Podcasts about his lord

In this episode, Dr. Mo further discusses the relationships between Jesus and His disciples. Dr. Mo reads from Luke 22:54-62 and focuses on Peter and the relationship with himself.  In Luke 22:61-62, Peter remembers and realizes as soon as Jesus looks at Him, Jesus' prophecy that Peter would deny him. Peter had to come face to face with himself in that moment. The Scripture says he wept bitterly - which means he wailed loudly and violently. He denied and betrayed His Lord. Betrayal trauma is defined as interpersonal trauma perpetrated by someone close to them.  Betrayal trauma causes psychological distress for the victims of such abuse. And Peter enacted betrayal trauma upon the Son of Man, His friend, His Master, His Lord. Tune in to this episode as we think about how we need to have a face to face with Self when we come into an awareness of betraying another, especially someone who is close and dear to us. As we continue to celebrate the Resurrection, may we be careful to pause and ponder what we stand in need of by way of Redemption as we acknowledge and confess our betrayals of others. Information for Dr. Mohttps://www.drmoniquesmithgadson.com/Link to order “Finding Hope in A Dark Place”:https://lexhampress.com/search?query=Finding%20Hope%20in%20a%20Dark%20Place%3A%20Facing%20Loneliness%2C%20Depression%2C%20and%20Anxiety%20with%20the%20Power%20of%20Grace&sortBy=Relevance&limit=30&page=1&ownership=all&geographicAvailability=allhttps://www.amazon.com/Finding-Hope-Dark-Place-Loneliness/dp/1683596358/ref=rvi_sccl_7/138-1785751-1148333?pd_rd_w=decCb&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=GMEBCA5ZB54MM98HHN5F&pd_rd_wg=pwctW&pd_rd_r=0cf054c6-aedd-427d-ac2a-563757407228&pd_rd_i=1683596358&psc=1Follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/And-The-Church-Said-Podcast-106848090932637https://instagram.com/drmoniquesmithgadson?igshid=1bmt2hei1j6i8Support And The Church Said:Cash App:  https://cash.app/$andthechurchsaidPayPal:  https://paypal.me/andthechurchsaid?locale.x=en_US. 

We trust this series on the Biblical Passion of Christ and His Resurrection is a great encouragement to you. John's presentation of the Resurrection and appearing of Jesus Christ is that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God and that believing we may have life in His name.Thank you for being here on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.--------------------The focus is John 20 verses 19-29.As Jesus appears to His disciples, Dr. Mitchell shows that these disciples had great joy and great peace. Jesus gave them a personal temporary experience of the Holy Spirit whom they were to permanently receive on the day of Pentecost. In 1 Cor.15:45 it written of Adam that he became a living soul, whereas of Jesus it is written that He became a life giving Spirit.However, Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared and he missed a meeting with the Lord.Dr. Mitchell states that unbelief dictates terms to God before believing. But here, the Lord Jesus accepted Thomas' terms and showed him His hands and side. Upon this, Thomas declared the Lord Jesus Christ as His Lord and His God. What a gracious and understanding savior ..this Jesus, this Lord!Here is Dr. Mitchell, John 20:19-29.

April 17, 2025 Daily Devotion: "When Understanding Awaits: Faith In The Unknown" John 13:7 (NIV) "Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'" In this passage, we find Jesus washing the feet of His disciples in an incredible act of service and humility. Peter, quite understandably, questioned this action, feeling that itwas not fitting for Jesus, His Lord, to perform such a task. Yet, Jesus gently responds that there are things they do not yet grasp—that His actions are for their benefit. This speaks to us today, reminding us that there are times in our spiritual journey when we might not understand God's ways or the work He is doing in our lives. We may facechallenges and situations that feel confusing or burdensome, but Jesus assures us that trust in Him means embracing faith even amid uncertainty. Trust in God's Process. Just as the disciples would come to understand the significance of Jesus' actions later, we, too, are invited to trust that God is at work in ways we may notimmediately understand.

Does your love for God make your heart sing?The psalms, many of them, were written as songs of worship. King David in particular loved to sing praises to His Lord. Whether he was tending his flock under a night sky, or sitting in his palace in Jerusalem, David had a heart for the Lord.Psalm 104:1 says, “Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”In this kind of worship, we feel especially close to God. It is then we focus on His majesty and His power. We feel close to Him, and we're able to speak freely with Him.This kind of intentional meditation on Higher Things also puts us in our place, and we mean that in the best sense of the phrase. Hierarchy in true religion is very important, and when we consider that the God we sing praises to loves us eternally, and always wants the best for us, well—it releases us to worship God with all of our being. And it is then we are free.Take time today to praise the Lord for who He is, not forgetting the great things He has done for you. Because…He is very great!Let's pray.Lord, you are awesome in ways that we can barely understand. Even with those limitations, God, we love you with abandon. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

overcame resistance at home to become one of the best Fighter units of the war. They were the Tuskegee Airmen.   They also inspired a young man, Bill Winston, who was in school with the Tuskegee Airmen's children and he took that training and became a Top Gun fully decorated Fighter Pilot in Vietnam. When he accepted Christ as His Lord and Savior, he brought what he had learned into his day job, after the military tour was completed, working at IBM. Then, as God called him to full-time ministry, Brother Winston saw the same awesome results there. His phenomenal history and testimony are not only notable but continue inspiring the next generation of Be The One future heroes.   RRTV_250202_RR

We're just getting started in the book of Jude with pastor James Kaddis. Today we're going to take some time to notice how Jude identifies himself in the introduction of his letter. He now recognizes Jesus as His Lord and no longer his half-brother, and that's significant, as you'll soon see. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1459/29

We're just getting started in the book of Jude with pastor James Kaddis. Today we're going to take some time to notice how Jude identifies himself in the introduction of his letter. He now recognizes Jesus as His Lord and no longer his half-brother, and that's significant, as you'll soon see. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1459/29

Is Donald Trump Really The Anti-Christ That Is Mentioned In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4If you say yes, then you should  ask yourself these ask questions.Is Donald Trump seeking to be worshipped in replacementment of God meaning that he would  want you to worship him as God and denounce the One True God of Holy Scriptures.I will now read  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (KJV)Verse 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;Verse 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.Can you honestly  say  with a straight face that this is referring to Trump?Also, you must believe that he is going to desecrate the newly built Temple which has not even been built yet?Revelation 13:6 KJV Verse 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.Can you honestly say President Trump is currently doing this, and if he isn't why would you be calling him the Anti-Christ?In addition, you must believe that he will implement the mark of the beast and put to death genuine believers and followers of Christ by beheading or executing them (I will now read Revelation 13: 16-17 KJV,  and Revelation 13:7-8 KJV)Revelation 13:16-17 KJVVerse 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:Verse 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.Revelation 13:7-8 (KJV)Verse 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.Verse 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.If Donald Trump doesn't meet the criteria of the Scriptures that I previously mentioned, it disappointing and dishonest that some people, even believers, are labeling him as the Anti-Christ, mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (KJV).Also, as believers we should be praying for our leaders including President Trump, and most importantly that He genuinely receives Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior because religion cannot save anyone only Jesus Christ can.#antichrist #presidentdonaldtrump #markofthebeast #endtimes #bibleprophecy --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/biblequestionsandanswers/support

Today we are here to celebrate and remember the life of George Rickert. A Husband, a Father, and a brother to us all in Christ. Who has now gone to be with Christ, His Lord and Savior. It seems like it was just the other day that I met with George, Gerry, and Ryan at the Dockside restaurant in Breezy,…

How do we know what God's will is? Our Acts story continues: Paul leaves Miletus for Jerusalem and stays at the house of Philip the Evangelist. A couple days after Paul arrives at Philip's home a prophet named Agabus comes to visit Paul. Agabus takes Paul's belt, wraps it around his own hands and feet and says, “The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.” The people gathered in Philip's home pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem after they heard this word, but Paul responds, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart. I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul makes it clear that he is willing to risk his life to give glory to His Lord, Jesus Christ. In Acts 21:14, we read that when the group could not dissuade him they gave up and said, “The Lord's will be done.” The Holy Spirit had given Paul a warning through Agabus - that he would be captured by the Jewish leaders and then turned over to the Gentiles. So this is the question: Was Paul disobedient when he decided to go on to Jerusalem? Were the words of the Holy Spirit a warning to say do not go to Jerusalem or could they perhaps be words of warning meant to prepare Paul for what was coming? Could these words be asking Paul's obedience in going to Jerusalem but God in His goodness is giving Paul a heads up of what he will suffer for Christ's sake in obeying. Theologians are split on this but here are some reasons to see Paul's decision to go on to Jerusalem as being obedient. We will use Bible texts:         Acts 9:15-16 - from Paul's conversion story we hear God tell Ananias that Paul will be a chosen instrument to proclaim God's name to many and God goes on to say, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Paul as Saul had caused many believers to suffer, but as a transformed believer in Jesus - Paul would come to see that suffering would come into his life over and over again. (Beaten, ship wrecks, jailed, and many more difficulties) these were all part of Paul's life. Paul understood suffering.         Acts 20:22-23 - When Paul had announced to the leaders in the Miletus meeting that it was time for him to move on, he said, “I am COMPELLED by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are ahead.” He already knew that difficulties were ahead. The Holy Spirit had already warned him, nonetheless he says he was compelled. This text speaks nothing from God about NOT going - only that ahead were hardships.         Acts 23:11 - Several chapters after today's text, Jesus speaks to Paul, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome.” These are more warning words - no correction for disobedience, but rather kindness and encouragement for Paul - Take Courage! The Lord says! These words are words of kindness to prepare Paul for what more is to come. What we can learn from Paul:         Comfort is NOT job #1. Comfort is not our primary focus.         Obedience IS job #1. We are not saved by obedience, but by the death and resurrection of Jesus our Savior. Saved by and through Him alone, by grace. However, when we know Him - we desire to follow Him. Salvation leads us to obedience.         God's glory is paramount - What matters MOST is that our glorious God receives glory in each of our lives. In thanks and gratitude for what the Savior bought for us (life forever with God) and so we give Him glory with our lives in response to His gift of salvation to us.         God's plan is incredible - our destiny is to be made new - transformed with glorified bodies with Christ forever. As a result of Paul going to Jerusalem he         WAS ACCUSED FALSELY         WAS ATTACKED         HIS LIFE WAS ALMOST TAKEN         HE WAS PUT IN CHAINS         SOME PLOTTED TO KILL HIM         HE WAS JAILED FOR 2 YEARS         THEN SENT BY SHIP BACK TO ROME AS A PRISONER TO APPEAR BEFORE THE EMPEROR But look at what happened as a result of Paul going to Jerusalem - Paul's Gospel testimony went to:         Huge temple crowds         Sanhedrin         2 governors         King Agrippa         Emperor Nero So to the question: Did Paul disobey by going to Jerusalem? Will we see the Holy Spirit warning as God's way of giving Paul the strength for what was going to happen in Jerusalem, because God wanted to use Paul's difficulties to get the Gospel message to many who otherwise may not have heard.  As Paul walked faithfully before God, God used his faith in remarkable ways.  God uses our faithful walk before Him in remarkable ways as well. Check out the video on our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/living-one Check out the video on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOwUarSm3uJrzLI4thAJNXQj Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

God says “Your dishonest work and external practices are an abomination to me… I hate them” While God gives grace to the humble, the devil takes a hold of us when we are not willing to give up certain attachments for the sake of our glory to be joined with His. A man's constant hussle and business with the labor of the day often make him forget the way of righteousness of His Lord and whose Body he is part of. Such forgetfulness leads to reaching for dishonestly, deceit and malice. What used to motivate us to do what is right and seek what is good has suddenly become forgotten or put aside because taking shortcuts are an easy way out of the active calling to bear the Cross of forsaking all in all just to be with Him. This week's Bible study presented to us the clear discernment between good and evil, the hard yet glorifying path of a loving ever-gentle God, and the easy ever condemning way of laziness and deceit of the devil.

John 20:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.   The disciples keep on telling Thomas that they have seen the Lord, but Thomas refuses to believe unless he sees for himself.  Remember he is only asking for what the others have already experienced.  So, we will see Jesus make a personal appearance eight days later so that Thomas can see Him and believe. Jesus offers for Thomas to put his finger in His side and in hands where they have been pierced by the nails that held him to the cross.  Then Thomas makes that greatest of all confessions of faith when He says My Lord and my God.  Jesus tells Thomas he is blessed because He saw and believed, but there is a greater blessing for those who just take it by faith that He rose from the grave. He finishes up the chapter by giving us the purpose statement of the whole book of John. He wrote about the seven signs that we might trust in Christ and have eternal life forever because of Jesus. John's previous pictures of this disciple present him as a loyal and courageous, though a somewhat pessimistic, follower of Jesus. His more common identification as a doubter comes only from the present event. Thomas had no doubts that Jesus had died. This is another evidence that Jesus really did die. The Greek text clarifies that the other disciples kept saying (Gr. elegon, imperfect tense) that Jesus was alive. In spite of this repeated verbal testimony by those who knew Him best, Thomas refused to believe (cf. 4:48). He had become so thoroughly convinced that Jesus was dead, as evidenced by his references to Jesus' wounds, that he could not see how Jesus' crucifixion could be overcome. 24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Joh 11:16 How much Thomas missed because he did not meet with the other disciples on the Lord's Day Heb.10:22-25  He had to endure a whole week of fear and unbelief unnecessarily.  25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." The disciples seem to have been convinced of our Lord's resurrection, except for Thomas who was not there. He did not see the resurrected Lord, nor did he behold the Savior's wounded hands and side. And so it was that when Thomas was told that Jesus had appeared to them, he refused to believe. He insisted that in order for him to believe, he would have to see Jesus with his own eyes. He would have to personally inspect the Lord's nail-pierced hands and His pierced side. Only then would he believe. Before we become too harsh with Thomas, let me remind you that the other disciples did not believe until they saw, either. Thomas is really demanding to see the same things that convinced the others. He is not asking for anything more than what the others saw. Eight days passed. Apparently Jesus did not appear to any of His disciples during this period of time.  26 ¶ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Jesus again materialized in the presence of these disciples as He had a week earlier (v. 19). He also repeated His benediction (v. 21). Perhaps Jesus did these things because the disciples had told Thomas that He had appeared this way and had said these things. This would have bolstered Thomas' faith.  27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 1Jo 1:1 Jesus knew what Thomas had said even though He had not been physically present when he had said it. This is further proof of Jesus' deity. The purpose of this test was not just to satisfy Thomas' curiosity, however. It was to bring him to faith that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah. When Jesus appears to Thomas we have this road of unbelief that goes into a road of belief.  And, again, John's whole effort is to show how people come to faith and believe in Christ.  Thomas had heard the report.  In fact, the text, the word “see” is a very important verb all the way through this whole story.  They had seen Him.  They had seen the Lord.  “I'm not going to believe until I can see.”  It's like I'm putting the finger in the nail print.  Until I can see, I won't believe.  That's the whole context that John's setting up for us.  Thomas is a thoroughly a skeptic. Now, we often call him “Doubting Thomas” and we want to be careful with that.  We want to be careful of overstating the case of any of the disciples.  I've encouraged all of us not to sort of wail on Peter and we'll see Peter one day.  And I don't want to wail on Thomas because we're going to see Thomas one day; and I think Thomas is given to us for all of us who have that little skeptic, unconvinced - Thomas is the spiritual Missouri.  “Unless you show me, I'm not going to believe you.  I've got to see it with my own eyes before I believe it.  I don't believe this thing.”  And the Sunday after resurrection Sunday, the disciples are together, Thomas is now with them, they've tried to convince him, “He still won't believe.”  I think the more profound part of this is not when Jesus says, “Reach here.”  Not that He shows Himself to Thomas.  I think the profound part is He knew what Thomas had said.  In one sense, that's more profound than the miracle, if you will.  Now, play this one out if you want to get a little nervous.  If Jesus Christ knew Thomas' doubt, does He know yours?  Does He know the sin that you and I toy with?  Does He know the fears and the skepticism and the lust of our heart and the lust of our eyes and the pride of our life?  Seems to me it's a pretty good case for omniscience.  I don't necessarily like it, but I believe it and I believe that's one of the main lessons He wants us to see.  Well, Thomas' confession is really unrestrained.  He just sort of blurts out, “My Lord and My God!”  And there's nothing in the text that tells us what he did.  In other words, we don't know if Jesus took his hand and poked his finger in His own hand.  Or if Thomas said, “Okay, let me check this out.” In fact, I think the text is intentionally blank with Thomas' physical process because whatever you'd have done, that's what he did.  In other words, Christ is sort of meeting and condescending to Thomas and I think He does to you and me, too, in our doubts.  So, we don't know precisely what he does, but his response is powerful. Immediately, Jesus turns His attention to Thomas. He summons Thomas to come and to put his finger where the nails had pierced His hands, and to feel His side where the spear had pierced it. He challenged Thomas to forsake his unbelief and to believe. Since John does not tell us that Thomas actually felt the wounds of our Lord, it may well be that after seeing Jesus alive he no longer required this proof. It may have taken this sight to convince Thomas, but once convinced, Thomas got it right. He does not merely profess a belief that Jesus has risen from the dead. Thomas professes to believe in what the resurrection proved—that Jesus was God, and that He was Lord (verse 28). Thomas now has it right.  28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" For a Jew to call another human being "my Lord and my God" was blasphemy under normal circumstances (cf. 10:33). Yet that is precisely who Thomas believed Jesus was. It is also who John presented Jesus as being throughout this Gospel. Both titles were titles of deity in the Old Testament. Thomas had come to believe that Jesus was his lord in a fuller sense than before, and he now believed that Jesus was fully God. In fact, it is perhaps the climax of the entire Gospel of John, that one sentence.  “My Lord and my God!”  The first person pronoun is unusual when you talk about my Lord and my God.  In fact, you won't find it in the Bible, except under Thomas' declaration.  It's one of the greatest “Aha's” in all the Scripture.  And it serves a wonderful purpose the way John orchestrates His Gospel and puts it all together. The  repeated  pronoun  my  does  not  diminish  the universality of Jesus' lordship and deity, but it ensures that Thomas' words are a personal confession of faith. Thomas thereby not only displays his faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but points to its deepest meaning; it is nothing less than the revelation of who Jesus Christ is. The most unyielding sceptic has given to us the most profound confession." Now Thomas believed as his fellow disciples had come to believe (cf. v.25). His confession is a model that John presented for all future disciples. It is the high point of this Gospel (cf. 1:1, 14, 18). John's witnesses to Jesus' deity John the Baptist “This is the Chosen One [literally, “Son”] of God” (1:34) Nathaniel              “You are the Son of God” (1:49) Peter                             “You are the Holy One of God!” (6:69) Martha “You are the Christ, the Son of God” (11:27) Thomas                             “My Lord and my God!” (20:28) John the Apostle    “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (20:31) Jesus                            “I am the Son of God” (10:36; see also 4:26; 8:58) Nobody has previously addressed Jesus like this. It marks a leap of faith. In the moment that he came to see that Jesus was  indeed  risen  from  the  dead  Thomas  came  to  see something of what that implied. Mere men do not rise from the dead in this fashion.  The One who was now so obviously alive, although he had died, could be addressed in the language of adoring worship." I want you to notice Jesus' response to Him.  29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 2Co 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.; It confirmed the reality of Thomas' belief, and it prepared for the beatitude that followed (cf. 13:17). "Blessed" (Gr. makarios) does more than just describe the person in view as happy. It also declares him or her acceptable to God (cf. Matt. 5:3-12). Jesus pronounces a blessing upon those who don't get to see and yet have faith in Him.  Jesus is saying, “It's a good thing that you believe, Thomas, as a result of the sign.  But it's a blessed thing if you believe and you don't get to see the proof of the thing that you want proven.” And so we see God in His grace condescending to Thomas but also God in His grace telling us that not all of us are going to get to see the things that would cast our doubts aside. Most believers have believed on Jesus because of sufficient evidence without the physical confirmation that Thomas required (cf. v. 8; 1 Pet.1:8-9). Those were the people whom Jesus had in view when He made this statement. This beatitude does not make believers who live after Jesus' ascension superior to those who saw Him in the flesh. Rather it guarantees their blessing by God. When Jesus makes that blessing statement, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe,” He Absolutely had us in mind. He's thinking of those who throughout the centuries would believe without seeing the resurrection. "Thomas's declaration is the last assertion of personal faith recorded in this Gospel. It marks the climax of the book because it presents Christ as the risen Lord, victorious over sin, sorrow, doubt, and death. It also presents the faith that accepts not only the truth of what Jesus said but also the actuality of what he was—the Son of God. In the experience of Thomas, the writer has shown how belief comes to maturity and how it changes the entire direction of an individual life." "The growth of belief depicted in the Gospel of John thus moves from an initial acceptance on the testimony of another to a personal knowledge marked by loyalty, service, and worship; from assumption of the historicity and integrity of Jesus to a personal trust in Him; from an outward profession to an inward reality; from practicing His teachings to acknowledging His lordship over life. Full belief may not be attained instantly; yet the initial and tentative belief is not to be despised." Based on a story of faith.  Based again on the intrinsic power of the Gospel story.  That He lived, He died, He was buried and He came back from the grave.  And those who trust in that are extraordinarily blessed. There is compelling evidence for the death, burial and resurrection of Christ; but ultimately, even with all of that evidence - It comes down to faith. Reviewing what it would take to cover something like this up.  It's impossible, to cover something like that up.  And to think about these eleven inept men who've run away at the fear of being somehow associated with Jesus a couple of days before are now so emboldened to steal the body and cover it up.  Talk about the extraordinary leap of faith.  It takes more imagination and fiction to think they could pull that off than that Christ really came back from the dead. And the Gospel writers don‘t say it, but we have to be sure that there were many who had a compelling desire to produce the body and demonstrate that this rumor going around that Jesus had been resurrected was just that, a rumor.  But no one was able to demonstrate.  Well, from Caiaphas on down, the most powerful, political religious group of men could not produce a body.  And you know what?  No one ever will. Think about Lee Strobel, the Chicago journalist who has written a number of books to provide evidence for the reality of Christ, the truth of the Scriptures.  And he wrote a book on the case for the cross where he examines the evidence.  And as wild as it may be to consider it, there's no conclusion you can come to that makes any more sense than that Jesus is who He says He was and He was raised from the dead.  It's just one piece of evidence after another. 1Pe 1:8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. Although you've not seen Him, you love Him.  You don't see Him now, but you believe in Him.  And this is Peter.  This is the Peter who ran away and three times denied His Lord.  And I've got to believe Peter is in the room when He appears again with Thomas.  And I wonder if in the inspired movement of the Spirit of God when these words are penned, if all is not meant for us to piece together. “You've not seen Him, but you love Him.  You've not seen Him but you believe in Him.”  And you're blessed in that process.  If you add up the Synoptics you have thirty-five miracles, little debate on the exact number, but thirty-five miracles, signs, that Jesus performed, John records only seven key ones. Now get the flow of the book.  It's very important.  They've not seen the risen Christ.  They're looking for the body.  The Christ appears resurrected.  The fear is turned to joy.  Doubting individuals are convinced.  Their doubt is now taken away.  He really believes and Jesus says, “When you go out, you proclaim forgiveness as part of this gospel message.  You teach the people that the covenant, the new covenant, provides for forgiveness.  That's what this is all about.”  30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;  Joh 21:25  31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Lu 1:4; Joh 3:15-16; 5:24; 1Pe 1:8-9(NKJV) It's okay if you saw and believed, but you're blessed if you believe and you didn't get to see.  And then John says, “These signs that Jesus has done, a lot more of them happened, but these were written so you'll believe.” What does he want for us to believe?  The signs.  John the Gospel writer has said now for twenty chapters, he said, “I wrote all this so that you'll believe.  And I punctuated it with these miracles so that you'll believe.” Jesus even said, “If someone comes back from the dead they won't believe.” But John says, “I want to record these signs so that you'll believe.” When Jesus Christ performs a miracle it's always for a purpose.  The word sign is a stem of signifying.  The sign signifies something.  Take for example the blind man, John nine.  He's blind from birth.  What's the point?  Jesus has power over creation.  Sure.  That's not the real point.  The real point is all of us are blind and we need new sight and Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.  I am the one who gives you new sight.  I create new hearts.  I create new eyes.  I create new people.”  That's what Jesus' message is.  So the sign of the blind man being cured, being given new eyes, is not just a, “Wow!  He cured somebody.”  It's, we're all spiritually blind and we need curing.  Are you with me?  So John says, “All these signs signify something about Christ and our condition and they're written so you and I will believe.” A SUMMARY OF THE SEVEN SIGNS IN JOHN Sign Significance Belief Unbelief Reference Changing water to wine Jesus' power over life,(source) The disciples   2:1-11 Healing the official's son Jesus' power over distance The official and his household   4:46-54 Healing the paralytic Jesus' power over time The paralytic? The Jews 5:1-9 Feeding the 5,000 Jesus' power over quantity Some people in the crowd   6:1-15 Walking on the water Jesus' power over nature The disciples   6:16-21 Healing a man born blind Jesus' power over creation and misfortune The blind man The Pharisees 9:1-12 Raising Lazarus Jesus' power over death Martha, Mary, and many Jews The Jewish Authorities 11:1-16 His presentation of Jesus as the divine Son of God certainly has universal application. "There cannot be any doubt but that John conceived of Jesus as the very incarnation of God." John's purpose was not academic. It was not simply that people might believe intellectually that Jesus is the divine Messiah. It was rather that they might believe those foundational truths so they could possess and experience the life of God fully (cf. 10:10). This divine life affects the whole person, not just the intellect. Moreover it affects him or her forever, not just during that person's present lifetime. Let's look at a couple of lessons John's clear purpose statement concludes the body of this Gospel. The graveside can bring incredible grief in life, but the faith of the believer moves on beyond the grave. We're separated and we miss people bitterly because we love them.” That's what death is, a separation, right?  And we long to see them.  And it's very common for people to dream about a reunion and I think Mary is sort of that person.  She's hanging on and she's hurt and Jesus says, “Mary.” And she turns.  The point of that:  turn away from the graveside and see the resurrection.  Turn away from your grief and see life is beyond the grave, right?  And we must do the same as we process through our grief.  Grief is tough, it's not meant to be simple.  It's tough.  But the believer in Christ has hope that the world doesn't have. Suffering is universal, misery is optional.” Some of you know the name Charles Wedemeyer.  He was a very successful coach who is now a quadriplegic and can't even speak.  One hundred percent dependent upon other people.  And he says, through her interpretation, “Suffering is universal, misery is optional.” And, you know, all of us are going to suffer and hurt and grieve in life, but to remain miserable is an option and the believer in Christ must look beyond the circumstances and say, “You know, this earth is a rotten place sometimes.  My faith is in the next life.”   God's peace only comes through Christ.  John fourteen to John sixteen Christ had gone at length to say, “My peace I leave with you.  Not as the world do I give, but my peace I give to you.  Peace be with you.” Earlier it said his spirit was troubled and He says, “I'm going to give you peace.”  Three times in this text, “Peace be with you.  Peace be with you.  Peace.” They're afraid of the Jews, they are fearfully grieving their loss.  “Peace be with you.  Peace.”  He's dispelling their anxiety.  Isa 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Ps 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Phil 4:6-9 Paul says a peace that surpasses all comprehension that will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.  How many of us have never even come close to understanding that?  And that's the resurrection peace that Christ gives.  Jesus Knows Everything - If Jesus Christ knew Thomas' doubt, does He know yours? Does He know the sin that you and I toy with? He knows the fears and the skepticism and the lust of our heart and the lust of our eyes and the pride of our life? "Thomas's declaration of personal faith marks the climax of the book because it presents Christ as the risen Lord, victorious over sin, sorrow, doubt, and death. It is our example. Romans 10.9-11 What proof do you seek?  See, the reasons we don't believe, the reasons we doubt are not because we're so smart or clever.  The reason we doubt is because if we believe, we therefore must submit and obey.  And that's not fun.  It's not fun to do the right thing when sin wants to do the wrong thing.  But the believer in Jesus Christ submits and he says, “You know, God, I don't understand it all, but by Your grace and kindness I'm going to follow You even when I can't see to believe, I believe You.” Mark chapter nine.  The man who has brought his seizure ridden epileptic demonized son to the disciples who can't do anything for him.  Jesus comes back with Peter, James and John from the mount of transfiguration.  An extraordinary passage, where the man wants to believe but what great honesty.  “Help me in my unbelief.  I want to believe you.” And Jesus doesn't condemn him Or shame him or anything, Or say, “What kind of faith is this?”  In fact, the message is really a double-edged message because He says, “Oh unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you?”  That precedes His comment to the father.  I think His primary target is the disciples. It's like when you discipline one child in front of your whole family.  You're telling them all the same issue, but the one's on the hot seat.  And Christ is saying to you, “Don't you get it?  This is not your power.  This is not you.  You have to move beyond that.” And with a few words the Lord does a miracle of healing. Would we say to Jesus, “Lord, I believe.  Help my unbelief.” I hope so.  I often do.  I want to believe Him, I hope to believe. And belief and faith are not the little engine that could.  It's not, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,” and if I exercise enough of that faith, then God will come through.  Faith is confident assurance of things hoped for.  Meaning, I want this outcome.  With a conviction of things not yet seen.  I don't know the outcome, I don't know the verdict.  So I'm trusting Christ, I'm believing in Him, I'm hoping for this outcome.  I'm convicted in the sense I'm planted, but I don't know what's going to happen. And ultimately your faith is not in the outcome, it is in the one who controls the outcome

Mark 12:35-44 - Is Jesus the son of King david and his lord? Rebukes The Scribes for Rebellion (Podcast) The post Mark 12:35-44 – Is Jesus the Son of King David and His Lord? Rebukes The Scribes for Rebellion (Podcast) appeared first on Scott Silverii Ministries.

In the Bible faith comes before seeing and in this passage we find out how. Join us as we explore how Jesus saves Thomas, how Thomas comes to confess His Lord, and what that teaches us about the nature of faith.

Join Jonathan Youssef to navigate the complexities of truth and love. In this episode of Candid, Jonathan will examine the challenges of understanding these concepts, including whether absolute truth exists and the multifaceted nature of love.The conversation touches on the Christian perspective of being salt and light to a dying world that lacks an understanding of truth and love. It highlights the importance of living out the truth of our faith with love and patience in the community.Further, we explore the apostle John's transformation from a zealous youth to a wise elder who embodies truth and love. Through his letter to Gaius, we uncover the joys of faithfulness to the Gospel, the significance of hospitality, and how to discern true from false teachings. This episode aims to inspire a deeper understanding and practice of truth and love in listeners' lives. It encourages reflection on personal beliefs and actions in light of these foundational principles. Join us to explore how these ancient virtues remain relevant and transformative today.After you listen to this episode, you may have questions. We would love to hear from you! To ask Jonathan a question or connect with the Candid community, visit https://LTW.org/CandidAlso, join the conversation on our social media pages:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candidpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidpodTwitter: https://twitter.com/thecandidpodThis transcript recounts Candid Conversations with Jonathan Youssef Episode 244, Are You Walking in Truth?:Today I want to talk to you about Truth and love. These are two words with many different definitions. When I say truth and love, you don't even know what I could say next. I could say anything. Is it my truth? Is it your truth? Is it his truth, her truth, their truth? It's almost as if it's just a subjective topic, a subjective term. Is there anything like absolute truth?And love, my goodness, are we talking about romantic love, brotherly love, or agape love? Are we talking about love that is just tolerance and acceptance? Do we love each other only as long as we agree with each other? Or is it just a feeling or an emotion? Is love self-defined? Love is love.The world today is tied up into knots over these two terms. Can a person have truth and not love? Can a person have love but not truth? Here's the reality: I don't expect the world to get this right. I don't have a great hope that things will get a lot better at any point in time because this is not our home. But at the same time, I have not been called to run out into the hills and build a bunker and stock up on ammunition. We have been called to look at a dying world that does not know the truth and does not understand love, and we are called to be salt, and we are called to be light to them. We are called to encourage one another, to gather and praise God's name together, and to go out and witness to the world together because our message is far greater than any message they will ever hear. No matter your age or stage of life, if you put your saving trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, then your calling is to be obedient to the truth and to walk the truth out in love. A. W. Pink was a reformed theologian who wrote several great books and many fantastic sermons. His writing is so helpful; I've used several of his writings in research that I've done for other sermons. Martin Lloyd-Jones, who was succeeded by our dear friend R. T. Kendall at Westminster Chapel said, “Don't waste your time reading these other theologians,” like Karl Barth and Bruner. He said, “Go and read Arthur Pink. Read Pink.” Pink would tour around America and Australia preaching and teaching, but he was never well-known until after he died. Pink finished out his days living in isolation in Scotland with his wife. They never really became part of a church body. They never got situated with a good church community. Lloyd-Jones also said of Pink, “As it related to his inability to be patient with people and remain in a particular church, if I had behaved as Pink did, I would have achieved nothing. I could see that the only hope was to let the weight of truth convince people, so I had to be very patient and take a long-term look at things; otherwise, I would have been dismissed, and the whole thing would have been finished.”Pink was a man who was grounded in the truth and yet, for whatever reason, was not walking it out. And his own friends testified against him. That's why Scripture is very careful to teach us that we walk these two things out together—truth and love. We should be people who are marked by truth, strong in our convictions, and hold fast to the Word of God, by the Spirit of God, for the glory of God. But we should also be marked by love and generosity, grace and humility, hospitality, and care because all of these are the markings of Jesus's life and ministry on Earth.So, we read about these two things, truth and love, in the shortest letter in the Bible, John's third epistle. Before we go any further, let's take a minute and read from Third John:The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are a faithful ... you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.John wrote the Gospel of John and First, Second, and Third John. He would also later write the book of Revelation. First John was written to a very general audience. Second John was written to a specific church. And this letter, Third John, was written to a very personal and specific person. Let's take a minute to get to know John. He was a disciple, and he was nicknamed by Jesus, with his brother James, the “sons of thunder”. When Jesus and the disciples were turned away from hospitality from a Samaritan village, it was James and John who went to Jesus and said, “Can we call for fire to come down to judge these people,” - a la Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Jesus rebukes them because his first coming was not one of judgment but to preach the good news, to bring healing, and to bring life. But compare John in his youth to this John here in writing his third letter, and he is referred to simply as “the elder.” John grew from a brash, arrogant young man filled with fire, to this wise, gentle, loving older man who is full of love and truth. What happened to John? How did he move from a son of thunder to the loving elder? What had he experienced? He had witnessed a lot. He had witnessed Jesus's teachings, Jesus' miracles, Jesus' preaching. He witnessed Jesus' patience with the disciples. He witnessed the transfiguration and saw Christ with Moses and Elijah, a depiction of the Law and the prophets. He also witnessed His Lord and Savior crucified on the cross. It was then he was given the position of caring for Jesus's mother, Mary. This is John, who would also see His Resurrected Lord and Savior. John is a man who has been used mightily by the Lord.And John is writing this letter to a man called Gaius. Now, we don't know anything about Gaius. He doesn't appear to be in any sort of leadership in the church that we can tell. All we see is Gaius's character, and that character is being reported back to John. We see that there was some conflict in the church over who was trustworthy. They wanted to know who they could believe.There are so many mixed messages. A preacher would travel from house church to house church and depend on other believers to show them hospitality. In John's second epistle he warns the believers not to welcome in or even greet the false preachers and teachers because that would only help them spread a false gospel. He's saying, “Do not endorse these people, but take the faithful in and welcome them.”So, what are the distinguishing marks between a false teacher and a faithful teacher? Now, these weren't denominational issues. They weren't in disagreement over infant baptism and believer's baptism. They disagreed over whether Christ had physically come in the flesh. John says, “Leave these people alone. Let them go on their way. The truth itself will testify to the faithful teachers.”In essence, he is saying, “If you are a believer who has heard and received the Gospel and your spiritual eyes have been opened, your spirit inside you will resonate with what is being taught and you will know a true teacher of the Gospel.”Teachers were dependent on hospitality. They didn't have Holiday Inn or Motel 6. This is why hospitality was such a major issue in the early church. When Jesus sends out the 12 and the 72, He tells them they will be provided for by people of peace. When Paul writes to the Romans, he fully expects that they will financially support his mission journey to Spain. And the book of Hebrews urges the hearers not to neglect hospitality to strangers. Two great needs, truth and love, together.So John writes to Gaius, verse 1, “The elder to the,” in the ESV, beloved, I'm going to use that term, “the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.”What does it mean to love in the truth? John says that Gaius continues to be faithful to the truth concerning Jesus Christ. And it is the truth that binds us together. We know love because we know the truth.John writes in his first epistle, 1 John chapter 3 verse 16, “By this, we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers because of the truth of the gospel.” Because of the gospel's truth, we are called to love one another. Strangers? Never heard of it, not in the church. I may not know your name, but we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We have more commonality than flesh and blood oftentimes do. Listen to what John writes in verse 2, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul.”How does he know it's going well with Gaius's soul? We read it in the next verse: "For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.”John knows it is going well with Gaius's soul because he is living out the gospel's truth. They testified about his faithfulness to the gospel. Gaius is living out the truth of the gospel in love. He's walking in the truth.John emphasizes that Gaius's faithfulness involves his holding to true doctrine and his persistence and actions, which are consistent with what is in the doctrine. In verse 4, John says that his greatest joy is not that his 401(k) is strong, not that his children's academic and athletic successes are great, not that the design of his home is beautiful, nor that his favorite sports team won a big game. His greatest joy is that his children fellowship with him and actively walk in the truth.In each of his three letters—to the general church, to the specific church, and to the individual—he goes out of his way to say, “This is important to me. I'm conveying what brings me joy: that you are walking in the truth.”Gaius has remained faithful to the gospel. He has not fallen to the false teachings that were swirling around. And he is a source of the elder's greatest joy. Moms and dads, what is your greatest joy regarding your children? Is it that they are academically successful and get into a fantastic college? Is it that they are athletically successful and get scholarships? Is it in your position and the status of your vocation? Is it in the appearance of your home?And this goes beyond families because Gaius is not John's physical son; he's his spiritual son. And so when we are here together as a body, we are, again, brothers and sisters in Christ, and we're constantly putting forth and putting on display what we prize. I wonder if we went around and asked all the children, “What is it that your mom and dad prize, or your grandma and your grandfather?” What are we displaying as the greatest value to the next generation? But I also understand that this can be a source of great pain for many people. Your children may not be walking with the Lord, so instead of being a source of great joy, it is a source of great struggle and pain. I think John would give the word to those in that situation to remain in the truth and love. Don't take truth as a 2 x 4 to your children and try to beat them up with it, insisting that this is right. Your children will despise you for that, and they will despise the truth. But you walk this out in love, with compassion. Don't forget the truth. Instead, hold it together with love. That is the gospel's message as it was put on perfect display by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Then John praises Gaius for his hospitality to traveling preachers. “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testify to your love before the church.”His efforts for the faithful brothers is what John commends as faithful. It isn't just what Gaius believes is faithful, but also his actions. And it is because of what Gaius believes, what he has planted his faith in, that he can be faithful with his actions. Because if you're not planted in something faithful, your actions won't reflect faithfulness. But Gaius is planted in a living hope. He is planted in a resurrected hope. He is planted in an unconquerable hope. These believers go back to Ephesus, where John was, and they say, “We had an amazing time preaching in this little town. You wouldn't believe it. In this little town, there was a brother in Christ called Gaius, and he was a brother who was strong in the truth. And he was a brother who loved well. He took us in, cared for us, and introduced us to people in the church. He is a dear brother.”How good is it when people speak well of us? Have you ever been conversing with someone you didn't know very well, and you mention a friend, and that person immediately starts to gush over that person? “Oh, I love that person. They are so fantastic! Let me tell you. We were moving, and they came and helped us move.” And then you're sharing stories about how fantastic this person is, how much you love this person, how helpful and insightful they are, and what a blessing they are to know them. I remember in Australia, there was a well-known evangelist and preacher who was contemporaries with John Stott and Dick Lucas, and just like those two men, this man never married. And the Lord used their singleness to serve the global church so well. This man's name was John Chapman, and in typical Australian lingo, they shortened it incredibly and just called him Chapo. He was funny, he was kind, he was generous, he was hospitable. He was a mentor to my pastor in Sydney. He had done some work with Dad in the past as it related to evangelism.And I remember after Chapo died watching his funeral online. The Archbishop of Sydney got up and shared, and he mentioned how deep of an impact Chapo had on so many people. And then he said, “Why don't we all take a minute right now and have everyone just share your Chapo story with your neighbor?” I mean, I almost burst into tears because it was immediate. Not a second had passed, and the room was filled with smiles, laughter, love, and storytelling. And the problem was that they finally had to get up and say, “Stop. Be quiet. Stop. We have to keep going with the service.” Because they could have gone on like that for hours.I have a feeling that would have been Gaius. Maybe on a smaller scale, but that would have been Gaius. People would have gone on and on about how dearly he was loved and his impact on them. I wonder what people would say at a celebration of your life? Would people easily share what an encourager you have been and what a great help you were? Or would they talk about how you may have had your doctrine perfect, dotted every I, and crossed every T, but had no love, like Arthur Pink? There weren't universities, trade schools, or tertiary education in the first century. There were these philosophers who would gather in the town square and philosophize. They would just drone on and on about how their philosophy was right. Nothing has changed. They would try to attract hearers, and then they would start these schools with the hopes that some of these families would say, “We want to send our son to your school,” and then they would train them in that philosophy. Some thought that just as there were stoics, cynics, and epicureans, Christians would have a school like this, and then they would just train up their people like this, that they were just another philosophy of life.But Christians refused to take this money because Christians were not saying they were just another philosophy amongst the rest. They were announcing the Kingdom of God. They were telling people the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is not just a philosophy; that is a total worldview perspective that affects everything and everyone. So John says, “These men come in the name of Christ, preaching the word of Christ, and they refuse help from the pagans; therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”Now listen, I understand we may not be in the same position as Gaius or this church, but think about your missionary care and support. Think about your care and your support for ministries that strive to take the gospel to the lost and those on the outside. Think about how you care for and support the pastoral team in your church. Think about how you care for and support your small group leader; how you care for and support your Bible study leader. Think about what it means to support people in ministry. We are all fellow workers for the truth. Your support carries on our work as preachers. It allows for ministries like Leading The Way to exist, and that work leads to ultimate destinies being changed in people's lives. I read a letter from a young Muslim convert a while back. He was watching the Genesis series we did a while back and talked about how it served, blessed, encouraged, and equipped him. So, your support of the truth motivated by love is serving and blessing this community here and to the rest of the world. What a privilege it is to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to be supportive of something outside ourselves. When we see that people are blessed and are walking in the truth, that can serve as our greatest joy. I want to leave you with three questions. It would be good to write them down and to think about them this week. First, where does your great joy come from? Second, do people speak well of you regarding truth and love? And finally, are you a fellow worker for the truth? I hope these will serve you well today, tomorrow, the week ahead, and the rest of your life. I hope that they will serve as great motivation.

We consider a topical sermon, in light of the recent Resurrection festival throughout visible Christendom, considering how the Lord's Day is given by Christ to the church weekly, and how rather than augmenting worship, the observance of annual festivals in the visible church distorts and diminishes the glory and power of Christ on His Lord's Day. Preached from Galatians 4-8-11

We consider a topical sermon, in light of the recent Resurrection festival throughout visible Christendom, considering how the Lord's Day is given by Christ to the church weekly, and how rather than augmenting worship, the observance of annual festivals in the visible church distorts and diminishes the glory and power of Christ on His Lord's Day. Preached from Galatians 4:8-11

Wednesday March 20, 2024 Ramadan 10, 1445   The Reciter of the Quran is Engaged in Intimate Discourse with His Lord; the One Who Loves the Quran Loves Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace); the Quran is the Banquet-spread of Allah and the source of propriety (adab)

Where did Jesus get His authority? How could Jesus be David's son and His Lord?

Does your love for God make your heart sing?   The psalms, many of them, were written as songs of worship. King David in particular, loved to sing praises to His Lord. Whether he was tending his flock under a night sky, or sitting in his palace in Jerusalem, David had a heart for the Lord.   Psalm 104:1 says, “Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”   In this kind of worship, we feel especially close to God. It is then we focus on His majesty and His power. We feel close to Him, and we're able to speak freely with Him.   This kind of intentional meditation on Higher Things also puts us in our place, and we mean that in the best sense of the phrase. Hierarchy in true religion is very important, and when we consider that the God we sing praises to loves us eternally, and always wants the best for us, well—it releases us to worship God with all of our being. And it is then we are free.   Take time today to praise the Lord for who He is, not forgetting the great things He has done for you. Because…He is very great!   Let's pray.   Lord, you are awesome in ways that we can barely understand. Even with those limitations—God we love you with abandon. In Jesus' name, amen.  

This Episode of Revival Radio TV highlights the unique story of the Black Flyers during WW2. They overcame resistance at home to become one of the best Fighter units of the war. They were the Tuskegee Airmen. They also inspired a young man, Bill Winston, who was in school with the Tuskegee Airmen's children and he took that training and became a Top Gun fully decorated Fighter Pilot in Vietnam. When he accepted Christ as His Lord and Savior, he brought what he had learned into his day job, after the military tour was completed, working at IBM. Then, as God called him to full-time ministry, Brother Winston saw the same awesome results there. His phenomenal history and testimony are not only notable but continue inspiring the next generation of Be The One future heroes. RRTV_240218_RR

Romans 14:15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. In today's verse, I'm struck by Paul's choice of the word destroy. That seems like a strong word to describe what occurs if a brother eats something that to another brother would be a sin. Paul told them that if your eating something hurts, that is causes some pain of mind or distress or grief, your brother, then you are causing destruction. What is being destroyed? Your brother's faith is being destroyed. The idea of destroy is to bring something to an end or to cause your brother to lose something. It's not bringing the food to an end. It is his faith that comes to an end if your brother eats when he is convinced he should not. He suffers loss in his relationship with His Lord who has him standing in that position on the issue. Remember what Paul wrote in vs. 4. “To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” So if you or your brother is moved from his position of faith on an issue by another's actions or persuasion, then you or they have suffered a loss in your relationship with Jesus. Now we look at perhaps the most important thing Paul said in this verse. To hurt your brother in this way is grievous because Jesus died for him. That means this brother's standing with Jesus is precious and valuable to Jesus, and of course, precious and valuable to the brother. This takes us back to the main point of chapter 14 when it comes to how we love one another when we differ on issues that are not clearly addressed in Scripture. Our relationship with Jesus governs our relationships. If we love and treasure Jesus, we will love and treasure who He loves. We owe our brothers and sister agape love. Period. May we be encouraged today to love those whom He loves and puts in our paths for His glory. Paul encourages us to walk according to love. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. I love that God has clearly told us the way of love when it comes to relating to one another in the body of Christ. In light of what we have been reading and meditating on in Romans 14, Paul told the Romans and the Holy Spirit tells us, don't judge one another on issues that are not clearly defined in the Scriptures, and make it your aim, your goal to not hinder your brother as he lives for the Lord nor create an occasion where he might stumble over what you are doing. It's clear. Stay out of his way as long as He is doing what he believes pleases His Lord. That is the highest good for your brother. That's what love does. God's love is the sustained direction of the will toward the highest good of another, no matter what the cost, in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. We are living to love with Jesus, so that's the kind of love He has for our brother. Perhaps today, God will put someone in your path who has become convinced that to please His Lord, he is not to drink wine, so consequently when he drinks at a meal, he orders iced tea and gives thanks to God. You on the other hand, are free to drink wine, giving God thanks for the grapes that God made and the wine derived from them. However, you know that your brother once was an alcoholic, and that it could be a stumbling block to him if you ordered wine. Not so much that he would think less of you, but that he might be tempted to order wine, thinking he might be more acceptable to you. The loving thing to do before ordering wine might be to ask if your drinking wine would be tempting to him. If he says, “Yes,” then you order something else. If he says, “No,” then you're free to order the wine. And if to please you, he changes his mind and starts to order wine, you would lovingly suggest the he not order wine. You encourage him to stick with what he knows pleases the Lord. That's an example of not judging your brother and being determined not to get in his way as he walks out the faith God has given him with regarding what he can and cannot drink. You'll have to perhaps resist the thought that your brother is legalistic or being overly religious, and your brother will need to resist thinking that you are not sold out to Jesus. That's the kind of judgment we are to flee from. I suggest that if your purpose in life is to live to love with Jesus, you'll take into consideration these things when faced with similar circumstances. “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.” Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

January 18, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 8:27-9:1Daily Lectionary:Ezekiel 40:1-4; 43:1-12; Romans 8:18-39And [Jesus] asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. (Mark 8:29–30)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter gets the answer right. Jesus asks the big question and Peter aces the quiz. Who is Jesus? The Christ. Today we remember St. Peter and his bold confession of faith. But on a day like today, it can be just as easy to remember Peter's many less-than-correct answers to big questions. Just after Peter's great confession, Jesus calls him Satan because Peter refuses to accept Jesus must die. On the night Jesus is betrayed, Peter denies His Lord three times, insisting he does not know Jesus, even when asked repeatedly. But in this moment, He says the right thing at the right time. How did this lowly fisherman get this answer right when he so often missed the mark?In Matthew's account of this same event, we are given the answer. Jesus says, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” This great confession is given to Peter. It is not his own, invented in his mind to impress his Teacher of the other apostles. God the Father revealed this confession to Peter, gave it to him freely, and enabled this sinner to boldly confess, “You are the Christ.”This is why we remember St. Peter the Apostle and his confession. This great confession of faith doesn't belong just to Peter but to you. Jesus is the Christ, Who takes away the sin of the world. He does so out of love and not because we have earned it. Because we continually fail that Christ came for us sinners. Join in the confession of St. Peter because it belongs to you too. Who do we say Jesus is? The Christ, the Son of God, born in human flesh to save the world from sin, death, and the devil. This Christ died a sinner's death and rose from the dead that we may also have eternal life. This Christ calls you His own in the waters of Baptism. This Christ offers Himself freely in His Body and Blood at the Lord's Table. This Christ, this Jesus, is yours, given freely. We thank God for St. Peter and his confession because this is our confession too. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Here stands the font before our eyes, telling how God has received us. The altar recalls Christ's sacrifice and what His Supper here gives us. Here sounds the Scriptures that proclaim Christ yesterday, today, the same, and evermore, our Redeemer. (LSB 645:4)-Deaconess Emma Heinz is the Registrar for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.The Lutheran Reader's Bible helps you develop a habit of devotion and Bible reading so you can slowly but intentionally understand and grow in God's Word. Through introductions to the sixty-six books of the Bible, guided reading plans, and more, this Bible builds your confidence to study Scripture on your own.

Romans 14:5-6 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. If we are to live to love with Jesus, we must view all of life from His worldview. For myself, I've outlined 3 foundational truths by which Jesus lived His life while on the earth and today as He lives in us. 1. There's only one God, My father, from whom are all things, and He is love. 2. The love of my Father is enough. He satisfies the desires of My soul. 3. My Father's purpose in all things is to reveal Himself in Me for His glory in eternity. These are all supported very clearly in the Scriptures and if you want to investigate these points more, you can do so in Live to Love: Experience Freedom and Joy in Relationships available at www.livetolovewithjesus.com. The resources are free. When we consider these three foundational truths from our perspective, they can be said like this: 1. There's only one God, our Father, from whom are all things, and He is love. 2. Jesus' love is enough. He satisfies the desires of my soul. 3. God's purpose in all things is to reveal His Son in me and prepare me for eternity. The reason I mention these three truths is that they are inherent in what Paul wrote in these two verses. Why do the ones who either do or don't observe certain days or the ones who eat or don't eat meat give thanks to God? It's because they believe everything comes from God who loves them. Paul admonished each one to be fully convinced in his own mind as to what he's to do to please Jesus, His Lord. Why is this important? Because every believer is to be most satisfied in the will of the Lord, receiving and doing what pleases Him. Everything in life is determined by their relationship with Jesus. Everyone also does what they do “for the Lord.” This means that they recognize whatever the issue is, their purpose in life is to reveal Christ, the Lord, and make His name great, not only in this life, but on that Great Day when Jesus is revealed in glory. Do you give thanks to God for what He has provided you to eat or do you just eat it without thanksgiving? Apparently, among the early believers, food on the table was never taken for granted and God was not despised when they put food in their mouths, regardless of whether it was meat or vegetables. The issue here is faith. What do you believe? Paul was encouraging them to love each other because their faith in God was the same. They all looked to God as the provider of their food and all of life. When we live to love with Jesus, we have this same attitude toward whatever happens in our lives. We live with Jesus, and we live for Him. If we believe in Him then everything is about Him—even down to what days we celebrate and what food we eat. We treasure Jesus more than life itself. Through His love, we love one another. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Glory be to God! Welcome everyone to Episode #756, Season 8. **

Apostate Church Witchcraft (5)  (audio)  David Eells – 12/17/23  Backsliding of the Simple   Father, we ask for Your anointing and Your wisdom to go forth today. We love You, Lord. We run after You and all that You are. Lord, many people believe that they have arrived, and that's a sad thing. There's always a goal, and the goal is Christ and Christlikeness, and they don't know it, Lord. For that reason, “the backsliding of the simple shall slay them.” Father, help us today to understand these things. We ask it in Jesus' Name, amen.   I'd like to begin our study with the verse I just quoted. (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them… Now when Scripture talks about “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Jude 1:24), it's talking about “backsliding” (Isaiah 57:17; Jeremiah 2:19; etc.) because both the Greek apostasia and the Hebrew meshubah have the same meaning. (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.   We have a problem; Our “hard drive” is infected with this world and its ways and its thinking, and it has to be renewed. I know many people believe that the beginning and the end of Christianity is to “just accept Jesus as your personal Savior,” but that cannot be found written in the Word. What is written in the Word is “repent and believe,” which means to “change your mind and believe what I say” (Matthew 21:32; Mark 1:15). Yet too many people think they've stepped over some magic line and now they can just sit down and rest in the flesh, but then they don't, they can't, bear fruit (Matthew 17:17-19; Luke 6:43). Without bearing fruit, we are not being “born from above” (John 3:3,7).   Let's go back to verse 20 and look at Who wrote “For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them.” (Pro.1:20) Wisdom crieth aloud in the street… So we see Wisdom is the One speaking here. Scripture also says, (1Co.1:24) … Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. This is Jesus speaking; He is the Wisdom of God. And from John, we know that He's also the Word of God. (Joh.1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Therefore the Word of God is the Wisdom of God, and the Word gives us very clear directions to seek Him, not just once by shaking a preacher's hand or any such thing as that, but to seek Him and put that Wisdom into our heart. Putting that Wisdom in our heart is what will protect and deliver us from this falling away because, as the Bible warns us, (Psa.58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. There is a people who are born in their spirit but they don't seek that fruit in their soul, which is their mind, will, and emotions.    Continuing... (Pro.1:20) Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places (That's the broad road where the “many” are as in Matthew 7:13.); (21) She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words: (22) How long, ye simple ones (The Hebrew word there is pthiy and it means “foolish; silly, as in ‘able to be seduced'; naive.” These people are “simple” to the knowledge of God.), will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?  Fools hate knowledge. Do you know how we know that people hate knowledge? It's because they don't choose to seek it out; they choose the world and the worldly pleasures. They let someone just “tell them how it is,” instead of seeking out their own salvation (Php.2:12) …with fear and trembling. They would rather pay some preacher somewhere to give them the “truth.” Here's the truth, (Mat.22:14) For many are called, but few chosen.    Paul said to Timothy, (2Ti.1:8) Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; (9) who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal. “Who saved us, and called us”: You don't get this calling until you get saved.   This “calling” is the Greek word klésis and it means “invitation.” We are being invited to partake of the things of the Kingdom of God, yet many people are not partaking of these, although it's written in there plainly. You can show it to them, but they've been inoculated by dead religion to not believe what is written and that's why many are the called and few are the chosen.   Now when you go out into a field that you have planted, which is what God has done in a parable (Genesis 49:2; Isaiah 3:14,5:7,17:10,27:2; Amos 5:11; etc.), you're looking for the fruit. You're going to pick the fruit. You don't care about the plant. You plow the plant under and it goes back to the soil, just like the old body. Jesus, in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-8,18-23; Mark 4:2-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15) pointed out to us four different types of people, and three of the four, when they heard the Good News, fell away, even though they were the ones, at least the last three, these were the ones who were called.   (Mar.4:14) The sower soweth the word. (15) And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them. (We have seen this with the factious and it is astounding.) (16) And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky [places], who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy; (Same here) (17) and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.  (18) And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word, (19) and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (Like Jesus' parables of those distracted with the world.) (20) And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.  Notice after receiving the word we are to bear the fruit of it, which is “Christ in you”. Again, three of the four types, when they heard the Good News, fell away. Only one bore fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold. These are the true Kingdom people. So if you “love simplicity,” if you love the very simple lie that all you need to do is accept him as your personal savior and then sit on a pew and wait for the rapture, well, you're one of these fools who hates knowledge. If that's all you do, you're hating knowledge. You need to seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).   (Pro.1:23-26) Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you (Many reject the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Wisdom. If we don't seek out our own salvation, we are rejecting the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Wisdom as it was given in the book of Acts.); I will make known my words unto you. (24) Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;   (25) But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: (26) I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (27) When your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you. (28) Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me: (29) For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord.   (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, in Proverbs 9:10), (30) They would none of my counsel, They despised all my reproof. It's much simpler to let a preacher who is walking in the flesh tell you how easy it is to be in the Kingdom, and that you really don't have to lose your life as Jesus said, in order to gain your life (Matthew 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-24; John 12:25). “You don't really have to do that, that's the hard way, just listen wonderful words, pay your tithes and everything will be okay.”  (Pro.1:31) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. The “devices” that are out there now put many to sleep; “Unconditional eternal security” is a particularly deadly one. It teaches that you don't have to do anything after receiving salvation, but but Scripture teaches differently. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith (Which is the substance of the thing hoped for while the evidence is not seen); and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of (man's) works, that no man should glory. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them.   Those who don't have the “good works” of God are obviously not the people of God, and they will speak against “works,” although the Bible says just the opposite. The Bible says that you're going to be judged according to your works, and it says it very clearly, over and over and over (Hebrews 11:8-30; James 2:14-26; etc.) So how do we bear the fruit of good works? First of all, we have to put goodness in our heart, because it is that Wisdom of God, the Word of God, that re-programs our hard-drive to think, walk, talk, and bear the fruit of Jesus Christ.   (Pro.1:32) For the backsliding (Again, the “backsliding” is the “falling-away” which the lost can't do) the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. (33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil. Wisdom says to these simpletons in (Pro.2:1) My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee; (2) So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding; (3) Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding… The Bible promises that if we ask the Lord for wisdom, He will give it to us. If you ask Him for understanding, He will give it to you. Don't be double-minded, but ask Him and seek Him as in James 1:5-8. Ask Him even to put it in your heart to desire it.   (Pro.2:4) If thou seek her (Wisdom) as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures: (5) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord (Yes, you must have the fear of the Lord. Many people hear the Scriptures, but totally ignore what they've heard because they don't have the fear of the Lord.), And find the knowledge of God. (6) For the Lord giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding: (7) He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [He is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;   (8) That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints. (9) Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, [yea,] every good path. (10) For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; (11) Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee: (12) To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things; (13) Whoso forsaketh the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;   (Which is what so many people do: they get saved by faith, and then continue to walk in the same way they've always walked, not seeking out the knowledge and wisdom of God to know even what is the Will of God.) (14) Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil; (15) Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: (16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words. The “strange woman” is the “harlot” of Revelation 17, but that harlot is the “mother of the harlots” of the earth (Revelation 17:5).   Only the seed of Christ bears the fruit of Christ.  All of those sects that came out of the mother are also called “harlots” because every one of those denominations received their own seed, the seed that wasn't the seed of the Husband. That makes them harlots. They received their own wisdom and their own knowledge. The knowledge of the Gospel is being ignored. They've reduced it to nothing more than moralizing and there is no hope for moralizing. Those apostate preachers may get up and give a Scripture verse or two on Sunday morning, but the rest of the time, it's all their knowledge and their wisdom.   Folks, there's nothing more important than the Word of God! The Word going into your heart re-creates Jesus Christ in you. He is the Word. It's the Word that does this; nothing else can do it. Moralizing won't give you the knowledge of the Gospel. Moralizing won't give you the knowledge of how you can receive, freely, the Nature of Jesus Christ. It won't give you that confidence that this is your gift from God, that this is the reconciliation that He gave you at the Cross (Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Colossians 1:21-22).   He took your life, nailed it on the Cross, and gave you His Life. As Paul proclaimed, (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. In other words, “Now it's no longer I that live, it's Christ that lives in me.”  Rejoice in this free gift and it will be received.  (Pro.2:16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words (Those apostate preachers will make it easy for you. They will lead you in their crooked ways and in their wayward paths that do not include the crucified life or being filled with the Spirit who leads you in truth exactly as the first disciples were and filled them with the supernatural gifts.); (17) That forsaketh the friend of her youth (That's the One Who saved you in the beginning, Jesus, the One you loved in the beginning. Now they want to give you another “Jesus” and another “gospel” and another “spirit.”), And forgetteth the covenant of her God…    Some people don't even get to know that Covenant before they're led astray from the Bible by the teachings of men and their modern gospel. As Jesus said to the Pharisees of His day, (Mar.7:6) … Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. (7) But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.   (8) Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. (9) … Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition… (13) making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do. There's no difference in the nature of man from the time Jesus said that until now. We must repent and believe what He says; this is how we are reprogrammed to walk the straight walk.   (Pro.2:18) For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead. It's true; every one of those harlots' houses “inclineth unto death.” (Pro.2:19) None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life: (20) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous. (21) For the upright shall dwell in the land… This is the land of God's people, the Promised Land, and each promise that we read in the Word will become ours if we are bold to stand on it. (Deu.11:24) Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours… God is saying, “Every place you put your foot, I will give it to you.”    God has given us this “land” that we walk in, which is this flesh that comes from the earth, in order for us to conquer it. And those tribes that originally inhabited the land, the Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, and so on (Deuteronomy 7:1-3), all represent the lusts of the “old man” that had to be conquered in order to take that land for the spiritual man, Jesus Christ, Who is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. He's growing in you like a little baby. You must feed Him; don't feed the flesh, feed Him.   (Mat.12:46) While he (Jesus) was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. (47) And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee. (48) But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? (49) And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren! (50) For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. Those who do the Will of the Father are those who are bringing forth the fruit of Jesus Christ in their life.   (Pro.2:21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. There is a great falling-away because there is a broad road to destruction, as Jesus said. (Mat.7:13) Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. (14) For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.   We don't know the narrow road unless we study the wisdom of God, which is all through the Bible. (2Jn.1:9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. It's not who starts out with you; it's who continues. There are lots of people who think they know the teaching, but they're getting it second, third, fourth, and fifth hand.   The only way you're going to know the teaching and the wisdom of God is to study the Word and seek out the wisdom of God for yourself. Don't go into a dead church and be leavened the rest of your life. People who go there don't ever come out! They're wasting their life, never coming to know the wisdom of God.  (Pro.2:21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. (“Perfect” is a word that also means “mature.” Those who come into the Image of Christ are mature.) (22) But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it. This is still talking about the same people; the wicked are the treacherous. You see, the wicked may start out with you, but they don't finish with you.   (1Jn.2:19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. The wicked will be cut off from the land, which is the Land of Promise. They will not know the promises, they will not live by the promises. Paul exhorted God's people to not be sons of the “handmaid,” but to be sons of the “freewoman,” because it's going to be proven that not everyone who is a son of Abraham is chosen. Many are called, but few are chosen.   (Gal.4:22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. (23) Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through promise. The promise is what begets you again unto Jesus Christ and everything that He is and all that He does and thinks. It's the promise that does this. It is not being moralized; it is not joining a religion. The son of the freewoman is born through promise.   Abraham so badly wanted Ishmael to be chosen by God, and I, too, have wanted people to be chosen by God, and I, too, have “sown seed” in both the “freewoman” and the “handmaid.” And when the sons of the handmaid begin to fall away, I cry for them, but they are manifesting who they are. (Gal.4:24) Which things contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. If you're born of “Hagar” then you're in bondage and staying there.   Even while you're in religion, you can be in bondage just as the Israelites were. They were in so much bondage that when Jesus came to bring them to the higher order, they couldn't come out of bondage. (25) Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia (It was the Israelites who went to Mount Sinai and so Paul is applying this to them, because they were in bondage and they didn't know it.) and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is (That's the physical Jerusalem over there in the Middle East that's in bondage.): for she is in bondage with her children.   (26) But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. Praise the Lord! We are being born from above, first spirit, then soul, and then body. The “soul” is the mind, the will, and the emotions. Your soul has to walk after the Spirit to receive the nature of that Spirit in order for you to bear His fruit in your soul.   (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. When you were first saved, you received a born-again spirit, but now you have to go on to bear that fruit in your soul. Only if you bear the fruit, which is Christlikeness, will you get that new body, the born-again body, like His Body.   So how do you bear fruit? The way you bear fruit immediately is that you believe you have received. Jesus said, (Mar.11:24) … All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe ye received (The Greek word there lambanó is past tense in the original.) them, and ye shall have them. You walk by faith for them until you see them. Everything that the Lord offers will be nothing to the person who doesn't reach out and receive the promises by faith. They will not come to pass, and Paul tells us why. (Heb.4:2) … The word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. You see, they didn't mix faith with the words.  (Pro.4:4) And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live. How are you going to continue to live? You continue to live by studying and keeping His commandments, delighting in His commandments and delighting in being pleasing unto Him. Jesus said, “He that loves me will keep my commandments” (John 14:21,23- 24). You don't love Him if you're keeping the commandments of men.   Men make it easy for the “old man” to live because they don't want to lose their old life. (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8-10; etc.) They don't like the crucified life that comes with loving the commandments of God. (Pro.4:5) Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; Get wisdom, get understanding. (6) Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee. That's the truth, Wisdom will keep you from falling away.   (7) Wisdom is the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. … (Pro.4:20) My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. (21) Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. (22) For they are life…   Some people think that eternal life is something that God put in their hand and that He can't take it back, but John tells us, (1Jn.5:11) And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. You see, God didn't put anything in your hand. He gave eternal life to be in the Son, and abiding in the Son is where we have eternal life.   (Pro.4:22) For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. I've passed up the opportunity to die many times because I knew what the Word of God said. I knew what the Covenant was and I didn't depart from it, but I was tested. God tests us. I was tested, but I passed up my opportunities to die and continued to bear fruit. You see, if you die too soon, you don't bear the fruit you could have borne if you had continued on.   Many people don't even know that we're not under the curse. They don't know that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. They don't know that the “destroyer” was meant to pass over us and take out the Egyptians (Exodus 12:23; Job 15:21; 1 Corinthians 10:10; etc.) So many people are passing up the calling!   (Pro.4:23) Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Life comes out of your heart and if you put the Wisdom of God in there, just like in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15), you will be re-programmed. Please understand that you are in danger, and the only place you have safety is in Him. If three out of every four people who hear the Gospel fall away from it, you are in danger. You need to keep on putting the Wisdom of God in your life. It will save, it will “preserve thee,” the Bible says (Proverbs 4:6).   Let's look at the Parable of the Sower. (Mat.13:10) And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He was speaking, of course, to the Jews, who had the Covenant first. Jesus said, (Mat.15:24) … I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But remember, (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.   Once again, a Man-child is coming to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” only now as Paul said, (Rom.2:28) … he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Now true “Israel” are the ones who seek the born-again experience, not just in spirit, but in soul, and ultimately, in body.   These are the ones who have the Covenant, these are the ones who are on the path, the narrow path, unto eternal life. And if you start in faith, since faith is accounted as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3-22; Galatians 3:6-7; James 2:23), even when you start on that path, as long as you stay on that path, you are assured of eternal life. Not because you have manifested it, but because you are walking by faith for it.  Notice the disciples asked, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Of course, they wanted their brethren, the Jews, to be saved. Of course, they wanted them to understand. “Make it simple for them, Jesus, like the preachers do.” (Mat.13:11) And he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. My goodness! That sounds like there was a reprobation at the beginning of the Man-child Jesus' ministry.   Today there's a Man-child ministry coming again, only this time to the church, and once again we have the same situation. These people are not disciples. They cannot hear. They've been inoculated against the truth. The Man-child speaks in parables and they cannot understand, but He won't speak to them in any other way (Psalm 78:1-72; Matthew 13:34-35). The Bible says that He took His disciples aside, privately, and explained to them all things (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:10). A disciple is a mathetes, a “learner and a follower.” Disciples are studying the Master; they're studying the Master to walk in His steps. (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.   It's not all those eminent preachers in their fancy suits; it is Jesus Who is our demonstration of true Christianity, which is to walk as He walked. It is to manifest His gifts, His works, everything. (Heb.7:25) Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost (The Greek word there is pantelés and it means “completely, forever, entirely.”) them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. But although you see that it's a free gift from God, you have to receive by faith the promise of (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory.   (Mat.13:12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance… “Whosever hath … abundance” of what? This is speaking of “whosoever hath” understanding, “whosoever hath” fruit of what they have received. You see, if we walk in the Light, He puts more Light in our pathway. This is someone who has been given this fruit, who has been given this understanding. That is who “shall have abundance.” This is someone who is walking in Light, therefore they deserve more Light. There's no use in putting out more Light in front of someone who's not going to walk in the light they have; they would just be condemned that much more.   So God gives you a little Light, and if you walk in that, He gives you more Light. (Pro.4:18) … The path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (Psa.119:105) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path. He gives you a lamp for your feet to show you where you stand because, if you know where you are, He can show you where to go. We need to know that. Some people are in total denial about where they stand. These people believe that they've already arrived at perfection by some magic words that they've spoken or something that they did.   (Mat.13:12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Jesus gave the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:13-30; Luke 19:11-27) about that exact situation. Two of the three servants multiplied the talents their lord entrusted to them, but the third servant did nothing with what he was given. His Lord was angry with him and said, (Luk.19:22) … Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow; (23) then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?   (24) And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. (25) And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds. (26) I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him. When they protested, “But he has ten!” it was because they didn't understand God. We're called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to walk in His steps, but far too many people are like that third servant and they wouldn't touch discipleship with a ten-foot pole.   They've never even been taught that they needed, or even had an opportunity, to become a disciple. And so, because they bear no fruit and they haven't sought wisdom, even though God has borne with them up to that point, finally He reprobates them, or in other words, “even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.” (Mat.13:13) Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. They have physical eyes to see, but not spiritual eyes to see. How do you get spiritual eyes to see? You have to come to know the One Who wrote the Book. That's how you get spiritual eyes to see and that's how you get spiritual ears to hear because you'll hear only His voice, as Jesus said. (Joh.10:27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Sadly, many people like to leave out that last part, “they follow me.”   (Mat.13:14) And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive (Now we know what “understanding” is, and what “perceiving” is.): (15) For this people's heart is waxed gross… He's talking about His people, the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and even today, there is the “lost sheep of the house of the church” because they've lost the path. They don't know the way and they don't know that the end of that way is (Col.1:27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory. They don't even know that the procession that leads up to that point is Christ increasingly growing in you like a baby in the womb.   (Mat.13:15) For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart… They're afraid to know the truth. It would make them responsible to know the truth. It's easier just to “accept Jesus as your personal Savior.” Now, I'm not saying that can't be a beginning, if there was a true repentance involved, but otherwise, you're just filling a church pew and your self-deception will be revealed further down the road.  (Mat.13:15) For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. God really wants to heal us. He wants to heal us spiritually, physically, and every other way. These are the benefits of the Kingdom. It is for the called, the invited. (2Ti.1:9) Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal.  So when you get saved, you get invited. When you get saved in your spirit, you get a new spirit from God, and according to what the Scripture says, you receive a “born-again spirit” and now you are invited to partake of the benefits of the Kingdom because now you are a Kingdom person (John 3:3,5). The world doesn't have this calling. This calling is not “Hey! Come to Jesus!” No, it's, “Who saved them and called them.” You get saved and then you get this invitation to partake of the Kingdom. In Israel, the Israelite had the benefits of the Kingdom; the pagans did not.   (Mat.13:16) But blessed are your eyes, for they see (Here Jesus is talking to His disciples.); and your ears, for they hear. (17) For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see… That's why it's called the “Good News”! The Jews had to struggle to find out every jot and tittle of the Law and keep them, or else slay a lamb. Our Lamb was slain, and the Good News is that what God gives us is a free gift! Oh, praises to His Holy Name!   (Mat.13:17) For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. (18) Hear then ye the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not… Who did He just get through saying did not understand the Word?   It was His people according to the Old Covenant, but the Manchild ministry that is coming is going to renew a call to the true Gospel, which many of the people have never heard. Yet many of them will choose to stick to their religion because it's easy: “Come and pay your tithes and you'll just go right into the Kingdom.” Bologna!   (Mat.13:19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one,] and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. (I've seen this happen when telling people what the true Good News is, and they'd rather go back to their religion because it doesn't demand anything from them.) This is he that was sown by the way side. (No, not much of a chance to bear any fruit there.)   (20) And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it (You run across these people too; they're happy because it really is good news.); (21) yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. There it is! There's the falling away. This is someone who, in the beginning, received the Good News with joy, but then they didn't allow it to take deep root in self.      Run From The Flesh  Anonymous 5/28/23 (David's notes in red)  I dreamed that my husband and I had a newborn baby, (bearing the fruit of Christ) and we went inside my grandparents' house to grab something we had left behind. (The grandparents' house represents the apostate religion we inherited. Going back for something left behind represents backsliding. Luk 17:31 In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot's wife.) No one was there and my grandparents were not supposed to be back for a long time.   While we were inside, we decided to use the bathroom. (Repentance.) As I was waiting for my turn, I had a vision that demons in my grandparents knew that we were here. (Many times our grandparents dead religion gets passed down to us through our parents.) My grandparents did not know that we were here, but the demons caused them to come back quickly to catch us there. (When we backslide or go back to sinful or useless doctrines, ways, and thought patterns, When the faction are turned over to the demons they often do this. If we do this we give the demons permission to come back along with our youthful lusts. Mat 12:43-44 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.) In real life we aren't in communication with the old physical family, and in the dream we both wanted to avoid them and not be around them.  I told my husband what I saw, so we quickly finished what we were doing so we could leave. Suddenly, my grandparents walked through the front door with a few of their friends and other family members. (45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.)   My step grandma's hair was much longer than it is in real life and in the dream, it was very long with streaks of red, pink and different shades of brown in it. (Long hair is a sign of submission and the streaks of unnatural colors mean submission, to red- guilty of blood of the saints, pink- sexual perversion, brown- represents the Nazi like factious and is in many dreams about them.) I commented that I liked the long hair on her better than it being very short.   In real life my step grandmother (Jezebel) had been physically abusing my grandad (Ahab) and they had broken up. So, I was confused as to why they were together. (Since they obviously switch the natural roles of man and woman.)  We wanted to leave immediately, and I felt strongly to hide my baby from every person there, so I had my baby tucked inside my dress, hidden. (Fruit hidden in her dress means fruit hidden in her. This protects our fruit, the baby. Our treasure is the truth that factious people want to steal from us, as it was stolen from them. If we believe their slander the demons come in and all truth is lost.) Every person there kept trying to look at my baby, but I kept turning my body to keep the baby away from them and I did my best to completely hide the baby. (When the demons see fruit they immediately want to attack it, especially Jezebel and faction spirits.)  There was a man there named Shawn who I have never met before, and I wondered who he was. (Shawn means “God is gracious” and represents those that will come out of the apostate church by God's Grace.)   Everyone kept trying to make small talk, and we just really wanted to leave. (Small talk are the subtle lying thoughts and vain imaginations of the flesh and demons to keep us trapped in the past.)   My step grandmother said that there was a town called ‘MarleyVille' nearby and that it originated by a man that placed an omen (sign of something to come) on the mountain. (The name Marley means “pleasant wood” or “marshy meadow,” so it represents a swamp of the wood hay and stubble of the works of man.) They established a town there from it and the connection from the omen has lines going through the whole town and into every house. We wanted nothing to do with that town or these conversations. (It is bondage of the old man and religious works of the apostate church.)  I was trying so hard to hide my baby from everyone. They kept trying to look at him so my husband and I with my baby in my dress just sprinted out of the house so fast, without saying goodbye. (When we leave the past apostasy to follow Jesus, we don't hesitate. Psa 143:9 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 2Ti 2:22 But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  We ran far up the street which was a big hill (Forsaking Babylon for Zion) and got to our car to leave. The man, Shawn sprinted out of the house after us, not to stop us but he felt to follow us and to leave. (So the one called “God is gracious” left the house of the apostates and followed this dreamer to Zion.) No other person came out of the house. (Because they had no grace from God.)   (I felt this dream was a warning to not get distracted by the old physical family or carnal man and to not get distracted by anyone that isn't manifesting Christ. I was reminded of these verses: Pro 13:20 Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it.   2Co 6:14-18 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?  15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.)    The Harlot Church Is Sick and Dying  Anonymous 5/28/23 (David's notes in red)   In my dream my physical dad (Representing the apostate leader of the apostate Church) contacted me; he was very upset as his wife (who represents the apostate church) was ill. He said the doctors couldn't do anything to help her and he was begging us to come see them. (Most of us came out of a church like this and don't want to go back but they always want you back.) After the call I discussed with my wife whether we should go visit them or not. I was reluctant to go, yet to my surprise my wife said we need to go and leave right now, because she felt the right thing to do was to go see my physical parents. (Sometimes the things that seem right and moral to the flesh and world, are contrary to God's way. When Jesus' family wanted to see Him, He said that those who do the will of God are His family).   Mar 3:33-35 And he answered them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? 34 And looking round on them that sat round him in a circle, he saith, See, my mother and my brethren! 35 whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother and sister and mother.   (Also, the men as the head are to seek God for His will and to not give into the woman. 1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1Ti 2:12-15 But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being much deceived hath fallen into transgression: 15 but she shall be saved through the childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.)  We drove for a couple of days to get to them. We were in such an urgency that we barely slept and ate little. (The flesh often acts in haste and runs on adrenalin. If we are out of God's will he gives us signs along the way.)   When we arrived, my dad ran out to us and said that his wife has a disease that's throughout her body, spreading from her heart to her liver. (The heart represents the soul, which is the mind, will and emotions, and liver (a vital part of our gastrointestinal system) represents discernment. The apostate church is diseased throughout the whole body because of her rebellion and the food or leaven they are digesting like their false doctrines, religious theologies, and lack of spiritual discernment and growth, therefore she is sick and dying.)  (Pro 4:4 And he (Father) taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live; Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts. Psa 119:11 Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.)   He said she is laying down and can barely move and she hasn't gotten up in days. (2Pe 3:8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. It's been 2000 years (or 2 days) since Jesus began with the first church. The apostate church has not been “born from above”, through the true Word and power of the Holy Spirit and she is still into the earthly works of the flesh.)   Someone then came out and handed me a note that was written in red and it was from my physical mum (the apostate church) and it said something about me going to sit with her and feed her. (Jer 51:9-10 ASV  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.  10  Jehovah hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.)  I told my wife and she stayed outside of the house. I walked up the stairs to go see her as I battled evil thoughts and lies and fighting in the spirit in prayer. I entered the lounge room and she was lying on a bed (the harlot, Jezebel.) Rev 2:20-22 But I have against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself prophetess;... 22 Lo, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.) He bed was set up near the front door. (Jesus is the Door and the apostate church have only just “gotten their foot in the door” they think but many are wrong for they are not bearing fruit and are dying.)  She was very pale (From lack of the blood) and thin and she didn't have energy to talk but nodded and moved her arm to motion to me to sit. Next to her was a tub of vanilla ice cream and she was holding a spoon. (Ice cream is made from milk, which is for babies, with added sugar and flavoring, which is sweet to the flesh to permit her to live in the flesh. Anything but the crucified life. It represents the false teachings she has used to seduce and cause many to fall into fornication and idolatry with her.  Rev 2:20 ... and she teacheth and seduceth my bondmen to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices. 21 And I gave her time to repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication.)   I said, ‘That stuff's not good for you, you need something healthy.' She then gently pushed my hand with the spoon towards the ice cream. I then felt that it was okay to grab her a spoonful and give it to her. 1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;  She put the food into her mouth herself and was smiling. (The apostate church is happy on the flesh pleasing doctrines and don't know they are spiritually dying.)    Escaping The Harlot   Anonymous 4/29/23 (David's notes in red)    I dreamed that I was watching this man in third person. He was a teenager and had brown skin, short hair, brown eyes and he was wearing an emerald green shirt. (Emerald represents new life.) This man was introverted (Probably from rejection and fear) and kept to himself, but he loved Jesus and had a relationship with God.    The man was currently at a school with classrooms where he was in a courtyard, which was set up differently from most schools. (The school buildings and classrooms here represent the different church denominations many pass through and their religious teachings where many first begin to learn about God. The courtyard represents the paths of life and its choices to make seeking direction.) The courtyard had paths that went in a zig zag shape (back and forth directions with sharp turns) from the left side to the right, but each path had a vertical way (up towards God) that was a dead end, and there were pockets to hide.  (This reminds us of the confusion of Babylon.)  The classrooms were on every side of the courtyard and the buildings were open, so you could go in there but there was no way out of the room, so these were also dead ends. Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death. (If one does not read their Bible to see what Christians are, they can get caught in a Babylonish church for many years wasting their lives. Many in the apostate church believe there are many ways to God and many other deceptive doctrines.)   The courtyard was very narrow and long, and it had buildings on the left and right and there was no way to get out of the courtyard except from an entrance on the far left or an entrance on the far right and all the buildings were blocking an escape. (Jesus said, He is the Way and it is a narrow and straightened way to Life. Go the Way of searching the Word.)   (Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. Mat 7:13-14 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.   Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Many are so full of religious spirits and doctrines of demons they are trapped but Jesus is coming to set the captives free and to open their prisons – Isa 61. Look at the fruit of those in the trap. If they are not bearing fruit the seed of the Lord is not being sowed.) Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.) Everyone in his grade was wearing a navy polo-shirt with a red line on the collar, and everyone in other grades had different colored shirts. (“A red line” represents a legalistic line you don't want to cross. The grades represent their opinion of the maturity level in Christ but this is always judged by their fleshly age and not their age in the Lord.)   I think it was lunch time and most of his grade were hanging together on the very far left of the courtyard near the entrance. The other people in his grade were in small groups of 3 to 5 people and they were spread out towards the right but one of them was very far towards the right.   This man with the green shirt (Representing Life), whom I was watching, just wanted to spend alone time in prayer and reading the Word, so he went a bit further to the right and found a spot to read alone. (Many times Jesus left the crowds to be alone to pray.) Mar 6:31 And he saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while…  After a little bit he started to feel that something wasn't right and that people were in danger so he went back along the way and found where most of his grade were at the far-left corner. He saw they were all huddled up with teachers instructing. He came up and walked through some of the crowd to see what the teachers were saying. A man in his grade said to him, "Don't stay here, just leave quickly." He wasn't sure what was going on, but then that man who had spoken, was grabbed by a female teacher and taken away. The same man said, "They are taking us away and we don't know where." (The “far left” in “Chrisian” education are taking the many away from God.)   It was made known that they were rounding them all up to go or do something that was not right. Because this man wasn't in that crowded area he wasn't noticed or put on the list and so he had a chance to escape. 2Pe 2:9 the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto a day of judgment. (Luk 21:36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.)   He then left the crowd to run to back from where he had just come from, and a female teacher saw him trying to escape and called out for him, but he ignored her and just kept running out. (The female teacher represents false teachers and preachers in the harlot church who try to stop those who are truly seeking the Lord from leaving their dominion. But God calls His students of the Word out of the apostate sheepfold.)    She chased him through the zig zag pathways (The crooked path of Babylon), and the man tried to pretend he went into a classroom, knowing he couldn't actually escape that way, because it was a dead end, and they would catch him. (All the denominations are dead ends.) But he opened doors when she wasn't in the same hallway to make it seem like he went in there. He ran past up many different people in different grades and also the small groups of people that were in his grade. (He passed up the maturity of many on his way out.) As the lady teacher ran to the area where the people were, she would tell them to quickly move to the far-left area with the rest of their grade. (Herding the goats on the left into their rebellion.)   The man was doing everything to out-run her, but because of the design of the buildings and courtyard he couldn't run to an area where she couldn't see him. He finally got to the far-right area and there were no people in the courtyard there. (There are not many that go to the right... Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few chosen.) He ran to get out the only exit gate but it was locked. (Their religious spirits want to keep people confined.) So, he ran into the six-story building that was on the right of the gate. (Six is the number of man.) The lady saw him and stopped chasing him, believing he would be caught because there was no other escape, and she called on the radio for an announcement across the whole school speakers saying, "Catch the hazelnut skin man in the green shirt."  (Hazelnut is a seed which can bear great fruit if planted in the right soil. This man is looking for that soil.)  The man heard the announcement as well as all teachers so he knew to avoid them. He ran past classrooms and the teachers came out to grab him, however, he was too fast for them. He ran upstairs to get to the next level where more teachers came out of their classrooms, but he ran past all of them and not one person could even touch him. (We keep running the race towards the Prize of Christ! Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.)    He got to the next level and he looked up and saw there was already another man waiting for him on the next level. Luk 4:30 But HE passing through the midst of them went his way.  This man had strong faith and he believed God wouldn't fail him and he believed if he jumped in faith God would help him. So, he just jumped in faith and flew to the fifth story which was above the man he saw before. He couldn't see anyone but he ran to the sixth story and went into the only room there, but it wasn't a classroom. It was like a fancy house or a penthouse.    He ran through and then he saw there were two glass doors open to the outside that had fake grass, and the only way out after that would be to jump. Then a man appeared from inside the penthouse and he had long blonde hair and was wearing an undershirt and he said, "You are going to wish you didn't come up here." And that man expected him to surrender because there was no other natural safe way to escape.    The man in the green shirt didn't hesitate but ran straight out the glass doors outside. He had no doubt, or unbelief, and he knew that God would either translate him or fly him somewhere. He had strong bold faith and without looking back, he ran straight off the building, and I knew that he was going to be physically safe. When he jumped, I instantly woke up.  (Rom 1:17 ASV  For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.)

November 5, 2023 @ 10:00 a.m. Core 52: The Good ShepherdPsalm 23The Lord is my Shepherd...have you heard the 23rd Psalm before? If not, please join us this week as we consider the depth of God's love for us through this amazing passage. If you have heard it, where were you? Why was it read? What does it mean?The world needs a shepherd. I need a shepherd. In this passage, David shares with us many of the greatest qualities of God through the role of a shepherd. Do we understand what David is saying about His Lord and God? Do we feel the same way about our Jesus?We want to invite you to join us this week at Berea. We want to invite you to become part of our family. As fall sets in and the holidays approach, we would love an opportunity to share God's love with you and your family. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/escape-urself-podcast/support

From needles in his arm to life in Christ! Listen to Matt Tate's amazing God Story! Hear  his journey of how he accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior and how he now lives his life for God spreading the Gospel message to others actively as a lifestyle.   Give financially to our mission of spreading the Gospel message: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/5727676Subscribe to our podcast today! You can find it on Apple podcast or wherever you get yours.Click the link to join our Evangelism On Fire Facebook community today: www.facebook.com/groups/evangelismonfireCheck out our website: www.evangelismonfire.com  

It's almost like there were two men named Peter. The one we meet in the gospels is good-hearted, but often says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Only a few weeks earlier, that one fearfully denied to a servant girl he even knew Jesus. But on this Pentecost morning we're listening to a very different man. This one has the courage to stand in front of thousands and tell them in unmistakable terms that they are morally responsible for killing the Messiah. Neither afraid nor angry, he says to them, “…you nailed Him (to a cross) by the hand of godless men (Roman soldiers) and put Him to death…” His boldness is remarkable. Today, this one will be so effective at presenting the gospel, 3000 people will repent and be baptized. The fearful, clumsy man who often makes us chuckle when we read the gospels has been transformed into a fearless, eloquent spokesman for His Lord. What happened? What changed Peter? We want to know because we want that same boldness for ourselves. We want to be able to speak when it's time to speak. We want to be able to pray for someone when it's time to pray. We want the courage to go someplace and serve when we're called to go. We don't want fear holding us back. So let's find out what happened to Peter, so it can happen to us too.

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Whoever neglects the second coming of Christ has only a mutilated gospel, for the Bible teaches us not only of the death and sufferings of Christ, but also of His return to reign in honor and glory. His second coming is mentioned and referred to over three hundred times. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism, yet in all of Paul's epistles, baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while he speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon that man. Gas prices, technology innovations, and the stock market are of much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of His Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom. Are you watching and ready for Christ's return for His bride? Are you occupied with the work He has given you to do in His kingdom here on earth, so that you may have a reward when He comes?

Former host of Music Thru the Night, Mike Kellogg, has passed away. Mike was a trusted voice of Moody Radio for decades and impacted eternity for so many. Today, he is in the presence of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Psalm 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Moody Radio producer, Jon Gauger pays a tribute to the impact of Mike Kellogg's gifts, talent and heart on so many lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#1 A @Christadelphians Video: A @Christadelphians Video: Session 1 - Moses began the first Exodus of the Hebrews at Sinai. Many years later, a despondent Elijah was to find himself walking in the very same footsteps as his predecessor, finding himself at the very same mount. Wanting God to start all over again with Israel, Elijah requests that judgments are poured down on the people that had gone so far astray. However, God was to teach him that mercy is what leads an Exodus. A lesson which Elijah is to show in the Hebrew Exodus that is yet to come. #2 A @Christadelphians Video: A @Christadelphians Video: Session 2 - As Elijah took the mantle off Moses to lead an Exodus of the Hebrews, the apostle Paul is to find that he is to take inspiration off Elijah to lead an Exodus of the Gentiles. This all begins as the apostle takes a journey to a sacred mountain where he is to have an unexpected meeting with his Lord. His Lord who leads us all on an Exodus out of sin. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christadelphians-talk/message

The 3 Foundational Baptisms: (1) BAPTISM into CHRIST by the Holy Spirit. (2) BAPTISM in WATER by representatives of the Church, and (3) BAPTISM in the SPIRIT by Jesus Christ. WATER BAPTISM is a Sacrament - a symbolic physical act, that has a spiritual effect. BAPTISM in WATER is commanded upon all believers, for them to testify outwardly and publicly of their Baptism into Christ (which happens at the moment of salvation). In Water Baptism we act out what God has done in our spirit, when we were baptised into Christ. We were identified with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Our old spirit-man was crucified and buried with Christ, and we were raised with Christ as a new man into a new life. In Baptism, we confess our faith, testifying to what God has done for us and in us, which releases God's Power in our life (Romans 10:10). You have to be saved (be a believer) before being baptised. Infant baptism is not biblical. Biblical Baptism is Believer's Baptism: “He who (1) BELIEVES and is (2) BAPTISED will be saved” (Mark 16:16). The word ‘BAPTISM' means to IMMERSE, like a garment dipped into a die. The result of this union is permanent change. Thus by definition, Baptism must be by full immersion. Water Baptism is a picture of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ, which is why God ordained it to be by full immersion. Sprinkling with water is a man-made substitute (tradition), which does not fulfil the picture. Christ COMMANDS all His disciples to be BAPTISED in WATER, as their ordained act of obedience and public testimony that they are a follower of Christ. Thus it is not an optional extra. Water Baptism is an act of obedience to Christ. To refuse baptism is disobedience. Jesus Himself was baptised to give us an EXAMPLE to follow, and said it was the RIGHT thing to do (Matthew 3:13-16). Jesus was already righteous, so His Baptism was not to make Him righteous, but to ‘fulfil all righteousness' in His life (it was an important act of obedience to God). Jesus was bringing in a new kind of Baptism – His Baptism is the MODEL and PROTOTYPE for CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. He is our EXAMPLE. In being baptised we are FOLLOWING the EXAMPLE of our Lord, and so demonstrating we are truly His disciple. Thus by our obedience we are fulfilling God's righteous requirement for our life. When you obey God in Baptism, you can ask and expect the Holy Spirit to fill you and empower you for ministry, just as He did for Jesus. You are dedicating yourself to God to be His disciple, and God's Spirit will come upon you to empower you to fulfil your call. *1. Jesus was baptised to give us an EXAMPLE to follow. *2. The risen Jesus COMMANDED that all those who believed in Him through the Gospel should be baptised (Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:18-20). BAPTISM is the ordained, public initiation into DISCIPLESHIP for all believers (Matthew 28:19). A DISCIPLE is someone who follows and obeys His Lord's example, teachings and commands. So if you have not even obeyed His FIRST command to you as a new believer (to be baptised in water), you can't really call yourself a true disciple. BAPTISM is part of the GREAT COMMISSION of spreading the GOSPEL to ALL people, because the required response to the Gospel is FAITH in Christ, evidenced by WATER BAPTISM. *3. The early Christians diligently practiced Water Baptism by full immersion in obedience to Christ's command (Acts 2:38,41, 8:12,35-39, 9:18, 10:44-48, 16:31-33, 19:5-6). *You are doing 2 things in your Baptism: (1) You are making a PUBLIC TESTIMONY and DECLARATION of your faith in Christ as your Lord and Saviour. (2) You are committing yourself to Christ as His disciple, saying: “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.” In BAPTISM we (1) DEDICATE ourselves to do God's will, and (2) CALL on Him to fill us with His POWER to do it. Jesus is our example, for He was BAPTISED in the SPIRIT, when He was BAPTISED in WATER. BAPTISM is a spiritual BATH. The natural WATER is a symbol of the spiritual WATER (the Holy Spirit) that WASHES us clean: Acts 22:16: “Be BAPTISED, and WASH away your sins, CALLING on the Name of the Lord." Paul's sins had already been forgiven (9:5-6,17). FORGIVENESS means God has forgiven us of that sin and does not hold it against us. Even when we are forgiven, we can still feel the shame, guilt and stain of that sin in our conscience, and so we also need to receive an inner WASHING or CLEANSING of our conscience. At his BAPTISM, Paul (1) received a WASHING away of his sins (especially his persecution of the believers), and (2) he also CALLED on the Name of Jesus to fill him with the Holy Spirit, so that he would be empowered to fulfil his ministry. So Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17) at His Baptism. Speaking in tongues is the outward sign of being filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4), and Paul spoke in tongues (1Corinthians 14:18).

In stanza 19 of literature's greatest acrostic song, our author continues crying out to God for salvation in spite of his enemies. He implores the Lord to rescue him from his oppressors. Each verse of his cry begins with the letter: 'Ayin' in the original Hebrew. As the Psalmist's journey continues to encounter trials and difficulties, we find that his spirit refuses to succumb to weariness or despair. In the face of still more hardship, he remains sustained and satisfied in the sufficient means supplied by His Lord and Savior. He makes good use of waiting or answered prayers by nurturing deeper love, dependence, and appreciation for the covenant revelation of his God. He identifies himself as a servant to his master willing to endure whatever is required of him even as he longs for divine intervention. This stanza contains a sense of suspense in waiting for the coming of the Lord. The prayers of the saints and the insolence of the wicked both serve to hasten that day. The day of the Lord is according to covenant terms bearing with it a great reckoning demand according to the law of God. In light of this, the singer takes refuge in the promises and steadfast love of the One True Sovereign. In light of the perspective of human weakness and God's ultimacy... the psalmist models sanctified affections for the salvation, promise, statutes, testimonies, law, commandments, and precepts of Yahweh. These are to be treasured more than gold itself. As the love for God's revelation increases, so does our intolerance for every false way.

About the Episode: Change is hard for everyone but there are some ways to help direct you with making that change. See how our guests share what they would like to change and discuss ways to make those last. From limiting social media, adding exercise to daily life, wanting to add Scripture into daily life, and more time without the constant noise of the outside, hear what our guests desire to see changed. There will be a follow-up episode to see how our guests are doing with what they want changed. About Our Guests: Cristin Parker has a passion to help families and individuals thrive. As a former change management consultant, she learned valuable processes, tools, and techniques to help corporate teams. Having a strategic, futuristic bent and three children to raise, she developed a process to help families called “Your Family Blueprint.” As a lifelong learner, she became a certified relational wealth advisor and Enneagram coach. Wanting a corporate team of her own, she is proud to have joined Case Bogart in 2021 and serves families and individuals locally, nationally, and internationally. Currently, she lives in Dallas with her husband, and together they stay intentionally connected with their three young adult children. Johnathan Cochran is the PCPC Middle School guy's resident. He graduated from Baylor University and later the Kanakuk Institute graduate seminary program. Johnathan loves the outdoors, spending time with friends, and learning more about Scripture. Ross Earley is the PCPC High School resident for freshmen guys. He is a former covenant child of PCPC, graduate of the University of Missouri, and currently attends Reformed Theological Seminary in pursuit of an M. Div for pastorship. Ross loves His Lord, Scripture, stories, and laughter. Maggie is the PCPC resident for Middle School girls at PCPC. She was born and raised in Dallas before going to Samford University, where she graduated in 2019. She is a covenant child of PCPC and has delighted in coming full circle and working on staff. She is passionate about students knowing Jesus in a deep and real way that leads to life transformation. About Our Host: A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mark Davis came to PCPC as our Youth Pastor in 2003 and became our Senior Pastor in 2009. He and his bride, Kristina, met at a Young Life Camp in 1988 and have five amazing kids, Kara (and husband, Drew), Madalyn (and husband, Jack), Cayden, Esther Kate, & Samuel. Resources: See Cristinparker.com for more about our guest and her services Gretchenrubin.com for a questionnaire to see which tendency you lean towards: upholder, questioner, obliger, or rebel. (music license ASLC-14EAD3E0-84F34F4276)

We have a few brief hours to embrace an aspect of our mission that I think we've largely forgotten, namely, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Jerusalem will never have peace until they recognize the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Some we can reach now, in which case they become a member of the Church. Some will not believe until it's the last hope in a very, very dark, and painful world after the rapture of the Church. Let's make sure that we have uttered a prayer for that nation. They are surrounded by enemies. They are facing from a human point of view, certain annihilation. You know, Henry Kissinger said in ten years there will be no nation of Israel. That's the best joke I've heard in a long, long time. They will never be driven out. So how can you know? I'm asked this question all the time. How can you know? How can you know that they won't be driven out and scattered again and things that go on for a thousand years? Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is they're there to stay. The bad news is you don't have another thousand years. We'd like to think that we do. But we are are at the conclusion of our short paragraph in history. Check out Isaiah 11:11. The prophet foresaw that there would be two dispersions and two returns, and “after the second time” God will re-gather them and then will return. And, folks, it has happened! And He's coming. Israel is not going to be driven out, but it's going to be painful in the extreme. A third of those who survive into that time are going to believe (Zechariah 13:8). We have a mission mandate, and that mandate is to all the nations of the world. But I do believe that there is a specific focus of that mandate and that that aspect of the mandate is with special attention to the children of Israel. Israel is a burning passion in the heart of the impossible and should be to you and me. You remember that Paul in Colossians 1:24 that it was his pleasure “to suffer on their behalf because he was filling up that which was lacking in the sufferings of Christ.” Paul saw very clearly that it was his responsibility as a member of the Body of Christ to continue what His Lord had begun, what Christ came to do. That's what Paul was here for, and what Christ died for. That was what Paul was willing to die for and therefore to carry on Christ's ministry. And Paul, in Romans 10:1, we see how he makes this a little bit more specific. “ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” You know, my friends, the Bible commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” comes from Psalm 122. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? When you and I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Jerusalem and Israel receives the prince of peace. And therefore, we pray for the opening of their eyes. Have you ever thought that a prayer that you utter today could impact the soul of someone who will live in the next dispensation? A thousand years before Christ, David prayed for us in the Psalm 102. This is similar to when Paul says, “My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Don't you think, Paul, being doctrinally accurate and having the mystery of a new creation revealed to him would just say, “Who cares about them?” And “we're done with them.” “We've moved on to new ground.” A thousand years before Christ came, there was someone praying for you. David, by the way, often praise as an expression of the trials of Messiah when He would come. I like the way Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it. He said, “When you read the prayers of David, you are reading the prayers of Messiah, because the prayers that David prayed, Messiah prayed when he was here.” Interesting thought, isn't it? Psalm 102 is picturing the whole history of the nation of Israel, which is summarized in brief in Revelation Chapter 12, which tells us that “the woman will conceive and bear a child,” and because of that child that she brings, she “will be driven into the wilderness.” The hatred against the nation of Israel that existed in David's day and the hatred that existed against Israel in the time of Nazi Germany, and that exists today comes from the same source. It's satanic in origin because Satan still knows that God's plan for those people is not done. And so Satan stalks to the woman who is in travail. Psalm 102 says in part, “But you all Lord shall endure forever, And the remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion for the time to savor her. Yes, the time that was set has come.” What time is he talking about? Jesus Christ's Second Advent, right? The Psalmist continues, “Your glory for the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the afflicted. He will not despise their prayer.” Did you get the message that he just said this that is promised is going to happen? “He will not despise their prayer.” Now, get this, because here is the kicker in Psalm 102:18, “This will be written for a generation to come. There are people yet to be created, may praise the Lord.” Do you see the church there? He's not just talking about the next generation of Jews. He's not just talking about another generation. He's talking about a new people. Generation is often used for race that are race yet to come of people yet to be created. I believe that David here anticipated, and maybe because of something He saw in the writing of Moses, Moses knew there was more to be revealed, but he knew that it was not for the children of Israel, it was for someone else. David knew that the things he wrote would be an encouragement and a strength to a people who did not yet exist. He didn't know who they were. He didn't know what they would be called. The idea of church never entered his mind. The concept of being in Christ was beyond his ability to comprehend. Although I would say that of all the prophets of the Old Testament, no one came as close to church age truth as did David in the Psalms. The Psalms are timeless and express the prayers of Christ. I would even be willing to bet that the Lord Jesus Christ had the entire Psalms memorized and uttered each of them at their proper place throughout the time of his pilgrimage on this earth may be continues to pray them. Who knows? He intercedes in our behalf. If David had a concern for a people that would not yet be created, how much concern can you and I have for a people who preceded us? If the last are going to be first, how great will they be? Paul asked the question in Romans 11 If their casting off is the salvation of the world, what will their reception be but a resurrection from the dead? It's going to be something amazing. Pray for the opening of their eyes. Our nation is no longer a friend to Israel as we have been. But somewhere there has to be a people that will not only pray for that nation and speak out for that nation, but if necessary, shelter that nation. Those Christians who fought in the resistance for the sake of the Jewish people, they did what the church is supposed to do. And through their dedication and devotion, many, many people of the Jewish nation have come to Christ. Many people will yet come to Christ. How many will come to Christ because you played your part? Let's pray that you and I can play the part through our prayers. Stand up for them, be their advocate, be their defender, and above all, be their intercessor. It will make a difference. The priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. See the previous video “I will bless those who bless you – Mission Forgotten” for more detail.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”  John 12:24This is a catchy phrase, but it reveals a truth that is hard to accept and live.  Jesus speaks directly about the need to die to yourself so that your life will bear abundant good fruit.  Again, easy to say, hard to live.Why is this hard to live?  What is hard about it?  The hard part begins with the initial acceptance of the fact that dying to yourself is necessary and good.  So let's look at what that means.We begin with the analogy of a grain of wheat.  That grain must detach from the head and fall to the ground.  This image is one of complete detachment.  That single grain of wheat must “let go” of everything.  This image tells us that if we want God to work miracles in us, we must be ready and willing to let go of all to which we are attached.  It means we enter into a true abandonment of our will, our preferences, our desires and our hopes.  This can be very hard to do because it can be very hard to understand.  It can be hard to understand that detaching from all that we want and desire is actually good and is actually the way that we become prepared for the new and much more glorious life awaiting us through the transformation of grace.  Death to ourselves means we trust God more than the things we are attached to in this life.  It means we believe that God's plan is infinitely better than any plan we can come up with.When the grain of wheat does die and enters the ground, it fulfills its purpose and grows into so much more.  It is transformed into abundance.Saint Lawrence, a third century deacon and martyr whom we remember today, presents us with a literal image of one who gave up everything, including his very life, so as to say “Yes” to God.  He gave up all his wealth, and when commanded by the prefect of Rome to turn over all the treasures of the Church, Lawrence brought to him the poor and the sick.  The prefect, in anger, sentenced Lawrence to death by fire.  Lawrence gave up everything to follow His Lord.Reflect, today, upon that which God may be calling you to let go of.  What is it that He wants you to surrender?  Surrendering is the key to letting God do glorious things in your life.Lord, help me to let go of my own preferences and ideas in life that are not in accord with Your divine will.  Help me to always believe that You have an infinitely better plan.  As I embrace that plan, help me to trust that You will bring forth an abundance of good fruit.  Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2022 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Melvis shares his story with Dog and Frog about how his life changed when he accepted"Cheese"- us [Jesus] as His Lord and Savior! Jesus is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord God Almighty, our Righteousness! “For God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.” ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ C&B8 #kids, #storiesforkids, #biblestoriesforkids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #salvationthroughJesus, #righteousnature, #believeontheLordJesusChrist, #forgivenessofsin, #faithinjesus, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

Melvis shares his story with Dog and Frog about how his life changed when he accepted"Cheese"- us [Jesus] as His Lord and Savior! Jesus is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord God Almighty, our Righteousness! “For God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.” ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ C&B8 #kids, #storiesforkids, #biblestoriesforkids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #salvationthroughJesus, #righteousnature, #believeontheLordJesusChrist, #forgivenessofsin, #faithinjesus, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb