Podcasts about his son

In this solo episode, Jesse sets the stage for an upcoming conversation with Tony by diving into one of Jesus' most theologically rich parables — the Parable of the Midnight Friend in Luke 11. Rather than treating this as a simple lesson on prayer technique, Jesse unpacks the passage as a carefully constructed theological argument: a qal wahomer (lesser-to-greater) reasoning that ultimately reveals the character of God the Father. Set within Luke's central travel narrative, the parable is not free-floating wisdom — it is discipleship instruction delivered by the Messiah en route to Jerusalem and the cross. The episode challenges common misreadings that pit persistence against divine sovereignty and instead grounds persevering prayer in confidence in God's willing, lavish character. The culmination — the gift of the Holy Spirit — awaits next week. Key Takeaways The parable's literary structure is intentional and theological — the Lord's Prayer leads to the parable, which leads to a promise (ask, seek, knock), which is grounded in the Father's character and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The sleeping friend is not a type of God — he functions as the lesser pole in a lesser-to-greater argument; identifying him with God is a category error that compromises divine immutability and aseity. Persistence in prayer is grounded in confidence, not desperation — the point is not to wear God down, but to recognize that a God who is not reluctant, not asleep, and not inconvenienced will give all the more freely. The a fortiori (lesser-to-greater) structure is the interpretive key — Jesus deliberately invokes cognitive dissonance through an imperfect analogy so that the contrast reveals something about God's character that a direct statement could not. Ask, seek, knock are present-tense imperatives in Greek — they denote continuous action, matched by divine passives in the promises, meaning God himself is the subject acting behind every answer. The promise is absolute within its covenantal frame — "everyone who asks receives" is not a blank check, but a promise spoken to disciples praying according to God's revealed will, in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit. The passage has a redemptive-historical dimension — it sits within Luke's travel narrative where Jesus is forming the disciples' inner life as He moves toward the very cross that makes the Spirit gift of verse 13 possible. Key Concepts The Sleeping Friend Is Not God One of the most persistent misreadings of this parable is the identification of the reluctant, sleeping friend with God — as though Jesus were teaching that dogged repetition in prayer will eventually wear down a half-willing deity. Jesse is careful to reject this firmly on both exegetical and theological grounds. The sleeping friend functions as the lesser pole of a rabbinic a fortiori argument: a flawed, inconvenienced human who still yields to legitimate need. James 1:17 seals the case — the Father is one "with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." An immutable God cannot be represented by a changeable, reluctant figure. The friend's reluctance is not a window into God's character; it is a foil designed to make God's willing generosity shine all the brighter by contrast. Persevering Prayer Is Grounded in Confidence, Not Doubt A common application drawn from this parable is essentially motivational: don't give up, pray harder, keep going. While there is something right about that call to perseverance, Jesse argues it is being drawn from the wrong well. Biblical perseverance in prayer is not rooted in uncertainty about whether God might eventually come around. It is rooted in the certainty that He already has — that He is a Father who delights to give, who is not asleep, not inconvenienced, and not reluctant. This re-centers the entire posture of prayer. We are not beggars hoping against hope that a distant God notices us. We are covenant children running with confidence into the throne room of a Father who has already given us His Son and, supremely, His Spirit. The Covenantal Frame of the Promise The sweeping promise — "everyone who asks receives" — has tripped up many readers who take it as an unconditional divine guarantee for anything sincerely prayed. Jesse is careful to locate the promise within its literary and canonical context. It is spoken to disciples who have just been taught to pray "Your kingdom come... give us... forgive us... lead us not" — prayers shaped by God's revealed will and kingdom priorities. James 4 and John's Gospel reinforce the point: prayer that does not receive has asked wrongly or outside God's will. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 21) frames acceptable prayer as offered in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will — a tripod of covenantal orientation that, far from weakening the promise, gives it its full and glorious force. Memorable Quotes We draw that persistence not out of our own willingness, not even because God might encourage us, but we should be drawn to it as a representation of His character — of in fact who He is. Jesus is not commending 'wear God down with nagging' as a technique. He's having established that even flawed human reluctance eventually yields to a legitimate need pressed persistently — and he pivots to make the positive direct application: how much more freely and immediately will the Father, who is not reluctant, not asleep, not inconvenienced, give? Even the seeking, even the knocking, even the opening that will be done for you and unto you and on your behalf is from God the Father himself. Full Transcript [00:01:03] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 504 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for the persistent prayers Hey, brothers and sisters. We have got something a little bit different for you on this episode. Tony will be back with me next week, and we will be continuing our journey through the parables. [00:01:27] And I thought while we anxiously await for his return, that we would set up the next parable that we're gonna talk about so we can hit all the major points together. So we're gonna be hanging out in Luke chapter 11, and we're talking about the parable of persistent prayer, or as I think Tony described it, the parable of the midnight friend. [00:01:47] You can choose whichever one you like. But before you do that, if in fact you miss Tony, here's a good way to fill that need, and that is you should go to the Reformed Brotherhood website. That's reformedbrotherhood.com. And you will [00:02:00] find all of the other podcast episodes living out there. They're all searchable by topic. [00:02:05] Everything we've recorded is right there for you. These some 10 years of lovely conversations with my brother Tony are all available for you. And while you're there, you might be thinking, "How is it that all this is so freely given?" Well, as you've heard us say before, that's because so many lovely brothers and sisters come alongside with a little bit of financial support to make sure all of the hosting and editing and distribution fees are all covered so that this can all be made available to whoever, whoever is searching for it, whoever finds it, whoever wants to join in the conversation and follow closely along with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [00:02:41] So I encourage you to go check that out and also listen along. This will be a quick episode just to help us get our bearings on this really amazing teaching that Jesus gives us about the character of God that comes about in really a kind of unexpected story. And in fact, even the message itself, [00:03:00] the context, I think, is going to sound at first like one thing, but Jesus uses it to describe something entirely different. [00:03:07] Even the literary device He's about to use for us invokes some kind of cognitive dissonance that actually draws us deeper into the character of God than I think if He had explained it more directly. I mean, this is what parables do, loved ones. So come hang out with me in Luke chapter 11 for just a couple minutes. [00:03:24] Wherever you are, join me in this. I'm gonna read from the beginning part of that chapter all the way through the parable, though we will get nowhere near the end, because I told you, I'm saving that for Tony. We're gonna get there next week. So join me in Luke chapter 11, beginning in verse one.  [00:03:39] Luke 11 Reading and Structure [00:03:39] Jesse Schwamb: "And it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.' [00:03:51] And He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread [00:04:00] and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Then he said to them, "Which of you has a friend and will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' [00:04:21] And from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me. The door has already been shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot rise up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not arise and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. [00:04:40] So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. But what father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of [00:05:00] a fish? [00:05:00] Or if his son asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" This amazing little pericope, you'll notice it follows upon the disciples' request, which is, "Lord, teach us to pray." [00:05:24] And the giving of this model prayer is the whole instruction, the whole, like outcropping of this entire little parable. And I think what we should look at first, that I wanna really hit on to set us up, is that Luke has this... It seems to me like a structure that's very deliberate. There's a pattern. The Lord's Prayer, which leads to this parable of encouragement. [00:05:45] Here's the friend at midnight. It leads then to a promise, ask, seek, knock, which then of course leads to this ground of confidence. Why? Because the Father's character, sealed in the gift of the Holy Spirit, has been given to His children. This whole thing [00:06:00] occurs within Luke's central, like quote-unquote, "travel narrative." [00:06:04] It's where Jesus is forming the disciples' inner life. He's teaching them in these really final moments of His life. It's prayer, dependence, kingdom priorities, as He literally moves toward Jerusalem and to the cross. And so I think the biblical exegesis here takes this placement really seriously, because this is not like free-floating wisdom teaching, but it's real discipleship. [00:06:28] It's real firm instruction given by the Messiah en route to accomplish the very redemption that makes the Spirit gift of verse 13 possible. All of this is wrapped up in this story. It is not just about what's being said, but I think literally where it's being said, the context in which it's being said, the very interactions that are taking place around the story itself. [00:06:50] And I cannot help but believe that, of course, God in His foreordaining wisdom is placing this all together. It's as if the experience of the disciples, their time with [00:07:00] Jesus, them literally walking en route to the place where He'll be crucified, all this gets distilled down into a single point in history, and the instruction that is on Jesus' lips is this story about the midnight friend I think we've talked about this before, but there's some principles here that I always go back to, and I think they're especially relevant for looking at this particular parable. [00:07:22] First, there's this understanding that this, there's an analogy of scripture. Like, this text should be read alongside its Matthean para- parallel, which we've talked about briefly, and the whole canon's teaching on prayer, on providence, on the Spirit. We can't look at this instance in complete isolation. We shouldn't. [00:07:39] It-- That wouldn't be proper understanding of the whole passage here, including its redemptive historical reading, which I think is important. It's the second piece here. The passage is suited and situated within this unfolding covenant of grace. This Father language is not like generic theism, but it is like the covenantal Trinitarian Christ-mediated, like all the [00:08:00] rich fullness of what God has done in the redemptive arc of salvation. [00:08:04] It's prayer offered in the name of the Son as we are sons or daughters in the Son. And so there's this light then to heavy inference. Like Jesus' argument, which I think we'll talk about with Tony, in verse eight is this kind of like rab- rabbinic like fortiori reasoning. It's, it's from like the lesser to the greater, or the, the lesser reluctant or flawed party that acts in one way, and how much more the greater than will the willing perfect party act. [00:08:36] And so, so many commentators have really flagged this as like the interpretive key to the unit. This is the thing that draws us in. It's actually this juxtaposition, this cognitive dissonance, this seeing one thing and recognizing that God is so much better than that one thing and so much far beyond it, that really draws us into understanding something about His character that would not be made manifest to us without that kind of comparison or [00:09:00] that setup. [00:09:01] And then, of course, we're Reformed, so we have to talk about the element of sola Scriptura here, that we really, we have to read this passage not as teaching either that God is manipulable by human persistence. I mean, that would com- compromise entirely the, the principles of divine aseity and His immutability. [00:09:20] Or B, that there's some kind of like bare Arminian conditionality here, as though prayer creates possibilities God otherwise lacks. Really, the Bible holds, biblical theology holds that prayer is to be a means that God has sovereignly ordained to accomplish His decreed ends. It's never a lever upon which, you know, otherwise an undecided God acts because we pull. [00:09:46] It's not that at all. So let's talk about just a couple of verses that I think will get us in the vibe here, in the jam, in the middle of this whole parable, and this will set us up for a conversation that we're gonna have next week, which is the culmination, the giving of the [00:10:00] Holy Spirit. That's really the end. [00:10:01] So it's interesting that we start with this whole idea of persistence, of a friend coming with, and it's gonna end with God giving to His children this incredible, unparalleled gift of the Holy Spirit. So let's start in verse five. We get this whole setup. "Which of you has a friend and will go to him at midnight?" [00:10:20] So of course, like, you-- we hear this, hear this in English, it's even more profound in the Greek. The construction here is like this rhetorical question. It's expecting, of course, the hearer, which is you and I, to place ourselves imaginatively in the position of the petitioner. And the scenario is, of course, like pregnant with cultural meaning. [00:10:38] Like, it's just loaded down because in Middle Eastern cultures, of course, like hospita- hospitality was a matter of covenantal honor. I say it that way because I think that's what's at play for us in the text. We're gonna get these, like, themes, this, like, little bit of shading or, like, this, this little taste on the back end of your tongue of the covenant, and it's represented [00:11:00] here even in, like, the situation here. [00:11:01] Because failing to feed an arrived guest was a social and religious disgrace, not merely to the host, but, like, to their entire community, to, like, their entire village And the petitioner has no bread, and he's looking for three loaves because that's what he needs to help feed these guests that have arrived at his house. [00:11:19] And so he comes to a friend. Notice it's not a stranger, so the relationship itself is somewhat covenantal. It's emphasized three times in the verses five through eight. And so we're establishing the premise upon which the argument from the lesser, this friendship, which is reluctantly acted upon, to the greater, which is fatherhood, gladly acted upon, will be built up so that it reaches the peak in verse thirteen I think we need to notice here that this is not some kind of isolated moral vignette, but it's like the first rung of a ladder that's being built for us here. [00:11:55] And the first rung on this, I think, is that Christ accommodates himself [00:12:00] to human experience, which is like a mind-boggling statement. I mean, we could spend all of eternity just contemplating what that means. It's certainly a la Philippians 2, but here in, especially we're seeing that there's the use of this imperfect analogy precisely because it's, its imperfection. [00:12:19] Again, a friend who is reluctant will be highlighted against in contrast to the perfection of the true referent, which is God the Father, a father who is not reluctant. And so this doctrine of accommodation is a standard, uh, that you see a lot in Reformed exeg- as a exegetical principle because it's Scripture speaks of God in creaturely terms, not because God is like the creature, but so that the creature may grasp, however inaccurately, the character of God. [00:12:50] That's what's really lovely about this parable. That's what I think kind of sits underneath the, the surface here. And so many of us wanna run to the action of the petitioner [00:13:00] here and try to equate or invoke something about that persistence as if God is saying to us like, "Please don't give up. Please keep on praying. [00:13:07] Please bend my ear." And while there is something important about that, we draw that persistence not out of our own willingness, not even because God might encourage us, but we should be drawn to it as a representation of his character, of in fact who he is. And so the friend who is reluctant responds very forthrightly with a, "Don't bother me." [00:13:28] And I find when I read this, I kind of chuckle a little bit because, loved ones, is that refusal not completely realistic? Like, it's not caricatured malice. In, in like a one-room peasant house, the door being barred and the family being bedded down on a single sleeping mat meant that practically speaking, rising would wake the entire household. [00:13:49] I mean, the friend's refusal is totally understandable, but still a refusal of a friend to a friend for a legitimate n-need. And so this is the negative pole of the entire analogy. [00:14:00] I also find this, like, totally relatable. Like, even in my own life when I'm serving my own needs and purposes, if I am on like the-- If I've descended, let's say, to like the first floor of my house, and I remember that after getting ready for the day, I've totally forgotten something on the second floor, I'm annoyed with myself. [00:14:17] Sometimes I literally have that thought of like, "How badly do I need that thing? I just don't want to go back upstairs again." And so I think this is totally identifiable I mean, how often have we been in a situation where we- we've just sat down and the phone rings, or we've just finished our day and something else pops up that we have to do, or we just shut down our computer and we've-- as we do that, we remember the one thing that we needed to do, and so we have to go back in. [00:14:40] Or you leave your office and realize that you've forgotten your car keys, now you have to walk all the way back in. I mean, I-- this makes total sense to me that in this, the context of this story, even a loving friend would be like, "Are you kidding me? Uh, we're all in bed. Please, can you just figure out another way to do this?" [00:14:59] I know [00:15:00] there's been a lot of commentators, and I think like a lot of popular preaching, that in my estimation here have mistakenly identified the sleeping friend with God, teaching that persistent prayer, like, wears God down. And that, I think, is a category error that the Reformed tradition and biblical theology generally has consistently rejected. [00:15:21] You know, that's why we read in James 1:17 that every good gift comes from the Father with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. The immutable God cannot be the referent or the reluctant changeable human host here, not according to James. The friend in the parable functions as the lesser term, and again, this argument moving from the lesser to the greater, not as a type of God. [00:15:45] I think that's important for us to keep in mind because there is, again, a temptation for us to want to say, "Well, really the person in the story who is represented by God is this other friend, and he just needs to be awoken," so to speak. And even if we don't feel that strongly, th- that's pressing us a little bit too [00:16:00] far, we, we know theologically that that's not accurate. [00:16:02] We still are prone to believe, "I need to pray harder." The point of this is to pick yourself up, pull up your praying socks, and just pray more and pray more consistently and pray harder. Don't stop. Now, there is, again, something about calling on God that is like the special benefit and privilege of the Christian to run confidently into the throne room of God as we read in Hebrews. [00:16:25] And yet at the same time here, we don't want to get this twisted. We have to set this up right so that by the time we get to, again, the pinnacle of this parable in th-- in Jesus giving the crown teaching of the giving of the Holy Spirit, that we understand it's because God is a good Father who delights to give, who is not reluctant at all. [00:16:46] And that if you ask, if you ask for His Holy, Holy, Holy Spirit, that He will in fact give His Holy Spirit to you. So verse eight: "I tell you, though, he will not get up and give him anything because he is his [00:17:00] friend. Yet because of his imprudence, he will rise and give him whatever he needs." Now, the crux of this question is the referent here. [00:17:11] So traditionally rendered, you know, inopportune or inopportunity or persistence. The word literally denotes like shamelessness or refusal to be governed by some kind of social propriety. And I think either way here, the theological payload in verses nine through thirteen is all about the main point of this passage being but a foil. [00:17:31] You know, Jesus is not commending wear God down with nagging as a technique. He's, he's having established that even flawed human reluctance eventually yields to a legitimate need pressed persistently. And so he pivots in this to make the positive direct application, how much more freely and immediately will the Father, who is not reluctant, not asleep, not inconvenienced, give? [00:17:57] And so this verse does [00:18:00] teach persevering in prayer, but it grounds that perseverance not in doubt about God's willingness, but in confidence about it. This to me is very similar to how we would understand evangelism or missional or missionary type works. There is a type of Christianity that is very thin, that is maybe like a, a mile wide and an inch deep, that essentially considers that when we pray for God to work among peoples, in our families, in our communities, across the land, and across the world, that we do so almost with fingers crossed, hoping against hope that God will show up and make a way. [00:18:38] And yet what the scripture says is it emboldens us knowing that God has already done these things, that we might pray ourselves, as it were, into them in faithfulness to what God has already in-- is accomplishing through his great work. And in this way, we pray with a great empowerment. We pray with persevering prayers because we know that God will make it so because he's a God who gives promises, [00:19:00] and he always fulfills those promises. [00:19:03] And that's why we get three of them, which are beautiful in this passage.  [00:19:07] Ask Seek Knock Explained [00:19:07] Jesse Schwamb: Ask, seek, knock. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you, for everyone who asks, receives. Loved ones, are there more beautiful words than these from God the Father? This is how much he loves us that he says, "Test me on these promises. [00:19:28] In persevering prayer, come before me, ask, seek, and knock." These three present tense imperatives in the Greek, Greek. In other words, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. The present tense is conveying this continuous action. They're matched by the three future passives here, and the passives are almost certainly divine passives. [00:19:51] In other words, like it's a Jer- Jewish circumlocution, avoiding the direct naming of God as subject out of reverence, which of course, is common in Jesus' [00:20:00] teaching. But what's being unstated here is the subject acting within them. It will be given. It will be opened. Who is doing all these things? God himself. [00:20:10] And so behind these beautiful words, this promise to you and to me, is God in filling them all, so that again, God does all the words. It's as if like he's saying to us, "Seek, knock, and open." And yet even the seeking, even the knocking, even the opening that will be done for you and unto you and on your behalf is from God, the Father himself. [00:20:32] And the escalation from asking to seeking to knocking, in my view, it intensifies this effort and this urgency. Like a beggar asks, one who has lost something seeks, one who shuts, is shut out knocks on the door. And it's, I think, denoting not necessarily like three distinct kinds of prayer, though there are certainly lots of people who have talked about that. [00:20:56] The Patristics in particular, uh, Augustine was very fond [00:21:00] of kind of delineating between these as different types of prayer. I think there, there may be some usefulness in that. But I think the dominant grammatical point is this cumulative intensity. It's reinforced in verse 10 by this chiastic restatement in universal terms. [00:21:14] Everyone who asks, the one who seeks, to the one who knocks, all of these things will be given. This is the beautiful setup that's before us. It's an incredible word from God for us, practical for daily living, to give strength for today and a hope for tomorrow, that our God is one who gives us this promise. [00:21:34] And then he says, in perseverance, with the power that the Holy Spirit enables all of us, seek, ask, seek, knock. What lovely verbs for us to participate in by the power of the Holy Spirit Everyone who asks receives. I, I don't think that can be read as an unconditional blank check. And this is, I think, what trips many people up. [00:21:57] And, and certainly you've had conversations, [00:22:00] I'm sure, with others who've said, "Well, this sounds like some kind of just open-ended promise. There's no closed end to this. And so if I pray for something that I want, maybe if I pray for the thing that I feel like I desperately need, if I put all of my effort into it and pray with all the emotion, and I have, and every concentrated effort of my mental being, and God does not give that to me, it, this proves this passage to be wrong or to be ineffective." [00:22:27] And I think this would contradict directly, again, what James tells us in chapter 4, "You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." Or John in his gospel, "If we ask anything according to His will." And so I think proper hermeneutics here resolves this not by weakening the promise, but by locating it properly within, again, its covenantal frame. [00:22:53] This promise is spoken to disciples who have just been taught to pray, "Your kingdom come, give [00:23:00]us, forgive us, lead us not." That is, it's a prayer conformed to God's revealed, revealed will and kingdom priorities. I think the Westminster Confession of Faith is particularly strong on this in chapter 21. It qualifies acceptable prayer as being offered in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. [00:23:22] What again, like lovely things to help shape us even as we go into times of daily worship, that we might seek to pray to God in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. I find in my own prayer life, in my own journey of speaking with God, and of trying to listen to Him as well, that I am much better aligned, that start in the better places, that there is more compatibility, so to speak, when I consider, even before I pray literally, that I might do that in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. [00:23:56] By the way, I love that in Ruth- Luther's writing on prayer, [00:24:00] he speaks so highly of what it means to pray in the name of the Son. That that isn't something that we just, of course, put as a suffix onto our prayers to signal that they are concluded. For some reason, when I was younger, I remember thinking that when you said at the end of the prayer, "In Jesus' name," it was like you were talking to somebody on the phone, and that's how you hung up. [00:24:20] Because if you forgot to say that, then God might think you were, like, as you went about your life and you were talking to other people, that you were also talking to Him, and that would be confusing. And so of course, like I, since grown out of that and realized that this is not something just out of custom. [00:24:33] It's not even saying like, "Amen, agree with me." This is a way about an, an explicit, standing in the explicit covenantal promise of God that is bound in the work of, the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. And that when we invoke His name, we shouldn't do so even flippantly as we end a prayer. But knowing that that's not just like the grand kind of crescendo of everything that we're saying, but we are sealing it as it were, so that we might again pray in the name of the Son, [00:25:00] by the help of the Holy Spirit, according to His will. [00:25:03] And that promise of verse 10 is absolute within that frame. It's not an absolute, like, simplifier. You know, this is not special pleading, but simply reading the verse in its literary context. It's a unit that begins with the Lord's Prayer and ends with the gift of the Spirit. And its canonical context is according with the rest of the New Testament in this idea that this is what prayer really is. [00:25:29] It is praying in such a way that we are invoking God, not so that He would come and condescend to our needs or meet us where we're at. He's already done this very thing, which is why He's a good Father who gives us gifts. Instead, it is that we might l- meet the Lord in His purposes, according to His power, with His perspective. [00:25:49] And so this is the, the ladder that's being built for us. It starts with this idea of saying, you know, there's this universality qualifier, the Reformed [00:26:00] doctrinal caution, as it were, that not-- "You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." That itself is a challenge that we should all take very, very seriously. [00:26:09] So I'm gonna stop us there, because what I'm really looking forward to speaking to Tony with next week is basically the, the rest of it, really coming into the second rung of this ladder, this human fathers and their children, which sets up a now... We're really transitioning into the setup on this reluctant friend, the lesser, to this great, loving, not reluctant at all, but lovishly la- Man, I just got two words at the same time in one mouth. [00:26:37] This loving Father who lavishes this love upon us, and proof in the pudding in that is the promises which He gives us. And so I wanna save that for next time. So now you've been warned. You yourself can go back and take a look at Luke chapter 11. You can join us there for the culmination and the conclusion of [00:27:00] this little parable. [00:27:01] And again, I encourage you, go check out reformedbrotherhood.com. Go find us on Telegram, which is just a messaging app, and we have a small little corner of the internet where there's a community of listeners who hang out, support one another, are very kind and loving toward one another, and you can be a part of that group too just by going to t.me/reformedbrotherhood. [00:27:21] Slap that bad boy into your browser of choice, t.me/reformedbrotherhood. And until next time, honor everyone and love the brotherhood. [00:28:00]

Disappointment can shake us, especially when we’ve prayed, trusted God, and genuinely believed a particular door would open. An unexpected “no,” a financial setback, a missed opportunity, or circumstances that don’t make sense can leave us wondering where God is in the middle of it all. But disappointment doesn't mean God has changed. When our circumstances challenge what we expected, they can reveal whether our hope is rooted in what God does—or in who God is. Psalm 25:5 gives us a different way to respond: “For You I wait all the day.” Waiting on God doesn’t mean pretending disappointment doesn’t hurt. It means bringing our questions and grief to Him while choosing to trust His character, timing, and wisdom. Even when we don't understand why a door closed, we can remain confident that God is faithful and that our hope is safest in Him. Highlights Why disappointment can reveal where we have placed our hope How unexpected circumstances can test and strengthen our faith Why God’s character remains trustworthy even when His answers don’t make sense The difference between trusting God and trusting what we hope God will do How closed doors and unanswered prayers can deepen our dependence on God What Psalm 25:5 teaches us about waiting on God with hope Encouragement to remain faithful to God through both blessings and disappointments Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Hope During Disappointment By Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading:Lead me in Your truth and teach me,For You are the God of my salvation;For You I wait all the day (Psalm 25:5 NASB). Wouldn't it be nice if life consisted only of pleasant surprises, not the disappointing ones? And yet when we meet disappointment head-on, it is a true test of the strength of our faith. I remember receiving news that was gravely disappointing. I wasn't prepared for it in the least. It was shocking, really. God had been on a roll with blessings in my life. I guess I'd grown a little comfortable. And this disappointing news couldn't have come at a worse time...a week before Christmas, just days after celebrating my daughter's college graduation, and just a week prior to my husband's transition into a new season of life that carried with it a lot of financial uncertainty. My family was daily looking for the little assurances that God had our backs, and we were constantly praising Him for all the times He came through for us. And now, it looked like the door to my golden opportunity and financial stability had slammed shut. My first reaction, spoken aloud, was "God, this is so out of character for You." And then I suddenly realized something: God doesn't do anything out of character. If God's response to my request appeared out of character for Him, then it is my understanding of the situation that is in question, not His character. If God's timing appears to be wrong, then it is my perception of His timing that I will doubt, not His ability to coordinate all things perfectly. If God's love appears to be in question—because of how He has responded to my situation—then it is my trust that is in question, not God's love. It was then that I understood. It wasn't God's character that was being put to the test in my disappointing circumstances. It was mine. Would my faith stand an unexpected turn? Would I take only blessings from God and not the disappointments too? Or will I trust Him, wholeheartedly, that He knows exactly what He's doing, and perhaps this closed door means an even better one will soon be opening? My disappointing circumstance helped me to remember three things: Disappointment is a very real part of life. Disappointment is something God can use to grow me into someone who is more like His Son. Disappointment is the measuring stick for how strong my faith is. In Psalm 25:5, in the New Living Translation, the psalmist declared where his faith and hope were when he said: “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long, I put my hope in you.” Intersecting Faith & Life: I realized, through my reaction to this disappointment, that I had put my hope in my circumstances, not in God. I had grown comfortable and secure in my abilities, my work, and my finances, and I was now suddenly desperate for God. Desperate for Him. And that's exactly where He wanted me to be. I want my response to God in the disappointments of life to be just as pleasing to Him as my praise during the blessings of life. Can God trust me to be faithful to Him regardless of my circumstances, regardless of when He chooses to bless and when He chooses to withhold? Can my hope remain in Him constantly? Job once said, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15). I haven't been "slayed"—not in the least. I've just been disappointed. Therefore, I long for the song of my heart to be, "Though I don't understand why He allowed this, still I will trust Him." Have you been gravely disappointed in your circumstances? Are you wondering why God has allowed—or not allowed—something in your life? It's possible He wants you to be desperate for Him, too. When you and I can say our hope is in Him, not in what He will do, then we get a little clearer picture of what it means to follow Him faithfully. Disappointment or not, let’s desire a faith that is strong and a heart that is pleasing to Him. Further Reading:Isaiah 43:2 To grow a heart that hopes in God alone, see Cindi’s newest book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A Course in MiraclesLesson 246To love my Father is to love His Son.

The second commandment reminds us that God alone has the authority to define who He is and how He is to be worshiped, guarding us from reshaping Him into something more convenient or familiar. When we attempt to reduce God to an image or understanding of our own making, we diminish His glory and settle for something far smaller than the God revealed in His Word. Rather than fashioning God according to our desires, we are called to receive Him as He is and be transformed by Him into the image of His Son, from one degree of glory to another.

Hebrews 1:1-4 New King James Version   1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Grace is not God tolerating you. Grace is full and free access to all that the Father is and all that He has. FREE DAILY DEVOTIONALS A short word from the Word in your inbox every morning. Free, and you can start today. https://increaseministries.com/start-here JOIN THE INCREASE ACADEMY Live morning calls, the 12 month discipleship path, and a community of believers growing together. https://increaseacademy.com KINGDOM LAUNCHPAD You know you're called. This is where you finally get started. https://www.skool.com/kingdom-launchpad-6884 MY BOOKS Short, practical reads on faith, identity, and increase. Most you can finish in one sitting. https://increaseministries.com/books LISTEN ON SPOTIFY Take the teaching with you. Every message on audio. https://open.spotify.com/show/5qwNtJ3M2ZQOnrTzXhMqZI SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE New teaching every week. Hit subscribe so you don't miss it. https://www.youtube.com/@TravisPeters/videos GIVE Your giving puts this teaching in front of believers who need it. https://increaseministries.com/give ABOUT THIS TEACHING Most of the struggles we stay stuck in are not a grace problem. They are a perspective problem. We do not understand our relationship with the Father. In this teaching from Romans 5:1-2 in the Amplified Bible, we look at what it means to be justified, which the Amplified defines as acquitted of sin and declared blameless before God. Acquitted means every charge against you has been dropped. Then we walk into the remarkable state of grace you already stand in, firmly, safely and securely, and I give you the definition of grace I want you to write down. I also show you why you already know how to receive from God. You did it with salvation. You heard something, you prayed something, and you believed you received it with no proof at all. That is faith, and it is the same process for everything else. This is Part 17 of the Growing in God series, taught live on our morning call inside the Increase Academy. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN What justified actually means in Romans 5:1 (acquitted, all charges dropped) Why you already have faith, and how you proved it at salvation What the remarkable state of grace is and why you are already standing in it The definition of grace: full and free access to all the Father is and all He has Why God is not tolerating your access, He wants to give it to you How to approach the throne of grace boldly instead of timidly Why the fear of missing God's will is keeping good people frozen CHAPTERS 0:00 Why most of our struggles trace back to one misunderstanding 1:32 Romans 5:1 and what justified actually means 3:01 Acquitted: every charge against you has been dropped 3:37 You already used faith once, and here is how 7:54 Romans 5:2 and the remarkable state of grace you stand in 10:19 Grace defined: full and free access to all He is and all He has 10:54 The fridge and the pantry at my dad's house 14:12 Hebrews 4:16: come to the throne boldly 15:11 Stop being afraid of missing God's will 18:59 Prayer SCRIPTURES REFERENCED Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified, and the Passion Translation on permanent access) Romans 8:15 (the spirit of adoption, Abba Father) Romans 8:32 (He freely gave His Son, will He not freely give us all things) Romans 12:2 (renew your mind) Hebrews 4:16 (the throne of grace) 1 Peter 4:10 (stewarding the grace God gave you) If this teaching helped you, like the video and leave a comment with what stood out to you. It helps more believers find it. Stay strong. I'm in your corner. Trav #Grace #Romans5 #BibleStudy #ChristianTeaching #AmplifiedBible #Justified #Hebrews416 #FaithTeaching #NewCovenant #IncreaseMinistries

The book of Hebrews begins by pointing us to the supremacy of Jesus. God has spoken through His Son, who is the exact representation of His nature, the Creator and sustainer of all things, and the One who is seated at the right hand of the Father. In this message from Hebrews 1, we look at who Jesus is and why He is greater than the prophets, greater than the angels, and worthy of our complete trust and worship.

Pope Benedict XVI teaches us about the cross and gives us an appropriate understanding of the cross so that we may understand more what the cross means, not that the Father was vengeful on humanity, but loved us so incredibly, that He sent His Son for us to endure the cross.    Come, follow us: Parish Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  YouTube  |  Spotify Music

What does the Gospel of John reveal about who Jesus really is? In this message from The Gospels, we journey through the Book of John and discover Jesus as the Light in the darkness, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Good Shepherd, and the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John gives us a beautiful picture of a Savior who doesn't simply offer us information about God—He invites us into a relationship with Him. At the center of John's Gospel is the incredible truth that God so loved the world that He gave His Son so that we could have life. Wherever you are today, Jesus is still the Light when you feel lost, the Living Water when your soul is thirsty, and the Good Shepherd who knows you and cares for you. The Gospels See Jesus. Know Jesus. Follow Jesus.

Guided Question Do I truly know Jesus and experience His presence in my life, or am I simply trying to live by Christian rules without experiencing the new birth He came to give? Summary This episode explores Matthew 1:18–25 and the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. Dr. Robert Lewis emphasizes that Jesus' birth is unique not simply because a baby was born, but because God Himself entered humanity. Matthew presents Jesus as both the Son of David, with a legitimate claim to the throne, and the divine Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit. The story begins with Mary and Joseph, whose response to God's extraordinary plan demonstrates remarkable submission. Mary does not understand how God's promise will be fulfilled, yet she responds, “Be it done to me according to thy word.” Joseph likewise obeys God despite the personal shame and potential consequences of taking Mary as his wife. Their lives demonstrate that God's greatest works are often entrusted to people who are humble and willing to submit to His truth. Dr. Lewis then emphasizes the importance of believing the virgin birth as a literal work of the Holy Spirit. He argues that Christianity cannot be separated from biblical revelation: religion without revelation leaves people with nothing more than subjective beliefs and human imagination. The sermon then turns to the name Emmanuel—“God with us.” Jesus did not merely come to point people toward God or give them a better moral code. He came to make a relationship with God possible. He is not merely a teacher of truth; He is the truth, and He calls people not simply to follow His teachings but to receive Him. Finally, Dr. Lewis explains that the birth of Jesus points toward an even greater miracle: the new birth. Jesus was born so that people could be spiritually reborn. Christianity is therefore not merely about keeping rules, attending church, or proving ourselves worthy before God. It is about receiving Christ, being forgiven of sin, and experiencing His presence within us. The message closes with a personal invitation to respond to Christ. Just as Mary and Joseph submitted themselves to God's Word without fully understanding what He was doing, listeners are challenged to surrender themselves to Christ, receive Him, and experience the new life He came to give. Outline 1. The Uniqueness of Jesus' Birth Matthew introduces Jesus' birth as an extraordinary beginning. Jesus is both the Son of David and the divine Son of God. His conception by the Holy Spirit makes His birth unlike any other. 2. Mary and Joseph: Submission to God Mary faces an impossible and potentially shameful situation. She responds with trust and submission to God's Word. Joseph obeys despite the personal cost and public consequences. Their humility makes them examples of responsive faith. 3. The Virgin Birth and Biblical Revelation Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The virgin birth is presented as a foundational truth of Christianity. Faith must be grounded in God's revelation rather than personal preference or imagination. 4. Jesus Came to Save from Sin Israel expected the Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression. Jesus came to address the deeper problem: humanity's bondage to sin. True deliverance begins when we stop focusing on everyone else's problems and allow Christ to deal with our own sin. 5. Emmanuel: God With Us Isaiah's prophecy points forward to Jesus. Jesus is the greater fulfillment of “Emmanuel.” He does not merely point the way to God—He makes relationship with God possible. 6. The Greater Miracle: The New Birth Jesus' birth prepares the way for our spiritual rebirth. Christianity is more than morality, religious activity, or following rules. We must receive Christ and experience His indwelling presence. Jesus was born so that we might be born again. Key Takeaways God works through humble people who are willing to submit to His Word. Faith does not require us to understand everything before we obey. Jesus came to deliver us from sin, not merely from difficult circumstances. Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us. Christianity is about a relationship with Christ, not merely religious rules or moral behavior. The miracle of Jesus' birth points to the greater miracle of the new birth. Receiving Christ means surrendering ourselves to Him and trusting His promise to transform our lives. Scripture References Matthew 1:18–25 — Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to Mary. Luke 1:26–38 — Mary receives God's announcement and submits to His Word. Isaiah 7:10–16 — The sign of Emmanuel points to a greater future fulfillment. Philippians 2:5–8 — Christ humbles Himself and takes on human form. Hebrews 1:1–3 — God speaks fully through His Son. John 3:1–8 — Jesus teaches the necessity of being born again. Matthew 1:21 — Jesus comes to save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:23 — Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us.” Recorded 12.19.82

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Monday morning, the 31st of August, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, …” Then we go a little bit further to John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.”Oh friends, we need to be givers. Our Heavenly Father gave His only Son so that we might have eternal life. I was thinking about that mighty ship called the Titanic. They said it was unsinkable - big mistake. Never say anything like that to God. “It can't be done”. It went down like a lead weight when it hit an iceberg while going across to America. But I want to speak to you about a couple of people who were on that ship that we never think about, the real heroes, the givers, and the first one I am thinking about is Chief Engineer, Joseph Bell and his crew. They were working below the waterline. My mother's brother was a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy in the Second World War. These were the brave men. They knew that if they got hit by a torpedo, they would sink. They couldn't get out. They had to keep the ship sailing. Joseph Bell and his crew kept power and the pumps going to the end. They drowned giving their lives for their fellowmen.The wireless operators, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride, kept transmitting, they kept on sending out signals, S.O.S. (Save Our Souls); they also drowned. The band kept playing music right up until the ship went down to keep the folks calm and to keep their spirits up. These are just a few of the people who gave their lives willingly so that others might be saved. Today, think about somebody you can help and especially somebody who cannot give you anything back, because that is what our Father in heaven did. He gave His Son. We cannot possibly repay Him. All we can say is thank You, Father, for allowing Your Son to die for sinners like us. Go out today and be Jesus to those who have nothing. God bless you and goodbye.

Matthew 7:21-23 contains some of the most unsettling words Jesus ever spoke, and they are aimed not at atheists or obvious rebels but at religious people who were completely certain they were right with God. In that passage, people stand before Jesus pointing to prophecy, exorcisms, and miracles performed in His name. They are not sneaking in through a back door. They are confidently presenting their spiritual resume. And yet Jesus responds with the most devastating sentence imaginable: 'I never knew you.' The question this raises for every honest heart is a deeply personal one. How do I know if I am truly His? Three things emerge clearly as insufficient grounds for assurance. Words alone will not save anyone. Calling Jesus Lord is the right thing to do, but a confession is not necessarily a conversion. Works alone will not save anyone either. Even genuine spiritual activity, including ministry, miracles, and visible results, is not proof of a genuine heart. It is entirely possible to love what Jesus can do for your reputation without ever truly loving Jesus. What actually saves a person is a real relationship with Him. When Jesus says 'I never knew you,' He is using covenant language, the language of deep relational bond. He is not describing a failure of memory. He is making a formal and final declaration that no true relationship ever existed. The good news hidden inside this sobering warning is that today is not that final day. The same Jesus who will one day sit as judge is right now standing as Savior. He lived the life of perfect obedience we never could, went to the cross absorbing the sentence we deserved, and was cast out so that we could be brought in. Assurance is not found by staring into a mirror of your own performance. It is found by resting in what God, who fully knows you in Christ, has already done. The Father does not look at those hidden in His Son and say, 'I never knew you.' He says, 'This is my beloved child, and I know him well.'

The apostle Paul tells that all are in sin and ruled by sin. Apart from the gospel all are dead in their sins and trespasses. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:1–3 titled “The Wrath of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that the judgement of God is the only answer for the children of wrath. It is vital to understand the wrath of God in order to understand both the grace and love of God. One can only understand Christ, His life, and His death if they see the great problem of their sin and God's wrath. This wrath is the manifestation of God's just indignation and this just judgment of sin can be seen from Genesis to Revelation as the plan and story of redemption unfolds. In God's love He provided hope for sinful and fallen people. By sending His Son to die for sinners who deserved nothing but condemnation and judgement, He provides a way of salvation and justification for His enemies. This is the glory of the gospel: it is adoption and justification for those who deserve nothing but judgment. It is the adoption of God's enemies as children and inheritors through the work of Christ.

Are You Trying to Get What You've Already Got? Discussion Questions: Read John 14:19–20. How does Jesus' description ("you in Me, and I in you") change the way we think about our closeness to God? Read Colossians 3:3–4. What do the phrases "hidden with Christ in God" and "Christ, who is our life" tell us about how secure and inseparable our relationship with Him really is? Read Ephesians 2:5–6. What difference does it make to realize that God has already made us alive, raised us, and seated us with Christ rather than asking us to climb our way toward Him? Read Ephesians 1:3. What does the phrase "every spiritual blessing" leave out and how should that affect the way we pray and think about what we possess in Christ? Read Romans 8:32. How does the fact that God already gave us His own Son challenge the fear that He might be withholding something important from us now? Read 2 Corinthians 1:21–22. What do the words established, anointed, sealed, and gave tell us about whether we are still waiting for God to do something more spiritually? Read Galatians 4:6–7. Why did God send the Spirit of His Son into our hearts? And what does that reveal about the Spirit being part of our identity as God's children rather than a reward for spiritual achievement? Read 1 Corinthians 12:13. What is Paul emphasizing by repeatedly saying all believers were baptized by one Spirit and all were made to drink of one Spirit? Read Romans 8:9–10. How does Paul's statement that anyone without the Spirit does not belong to Christ challenge the idea that some Christians have the Spirit while others still need to receive Him?

The apostle Paul tells that all are in sin and ruled by sin. Apart from the gospel all are dead in their sins and trespasses. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:1–3 titled “The Wrath of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that the judgement of God is the only answer for the children of wrath. It is vital to understand the wrath of God in order to understand both the grace and love of God. One can only understand Christ, His life, and His death if they see the great problem of their sin and God's wrath. This wrath is the manifestation of God's just indignation and this just judgment of sin can be seen from Genesis to Revelation as the plan and story of redemption unfolds. In God's love He provided hope for sinful and fallen people. By sending His Son to die for sinners who deserved nothing but condemnation and judgement, He provides a way of salvation and justification for His enemies. This is the glory of the gospel: it is adoption and justification for those who deserve nothing but judgment. It is the adoption of God's enemies as children and inheritors through the work of Christ. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111

Chapter 4 – The Cross in the Light of the FallIn Chapter 4 of All Things New by Jessie Penn-Lewis, titled “The Cross in the Light of the Fall,” we are invited to see the Cross in light of humanity's deep need for redemption.Jessie helps us understand that the Cross reveals both the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God's remedy in Christ. The Fall shows us how deeply humanity was affected by sin, but Calvary shows us how completely God has answered that need through the death and resurrection of His Son.May this episode deepen your understanding of the Cross and help you receive the redeeming life Christ gives — immeasurably more.All Things New book is available on Amazon.Theme music: “Relaxing Soft Piano Music” by Viacheslav Starostin, used with gratitude.We would like to pray for you. Please click here to share your prayer needs with us.To learn more about Beau's Blessings click here.Please consider becoming a Hunter's Hero and supporting Hunter's Hope and this podcast by clicking here.Shop HH x MH Collection here.Learn more about our Podcast, Episode Guests and Hunter's Hope here.

Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'” MESSAGE SUMMARY: There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from God about the specific issues that you, your family, your church, or your country are facing. In your personal relationship with God as a Jesus Follower, the Lord will speak to you; but sometimes it takes your listening and fasting to hear Him. For example, when Joel received a Word when the land was to be destroyed, he called a fast (i.e. Joel 1:14): “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”. Some things you are facing in your life must be dealt with by both prayer and fasting. Fasting releases a spiritual power – in your weakness, God is made strong in your life. Daniel's prayer, from Daniel 9:3-5, provides a context for asking direction from God: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16; Daniel 9:3-7; Psalms138:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Is Your Life's Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Is Your Life's Focus on Jesus the Narrow Door and the Only Door to Your Eternal Life? MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (12:49-56): “Jesus the Narrow Door” Introduction from “Jesus the Divider”:  While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke 12, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be at one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners. Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God's signs. Do we see and follow God's signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”? Today's Message -- Jesus the Narrow Door: In our Gospel focus from Luke 13:22-30, Jesus was pointing His earthly ministry toward Jerusalem, the Cross, Resurrection, and His Ascension. Jesus was asked, in Luke 13:23-25, a pivotal question; and He responded: “And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?' And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.'”". It's not that Jesus doesn't want all to be saved, it's just that the “gate”, to our Salvation, is “narrow” and difficult to enter. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, that Jesus wants all people to be saved: “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.". However, all people will not be saved because some will not come to Jesus – they don't want to be saved. In Luke 13:26-30, those rejected by the master of the house argue for admission: “” Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, ‘I tell you; I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”". Jesus is the “narrow door” and the “gate” by which we enter the Kingdom of God and our Salvation. Jesus Himself tells us in John 10:9-10: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. We have been given the job, by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, to help others find the “narrow door”. As believers in the Gospel and followers of Jesus, we are invited, in Revelation 19:9-10, to the “Marriage Super of the Lamb”: ““And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.' Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.' For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”". Is your focus on Jesus, the ”Narrow Door”, that is the only way to the Kingdom of God and your Eternal Life?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; John 16:36; John 17:22-23; John 14:27; Luke 13:22-30; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 7:13-14; Hebrews 11:1-40; John 10:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 19:9-10; Psalms 33a:1-11.   SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Introduction: What Happens to Me When I Die? 2 Corinthians 5:8 - ...we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. When Do these Resurrections Take Place? Acts 24:15 - ...there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. What is the Resurrection Body Like (1 Corinthians 15:35-49)? Your body now is like a "SEED" , your resurrected body is like a "PLANT". (1 Cor 15:36b-38) Your resurrected body will be SIMILAR but DIFFERENT but BETTER . (1 Cor 15:39-42a) Your resurrected body will never have EARTHLY WEAKNESSES . (1 Cor 15:42b-44) 4 Contrasts Between Your Earthly Body and Your Resurrected Body: PERISHABLE vs. IMPERISHABLE DISHONOR vs. GLORY WEAKNESS vs. POWER NATURAL vs. SPIRITUAL Your resurrected body is just like JESUS' glorified body. (1 Cor 15:45-49) Philippians 3:21 - who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body... Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: We Will Be Raised in a New Body Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:05Open up those Bibles with me please to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.00:11If you don't have a Bible, you're welcome to take the one in the seat back in front of you.00:17I know that's got like microscopic font. I think there's bigger print ones in the shelf in the very back.00:23Oh, Jane Hour got it. Alright. So if you want a bigger print Bible, you've got to wrestle Jane Hour for it.00:30Oh, okay, there's more back there. Okay, you don't have to, you don't want to do that anyways.00:34So, but please consider it our gift to you if you don't have one. So, speaking of, I'd like you to just stop for a moment and pray for me to communicate God's Word as I should accurately and clearly. And I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord tells us in His Word.01:04in this portion we're looking at today. So let's pray. Father in heaven, as we turn to this portion of your word, there's such great encouragement for what you have promised. There's also challenging conviction. Your word says that when we have this hope, we purify ourselves as you are pure. So I pray, Father, that this Yes, would be informational in the sense of correcting wrong thinking that we have carried. But at the same time, Father, use this to motivate us to use the short time we have here on the earth to make an impact for your kingdom. We thank you ahead of time for whatever it is you're going to do here, Father. We pray in Jesus' name. When all of God's people said, Excuse me. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15, are you there? Back in 2009, Heidi Montag, who is one of the stars of the TV show The Hills, she was 23 at the time, 2009. She had 10 plastic surgeries.02:35in one day.02:39Ten plastic surgeries in one day.02:45You got questions?02:47I got questions.02:49Like, ten?02:52What all did she have done?02:53Well, she had her brow lifted.02:57She had Botox.02:59She had her nose done.03:01She had fat injected into her cheeks.03:04and lips. She had her chin done. She had her neck done. Liposuction. Isn't that when they take the fat out? But then it was put into her cheeks. So just like one hose. All right. I don't know. Look, I've never had plastic surgery, but you probably knew that.03:34You're like, I sure hope you didn't pay for that look. Anyways, she had her ears pinned back like a Doberman. She had her waist, her hips, and her thighs done and some other things. Ten surgeries in one day. You got questions? I got questions. How much does something like that cost? Well, I had to Google that. I have no idea. I don't know what the going rate is now, let alone what it was in 2009.04:04It cost her, they say, about $30,000.04:12How long does that take?04:16How long does all that stuff, it was 10 hours of surgery.04:22You know what my question was?04:26Did anybody recognize her when she got home?04:29Could you imagine?04:30and she leaves in the morning and she's like, I'm going to have some surgery. Then she comes back, a completely different person. Like, hey, I'm home. And they're like, ah, who are you? Like, it's me. It's me, Heidi. You know, groundhog, we didn't recognize you. I mean, we do all kinds of things to try to keep this young and from wearing out. And look, maybe plastic surgery is not.05:00your thing. Maybe it's exercise. I was going to ask for a show of hands, but I think to save all of us from embarrassment, myself included, we won't do any hand raising here. Okay, at least for this part. But do you have an exercise equipment graveyard in your basement? Do you remember things like the ab circle? Do you remember the ab circle? The bow flex, the toe flex, The Total Gym. How about the Thighmaster? You old enough to remember the Thighmaster? Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze your way to firmer thighs. Well, maybe it was just the exercise method, right? Because we've got Pilates, we've got yoga and Zumba, P90X, Insanity.06:00T25. You ever done this program? I've done Insanity and T25. And let me tell you, that is for the birds. For the birds. And I was like really into it for a while. And my wife was like, are you doing that exercise thing where you dance around the living room like a ninny? I'm like, well, I guess not anymore.06:31Okay, like, you can get the body you've always wanted. Get the body you've always wanted. The problem is you're not going to keep it forever. 1 Corinthians 15 is all about the resurrection. Jesus and ours. The Bible says because Jesus rose from the dead, Listen, I think so many people sitting in churches miss this truth. You, too, are going to rise from the dead in a new body. Now, if I told you, hey, next week, you're going to get a new car. But here's the deal. This car, this is the only car you're allowed to drive for the next 40 years.07:30car it is? Wouldn't you want to know what it's like? You mean I'm stuck with this car for four decades? Yeah. What kind of car is it? Tell me about it. I want to know all about it, right? Right? Well, the Bible says you're going to get a new body that you are going to have for all of eternity. Would you like to know what this body is like?08:00of eternity. So, we've got a lot of information here. Again, in this chapter, Paul packs so much information. And we're going to be going through it very quickly. So, you might want to listen to this again when it's on our website or podcast or whatever. You might want to pass this on to someone else. So, I encourage you to jot some notes down. First question, we're just going to take a step back here and kind of this whole thing. The first question is, what happens to me when I die? What happens to me when I die? And the reason we're starting here is like, look, okay, we got resurrection. Okay, but like, it's obviously not immediate. So, what happens to me when I die? Well, the Bible never talks about limbo or purgatory or soul sleep. The Bible never talks about that stuff. The Bible is very clear. If you're a believer in Christ, when you die, you are immediately in the presence of the Lord, right?09:002 Corinthians 5 verse 8 says we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Paul says something very similar to this in Philippians 123.09:14He said to depart is to be with Christ.09:20Right? So if you're a believer when you die you are in the presence of the Lord.09:23Your spirit is. And if you have not received Christ you go to a place of torment called Hades, where you are awaiting the final judgment. All right? But the Bible promises that eventually, eventually, everybody, everybody will get a resurrected body. Everybody gets one. Like, well, when do these resurrections take place?09:57Here's the next question on your outline. Understand again, the Bible is crystal clear and consistent. It teaches many times there are two resurrections. Okay, there are two. Acts 24, 15. There will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Right? We talked about that before. Daniel 12, 2. Jesus said it in John 5, 28 and 29. There are two resurrections. Okay.10:27First, I want to talk to those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, those who are born again. The Bible says you will get your resurrected body at the rapture. Now, we're not going to get too deep into this now because next week the whole passage is about the rapture. But at the rapture, when Jesus returns to remove His people from the earth, believers up to that point, dead or alive, will get a new resurrected body.10:57about that next week. Those are for believers. For those who have rejected God's gift in Jesus Christ. For those who are like, I'm living life on my terms. I don't want Jesus. I don't want anything to do with God. It's truth. Worship, I don't want anything to do with that. There's a resurrection for unbelievers too. Again, timeline in your Bible. There's a seven-year tribulation coming, talked about in the book of Revelation. At the end of that, Jesus comes back, strikes down all who rejected Him, and He sets a thousand year kingdom on the earth. Jesus will reign on the earth for a thousand years. Revelation chapter 20 says, at the end of the thousand years is the second resurrection. Again, you can read that later. Revelation chapter 20. After the thousand year reign, all unbelievers, all unbelievers of all time are called out of Hades. They're called before the great white throne.11:57of Jesus Christ where they will be sentenced to the lake of fire. So, believers will get an eternal body to enjoy in heaven and unbelievers will get an eternal body that will suffer in hell, the lake of fire. Alright? So, the real question of the day that's addressed in this text, and we kind of did an on-ramp here to get to this point, But the question that is addressed today is, what is the resurrection body like? I'm going to be driving it for eternity? What's it like? What's it like? Well, we talked about this before. In the Corinthian church, there were a lot of resurrection deniers. A lot of the Greeks denied that there was such a thing. So, Paul anticipates the mocking questions that come. That's where he picks up in verse He says, but someone will ask, how are the dead raised?13:05With what kind of body do they come?13:08Again, those are mocking questions.13:13Paul's not anticipating as much the sincere can you please give us information as much as the people that are sort of making fun.13:21Like, how in the world are dead people raised?13:25Like, oh, you believe in resurrection?13:27What kind of body do they have? They're kind of making fun. Our day, like Paul's day, I found that some of the greatest theologians and Bible experts are people that have never opened the Bible. Have you noticed that? That was sarcasm. Because Paul gives them a hard rebuke, verse 36. He says, you foolish person.13:56Oh, you think you're so smart with your little questions. Oh, you're really stumped me. He goes, you're foolish. You're not even thinking. Look, I don't think there's anybody here today that's like that, that's like mocking. I don't think so. I'm sure there's somebody that's going to be listening to this online. I don't imagine there's anybody in the room right now that is scornfully asking questions like this.14:26But at the same time, when it comes to the topic, I do think there's a lot of confusion in the church about this whole resurrected body. Because I get asked these questions all the time. Pastor Taylor, you probably do too, right? People ask these questions. Will my new body look like my old body? Because that's important. Because what if I get to heaven and nobody recognizes me? But am I going to be able to recognize other people?14:57How old am I going to look? I mean, what if I live to be like 107? Am I going to look 107 for all of eternity? What about like, unfortunately, an infant who passes away? Is that person going to be an infant for all of eternity? Like, what does it look like? And then what about people that like aren't buried? You know, we're going to be talking about coming up out of the grave. What about people that aren't in the grave? Like, what about people that, I don't know, they fell overboard on a cruise and were eaten by a shark and they weren't buried.15:30What about those people?15:33Or what about people that maybe were incinerated in a fire and...15:41Well, Paul does such an amazing job in such a few words describing the difference between this vehicle we're driving today and the vehicle that we'll be driving someday.15:56So number one, what's the resurrection body like? What is the resurrection body like? Number one, he says your body now is like a seed and your resurrected body is like a plant. All right, look at verse 36. He says, What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. What you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel perhaps of wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He has chosen.16:51its own body.16:57Your body now is like a seed.16:58Your resurrected body is like a plant.17:00Now if you have a seed in your hand, like, you know, it is the season, right?17:04I think of a watermelon seed.17:05Just imagine a watermelon seed.17:09You know, we've all seen those.17:10We've all spit those out.17:11Those little hard, brown, flat seeds, right?17:20When you put that in the ground, when you bury a watermelon seed, it rises up as something completely different, doesn't it? That's what Paul's talking about here. I mean, I'm not a farmer. You might want to fact check with Jesse on this. I'm not a farmer. I'm barely a gardener, as they say in Minnesota. I'm not. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but when you are going to plant something, you don't take a whole plant and bury it in the ground to get another whole plant.17:54The seed goes in the ground and dies and comes up as something different.18:01The seed that you bury is different than the plant that comes.18:08And we all get that, right?18:09You don't plant a watermelon seed, a little brown, flat, hard seed, and outgrows a big, a flat brown seed. That's just like it, only bigger. That's not how it works. It's completely different. But not completely because there's, in a sense, there's continuity between the seed and the plant, right? There's continuity. You know what I mean by that? I mean, if you plant a watermelon seed, you're not going to grow an apple tree.18:45Like, why not? Because God determined. Watermelon seeds only make watermelons. If you want an apple tree, you need to plant an apple seed, right? God determines. God has chosen the kind of body that everything gets. And you know what He has chosen for you? A glorified body. So that's Paul's first analogy here. He says, just look at your body.19:15And really all this is, is it's a seed that's going to be planted. And something that comes out is going to be different. You're like, how different? Well, number two, your resurrected body will be similar but different but better. Similar but different but better.19:44Let's pick up in verse 39. He says, For not all flesh is the same. There is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, the stars. For star differs from star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. Another illustration. Paul's like, look at the animal kingdom. Look at the animal kingdom. We have humans and animals and birds and fish, right? You've been to the zoo.20:44Notice how all animals have flesh, right? All animals have flesh. So that's like the same, right? But it's really not the same because the flesh of a fish is different from like the flesh of a groundhog or an eagle or a human. Why is that?21:16It's all perfectly suited for their respective environments. That's why. Why does a fish have the flesh that it has? For the water. That flesh wouldn't do any good on a bird. A bird has the flesh that it has so it can do the things that the birds do. It's all similar but it's different.21:45suited for the environment, right? Then he talks, he's like, let's get off the earth for a second. Let's talk about the sun, moon, and stars. All heavenly bodies, right? Now from earth, when we look up at the sky, what do we see? All these round, bright things. Some are bigger, some are brighter, but the sky is full of them. But did you know, like, even with the stars, each one is completely unique.22:14There aren't even two stars in the universe that are exactly the same. He says they're all different, but every one of these things in the sky does the thing that it's supposed to do, right? The sun to give us light and warmth, the moon for the tides, and the stars for whatever purpose God has for the stars. Same but different.22:45Perfectly suited for their purpose. And then Paul hits us in verse 42. He says, so it is with your glorified, resurrected body. How does it compare to this one that we have here? It's going to be the same, but it's going to be different. And it's going to be way better. Because this body, was made for the earth. But the new body is going to be made for heaven. Similar, but different, but better. Number three, your resurrected body will never have earthly weaknesses. Earthly weaknesses. Pick up in verse 42. He says, what is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory.23:44It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Stop there. Your resurrected body will never have earthly weaknesses. Do you notice over and over and over again? Sown, sown, sown, sown. He's keeping this seed metaphor going because it's so appropriate.24:15You go in the ground. Your body is a seed. You go in the ground as one thing. And you come up out of the ground as something different. Something better. Something glorious. And here he talks about the earthly weaknesses that we will not have. So he gives four contrasts here. Again, it's all straight from the text. Your Bible says the same thing.24:44These are four contrasts between this body, this vehicle we're driving now, and the resurrected body that we're going to get someday. Letter A, perishable versus imperishable. Perishable versus imperishable. On your outline beside that, write the word decay. That's what he's talking about. Perishable. This body decays. This body is wearing out.25:16Dying you will die. Look, all of us, we're wearing out, we're decaying. I mean, you should have seen me when I was 20. I was well-built, good-looking, and you're like, what happened? Dying you will die. I'm decaying, and so are you. Versus imperishable.25:44The resurrected body, imperishable. You know what that means? It means all physical and mental health issues that we experience living in a fallen body are gone forever. That's what that means. No sickness. Your resurrected body will have no sickness, no cancer, no cerebral palsy, no multiple sclerosis, no muscular dystrophy, no diabetes, no asthma, no Alzheimer's.26:15No osteoporosis.26:18No arthritis.26:21No organ failure.26:22Nothing.26:24Your body will be imperishable.26:26It will not.26:27Wasn't it about this time in the first service?26:29People were just like coughing like crazy.26:32So we took a coughing break in the first service.26:36So go ahead.26:36If you get a cough, let her out.26:38Go ahead.26:43Go ahead.26:45I mean, get it out of your system. Because here's the thing, coughing is something you only enjoy on earth. Because at the resurrection, you're not going to cough. So live it up. There's no sickness. Your body is imperishable. No sickness. No pain. No pain. Imagine that. No pain. Can you think, like, what's the worst pain?27:14that you've ever been in in your life. I just want you to think about that for a second. What is the worst pain that you've ever experienced in your life? Men, have you ever had a cold? Because if you have, you know The peak of human suffering.27:51But pain's going to be a memory someday.27:54Think about that.27:54In eternity future, in our resurrected bodies, we'll be like, Taylor, bro, do you remember back when we had pain?28:02He's like, I barely remember pain.28:04What was that?28:07It's going to be history.28:09You'll never wear out.28:10You'll never grow old.28:11You'll never be sick.28:12Death itself is going to be history. Perishable versus imperishable. Letter B, dishonor versus glory. Dishonor versus glory. On your outline beside this, write sin. This is in regards to sin. The fall of man has saturated this earth with the corruption of sin. And our current bodies are are thoroughly affected by sin. Thoroughly. What did Paul say in Romans 7? I know that no good thing dwells in me, that is my flesh. That's what he's talking about. He says this, here, my spirit is renewed. I'm born again. God's Holy Spirit lives in here. But God's Holy Spirit lives in a body that still hungers for sin.29:13Hungers for rebellion against God. Everything we, listen, everything we do is tainted with some degree of corruption. You know, if we're being honest, even when I set out to do something good, There's always a little something in there that's just kind of selfish, like this is the right thing to do, this is a righteous thing, but there's something in me some shade of a is there a selfish motive here more spotlight for me little glory for me here selfish motive here you're that way too we all are There's nothing that we can do that is 100% free from the taint of sin. And that's what he's talking about here. The day's going to come when we're in this body, we have this new body, and there won't be any bent towards sin in this glorified body.30:43Weakness versus power. Beside that, just write the word strength. This speaks to strength. We are so weak. We are so weak. You're like, speak for yourself. I'm a strapping young lad. I'm not weak. Yes, you are. We're all weak.31:11We are all so weak. Not convinced? Strapping young lad? How is it that a virus that's so small that we can't even see it, it can knock you down for days? You think about that next time you're feeling strong. We're weak. And you know, you don't even need to be, you don't even need to be sick.31:41to feel worn out.31:46I can keep strange hours and I've had people ask me, like, do you ever, they're like, don't you ever get tired?31:53I'm like, do I get tired?31:56No, I do not get tired.32:01I stay tired.32:03You see, for me to say I get tired would imply that I'm starting from a platform of being well-rested and strong. I've never started from that platform. I just stay in this place of tired. I'm not proud of it, but there's many days that when I wake up, one of my first thoughts is, am I going to have an opportunity for a nap today? Anybody else? Okay, thank you. Just the people on this tired side.32:40of the room. These people don't get tired over here. Did you notice that? It's all over here.32:51Listen, your new body, he says, right, is powerful. No weakness, no weariness.33:00And letter D, natural versus spiritual. Natural versus spiritual.33:06We talked about this before. This is speaking to environmental suitability.33:11Your new body is going to be perfect for the environment that it is going to be in. Your new body will be visible. Yes. It'll be tangible. Yes. But it's not going to be subject to the laws of nature as we know it now. Like, what do I mean? Well, I mean, this body we have now, God designed, perfectly for the earth environment.33:47But, you could say we're a little restricted.33:50We're sort of hemmed in as a part of creation.33:56We're restricted in these bodies by pesky little things like gravity and time and air.34:07Those things kind of limit us in a sense. But our new bodies, our resurrected bodies are going to rise above the current laws of nature and time and space. And you're thinking right now, like what? And that's not the right question to ask. The right question isn't like what? The right question is like who? And that leads us to the last one, number four.34:38This to me is one of the most mind-blowing things in Scripture, by the way. He says, your resurrected body is just like Jesus' glorified body. Your resurrected body is just like Jesus' glorified body. See, Paul had this, he was using these metaphors with the seeds and the plants and the planets and the animals.35:06He's moving from metaphorical to literal now. He's going to be talking about our actual body. Look at verse 45. He says, thus, it is written, the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.35:35The first man was from the earth, a man of dust. The second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust. And as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, We shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. Right now, Paul says, right now, we bear the image of the man of dust. That's Adam. That's us. We are people of dust. That's... I don't mean this as an insult. I just mean this as literal truth. Your body right now consists of a handful, of dust and a lot of water. That's all any of us are consisting of. I'm sure you're beautiful on the inside, but I just mean your physical body, your dust and water. That's what he's talking about. We bear the image of the man of dust. He says someday you will bear the image of the man of heaven. That's Jesus Christ. Here's what he's saying very clearly.37:05is just like Adam's. Our glorified body will be just like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. The Bible is so clear about this over and over. Like here's another reference to that, Philippians chapter 3, verse 21. He says, Jesus, look at this, will transform our lowly body to be like His, Glorious Body.37:38And I just want to encourage you to go back in your Bibles this week.37:43Read Luke 24. Read John chapter 20. Read Acts chapter 1.37:47If you want to know like kind of what is our glorified body going to be able to do, look at the things that Jesus did in His glorified body.38:01Like for example, in Jesus' glorified body, He was recognized by sight and by voice and by His wounds.38:11And Jesus in His glorified body ate.38:16Will we eat in heaven?38:17Yeah, we will actually.38:19Not because we have to, but because we'll enjoy it.38:26That is according to Revelation 22 too.38:30But you notice, Jesus in His resurrected body wasn't bound by the laws of nature. He did things like disappear. He did things like move from place to place suddenly. The Bible says Jesus could walk right through the wall. Did you ever go through a wall? I have, but not like Jesus. But someday, we'll be able to just, transcend these kinds of rules that we know now, right? Oh, you know the big one. Acts chapter 1. What did Jesus do in His glorified body? He ascended. He ascended. And you're like, well, are you saying, Pastor Jeff, that you really believe that we're going to be able to fly? Yeah. That wasn't my idea. The Bible is very clear.39:29that our body is going to be just like the glorified body of Jesus himself. So your resurrected body will be just like his. Our worship team would make their way back to the platform here. You know, the Bible is clear, my friends, that you are You are. Everyone is. There is no question as to whether or not you will get an eternal, indestructible body. Excuse me, you will get one. The Bible is clear about that. There's only one real question. With your eternal, indestructible body, will you be living forever?40:28in heaven? Or will you be dying forever in hell? Because you see, for those who have received Christ, yes, we will have this body to be in the presence of the Lord, to fellowship with each other, and most importantly, to worship God eternally in a body that doesn't get tired? That's going to be so awesome. But on the other hand, If you have not received the gift of grace that God has given us in Jesus Christ, you're going to get an eternal body. But it's going to be to suffer forever. You know, hell is described as fire. And I can't imagine anything more horrific than being on fire in a body that can't be consumed. Eternally suffering. And if you haven't received God's gift of eternal life in Christ, I don't know what you're waiting for. Today can be the day. And I want you to hear me. God wants you.41:58saved. God wants you with Him for eternity.42:08How do I know that?42:10Because the Bible says things like, it is God's will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance.42:15That's what God wants.42:17The Bible says things like, God does not delight in the death of the wicked.42:22God wants you in eternity with Him.42:25God wants you as His adopted child.42:28Do you know how I know? Because of what God did to make that possible. That He sent His Son to die on the cross on your behalf. To take the penalty for all of the sins that you committed and that I committed. God spared not His Son but delivered Him up for us all. How do I know God wants you in heaven with Him for eternity? Because of what He spent to make that happen.42:59I'd like you to bow your heads please. And if you haven't made that decision, if you haven't received the gift, let today be the day. Let today be the day that you come to grips with the fact of who you are and who God is, what you've done and what God has done.43:28And pray something like this. Pray, God, I know that I have lived my life apart from you and I have only ever wanted my way.43:41God, you have sent your son to buy me back.43:45To save me from the destructive path of my own self-centered will.43:53To save me from eternally being separated from you.43:57You did that through the death and the resurrection of Your Son. If you pray something like that today, or if you want to stick around and pray with one of our pastors or elders, let today be the day that we're done playing games, we're done pretending, we're done being church attenders, warming a seat, going through the motions. We want to be sincere. We sincerely believe.44:28We sincerely belong to Jesus Christ. Father, I pray, I pray, Father, that you would not give a minute's rest to anyone here who doesn't know you. That today would be the day that through the power of your Spirit, through the wisdom and encouragement and conviction that comes from your Word, today would be the day, Father.44:59They go to bed tonight unable to sleep. Until they do business with you. But for those of us, Father, who do know you, we thank you for these glorious promises. And I suppose that if I was going to try to make up what I thought could be the best promise ever, it would be nothing compared to how awesome your actual promises really are. Anything that I can imagine being great about eternity or heaven or a new body, it would pale in comparison to the reality of what you have actually promised. Father, we thank you. Let this be an encouragement for us to plod along for the next 15 minutes of life on earth in anticipation of our own resurrection. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 15:35-49What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Describe the 4 contrasts between your earthly body and your resurrected body from 1 Cor 15:42-44.What was Jesus' glorified body like that you are excited to think about your glorified body being like?Read 1 John 3:2-3. How does the knowledge of our future resurrected bodies motivate us to purify ourselves today?BreakoutPray for one another.

What is the World?The world is false perception. It is born of error, and it has not left its source. It will remain no longer than the thought that gave it birth is cherished. When the thought of separation has been changed to one of true forgiveness, will the world be seen in quite another light; and one which leads to truth, where all the world must disappear and all its errors vanish. Now its source has gone, and its effects are gone as well.The world was made as an attack on God. It symbolizes fear. And what is fear except love's absence? Thus the world was meant to be a place where God could enter not, and where His Son could be apart from Him. Here was perception born, for knowledge could not cause such insane thoughts. But eyes deceive, and ears hear falsely. Now mistakes become quite possible, for certainty has gone.The mechanisms of illusion have been born instead. And now they go to find what has been given them to seek. Their aim is to fulfill the purpose which the world was made to witness and make real. They see in its illusions but a solid base where truth exists, upheld apart from lies. Yet everything that they report is but illusion which is kept apart from truth.As sight was made to lead away from truth, it can be redirected. Sounds become the call of God, and all perception can be given a new purpose by the One Whom God appointed Savior to the world. Follow His Light, and see the world as He beholds it. Hear His Voice alone in all that speaks to you. And let Him give you peace and certainty, which you have thrown away, but Heaven has preserved for you in Him.Let us not rest content until the world has joined our changed perception. Let us not be satisfied until forgiveness has been made complete. And let us not attempt to change our function. We must save the world. For we who made it must behold it through the eyes of Christ, that what was made to die can be restored to everlasting life.LESSON 241This Holy Instant Is Salvation Come.What joy there is today! It is a time of special celebration. For today holds out the instant to the darkened world where its release is set. The day has come when sorrows pass away and pain is gone. The glory of salvation dawns today upon a world set free. This is the time of hope for countless millions. They will be united now, as you forgive them all. For I will be forgiven by you today.We have forgiven one another now, and so we come at last to You again. Father, Your Son, who never left, returns to Heaven and his home. How glad are we to have our sanity restored to us, and to remember that we all are one.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Saturday, 29 August 2026   And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” Matthew 22:20   “And He says to them, ‘Whose, the ‘likeness, this'? And whose inscription?'” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus asked for the coin of the census. Complying with His request, they offered Him a denarius. With that now in His hand, Matthew next records, “And He says to them, ‘Whose, the ‘likeness, this'?'”   This is a new word, eikon, which signifies a likeness. HELPS Word Studies says “properly, ‘mirror-like representation,' referring to what is very close in resemblance (like a ‘high-definition' projection, as defined by the context).”   In 2 Corinthians 4:4, it is used of Christ, “who is the image of God.” That thought is expressed again in Colossians 3:14. In this word, one can see the etymological ancestor of our modern word icon. That passed into English through the Late Latin icon during the 1500s. Jesus' question specifically asks of a person who is stamped onto the coin. From there, He adds, “And whose inscription?”   Another new word is seen, epigraphé, an inscription. The word is derived from epi, upon, and graphó, to grave, particularly to write. Thus, a literal translation would be to upon-write. However, this is what an inscription is: something written upon an object, paper, etc. This word is found only in the synoptic gospels.   Some older translations say “superscription,” but that is technically off. A superscription is written on the top, outside, or above something else, while an inscription is carved, engraved, or written directly onto a surface or into the main body of an object. One can see the etymological granddaddy of our modern word, epigraph.   Of this coin, Vincent's Word Studies says –   “Images on coins were not approved by the Jews. Out of respect to this prejudice none of the earlier Herods had his own image impressed on them. Herod Agrippa I., who murdered James and imprisoned Peter, introduced the practice. The coin shown to Christ must either have been struck in Rome, or else was one of the Tetrarch Philip, who was the first to introduce the image of Caesar on strictly Jewish coins.”   Life application: This is undoubtedly a Roman coin. Jewish coins were not minted with human figures due to prohibitions found in the Law of Moses. In Deuteronomy 5:8, it says, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”   The reason for this goes back to Deuteronomy 4:12, “And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.”   Israel was to learn to reverence the unseen Lord, never attempting to replicate what they thought He might look like, something that would otherwise lead them directly into idolatry. That, however, didn't work. Their history, from their very inception at Sinai, was filled with making images and bowing down to them.   This is because we as humans desire something tangible and visible to help us process our thoughts or direct our attention to. God knows this, but the lesson had to be lived out. In the coming of Christ Jesus, God has revealed Himself in a way that removes this lack.   We now have the image of God in the Person of Jesus. Although the Jews call this blasphemy and many Christians condemn portraying Jesus in photos, as if that is idolatry, it is exactly what God has allowed.   The same people who get bent out of shape over a painting of Jesus' face will never have a problem with a painting of Jesus riding on a donkey, as if the scenery changes the intent.   Jesus is represented in plays and movies as an evangelism tool. This is applauded by the same people, but for some reason, having a portrait of Jesus sends them into a conniption. This is illogical. God has given His Son to the world as a means of understanding Him. The humanity of Jesus allows us to understand God in a way we can appreciate.   Hold fast to the notion that what God has done is good. It is what keeps us from the sin of idolatry when we follow the admonition of Scripture, “...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).   Lord God, thank You for Jesus. In Him, we can contemplate Your goodness in a way that would never have been otherwise possible. We praise You for Your glory, displayed in His Person. How great You are, O God. Amen.  

The Philosophy club continues. This time, Derek Guy joins to talk about Lord Chesterfield's Letters to His Son. It's kind of a weird book!For links, and a special additional article from Derek, head to articlesofinterest.substack.comTo hear the podcast in full on your podcast player of choice, go to articlesofinterest.substack.com/listen Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It was before Christmas, and I went shopping for toys for my kids. Now you might not think there's anything unusual about that – unless you happen to know that all my kids are grown up now. But that doesn't mean they can't have one little spark of childhood left in them, right? For example, I always buy my daughter a doll for Christmas. And we've got one son who for a long time was a big fan of a certain Sesame Street character, and he had a collection of everything Ernie. Well, there came a time when this Ernie toy was one of the hottest Christmas items on the market. I discovered the toy in September in a store before it became an officially hot item. I could have bought it, but I said, "Naw, Christmas is a long way off. I can always get it later." Wrong! When "later" came, no more Ernies to be found. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When 'Later' Never Comes." When it's a toy you miss because you waited – no big deal. When it's God you miss, when it's eternity in heaven you miss, that's huge. Our word for today from the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 6:2. God says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." God says here there is a time of His favor; there is a day of His salvation. And that's when you need to grab Him. Then He clearly spells out the time we need to respond to Him. God's Word says, "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." When God talks about salvation, He's talking about rescuing us from the death sentence that we're all headed for because of our sin, which is basically the self-rule of our own life. A life that was created to be run by our Creator. This "salvation" came at a very high price for God. See, someone had to die as your substitute to pay for your sin in order for you to be rescued. The only one who was qualified to pay that awful price was God's one and only Son. That is Jesus Christ. So, believe me, it really matters to God what you do with His Son, because of what His Son gave up for you. The only response that can change a person's eternal address from hell to heaven is putting your total trust in Jesus as your only hope of belonging to God and of being with God forever. But so many of us are like I was the day I held that purchase I wanted in my hand. We decide to put it off – make it ours later. I chose to get it later, and later was too late. It was no longer available to me. That's the awful risk you take when you put off Jesus one more day. Maybe you've been around the message of Jesus a lot. Maybe most folks think you belong to Him. But deep in your heart, you know there's never been a time when you've really committed yourself to Him. It could be you've said, "I will give myself to Jesus when I'm ready." You need to hear the words of Jesus recorded in John 6:44. "No one can come to me unless the Father...draws him." You don't come to Jesus when you're ready. You come when God's ready. It's God who makes you ready to trust Jesus. If you feel that tug in your heart right now, this is the only time you can be sure God is readying you to come. There are no guarantees of one more opportunity. That's why the Bible says, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near" (Isaiah 55:6). He may not always be findable. He may not ever be this close again. If you've never had that "Jesus, I'm yours" moment, would you do that now and get this settled? Eternity is nothing to wait on, procrastinate on. This could be your "Jesus day." Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm yours. What you did on the cross is my only hope of rescue." Go to our website. There's a pathway there that I've tried to lay out as simply as I could so that you could be sure you belong to Him before you hit the pillow tonight. That website is ANewStory.com. Saying "later" to God's Son is eternally dangerous, because God says the day of salvation is now. It's almost yours now. But later – later may be forever too late.

Is the world becoming more hostile to Jesus—or more hungry for Him?In this message, we examine the biblical truth that Jesus is still the Desire of all nations. While headlines may suggest darkness is increasing, God is drawing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation to His Son. Across the earth, millions are turning to Christ, and the greatest harvest of souls is still ahead.Discover what Scripture says about:Why Jesus is the answer every nation is searching for.The prophetic promise of a global harvest.Why people are more open to the Gospel than many realize.How the Church should respond in this hour.Scripture: Haggai 2:7 and other key passages.If this message encourages you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs hope.

LESSON 239The Glory Of My Father Is My Own.Let not the truth about ourselves today be hidden by a false humility. Let us instead be thankful for the gifts our Father gave us. Can we see in those with whom He shares His glory any trace of sin and guilt? And can it be that we are not among them, when He loves His Son forever and with perfect constancy, knowing he is as He created him?We thank You, Father, for the light that shines forever in us. And we honor it, because You share it with us. We are one, united in this light and one with You, at peace with all creation and ourselves.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Pastor Andrew taught that believing Jesus is the Son of God gives us life. God has revealed Himself through His creation, His Word, and most clearly through His Son because He desires us to know and trust Him. Jesus came to save sinners and give His righteousness to everyone who repents and believes. John 20:31 challenges us not only to know facts about Jesus, but to believe in Him fully and experience true life in His name.

What would cause the King of Heaven to leave His throne and embrace a cross? Pastor Jeff Schreve examines Philippians 2:3-11 to reveal the breathtaking humility of Jesus Christ and the life-changing choice every person faces: surrender to God's will or cling to pride. Discover why humility leads to exaltation and why God's greatest example is found in His Son.

Anne Fundner lost her 15-year-old son, Weston, to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. Weston was a high school freshman, a kid who was loved, supported, and given every opportunity his family could provide.But in one moment of peer pressure, he took a pill he thought was something else. It contained fentanyl, and he never woke up that February morning.Anne has refused to let Weston's life be reduced to a statistic. Since his death, she has spoken on some of the biggest stages in the country, testified before Congress, and fought for legislation in his name.Now, she's focused on a message she believes every parent needs to hear: the importance of talking to kids about peer pressure. Anne says fentanyl took her son's life, but the avenue that led him there was peer pressure.In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Anne shares Weston's story, what she wishes she could have done differently, and how she's working to prevent other families from experiencing the pain she knows all too well.Related episodes: Uniting for change: A bereaved mother organizes D.C. march to combat fentanyl crisisThe Cop Who Had to Investigate Her Own Daughter's DeathHe Wanted Justice for His Son, So He Became the InvestigatorSend us Fan MailBehind every number is a story of a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community devastated.They were...daughterssonsmothersfathersfriendswiveshusbandscousinsboyfriendsgirlfriends.They were More Than Just A Number. Support the showConnect with AngelaFollow Grieving Out LoudFollow Emily's HopeRead Angela's BlogSubscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily's Hope UpdatesSuggest a GuestFor more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charityWishing you faith, hope and courage!Podcast producers:Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz

By Jorge de Campos - When was Hebrews written? Who wrote Hebrews? Background of the Epistle. Six warnings. God now speaks through His Son!

LESSON 238On My Decision All Salvation Rests.Father, Your trust in me has been so great, I must be worthy. You created me, and know me as I am. And yet You placed Your Son's salvation in my hands, and let it rest on my decision. I must be beloved of You indeed. And I must be steadfast in holiness as well, that You would give Your Son to me in certainty that he is safe Who still is part of You, and yet is mine, because He is my Self.And so, again today, we pause to think how much our Father loves us. And how dear His Son, created by His Love, remains to Him Whose Love is made complete in him.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

Nicodemus, a powerful and respected Pharisee, came to Jesus under the cover of night, afraid of what following Him might cost. Jesus cut straight to the heart of his need, declaring that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born again, a complete spiritual transformation made possible only by the Holy Spirit. This new birth is not something anyone can earn through discipline, church attendance, or good works. It is received through faith alone. John 3:16 reminds us that God sent His Son not to condemn the world but to save it, and our response to a broken world should reflect that same posture of compassion. John the Baptist modeled the heart of a true disciple when he said that Jesus must increase and he must decrease. The Christian life is not about building our own kingdoms but about faithfully pointing others to His. That faithfulness often looks less like grand moments and more like daily choices made at home, at work, and in community.Support the show

I was learning to ride a bicycle, and my dad was my teacher. Across the street from our apartment was a schoolyard as big as a city block. Like most city schoolyards, it was all concrete, no grass. In the middle of that big expanse was the only obstacle for a bike-riding rookie - a big old metal flagpole. But how could anyone run into that when he had the whole schoolyard to learn in, right? It can be done. Yeah, there I was, wobbling along, trying to learn to keep my balance on two wheels with my dad just behind me. Suddenly I heard him saying, "Turn, boy." My hands were frozen to the handlebars. I was sure turning either way meant crashing on that hard concrete. Again, "Turn, son!" I was closing in on the flagpole. Now it was a desperate cry from the lips of a disbelieving father, "Turn or you're going to hit the pole!" Bonngggg! I hit the pole. I still have the chipped tooth to prove it. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Missing the Turn that Saves Your Life." I made a painful mistake. I didn't make the turn that could have saved me. You know, there are lots of people like that. There's a turn that God is telling them to make; a turn that could save them from a life without meaning and an eternity without hope. But they just won't turn. You may know a lot about a lot of things, but there's nothing more important in all the world than to understand the turn that will keep you from God's punishment and take you to God's heaven. It's described in many places in the Bible, including Acts 3:19, our word for today from the Word of God. It says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Here's why this is so life-or-death important. The sin that verse talks about will keep us from ever experiencing God's peace and God's love in this life and from ever entering His heaven when we die. A perfect God cannot have a relationship with an unforgiven sinner. But what we just read from God's Word talks about every sin you've ever committed being erased from God's book forever! Which means the only thing standing between you and God - between you and heaven - could be gone if you make the turn. Obviously, the turn is a turn to God. And the way to Him is through His Son, who died to make that way. In God's own words, Jesus "bore our sins in His own body on the tree, so that we might die to sins" (1 Peter 2:24). The gift of eternal life is in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, the One who purchased that life by giving up His own life for you. But here's the part that some people miss. When you turn to Jesus, you're turning your back on something else. You're turning your back on the junk that killed Him. You're making a decision that you're going to abandon the sins of the past that were the very sins He died to get rid of. That's what the "repent" part of turning to God is all about - turning your back on your sins to turn to Jesus as your Savior. You won't be instantly perfect, but you're deciding to let Jesus change you. It's His power that will change you, but your decision that you will change. Look, you can't face east and west at the same time. You've got to turn away from one to face the other. So it is with Jesus and the sin He died for. But then, why would you want to continue to defy God and poison your life with the sin that ultimately always kills? We're talking a new you here, from the inside out! A new you that begins the moment you say, "Jesus, I'm Yours!" God's come to you today to offer you complete forgiveness and life forever. Don't miss this opportunity. In fact, that new you is what our website's all about. It's called ANewStory.com. Will you go check that out today? Without Christ in your heart, you're heading for a collision with God and an eternity you don't want. But hey, listen, today there's still time to turn.

In this passage, God's pleasure is mentioned twice, but in both cases, it's things He has no pleasure in. What DOES God take pleasure in? That's in this passage as well. God takes most pleasure in the obedience of His Son. And God takes great pleasure in us when we are like Him. (Hebrews 10:1-10)

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Larry Powers Question Timestamps: Electrocouture, Instagram (2:19) - Is the Moses model in line with what Christ came to do and the model we see in the New Testament? Tyler, email (4:50) - Can you explain the difference between God, Himself, coming to Earth and God sending His Son to Earth? Ann, HI (8:21) - Why would the clean house in Luke 11 verse 24 invite more spirits? Anthony, YouTube (11:28) - If you get rid of the Sabbath, are you willing to get rid of the other parts of the Ten Commandments? Jillian, email (14:50) - Can angels fly? Brenda, NY (17:56) - Does it matter whether we call God "Jehovah" or Jesus "Yeshua?" Ed, VA (21:13) - Is it a sin to have gotten married three times? Am I going to hell because of my failed marriages? Pablo, email (28:21) - Why is it okay to ask fellow believers to pray for us, but not okay to ask the saints to intercede for us? John, NJ (33:33) - Do the warnings about apostasy in the New Testament apply today? Can a true regenerated Christian walk away from God? Carrie, YouTube (43:21) - How can you explain that only God can forgive sins, but we are also supposed to forgive people? Luis, CA (47:32) - What do you believe about the Rapture? Where does the Bible mention the Rapture? Brynn, email (50:49) - Where should my wife and I give our tithes during a time of transition between churches? Ask Your Questions: Call: 888-712-7434 Email: Answers@bbtlive.org

In the messiest seasons of life, it can often feel like everything is falling apart and God is nowhere to be found. However, Romans 8:28–31 reminds us that just because we cannot see the full picture, it does not mean God has stopped working on our behalf. His ultimate goal is not merely to keep us comfortable in our current circumstances, but to transform our character and conform us to the image of His Son. Because our salvation and ultimate destination rest firmly in God's hands, no earthly struggle or trial can ever derail His purpose for our lives. You do not have to understand every detail of the process to place your full trust in the One who is directing it—because if God is for us, who can truly stand against us?Connect with us!Missioncity.church

As we look at the values that root us in who we are as a church, Grateful Generosity means being open-handed with what God has given us. Grateful generosity is the action of being generous as a result of being grateful for how generous He has been to us. Being generous is not a have-to but a get-to. It is simply an expression of thankfulness for what God has already done. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul points to the churches in Macedonia as an example of generosity. They didn't have a lot, but they understood the grace and generosity of God. Their circumstances didn't dictate their generosity. Generosity isn't about the amount but the posture of our hearts. We give because we understand what God gave when He gave us His Son, Jesus. God doesn't need our resources to accomplish His will, but He gives us an invitation to be part of the work He wants to accomplish. Give yourself first to the Lord, trust Him, and ask, "God, what does generosity look like for me?" We live with grateful generosity so that more people can know Jesus.Check out our video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/9Ra5YJHRuLoSubscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/8wmeCwBf_zkLearn more about us at chestnutmountain.orgFollow us on Facebook & Instagram @chestnutmtn_

Love can be used in so many ways when referring to parts of speech.  Of course it can be a thing, a noun, likely its most common use.  Love is from God.   It can be an adjective.  Throw an -ing on the end and there are MANY ways love can be used.  An adjective: A loving God sent His Son.  An adverb: God lovingly gave His Son to die for us.   It can be the subject of a sentence.  It can be a predicate adjective or a predicate noun.  It can be an the object to a preposition.   But the way James uses the word love is the most important way to use the word Love - as a verb.  Not just a verb, but an action verb. When we love others it is the grateful, obedient, joyful response toward God and toward our neighbor, especially the vulnerable and the stranger.  Joy arises not from the duty alone to love one another, but from knowing we are already loved and chosen.  Loved by our God who would and did die for us.  He took our place.   God gives.  We respond by loving.  Loving with joy, because He first loved me.   Deuteronomy 10:12-19 1 John 4:7-12, 19-21 John 3:14-21

Do You Struggle with Your “Prayer Life”? Find a Quiet Place for Your Personal Relationship with God and Pray to the Universe's Creator MESSAGE SUMMARY: Do you struggle with your “Prayer Life”, even though you know it is the most important component of a life lived as a Jesus Follower? Abraham provides you with a model for a “Prayer Life” that works. Abraham was an awesome man, and he had things happen in his life that were both important for him and humankind down through the ages as a resultant of his “Prayer Life”. For the development of your own “Prayer Life”, you can learn from Abraham's “Prayer Life”. One of the first things Abraham did, when he went to a new location or was in a new situation, was to build an altar to the Lord and call on the Lord's name in prayer. In Genesis 12:8, Abraham's focus on and the priority given to his “Prayer Life” is described: “From there he {Abraham}moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.". Prayer was a priority for Abraham to build a place for God in his life and for his personal relationship with God. A way you can follow Abraham's example is to find an altar, a church, or a quiet place in your life to worship and pray, and to call upon the Lord's name like Abraham.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Genesis 12:7-8; Genesis 13:3-18; Genesis 22:9-14; Psalms 79:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Jesus says: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division””, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Sunday, 23 August 2026   “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14   “Many, also, they are invitees, and few, elect.” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus finished His words to the leaders of Israel concerning the parable of the wedding feast, where the king told his servants to bind the man without garments, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, where there is weeping and the gnash of the teeth. With that stated, He repeats words from Matthew 20:16, “Many, also, they are invitees.”   Most translations say “called.” But that is a past participle forming the passive verb phrase “are called.” That is not the intent. The word means invited (as in the state of being invited), but saying invited makes it a predicate adjective. To make the intent unmistakable, it should read “invitees.”   In other words, it is the state in which people are. The gospel is spoken. All who hear it are invitees. However, only those who respond become a part of the next category, where Jesus says, “and few, elect.”   The word elektos, elect, can carry some theological baggage in people's minds, because of the debate of what it means, especially the wrongly considered idea of election claimed by Calvinists. The most literal way of saying this would be “and few, selectees.” But that sounds like people on a county commission.   The intent is the state in which the people exist. They are the elect because of what was done and what they accepted in relation to that. The call for the wedding went out, people responded (free will), and they became elect because of their assent to attend. Paul uses the word in Romans 8:33 –   “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect [elektos]? It is God who justifies.” Romans 8:31-33   God sent His Son, delivering Him up for us. We heard the message, believed it, and became elect. The process is grace. One cannot merit grace. A banquet was prepared based on the completed work of God's Son. After that, people were called to attend (invitees). Those who were called rejected the offer.   From there, others outside of the first group were called (invitees). They did nothing to merit the call. Instead, it was God's grace being directed toward them. Those who heard and responded from the invitees became elect.   HELPS Word Studies says, “Typically, eklektós (‘select, chosen') describes people who choose to follow the Lord, i.e. become God's choice by freely receiving faith (pístis) from Him. Accordingly, these two terms are directly connected (see Tit 1:1; Lk 18:7,8).”   Life application: Entering the kingdom only comes through faith, and it only comes apart from the law, even if those under the law have faith. For those of Israel who were invitees, it was based not on what they did, but on what Jesus did. However, most rejected the premise, feeling that because of the law, they merited God's favor already.   Gentiles, never having the law, hear the message and become elect by believing it. Where was law (other than Jesus' fulfillment of it) ever a part of the process? It was not to be found! And yet, as soon as people hear that Christ died for their sins and they believe, someone comes along and tells them they must observe the law!   How can we be so dull as to believe such an unscriptural thing? The gospel of our salvation does not say a word about law –   “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4   That is it. That is the gospel. Once one believes, Paul then says –   “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14   How can we take such a simple message and muddy it up so badly? Trust the plan that God has given. Don't add to it. Just believe and then stand fast in what you were told! Jesus did it all. We can rest in that.   Lord God, may we confidently put our faith in Christ alone for our salvation and for all future promises related to that. Keep us from getting misdirected by those who look to gain from our freedom, placing us again in the chains of law observance. We are free in Christ. Help us to always remember that and praise You for it. Amen.

When you don't know what to do, talk to God. Because He knows what to do, and he wants to help you. He may change your circumstances, or he may give you the wisdom to walk through them. Either way, you can trust him because he's already given us His Son. James 1:5-8 Brett McDonald | Senior Pastor

LESSON 235God In His Mercy Wills That I Be Saved.I need but look upon all things that seem to hurt me, and with perfect certainty assure myself, “God wills that I be saved from this,” and merely watch them disappear. I need but keep in mind my Father's Will for me is only happiness, to find that only happiness has come to me. And I need but remember that God's Love surrounds His Son and keeps his sinlessness forever perfect, to be sure that I am saved and safe forever in His Arms. I am the Son He loves. And I am saved because God in His mercy wills it so.Father, Your holiness is mine. Your Love created me, and made my sinlessness forever part of You. I have no guilt nor sin in me, for there is none in You.- Jesus Christ in ACIM

There is a rest that God has prepared for His people. “There Is a Rest” from Hebrews 4:9–11 explores what it means to stop carrying what only God can carry and to trust in the finished work of Christ. If God loved us enough to give His Son for us at the Cross, surely we can trust Him with the burdens, needs, fears, and uncertainties of our lives. Do what God has given you to do—and trust Him with what only He can do.

Jesus says: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” MESSAGE SUMMARY: From the Gospel of Luke (12:49-56): “Jesus the Divider” Introduction: While Jesus does bring us “Peace”, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring us “Peace”. In the world, we have tabulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke's Gospel, we need to pay attention to God's signs in the world. Today's Message: If we are serious about being a follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His Simon, to many thousands starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise. Jesus continues, in Luke 12:50, with: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”. Jesus uses “baptism” to refer to His immersion in death and His separation from the Father on the cross, but death would not hold Him. Continuing with Luke 12:51, Jesus tells us: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”. How does this statement of “division” rather than “Peace” reconcile to Jesus' other statements regarding His bringing “Peace” into the world? This apparent contradiction, regarding Jesus and His “Peace”, can be addressed by considering the five ways the word “Peace” is used in the Bible [as presented in the audio teaching]: 1) an attribute of God; 2) fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) a state of mind; 4) absence of conflict; and 5) being in right relationship with God through Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus, in Luke 12:51, says that: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”, Jesus is referring to the Bible's use of “Peace” regarding an “absence of conflict”. Jesus is telling His followers that He, the Gospel, and His followers have come to disrupt and confront. However, Jesus wants to have “Peace” in the other four contexts of “Peace”. In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners. Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.' And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,' and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?'". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God's signs. Do we see and follow God's signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; Luke 3:21; John 14:27; Judges 6:24; Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20; Ephesians 2:13; John 16:36; John 17:22-23; Psalms 28:1-9. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.   WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Do You Struggle with Your “Prayer Life”? Find a Quiet Place for Your Personal Relationship with God and Pray to the Universe's Creator”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Genesis 24 is one of the most richly layered stories in all of Scripture, and once we see the deeper picture it paints, it becomes impossible to read it the same way again. On the surface, it is the story of a faithful servant sent on a long journey to find a bride for his master's son. But beneath that, it is nothing less than a portrait of redemption itself. The unnamed servant mirrors the role of the Holy Spirit, who never draws attention to himself but points always toward the Son. The father who sends him reflects God the Father. And Isaac, waiting at home, represents Christ. Every detail, from the servant's humble prayer at the well to the extravagant gifts he carries, speaks to the lengths God goes to in pursuit of his bride. That bride, it turns out, is us. We are Rebekah in this story. And understanding that changes everything about how we see our worth, our calling, and the love God has lavished on us.## Sermon Notes: Genesis 24 — “I Will Go”### Main Text: Genesis 24  Genesis 24 tells the story of Abraham sending his servant to find a bride for Isaac. Pastor Rick presented this as a picture of God's redemptive plan.### 1. The Redemptive Picture in Genesis 22–24- **Genesis 22:** Abraham offers Isaac on Mount Moriah, pointing to the Father giving His Son, Jesus, at Calvary.- **Genesis 23:** Sarah dies, picturing Israel as the bride connected to the Father.- **Genesis 24:** The unnamed servant is sent to find a bride for the son, picturing the Holy Spirit calling the Church, the Bride of Christ.### 2. Abraham's Servant: Faithful and Humble- The servant is likely Eliezer, Abraham's longtime servant.- Though Isaac's birth cost him the inheritance, he remained faithful.- He does not seek attention for himself; he seeks success for his master.- This reflects the Holy Spirit, who testifies of Christ and glorifies the Son.### 3. Isaac Must Not Go Back- Abraham commands the servant not to take Isaac back to Abraham's former land.- God had promised the land to Abraham's offspring.- The bride must choose to come, but the son will not return to the old land.- This mirrors the call of Christ: “Forsake all and follow Me.”### 4. Rebekah's Choice- The servant prays for a clear sign: a woman who offers him water and waters his camels.- Before he finishes praying, Rebekah appears.- She is generous, diligent, and willing to serve.- Watering ten camels could have required 200–300 gallons of water.- The servant recognizes God's guidance and worships.### 5. “Do Not Delay Me”- Rebekah's family wants her to stay ten more days.- The servant insists that if God has prospered the way, they should not delay.- Rebekah is asked directly, and she responds: **“I will go.”**- This is the heart of the sermon: when God calls, our answer should be immediate obedience.### 6. We Are Rebekah- Rebekah represents the Bride of Christ.- The Holy Spirit calls us and gives us gifts as a preview of what is to come.- God sees His people as beautiful, loved, and chosen.- The story points forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb.## Practical Applications- Do not delay obedience when the Holy Spirit calls.- Stop looking back after putting your hand to the plow.- Serve faithfully even when there is no personal reward.- Trust God's guidance, even when the journey is long.- Remember: in Christ, God sees you as His beloved bride, not as your failures.## Discussion Questions1. What stood out to you most from the picture of Abraham, Isaac, the servant, and Rebekah?2. Why is delayed obedience so tempting?3. What does Rebekah's “I will go” teach us about faith?4. In what area might God be asking you to stop delaying?5. How does seeing yourself as the Bride of Christ change the way you view God's love?

Why has God saved us from our sins? The answer is found not in our worthiness but in Christ's. Today, R.C. Sproul teaches that the Father honors the redemptive work of His Son by giving Him a people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ultimately-with-rc-sproul/the-fathers-gifts-to-the-son/ Study Reformed theology with a free resource bundle from Ligonier Ministries: https://grow.ligonier.org/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Welcome to The Daily. Go ahead and pick up your 1 Peter Scripture Journal now. Our text today is 1 Peter 1:17-21: And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. — 1 Peter 1:17-21 Everything has a price. A house has a price. A car has a price. A business has a price. In many ways, our world determines value by what someone is willing to pay. Peter uses that same idea to help believers understand the greatness of their salvation. He reminds them that they were redeemed—not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. To Peter's audience, silver and gold represented wealth, security, and lasting value. Yet Peter says even the most valuable things in this world could never purchase what God has given His people. The word "redeemed" would have been familiar in both Jewish and Roman culture. It was used when a slave was purchased and set free. A price was paid so someone could be released from bondage. That is the image Peter wants believers to see. Before Christ, they were captive to sin, living according to what Peter calls "the futile ways inherited from your forefathers." They were trapped in patterns, desires, and beliefs that could never save them. No amount of wealth, effort, religion, or morality could free them. So God paid the price himself. Not with money. Not with possessions. Not with anything that fades or perishes. With his Son! Peter describes Christ as a lamb without blemish or spot, drawing from the sacrificial system that had shaped Israel's story for centuries. Every Passover lamb pointed forward to a greater sacrifice. Every altar anticipated a day when God Himself would provide the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world. What generations anticipated, Peter witnessed. He walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, and watched Him suffer. He saw the nails, the cross, and the blood that was shed. When Peter writes about the precious blood of Christ, he is not describing an abstract doctrine. He is describing a sacrifice he witnessed firsthand. Yet Peter takes us even deeper. He says Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world. Redemption was never God's backup plan. Before creation, before sin entered the world, before Adam and Eve fell, God already knew what it would cost to rescue His people. The cross was not a reaction. It was not Plan B. It was part of His eternal plan. Plan A. That truth should humble us and give us confidence. Brother and sister, your salvation rests on something far greater than your performance. It rests on the finished work of Christ and the eternal purposes of God. This is why Peter brings suffering believers back to the Cross. When life becomes difficult, it is easy to question God's love, his care, or his commitment to us. But the Cross answers those questions and doubts. God's loving plan is not measured by your circumstances. It is measured by the price he was willing to pay. And that price was the blood of His Son. Before you question your worth, remember what it cost to redeem you. Before you doubt God's commitment to you, remember the cross. And before you place your confidence in anything this world offers, remember that silver and gold will one day perish. But what Christ purchased with His blood will last forever. DO THIS: Spend a few moments thanking Jesus specifically for His sacrifice. Reflect on what it means that your salvation was purchased at such a great cost. ASK THIS: What am I tempted to place my value in besides Christ? How does the cost of redemption change the way I view my salvation? What does the cross teach me about God's love and commitment to me? PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for redeeming me through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Help me never take lightly the sacrifice that secured my salvation. Teach me to place my confidence in Christ alone and to live each day in gratitude for what You have done. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Fountains + Came To My Rescue"

Who is Jesus, really? In week two of our verse-by-verse Bible study on the book of Hebrews, we unpack one of the boldest declarations of the deity of Christ found anywhere in Scripture.Hebrews chapter 1 draws a clear line between how God spoke through prophets in the Old Testament and how He now speaks through His Son. Jesus isn't a created being or a lesser angel — He's described as the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature. In verse 8, God the Father calls the Son "God" Himself.We also dig into the role of angels, why the Word of God is complete, and why voices claiming "new revelation" today lead people astray. Whatever you're facing, this episode is a reminder that God's sovereignty is enough — and you're never facing it alone.

Thursday, 20 August 2026   “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. Matthew 22:11   “Having entered, also, the king, to view those reclining, he beheld there – man, not ‘having been donned, apparel, nuptial'.” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus continued the parable, noting that the king's servants went to the roads and gathered as many as they found, both evil and good, filling the nuptial. He next says, “Having entered, also, the king, to view those reclining.”   The verb theaomai, to look closely at, is used. It is as if gazing at a spectacle. As seen previously, it is the root of théatron, a spectacle in a theater, something one carefully sees and contemplates. The king is pleased to look upon his guests and see them all acceptably ready for the event.  However, it next says, “he beheld there – man, not ‘having been donned, apparel, nuptial'.”   The eye of the king, while looking over the theater of humanity who have been invited from all areas, lights upon a single man who is not appropriately attired. Many commentators refer to ancient customs where those attending weddings were given special garments by the one inviting in order to identify them as members of the wedding party.   A list of verses from the Bible is given, none of which prove this was a universal custom. Despite that, it seems logical that this is the case here, not because it was standard custom, but because of who was invited, meaning everyone they could find, including both evil and good.   It would be unlikely that the poor would have a particular garment identifiable to a king at a wedding. Hence, as the invitation was accepted, for the sake of the parable, a garment identifiable to him would be issued. That is referred to by Jesus in Revelation –   “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5   Although referring to a different group in Revelation 19, the same metaphor is clearly explained there –   “And it was given to her that she should be clothed – ‘fine linen, pure, and radiant'. The ‘because' fine linen: the ‘righteousnesses, the saints' it is.” Revelation 19:8 (CG).   Although one might ask, “How could someone get into the wedding banquet if this is referring to a time after the rapture?” Such a supposition would mean that God made a mistake in rapturing someone who wasn't worthy.   That is not the point. A single man is identified out of the seemingly endless number of people there. Thus, the point is one of limitation. Not a single person who does not possess the righteousnesses of Christ will be accepted. Thus, the meaning is that one will not be accepted because of wealth, status, culture, intelligence, or any other reason than the imputation of righteousness from Jesus to the individual.   Therefore, the “man, not ‘having been donned, apparel, nuptial',” is an advanced warning that if one has not called on Christ, he is not worthy of participating in His wedding feast. As the parable is spoken to the people of Israel who are under the law, Jesus is telling them, quite plainly, that they will no longer be a part of. what God is doing.   The burning of the city, the rejection of their supposed worthiness, and the calling of all others is the highlight of this verse, summed up in the man's not wearing the appropriate attire. It is a truth that extends to all in the future, but the focus is on Israel and the law at this time. Only in coming to Christ is one acceptable before the Father.   Life application: Those in Israel who were determined to hang their proverbial salvation hat on Moses would never the righteousness of Christ. Original sin blocked them from being qualified, and sinning under the law marked them as incapable of overriding the fallen nature of Adam.   This is what law does. It puts up a barrier between God and man. And more, in pursuing the law instead of resting in Christ's righteousness, pride is revealed. That only puts a greater barrier between the two. It is a barrier that cannot be breached but which must be removed entirely.   In Romans 8, Paul writes of the law of the Spirit (trust in Christ) being opposed to the law of sin and death (living under the Law of Moses). He sums up that thought, saying, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8).   If you are trusting in adherence to the Law of Moses, you are not pleasing to God. You are an affront to Him. He has given us the way of righteousness by sending His Son to do what deeds of the law could never do. Trust in Christ, give up your arrogance of law observance, and be reconciled to God before it is too late.   O God, how foolish we are if we think we can do better than what You have done in the sending of Jesus. May we trust in His merits alone to obtain our garments of righteousness. Thank You that they are attainable through what He did for us! Amen.

I used to tell our kids, "You don't have to go to a party. Carry the party inside you wherever you go!" Our five-year-old grandson never heard that, but I think he got the idea. He could find a way to enjoy himself in just about any situation, with friends or alone, with his toys, or better yet as far as he was concerned, with just like the everyday stuff he found. I remember he and I were in my study, a few rooms away from the living room where his three-year-old brother and his Mommy were. Little brother decided to check out what big brother and I were doing, and big brother had an idea. His brother could be a messenger. So our five-year-old started writing little messages to his mother, which he then rolled up and dispatched his little brother to deliver. Mommy got the idea, and so she would write back an answer to every message. The shuttle went back and forth three times, I think. Big brother then wrote another message, but this time the messenger didn't show up. He had clocked out. So the message never got delivered. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Life-Saving Messengers." Jesus has a message that He wants delivered to some people you know - some people you see all the time. The price of His message not getting through to them could be an awful eternity. He's counting on you to be the messenger. He makes that clear in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, where the Bible says, "We are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are His ambassador to the place where you live, the place where you work, the place you go to school, the place you "recreate," the place you shop. When the President appoints an ambassador to a particular country, he's counting on his ambassador to deliver his messages, right? The things that he wants communicated. Whether you realize it or not, you've been assigned by the highest authority in the universe, by Jesus himself, to deliver His message to the folks around you. And that message is life-or-death information. But as our grandson found out with his little brother, when the messenger dies, the message dies. And in the case of Jesus' message about His death for our sins, people you know may die if you don't deliver it. That's the awful picture of messenger failure in Ezekiel 33:7. It says, "I have made you a watchman...give them warning from Me...When I say to the wicked" - today that's anyone who has not had their sin forgiven by giving themselves to Jesus, and you know people like that - "When I say to the wicked you will surely die,' and you do not speak to warn him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood." Blood on our hands because of the silence of our lips. Don't let that happen to you. Don't let that happen to the people God's counting on you to tell about His Son. Whatever fear of what might happen if you told them about Jesus, could it possibly be as fearful as what will happen if you don't tell them? Jack Phillips was the radioman for the Titanic. Two hours before the Titanic's fatal collision with an iceberg, Phillips got this radio message from another ship, describing the coordinates of the exact ice field that later doomed the Titanic. But instead of delivering that information to the captain, he stuck it on a spindle to deliver it later. That mistake cost him his life and the lives of 1,500 passengers that night. All because the life-or-death message he had was never delivered. Don't make that mistake with the message Jesus has given to you to be delivered. Don't let your delay cost them heaven. His message is in your hands.

“A truth I hope will sink deeply into your soul is that your best is certainly good enough, that you are loved more than you can imagine, and that it isn’t your achievements that define you, far less that determine anything about your worth or how you are seen by your Father in Heaven and His Son.” Patrick Kearon, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, delivered this devotional address on August 18, 2026. You can access the full talk here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.