and affliction, which is exactly what Jesus is about to do in the next few verses. And so the 12 apostles were God’s chosen disciples in whom he gave authority to carry out his great mission. Jesus was instituting a new office of apostleship for the early church, who would serve as his official representatives. And the way he would teach his apostles is by spending time with them. 24, 7. Because of this, these 12 disciples would get to know their teacher and their Lord on a much more personal level from this point on, which is such a privilege for each of these 12 disciples. And then in our text, verses 14 through 16 gives us a list of these apostles names. And so A list of 12 disciples is also given in Matthew, Mark, and Acts. And in each of these lists, Simon Peter is always listed as first. And then Judas Iscariot is always listed as last. This is because Simon, who was renamed Peter, which literally means rock, is whom Jesus said, on this rock, I will Build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus chose Peter to be the leader in whom he would begin to build his church after his resurrection. And Jesus words are actually fulfilled later in the Book of Acts we read on the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches a sermon of repentance to all who gather to hear him in Jerusalem. And about 3,000 people profess faith in Jesus that day and are baptized. And so hence, Jesus uses Peter to begin to build his church. So overall, there’s not actually a ton of information known about each of these apostles based on what God gives us in His Word. We know that, like, four of these guys were just simple fishermen and they were called to follow Jesus. And this was Peter and Peter’s brother Andrew, and then two other men named James and John, who Jesus called the Sons of Thunder. We know that John was called the disciple of whom Jesus loved, and that John wrote the Gospel of John and as well as three epistles and the Book of Revelation. And then we know that John was exiled to the island of Patmos at the end of his life. We know that Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector who wrote the Gospel of Matthew, which we just spent some time learning about him a few weeks ago. We know Bartholomew was also known as Nathanael, and he was described by Jesus in the Book of John as an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. We know Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus until he saw him again, which, honestly is kind of a bummer thing to be remembered as. But I’m pretty sure as we get to heaven, we’ll learn like, there’s some other great things that Thomas did in faith. We know that Simon was a zealot, in which the zealots was like a zealous religious group who are committed to the fall of Rome. And then we know about Judas Iscariot, who was the money keeper for the apostles and who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. And after betraying Jesus, Judas hung himself in the field of blood and was later replaced by a man named Matthias, who became the 12th apostle in his place. And as for the rest of the disciples in this list, like, the Bible actually doesn’t give us a ton of information about them. And from what we know, these apostles, like, they did not come from noble or wealthy families. They weren’t priests or scholars. They weren’t even like, really educated. They were like untrained, ordinary people like you and me. And so don’t miss this with this list that is provided here. By Luke, these guys were just ordinary men. And yet they were called and chosen by an extraordinary God. And because they were chosen by an extraordinary God, by Jesus, their names will stand as pillars in heaven for all of eternity. Which is wild to think about. Just listen to what Revelation 12:14 says concerning the new Jerusalem that represents the city of God in the new heavens and new earth. It says this, and the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and on them were the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. So these apostles, they may have been just ordinary guys before Jesus called them to himself, but because they were called by an extraordinary God, their names will be remembered as pillars in heaven forever. And the Bible doesn’t tell us much about the apostles, but that’s because it’s not about who the apostles are, it’s about the extraordinary God the apostles were called by and who followed for the sake of Christ’s kingdom. That’s what matters here in this passage. And because Jesus chose these 12 disciples who gave up their lives for the sake of the Gospel, according to church tradition, today there is a foundation that the household of God’s church stands upon and will forever stand upon, namely, because Christ is its cornerstone. And so we, Red Village Church, we are in debt to the way that God used these 12 disciples. And that is something incredible to think about. God chooses ordinary people like you and like me for extraordinary purposes that make ripples into eternity. And we would do good to never forget that. Moving on to verses 17 through 19, our text says, and he came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them. So after Jesus chooses his 12 disciples, he now comes off of the mountain that he was on in prayer with these 12 at his side, to what Luke said, a level place. Now, this description of a level place, it’s important because it seems to be signifying that this is a different place from the Sermon on the Mount, where Matthew clearly says Jesus went up on the mountain, and then he began preaching the Sermon on the Mount after he had ascended the mountain. And so the sermon, this sermon right here, it differs from the Sermon on the Mount in that it doesn’t focus on the Jewish law, but instead its focus is on love and fruit that a disciple’s life should have. And so although this like sermon is very similar and it’s actually using the same information that Jesus uses on the Sermon on the Mount, it’s actually only half as long as the Sermon on the Mount. And because of this, this sermon is often referred to as the Sermon on the Plain, in which many scholars agree was a similar sermon to the Sermon on the Mount, but it was given a different. It was given at a different time, likely before the Sermon on the Mount. So before Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Plain, Luke tells us a great crowd of Jesus, other disciples, and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon. They all gather to Jesus for these three reasons that Luke gives us. To hear Jesus preach, to be healed of their diseases and to be freed of unclean demonic spirit. So it’s important to note that Jesus fame, like it’s now spreading beyond just the region of Galilee and Judea in which Jesus has been up to this point. And so now, like Luke says, great multitudes, which is most likely in the thousands, are now coming from the sea coast of the cities on the Mediterranean, which means these were Gentile cities. And so Gentiles are now coming in to gather around Jesus to hear him teach and to be healed and to be freed by demonic spirits by Jesus. So we know that this is the reason why Jesus came is to redeem and to save not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles from every tribe and language and tongue on the earth. And as people came from near and far, their diseases were healed. And the demons that oppressed those who were troubled were cast out and cured. And those who came wondering like, could this be the long awaited Messiah that we have been waiting for? Truly they heard and they seen that this is the Christ. Verse 19 tells us that as people began to be healed and cured, others in the crowd who had not been healed simply made it their mission to just touch Jesus. Because Luke says divine power was radiating out from Jesus that healed them all. Now this is like an incredible scene that Luke is portraying for us. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of people pressing in just to simply touch Jesus. For just by touching him, lifelong illnesses, chronic pain, infirmities, and agonized demon possessed people who have been dealing with this for who knows how long are instantly healed when they touch Jesus. Like that is incredible. All because the Son of God, the Christ, was standing on level ground on planet earth and from him was radiating this life restoring power to whom all were healed. That came to him like, what a sight this must have been. This, this had to been incredible to witness, especially for the 12 disciples that are now called to join in with Jesus ministry. Like this had to be mind blowing. And the word for power here that Luke gives is actually the Greek word dunamis, which is where we get the English word for dynamite. And so this is the same power that Luke describes Jesus having in Luke 4:14, where Luke says, and Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit to Galilee. So this power that Jesus has coming from him is directly related to the Holy Spirit who we see brings life and restoration both to creation and to all of mankind throughout the Bible. And this is the Holy Spirit’s life changing power being poured out from Jesus to everybody who is coming to him and to everybody who is touching him. And so this picture is certainly painting for us. A picture of the nations coming to Jesus in great physical and spiritual need. And Jesus is at the center, allowing all to come to him and to be healed as they believe and touch the Son of God, who is the supply and source of the Holy Spirit’s power, which knows no bounds. And it’s important to think about this scene in relation to the 12 disciples who were just chosen. Like up to this point, they’ve listened to Jesus teach, they’ve watched him heal and cast out demons. But this, this is on a completely different level. Directly after being chosen to be Jesus apostles and given authority to do the same work as Jesus, this scene unfolds. And so this is the work that Jesus is doing and will continue to do with all of his 12 disciples at his side. People will be drawn to Jesus in both physical and spiritual need, both Jews and Gentiles. And Jesus will continue to restore and change lives through the power of the Holy Spirit living in his disciples. This is what Jesus Kingdom looks like. And he invites his 12 disciples to join in on this work. For it is only the beginning and that ends our passage. And so from this I have three applications for you that I want to give you from this passage of Scripture that I think speak loudest. And so the first application I have for you, if you have put your faith in Christ, remember you are chosen by Christ for the purposes of his kingdom as his disciple. In the same way that Jesus chose the 12, he has chosen you that all may be drawn to Christ. Ephesians 1:4:5 says this. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He predestined us for adoption to Himself as the sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will. That being said, there is purpose in the will of God as He calls his people from death to. So if you are a Christian here this morning, meaning that you have made Jesus like the Lord of your life, then just like the 12 disciples, remember that God has purpose for your life. As his disciple, he wants to use you to draw others to himself by sharing the gospel and by living as Christ’s ambassador, not because of what you’ve done, but because of who God is. And that is really encouraging to know that if you are in Christ, God created you for good works to do today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day and the next day that will ripple into eternity. When I was in college at a fall retreat for a collegiate ministry that I was a part of, it was in New Mexico. This was a collegiate ministry called the Christian Challenge. And the director there was named David Engelhardt. And so David led us out from this little Bible camp in the mountains of New Mexico. And he had all these students, including myself, gather around a little pond that was about 50 yards wide. And what David taught me that day and the rest of the students, I will never forget. With everyone gathered around this pond, he picked up a rock and then he just threw it into the pond and told all of us just to be silent and to watch. And so David does this. The rock goes. Splashes into this pond. And then ripples are sent out from this rock that go out all the way to the edges of this pond and. And then bounce off of different things in the pond until they all begin to go completely still. And so, in silence, everyone, including myself, watches these ripples go out. And after the ripples disappeared, David said this. Serving Christ is a lot like ripples in a pond. You, by faith, make a splash in obedience to Christ. And ripples are sent all across the pond, but the rock is at the bottom of the pond. And often the rock does not see the ripples that are going on up above. But God, he sees all that his hand is doing with these ripples. And so what he is saying is, God has purpose in every splash, every good work, every step of faith, every Gospel conversation, every Sunday service that we gather. God says he is working. And even if we can’t see it, God is building his kingdom through his chosen disciples, and that is through you. If you have put your faith in Jesus, he has chosen to use you to make ripples that will last for eternity. An extraordinary God calls ordinary people like you, like me, to follow him so that they might live with extraordinary purpose for the glory of God. So first application is, do not forget this. My second application from this passage is very simple, and that is to seek to make disciples of Christ Jesus. Master plan of evangelizing the world started with investing more time into just 12 disciples. And then Jesus spent even more time in just three of those disciples who were Peter, James and John. And so Jesus intentionally invited these disciples to not only join his ministry, but to also get a glimpse into his personal walk with God. And we are called to do the exact same thing. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave the great commission for his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded his people. And so if you’re here and you believe in Jesus as the Lord of your life, then you are his disciple. And you too are called to make other disciples through baptism and teaching other followers of Jesus to observe all that Jesus has commanded in the Bible. So if you’re a believer, my question to you is, who are you discipling right now? Who are you helping to follow Christ? Discipleship can look like a lot of different things. It can look like serving in kids ministry to help teach kids about the Bible and how they can know God. It can look like having a daily time of family worship with your kids and teaching them about the Bible and how to walk with God. It can look like inviting people to church so they can hear God’s Word preached and then grow in their faith through community with other believers. It can look like meeting together with a believer who is new to the faith or with someone who is considering the claims of Christ and to study the Bible with them and teach them about Jesus. It can look like leading a small group Bible study that is teaching others God’s Word and how to put it into action. Or it can look like inviting a college student to your home for a meal to see how you are following Christ while encouraging them to do the same. Which is what I personally am praying that God will do with Adoptive Student Day today. And so, regardless of how we do discipleship, what’s important is that we do seek to do it no matter what it will. No matter what it will require you to be intentional and to invite another person into your life and into the church so that they too may become a disciple who follows Jesus and who keeps his commands and if you’re not sure where to start, then I encourage you to do what Jesus does here in our passage of scripture. Carve out some intentional time to pray to God that God would give you someone to disciple and to show you who that person is. And if you do this, then God will guide you in the right direction and he will equip you with what you need to help others grow in Christ. This is the work that God is doing and what he’s called us to do. And it’s not about who you are and how good you are at teaching or helping others. It’s about just seeking to be faithful and God using you to build up and raise up other disciples. My third and last application from this passage is point all people to the life restoring power found in Christ alone. Our passage ends with human need, both little and great being met in the person of Jesus. So Jesus is the only one with the power to change a person’s life from spiritual death to spiritual life. Only in Jesus can the Holy Spirit change a dead heart to beat for God and to live the extraordinary life that God calls us to live by faith. Jesus lived the life that we could not and died on a cross in our place. And then three days later, Jesus rose again from the dead and is victorious over sin and death. And today, Jesus is alive. That’s why we gather here and that’s why we continue to worship God. It’s because Jesus lives. And if you repent today and believe that Jesus truly is the Lord over all the earth who rose again from the dead, then scripture says you too will receive the resurrection power by the Holy Spirit who will come to live inside of you and who guarantees that you will be with God in heaven for eternity. Which is incredible. This is the gospel, the good news given to mankind. And so no matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, the power of God can change your life today. And I believe that wholeheartedly, because I am a walking example of that. God has changed my life from death to life through faith in Him. And so, in summary, point all people to the life restoring power that is found in Christ alone. May we never grow weary in doing that and in seeing that our Savior is the one who has life life restoring power so that all who believe may find new life and joy in him for eternity. That being said, please pray with me, God. We believe that Jesus truly is alive. And we believe, God, that you can use us as you use these 12 disciples to bring about life for others, to bring about Godliness, to bring about godly fruit that is good and righteous and holy. And Lord, that you call us to make other disciples. And so I pray, help us to be faithful in trusting Lord in your choosing and being faithful, to step out works of faith and to be intentional with others so that others may grow in Christ and be able to know and love you and walk with you and God, that the Gospel by your grace, may go to the ends of the earth, that you would use our small little church to fulfill your great commission. And God, that we would never grow weary in pointing people to the all powerful Christ who is alive and who gives new life to all who believe in him. And I pray God be with us as we continue our service today. And it’s in Jesus name we all pray. Amen. The post Chosen Disciples – Luke 6: 12-19 appeared first on Red Village Church.

January 31, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Septuagesima - Psalm 18:1-2a, 27, 32, 49; antiphon: Psalm 18:5-6aDaily Lectionary: Zechariah 10:1-11:3; 2 Timothy 3:1-17“I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” (Psalm 18:1-2a)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.David had once soothed Saul's troubled soul with his music (1 Samuel 16:23). Soon, though, Saul became suspicious of David and jealous of his successes. Jealousy soon turned to hatred, and Saul attempted to kill David on multiple occasions. But the Lord was with David and delivered him from Saul as he had delivered him from the lion, the bear, and the giant Goliath. His response is a love Psalm. “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” These words begin a litany of praise for God's mighty works. The Psalm concludes, “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name. Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever” (Psalm 18:49-50). It's such an important Psalm that Scripture records it twice: first, in the 18th entry of the book of Psalms, and second in 2 Samuel 22. Why the repetition? This Psalm, as with every other Psalm, is only secondarily a Psalm of David (or of any other author). The Psalms are primarily the songs of Jesus. He is the author by His Holy Spirit, and He has only lent these words to His forefathers in the flesh until the time that He takes them upon His lips. Psalm 18 is important because it also speaks of the mightiest act of God: “the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears” (Psalm 18:5b-6). Psalm 18 sings of the resurrection. Where David only came near death, Jesus was ensnared by it. But as Jesus prayed Psalm 18, His Father, the Lord God Almighty, heard His voice, and He delivered Him from the grave on the third day. There is no greater love than someone laying down His life for His friends. The Lord has laid down His life for you. He is the Rock who emerged from the tomb cut in the rock. He is the mighty fortress that stands strong against all foes. He is the deliverer from death and the grave.I love You, O Lord.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thee will I love, my strength, my tower; Thee will I love, my hope, my joy. Thee will I love with all my power, With ardor time shall ne'er destroy. Thee will I love, O Light divine, So long as life is mine. (LSB 694:1)Author: Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

In this episode, Dr. David Puder hosts a discussion on schizoid personality dynamics through the lens of Franz Kafka's life and writings. Discover why the DSM-5's surface-level criteria for schizoid personality disorder falls short, often missing the intense inner conflict between a profound yearning for connection and a paralyzing fear of engulfment. Drawing on the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM), Nancy McWilliams' insightful perspectives, and Kafka's unsent "Letter to His Father" plus classics like "The Metamorphosis," the group explores how schizoid traits differ from autism, involve hypersensitivity rather than social cue deficits, and manifest in creative, introspective individuals. By listening to this episode, you can earn 1.75 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog Link to YouTube video

In John 2:13–17, Jesus enters the Temple during Passover and drives out merchants and money changers, showing His deep passion for His Father's house. This 2 Minute Disciple devotional reminds us to guard the sacred spaces in our lives, keeping them free from distraction so we can meet with God wholeheartedly.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday morning, the 28th of January, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to John 15:16. Jesus says:”You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” Wow! What an incredible privilege to be chosen by God for a work to perform on this earth! It is a huge responsibility. With it goes the requirement of bearing good fruit. We have to make a difference in this world - people need to meet the Lord! Remember whatever we ask Father, in Jesus name by the power of His Holy Spirit, Father will give to you and to me.I remember watching a clip, I can't look it up but I remember it as clear as day. I think it was in the time of the Civil War in America, and there was a wounded soldier from the war. He was standing looking through the fence to the White House and he was trying to get in. He asked the sentry at the gate, ”I need to see President Abraham Lincoln.” And the soldier at the gate said, ”Sorry, you can't go in unless you have an introduction, a letter of pass.” And he was standing there looking very forlorn. All of a sudden, a little boy walked up and asked the soldier what his name was and what had happened to him. He was wounded in the war and wanted to meet the President because he had something to ask him. So the little boy said, ”Follow me.” And the wounded soldier walked behind this little boy. He got to the sentry, he said. ”Please let me in.” And the sentry stood back. This little boy, maybe eight, ten years old, carried on walking up the road. When they got to the front door of the White House there were soldiers there as well and he greeted them warmly. They all knew him. He said, ”This soldier needs to see the President of the United States of America.” They all stood back, and in this little boy walked. The wounded soldier was walking behind him. He climbed the steps and came to the door of the Oval Office. He knocked on the door and then walked in with the wounded soldier and there sitting behind this massive desk was the President of America and he said, ”Good morning Father. This soldier would like to meet you.” With that, he got the introduction. He knew his father.Now Jesus knows His Father. Ask Him today!Jesus bless you and goodbye.

What happens when you commit to do the will of God - our Heavenly Father? When we decide to be "about my Father's business" it positions us to grow in wisdom, purpose, and favor! In this Faith for My Generation podcast episode we discuss how twelve year old Jesus made a decision to be about His Father's business and, by example, reveals to us the great blessings of doing just that! If you prayed the prayer of Salvation please fill out this form so that we can mail you a free gift!https://gospeltabernacle.breezechms.com/form/salvationIf you would like to check out all our resources, send a message, or sow a seed into the ministry work please visit:https://www.faithformygeneration.com

This powerful message takes us deep into the Last Supper narrative, where Jesus prepares His disciples for the trials ahead while simultaneously confronting religious systems that push people away from God. We're confronted with two sobering realities: our tendency to fall away when faith is tested, and our capacity to push others away through religious pride. Drawing from Luke 22 and the temple-clearing account found in all four Gospels, we see Jesus warning Peter about his coming denial while also fighting fiercely for those marginalized by exploitative religious practices. The sermon challenges us to examine whether we're living with borrowed faith that crumbles under pressure, or if we've cultivated our own authentic relationship with God. We're reminded that Jesus doesn't just gently invite—He's a warrior king who braids a whip and overturns tables when His Father's house becomes a barrier instead of a bridge. The Court of the Gentiles, meant to be the closest place where outsiders could worship, had been transformed into a marketplace that drowned out prayers with commerce. This isn't just ancient history; it's a mirror reflecting how we might use God's systems to exploit rather than embrace, to exclude rather than include. The message lands with both warning and hope: Jesus fights for those He loves, whether they're drifting away or being driven away, and His victory over sin and death means we're never alone in our struggles.

Satan knows that Jesus has come to reclaim His Father's world, and Satan is not happy about it.  He will do anything in his power to derail Jesus, to make Jesus unable to do what He came to do.  This morning, we'll look at the attack that Satan makes on Jesus, tempting and enticing Jesus to disobey the Father. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

This week, we are inviting you into a moment; a moment in time where Jesus steps into the upper room, of John 13-16, with his disciples. Can you picture it? He sits down at the table across from them, almost as if it's a modern day 'table talk,' bringing comfort in their anxiety and fear, and preparing them for his departure. After offering a series of pledges and promises, his words culminate in a statement of triumph.  Pastor Michael ended with those words of triumph in his sermon last Sunday: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me, you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (16:33). With that climactic promise of ultimate victory, Jesus ends his talking to the disciples, and now, He talks to His Father. Jesus pours out his heart in prayer. Philipp Melanchthon once said, “there is no voice which has ever been heard, neither in heaven nor in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime than the prayer offered up by the Son of God to His Father…”  So, what did Jesus pray to the Father about? We'll explore this prayer together, this Sunday, at CBC.Jesus' prayer to His Father:- Reveals the Goal of Jesus' Love (1-5), “…Glorify your Son, so that the Son may glorify you…” (1)- Rejoices In the Grace of Jesus' Love (6–10), “…they were yours…you gave them to me…” (6)- Reassures Us of the Guardianship of Jesus' Love (v.11–12), “I guarded them and not one of them is lost…” (12)

The Power of Giving God the Glory by Autumn Dickson We are learning all about how man came to be on the earth. The Lord is setting the stage for us to understand the context in which we were placed on the earth. Part of that context is understanding the Fall and everything associated with it. Here are a couple of verses that help us understand what we're trying to emulate in the midst of this fallen world. Moses 4:1-2 1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. The Lord is telling Moses, “You were just tempted by this Satan guy, and you commanded him to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Before the world was created, Satan wanted to redeem everyone, take away their agency, and keep all the glory. Christ came prepared to do My will and offered the glory back to Me.” As a church, we talk a lot about following the will of the Father; this is a frequent discussion. We have also discussed how Satan wanted to take all the glory, and how Christ rightly placed the glory with the Father. Much of this life is a lesson in those two aspects: bending our will to match our Heavenly Father's will as well as recognizing that the glory belongs to Him. I want to focus on that second lesson: recognizing that the glory belongs to Him. Glory is an interesting one because everyone likes to get credit for how they contribute. Christ gets credit for His role in the Father's plan even if Christ is offering all of the glory back to His Father. Our prophet is just a man trying to follow the Lord, and yet, we honor him for the sacrifices he makes in order for us to hear the will of the Lord. I honor my parents for the continuous, ongoing sacrifices they make to bring me closer to Christ. Hopefully, there is credit given when someone makes a sacrifice for you to draw closer to your heavenly home. This is a righteous principle. And yet, Christ told the Father, “…the glory be Thine forever.” I think everyone knew Christ would be honored for what He did, and it is righteous to honor Him for what He did. He could have stopped at, “Thy will be done,” and left it at that. We all knew He deserved to be worshipped for what He was sacrificing, but He chose to keep speaking. He ended it with, “The glory be Thine forever.” I'm sure Christ was aware that He would be loved and worshipped for it, but Christ was also aware of an important, adjacent principle. Seeking glory sucks the happiness out of life, and the entire reason He made the sacrifice was on behalf of our happiness. Setting the example for us to willingly hand over the glory whenever we follow the will of the Father was setting us up for success; it was setting us up to find happiness and joy more readily. This wasn't humble brag. It wasn't lip service. Christ wasn't saying, “I'll go make this sacrifice and tell everyone that the glory is Thine because everybody knows I'm going to be worshipped for it anyway.” No. In His heart, Christ was saying, “If no one ever knew what I did, I would still choose to do it. If no one ever had an inkling of the sacrifice I was going to make, I would choose it if it means they can be happy.” I'm sure when the prophet steps up, he knows that there are those who will respect him for his position. He knows that there will be honor for it. We don't have to pretend there is not. It is righteous to love those who teach you about Christ. However, it can't be about seeking honor or glory. If you choose to step up and help with the Lord's work, and if you do it with the right heart, you end up feeling grateful. You feel floored that the Lord let you come along anyway. Despite mistakes, lack of wisdom, and natural-man-tendencies, He let you be a part of it. When you're participating in His work with the right heart, you're filled with gratitude. If you do not currently feel that way but want to feel that way, there is hope. If you find yourself with creeping feelings of vanity, if you find that you enjoy the praise of others a little too much, if you find this burning secret desire to make your sacrifices known, AND if you simultaneously don't want those feelings, fear not. I've been there, and they don't have to tear you up. I battle those feelings often enough. I have always found guilty pleasure in people thinking I'm wonderful and smart and wise. Because of that weakness, I tried running anything that would tempt me. I didn't want to experience that spike of happiness when someone told me that I was amazing. I didn't want to be crushed when someone corrected me. I didn't want my pride, and so I didn't want to face my pride. I wanted to bury it. And sometimes, the right choice is to bury it. Sometimes it's better to run in the opposite direction. However, I have learned that sometimes the right choice is to face it and keep practicing day after day after day after day after day. When it comes to serving in the Lord's kingdom and not seeking personal glory, there really isn't another way. We are all asked to serve in one form or another. It is a responsibility to serve, which means you have to face the idea that someone is going to thank you for your service, and you're going to have to face the weakness that isn't gone yet. So what do you do? Let's discuss a general principle and then a couple of more practical tips. General principle: You practice day after day after day after day after until you become. We battle our desires for glory until our desires no longer automatically jump towards glory. You school them. You become someone who knows better. That's really what life is. You come down here and continually fight sin and weakness and consciously take hold of the direction of your growth. This is the overarching principle. Here are some practical tips to help you fight that weakness when you're presented with it: It is easier to fill your life with good than it is to push out bad. Replace your pride with something that is more lasting, more important, more filled with joy. When I'm struggling to fight off desires for glory and it's interfering in my ability to build the kingdom, I pray for a couple of things. To see things clearly. I pray to help me see things as they really are. If I can see reality, then I don't have to fight off feelings that I'm amazing and doing it all on my own. He helps me see the truth of how He's holding me up. Beware of this one in high pressure environments; He is willing to teach you and let you flop on your own. Gratitude. Rather than praying for gratitude (though that's an option too), I just start being grateful within a prayer. When I start having those intrusive thoughts that say, “You're the best. You help everyone. You're so amazing. Everyone is lucky to have you,” I replace them with, “You are so lucky that Heavenly Father is taking you along for the ride. You are so blessed to be around these people who are carrying things you don't understand. You are fortunate to be able to learn from them and be with them.” Oftentimes, when I start praying and focusing on gratitude, my feelings follow and the desire for glory gets silenced. It can't stand up to that. Charity. I mentioned earlier that Christ probably knew being honored was a part of making the sacrifice. It would be almost silly to pretend that's not the case. Rather, the key here is that Christ wasn't seeking glory. He would have done it without the glory because He just loved us so much. When I'm feeling prideful or wanting glory, I pray for charity to replace it. Loving others and wanting what's best for them fills you. Trying to get enough validation and appreciation is like trying to fill a cup that has no bottom. Filling yourself with love for others pushes that cup aside completely and you find yourself overfilling. I testify that our Savior is the ultimate example. He is the ultimate example in laying aside His own will, but He's also the ultimate example in being so filled with love that glory seems silly. It's not about the glory. He wants our love for sure; that brings Him joy. He knows how to live an eternal life that allows happiness rather than emptiness, and He set the example of filling yourself with love rather than glory in order to find that happiness. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

The Best For Last 1 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus's mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus's mother told him, "They don't have any wine." 4 "What has this concern of yours to do with me, woman?" Jesus asked. "My hour has not yet come." 5 "Do whatever he tells you," his mother told the servants. 6 Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons. 7 "Fill the jars with water," Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter. And they did. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10 and told him, "Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now." 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.  John 2:1–11: [CSB] Because of how we have conducted ourselves... Because of how we have run things... Because of our inability to solve life's problems... Because of the sin that corrupts everything we do and have... We just end up...giving into it...yes, we just might as well do what everyone expects… the inferior… the poorest… junk… last... But that is not how God does things! Imagine this: In spite of what has happened in His creation...He works it out that it ALL turns out better...better than if nothing bad had happened at all! No, we cannot imagine this...as we still have that monkey on our backs...we still feel the guilt eating at our guts...we still wish that we DID NOT do the things we have done...we wish that we did not cause the harm and hurt that we have caused... We wish that history was different. But it is what it is. We have done what we have done. The consequences are what they are... Until God steps in. He alone could make it so that the VERY GOOD of creation, as He called it when it was finished at the end of the sixth day... He alone makes it so that it all becomes even BETTER than that...than what might have been...what could have been...in His doing of what God loves to do...in His New creation...in the new heavens and new earth that is to come... This with even better...and better off...humans living in it. How is this possible? God says it is, but only God can put all of our past...regrets...guilt...all of that which make this creation less now than it was...not very good anymore...not really good at all... This...all of this...He alone puts into His sea of forgetfulness. Only He can bring about brand new beginnings without THAT taint and its baggage from our past. Only He can keep making it so that the best is yet to come. Even if we have had things fixed. Even if we have tasted grace, forgiveness and mercy, we still have not seen anything close to what HE still has in store... A better yet...a good that He is besting in what we have already tasted...tried...experienced. Imagine it always getting better, rather than worse. Sadly, we can't really. We can only hope at these Words...and that is just what our hope is. We hope because HE says this is what He has done and will do for us. I mean what good is forgiveness if the person forgiven has his past rubbed in his face all the time? What good is mercy if the person is reminded all the time that the person who is merciful would rather bring punishment instead? What is Grace worth if grace is only stingily a little is given out--and even with that, more than a little is needed? What good is a life in heaven--an eternity remember--if we have our past sins, failures, embarrassments, and inadequacies haunting every minute and at every step? That would not be heaven, but just some of the same… But no!  This is not so! Not ever! No...instead... It will only get better. God will serve the next and better thing...after we have drunk freely... And then better again...and so on...into forever. This expression of God's favor is on His creation's most important and essential event: a wedding! This little event gives us a view into what He is like. What He is always like... No, go ahead… we can… do believe what we hear and see Him saying and doing.... This is what Epiphany is… and all about… what the Scriptures are for… are all about… like… If you remember how God brought the elders of Israel up onto His mountain in the desert with Moses.... What did they do there? They feasted! They ate and drank with God! That was Holy Communion going on--together...with the whole company of Heaven...with angels and archangels. That was a table laid out in the presence of enemies. That was with cups overflowing... That was grace overflowing... Despite who they were and what their past was. Despite what we are and did and do... He will welcome us...humble repentant sinners, though we be...beggars only... He will take us by the hand and lead us into His banqueting hall...all dressed up... As His children...a prince or princess...Holy Royalty... Brought up to the head of the table...to sit next to the King... Where the food and wine get ever better. Each course surpassing the one before it. This is what this story of the wedding feast a Cana is all about. This first public miracle was to show us...humanity...the world...and His church...just what kind of God He is. To show what He was about to begin...what He was about to bring about... To give us a glimpse into what it is like to be with Him...when He is about His Father's...now our Father's business. The feast has already been prepared. The feast is already made ready. You are invited. What we get even now comes from that same feast table. He brings the first course to us even here...in the presences of our and His enemies. Yes, even here our cup overflows.... Even if we don't...can't… see this. Even now, and each day that we live in Christ, it gets better. Nothing can take this away. He has already changed the bitter waters into a sweet vintage that has been aging from before the foundations of the universe had been laid down. He has prepared a place for you and for me. That is where He is leading us. That is where He is going to take us. Home for the holidays...home for the eternal Holy Day in the House of the Lord. And then it only gets better from there. Amen.

The baptism of Jesus! What an amazing day that must have been. The Son of God, baptized by His prophet who was preparing the way for Him, the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the form of a dove, and His Father speaking from heaven. Wow!!!

This Is the Time, in Our Fear-Evoking Events, that Jesus Followers, Like Jesus and King Hezekiah, Need to Get Alone with God and Pray MESSAGE SUMMARY: Immediately, Jesus made His Disciples get in a boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side while Jesus dismissed the crowd. After Jesus dismissed the crowd, He went up on a mountainside, by Himself, to pray. He was alone with His Father. In Mark 1:35, Jesus' prayer life is presented: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.”. If there is one Christian discipline that is neglected by Christians of today, it is the practice of getting alone with God and having a quiet time to pray -- not you and your computer; not you and a friend; but only you and God alone in your prayer. We can learn a great deal from King Hezekiah, in Isaiah 37:15-17a about his personal relationship with God, through personal prayer, as he is faced with a powerful invasion of Israel: “And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: ‘O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear.'”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, in order to be with you, I need you to show me how to “create a desert” in the midst of my full, active life. Cleanse me from the pressures, illusions, and pretenses that confront me today so that my life may serve as a gift to those around me. Amen.              Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 26). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Anxiety. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Peace. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  John 17:1-5; Matthew 26:36-40; Isaiah 37:14-17; Psalms 100:1-5. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

(11:03) Fr. Ryan Brady joins Patrick to talk about Reliance on God. (11:08) God works at a completely different schedule than we do. (12:08) Car shopping is a great example and also very biblical. (15:40) Patty - I am waiting and discovering God's way to help me with weight loss. (19:17) Email: Leanne - Relying on God as a young adult, cancer survivor. Break 1 (23:58) Email: Gloria – I’m afraid of trusting the Lord. (27:43) Patrick - Relevant Radio brought me back to the church 5 years ago. Also, I've overcome addictions and now am faced with a new challenge of leukemia. It's a new opportunity to evangelize. Break 2 (40:23) God’s mercy will endure far longer than our desire to ask for it. Jesus relied on his friends and disciples to support his ministry. He was not alone. In your struggle talk to your priests and other faithful friends. Jesus humbled himself and relied on His Father in heaven and His friends on earth and the world was never the same.

Read OnlineRising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. Mark 1:35–39Jesus' prayer was unique. He did not pray because He needed God in His life—He was and is God. Yet, in His human nature, He regularly withdrew to be alone and to pray to His Father. Jesus' prayer teaches us two primary lessons.First, Jesus' prayer reveals Who He is. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. As a member of the Trinity, Jesus prayed in solitude, not to become closer to the Father, for He and the Father are eternally one in essence; rather, His prayer expressed and revealed that perfect union to us. Unity with and love of the Father are at the center of Who He is.Though we are not God, we are made for oneness with God. This is not an external invitation but an essential part of who we are and who we must become. In Heaven, our lives will be one ongoing and eternal expression of prayer—a perfect union with God. That union must begin now, and the foundation of its growth is prayer.By going off alone to pray to the Father, Jesus also models for us the way to the Father. His action is prophetic, calling us to set aside moments each day for nothing other than prayer. While we are called to pray continually throughout the day, this habit is nourished by intentional moments of silence in which we immerse ourselves in God's presence. In our fallen nature, daily moments of focused prayer are necessary for clearing the distractions of life, overcoming sin, and allowing God's grace to draw us into deeper union with Him.Jesus' prayer invites us to examine our own daily prayer life. How often do you pray each day? How do you pray? Does your prayer change you, transforming you into who God made you to be? Most people easily find time every day for less important things, such as entertainment, idle conversations, and daily work. Though these things have their place, they must never overshadow that which is most important. We must learn to pray and be faithful to prayer every day.One of the best ways to pray is to participate in the Mass. In the Mass, we most fully share in Christ's human life, sacrifice, and divine presence. The Mass is the summit of prayer and the foundation of our spiritual life. We receive Him into our lives as we consume His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. To participate in the Mass well, daily moments of prayer are essential. At times, we must silence every other thought and actively offer our praise to God. Meditation on the Word of God is also essential. Taking time to read the Gospel, in particular, and meditating on those passages disposes us to hear God's voice. His Word counters the many lies and temptations we face during our daily activities, preparing us to live more fully as God's sons and daughters.Reflect today on your commitment to daily prayer by following Jesus' example. Resolve to find a moment of solitude in which you silence your heart and simply dwell in God's presence. Let this time of prayer become the cornerstone of your day and a foretaste of the union with God in Heaven for which you were created. Prayer is not an option; it is the very path to becoming who we are meant to be—united with God in love, now and for all eternity. My prayerful Lord, Your prayer revealed Your perfect union with the Father and set an example for us to follow. Grant me the wisdom and strength to remain faithful to daily moments of personal prayer—times when I can simply be with You and express my love for You. May these moments transform every part of my day, leading me to greater charity here on earth and preparing me for perfect union with You in eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via rawpixelSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

“‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” (Mark 14:36 NLT) Mark 14 describes what may be the darkest night of the soul in human history. Jesus was “deeply troubled and distressed” (verse 33 NLT) because He knew the “awful hour” (verse 35 NLT) of His suffering was approaching. Jesus knew that in a very short time He would be denied by one of His closest friends. He knew that He would be the object of Peter’s shame and the cause of his cursing. He knew that He would be rejected by the people of Israel whom He came to save. He knew that His disciple Judas would betray Him with a kiss. He knew that the rest of His disciples would scatter in fear. He knew that He would be tried in a kangaroo court, falsely accused, and convicted. He understood the sheer torture of what He was about to do—that is, to take all the impurity, sin, and wickedness of humanity upon Himself. He who was righteous, holy, and pure was about to take upon Himself all that was unrighteous, unholy, and impure. For eternity Jesus had enjoyed unbroken communion with His Father. But He knew that in a short time, when the sin of the world was poured upon Him, God would momentarily turn His face from Him. He would be forsaken. That’s what He was recoiling from in the Garden of Gethsemane. That’s what He was dreading: the horrible moment when He would take all the sin of the world upon Himself. The only one who could understand what He was about to experience was His Father. “‘Abba, Father,’ he cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’” (Mark 4:36 NLT). Abba is a term of intimate affection used by children for their father. It’s similar to the terms “Daddy” or “Papa.” Jesus the Son was crying out to God the Father in His moment of difficulty. As He struggled with what lay ahead, Jesus asked His Father for one final reassurance that this was the only way to satisfy God’s justice and holiness—that this was the only way to make salvation and eternal life possible. Through it all, Jesus had one overarching goal, and it wasn’t to spare Himself pain and suffering. Look at His resolute words again: “I want your will to be done, not mine” (NLT). In offering this prayer, Jesus gave us an example to follow. None of us will ever be able to fathom the agony Jesus experienced that night. But we will experience our own consequences for pursuing God’s will. We may not always know what the will of God is in every situation. And when we do know it, we may not always like it. But we follow One who prioritized God’s will above everything else. And we must never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. Reflection question: What would embracing God’s will look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anna and Matt help kids discover that God wants to talk with us—and He does that through His Word, the Bible. Kids hear the only Bible story about Jesus as a child and learn how even at twelve years old, Jesus loved listening to His Father and talking about God at the temple.

Send us a textHere in Part 2 of my Vision Casting series we will go over Jesus as the master vision caster. He was the model of being an example how to properly convey His Father's vision to his disciples so that they could know their calling. Click link to check out Kimberly Canty's new amazing podcast FROM SEED TO SANCTUARY!https://fromseedtosanctuary.buzzsprout.com Email me at JesseCantyPodcast@yahoo.com Feel free to give thru CASHAPP. $JesseECantyAnything you give will be appreciated. Be blessed and thank you. Support the showCheck out "FROM SEED TO SANCTUARY" with Kimberly A. Canty new podcast.

We look at the actions of a 12-year-old boy in the temple. The boy is Jesus. His actions in the temple teach us so much about His unique relationship with His Father. Many think His parents left Him or He was lost, yet today we will see Jesus was right where He was supposed to be. Are we about our Father's business? Join us today. Chapters (00:00:00) - Copyright 2019 Clifford Baptist Church(00:01:55) - Kevin the Burglar Gets Lost at Home(00:09:55) - Jesus' Warning(00:15:19) - Jesus the 12 year old(00:23:19) - Jesus Growing in Wisdom and Personal Favor(00:29:04) - God's Prayer for Christians Growing in Age(00:30:08) - Jesus is Pursuing the Lost

What does it feel like to be approved of? To have someone you respect acknowledge you publicly as someone they are proud of. That can be extremely meaningful! In fact, many of us have walked through life longing for that very experience, and even comprising ourselves in attempts to gain it. The difficulty of all this is that we already have the thing we long for. Approval, acceptance, and love… it’s all found in Jesus if we just are willing to look to Him for it! Jesus received the public approval of His Father in heaven as He was baptized by John the Baptist. This would have been a joyous moment for Jesus, and encouraging to continue walking in obedience to a baptism of suffering that was still ahead of Him. His baptism was one of declaration instead of repentance. Declaring His approval of John’s ministry. Declaring the connection He has with the people around Him also being baptized. The Father and Spirit declaring the identity of the Son in perfect unity. What a beautiful display of God’s plan in motion! For us the question becomes how can we follow the example and call of Jesus? What does it look like to find our approval in Him? Join us Sunday as we dive into His word to see what He has to say about all of this! - Pastor Ben For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49543681

Discover how to overcome spiritual homesickness and find your true identity in God through the powerful lessons from Jesus' baptism and temptation. This message explores the deep spiritual longing many Christians experience and provides practical guidance for establishing spiritual anchors in your daily life.Learn why Jesus needed baptism and how His Father's declaration of love became His spiritual GPS location during times of testing. Understand the purpose of wilderness seasons in spiritual growth and how they prepare us for God's calling on our lives. Discover how Jesus overcame Satan's temptations by quoting Scripture and why memorizing God's word is crucial for spiritual victory.Explore the concept of developing a rule of life, inspired by early desert fathers and mothers who organized their entire existence around practices that kept them anchored in God's presence. With Americans spending an average of 49 hours weekly on screens while relying on minimal spiritual input, this message addresses the urgent need for daily spiritual practices.Key topics covered include: spiritual identity in Christ, overcoming temptation through Scripture, the importance of daily Bible reading and prayer, creating space for God's presence, wilderness seasons and spiritual growth, baptism and spiritual commissioning, memorizing Scripture for spiritual warfare, establishing spiritual anchors and practices, finding belonging in God's love, and organizing life around God's priorities.Whether you're struggling with spiritual dryness, feeling overwhelmed by cultural noise, or seeking deeper intimacy with God, this message provides biblical foundations and practical steps for returning to your spiritual home. Learn how to create sustainable spiritual practices that will anchor you in God's love and help you live from your true identity as His beloved child.Perfect for Christians seeking spiritual growth, those in wilderness seasons, believers wanting to deepen their relationship with God, and anyone feeling spiritually homesick or disconnected from their faith.This sermon was recorded at a Sunday morning gathering at Church of the Lookout in Longmont, Colorado.Visit our websiteFollow us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram

GOD'S REP #RTTBROS #NightlightGOD'S REP #RTTBROS #Nightlight"Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy." - Psalm 99:3 (KJV)In the annals of Scripture, we find a common thread woven through the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel's refusal of the king's portion, and our Lord Jesus Christ cleansing the temple. This thread is the unwavering commitment to uphold God's holiness and reputation above all else.Consider David, a young shepherd who faced the mighty Goliath. His motivation was not personal glory, but rather a zeal for the Lord's name. As we read in 1 Samuel 17:45, David declared, "I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."Similarly, Daniel, when presented with the king's rich fare, "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank" (Daniel 1:8). His primary concern was not his own comfort or advancement, but maintaining his purity before God.Lastly, we see our Saviour, Jesus Christ, cleansing the temple with righteous indignation. As recorded in Mark 11:17, He proclaimed, "Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves." His actions were not driven by personal gain, but by a fervent desire to preserve the sanctity of His Father's house.These examples teach us a profound lesson in discipleship. As followers of Christ, our primary mission is to glorify God and uphold His reputation in all circumstances. This may often require us to set aside our own desires, comforts, and even our personal reputations for the sake of God's name.In our daily walk, let us continually ask ourselves: Does this action, word, or decision bring glory to God? Are we more concerned with our own agenda or with advancing God's kingdom? By aligning our hearts with this divine priority, we can become more effective disciples, shining the light of Christ in a world that desperately needs it.May we, like David, Daniel, and our Lord Jesus, be found faithful in upholding God's holy name, for as the Psalmist declares, "Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy" (Psalm 99:3). Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

“She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.” (Mark 16:10–11 NLT) Satan was powerless to thwart God’s plan of salvation. Throughout Scripture, we see his efforts to sidetrack God’s plan by attacking His people. He tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, just after Jesus’ baptism and just before the start of His public ministry. He failed spectacularly. Three times he tried to get Jesus to go against His Father’s will. And three times Jesus countered his temptation by quoting God’s Word. Satan had no defense against Scripture, so he had no choice but to flee. So, the work of salvation unfolded according to God’s plan. Jesus lived a sinless life, something no one else has ever done. In doing so, He destroyed the power of sin once and for all. He gave His life as the perfect sacrifice. He who had never sinned took God’s wrath and punishment for the sins of the world. He gave His life on the cross to bridge the gap that sin created between God and humanity. And then, on the third day, he rose from the grave. And His resurrection destroyed the power of sin once and for all. Satan could do nothing to stop Jesus’ resurrection two thousand years ago. So, part of his strategy now is to make people doubt that Jesus really rose from the grave. He promotes lies, often cloaked in pseudoscience, to plant seeds of skepticism regarding the resurrection. One such lie is the mass hallucination theory. This theory proposes that everyone who claimed to see the risen Lord was hallucinating—a bodily response to an extreme desire to see Jesus alive again. The fact of the matter is that hallucinations typically occur with people who, in one way or another, are expecting them. But biblical evidence reveals that when Jesus was crucified, His disciples were devastated and destroyed. Their faith was, to a large degree, shattered. They had absolutely no hopes of ever seeing Jesus alive again (see Mark 16:10–11). Another thing to consider is that hallucinations, once started, are continual. The disciples saw Jesus only for a very limited time. Then they ceased to see Him again. There was nothing continual about their experience. Scripture records that Jesus not only appeared to His disciples on several occasions but also that He appeared to more than five hundred people at one time (see 1 Corinthians 15:6). What are the chances that five hundred people all hallucinated the same thing at the same time? If this evidence against the resurrection were ever brought forth in a court of law, it certainly would not hold water. Satan’s lies about the resurrection will never hold up because Jesus is alive. He fulfilled the Scriptures by rising again, conquering sin and death. He appeared over and over again to a multitude of eyewitnesses. And each appearance of Christ is a tender demonstration of His meeting the needs and easing the hurts of His children. As believers, we must spread the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for the world. Reflection question: How can you explain the truth about Jesus’ resurrection to someone who needs to hear it? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experience the intensity of Jesus' righteous anger as He clears the temple, revealing the true purpose of God's sacred space.In this episode, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem and finds the temple overrun with merchants and money changers. Driven by a fierce zeal for His Father's house, He cleanses the temple, reminding everyone that God's house is meant to be a place of prayer and worship, not a marketplace.Today's Bible verse is Psalm 69:9, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.” — Ecclesiastes 7:8 Look at David's Lord and Master; see His beginning. He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Would you see the end? He sits at His Father's right hand, expecting until His enemies be […]

Reading Luke 24:50-53 where Jesus departs from His disciples and ascends back to His Father in heaven, telling them to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit come to them. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

God the Son has lived eternally face-to-face with His Father. And in His incarnation, He has come face-to-face with us. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on the union with Christ that believers enjoy because of Christmas. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/coming-face-to-face-with-christ/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts