Podcasts about his word

As we yield our lives to the Lord with hearts prepared to receive His Word, He works to make us spiritually fruitful. Today, Sinclair Ferguson describes the way that the Word of God transforms our lives. A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

The importance of yielding to God and renewing our minds by His Word; developing a new attitude as we deal with challenging relationships.Order the full series on MP3 here! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1213/29?v=20251111

Are you boldly praying for what God has promised?   In this message from Pastor David Lindell, learn how to embrace God's promises, trust the One who made them, and pray with courage and confidence because God is faithful to His Word. Our prayer is that this message moves you to take hold of what God has spoken, pray for His promises boldly, and stand in faith until you see His faithfulness at work in your life.   Tags: Pray the Promise, David Lindell, God's promises, praying God's promises, prayer, faith, trusting God, promises of God, power of prayer, courageous prayer, confident prayer, standing on God's promises, biblical promises, God's faithfulness, 2 Samuel 7, Christian sermon, Bible teaching, James River Church

How does God correct us when we move in the wrong direction? It is not through sickness, poverty, tragedy, or harm. God chastens us through His Word.In Episode 10 of "The Chastening of the Lord," Duane Sheriff explains how Scripture becomes God's instrument of loving correction in our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Through His Word, God teaches us what is true, exposes what is wrong, corrects our course, and instructs us how to live.God does not need to harm us to teach us. He has given us His Word to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As we read, meditate on, and submit ourselves to Scripture, the Holy Spirit can address our attitudes, relationships, beliefs, and choices.The Word of God also protects us from deception by giving us wisdom to discern good from evil. God's chastening brings us back into alignment with truth so that we can mature, walk in righteousness, and be equipped for every good work.📖 Get your FREE copy ➡️https://pastorduane.com/landing/the-chastening-of-the-lord

“But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT) When I was a kid, I collected snakes. I’m not sure why, but I used to be fascinated by them. I had all kinds. I would read books about snakes. I would go out looking for snakes and bring them home. I was bitten many times. I discovered that you never really know what a snake is thinking. Snakes aren’t expressive creatures; they’re cold-blooded reptiles. Snakes are nothing like dogs. You know where you are with a dog at any given moment. When a dog looks at you with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging, you know he’s friendly. But if a dog bares his teeth and the hair on his back starts to stand up, then you know he isn’t happy. You always know where you stand with a dog. But you never know with a snake. A snake maintains the same expression all the time. A snake will suddenly bite you, and you won’t even see it coming. In Genesis 3:1, we’re told, “The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made” (NLT). He was shrewd because he didn’t make his intentions obvious. His approach concealed his true purpose. He didn’t show up and say, “Hi, I’m the devil. Maybe you’ve heard of me. I hate God, I hate you, and I want to destroy you. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. I have some ideas.” The Bible tells us that the devil was a serpent, but it doesn’t say that he slithered. He slithered after he was cursed (see Genesis 3:14). We don’t know what he looked like before the curse, but there seems to be something fascinating, interesting, and appealing about him. Perhaps he was attractive, and that made his temptation attractive. The apostle Paul wrote, “But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT). What could be less threatening than an angel of light? Pop culture plays into the devil’s hands by depicting him as a red, cloven-footed, pitchfork-wielding monster. If that were the case, he would be an obvious threat. He wouldn’t be able to get close to us because our first instinct would be to run from him. We would have no trouble following James’ instruction, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 NLT). The devil is able to get close to us because he is shrewd. He can hide his true nature. He can disguise his purposes and strategies. He can convince us to lower our guard and ignore our conscience. In short, he makes himself as irresistible as possible. The devil may be wicked, but he isn’t stupid. He approaches us with a practiced subtlety. To resist him, we must stay close to God and His Word. He is helpless against them. Reflection question: What subtle means might the devil use to tempt you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you own a car, you know that it has an engine, doors and, of course, wheels. There are some engineering solutions to transportation problems that are clearly better than others, and no matter who makes the car, designers eventually arrive at the same solutions because they work best.The same pattern holds true in creation. If you were designing genetic material that did one thing in one type of creature and a similar thing in a completely different type of creature, you would use the best design for both. That would result in similar genetic material in both creatures that was subtly different enough to do its unique job in each creature. As a result of using the best design solution, rather than chance, two very different creatures would have similar genetic material. And that's what we are finding as we learn more about genetics.For example, we know that a particular gene in a developing mouse embryo influences the development of the back part of its brain. A very similar gene in the fly influences the development of its antenna, which are sensors that are tied into the brain. Another gene that is similar in people, fish and flies, influences the unique development of eyes in those creatures.Similarities like these argue against the chance development of the genetic code. The same Designer Who invented the genetic code also gave us His Word, which He also intelligently designed to bring us the knowledge of salvation in Jesus Christ.2 Timothy 1:13“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”Prayer: Lord, I thank You for bringing Your saving Word into my life. Amen.REF.: Creation Research Society Quarterly, "Embryology and Evolution" To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1232/29?v=20251111

The importance of yielding to God and renewing our minds by His Word; developing a new attitude as we deal with challenging relationships.Order the full series on MP3 here! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1213/29?v=20251111

Welcome to Day 2961 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain and today is Day 2961 – Theology Thursday – “I Decree and Declare”: Why Social Media Proclamations Are Pagan, Not Biblical Christianity Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2961 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2961 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found his lessons short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who want to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons are available on his website, theologyinfive.com. Today's episode is:  “I Decree and Declare”: Why Social Media Proclamations Are Pagan, Not Biblical Christianity. In the age of social media, it has become increasingly common to see posts framed as exercises of spiritual authority rather than prayer. Statements such as “I proclaim that no one in your family will die in the next fifty years in Jesus' name,” “I decree and declare financial breakthrough within twenty-four hours,” or “If you type ‘Amen,' you will receive an unexpected blessing this week” circulate widely and are often shared without hesitation. These declarations are usually presented as acts of faith, sometimes even as obedience to God. Yet beneath their positive tone lies a worldview that is not merely unbiblical but fundamentally pagan. This is not the prayer life of Scripture. It is speech-magic dressed in Christian language. The issue is not simply modern excess or theological sloppiness. These proclamations revive an ancient belief that spoken words themselves possess creative power and that reality can be shaped through confident speech. Scripture does not merely nuance that idea. It directly contradicts it. Biblical Christianity stands in opposition to the notion that human words can compel outcomes, even when God's name is invoked. The First Segment is: Pagan Speech-Magic and the Illusion of Control. In the ancient world, speech was commonly viewed as a mechanism of power. Incantations, spells, charms, and ritual formulas were believed to manipulate divine forces or alter cosmic order. Whether in Mesopotamian incantation texts, Egyptian magical spells, or Greco-Roman magical papyri, the assumption remained consistent: correct words, properly spoken, could force reality to comply. The gods were treated as reactive, and the universe as programmable, provided the speaker possessed the right knowledge or authority. Scripture rejects this worldview entirely. Yahweh is not manipulated, summoned, or compelled. He does not respond to technique, formula, or volume of confidence. He acts according to His will alone. This is why biblical law and prophetic literature consistently condemn sorcery, divination, enchantment, and magic. These practices are not merely immoral behaviors. They are theological crimes, because they attempt to seize an authority that belongs exclusively to God. The second segment is: Imagers, Not Creators: The Limits of Human Authority. Scripture does teach that humanity was created as God's imagers, appointed to represent His rule within creation. Humans are given real authority, but it is delegated, bounded, and derivative. Imaging God means reflecting His character through obedience, stewardship, and faithfulness. It never means sharing His divine attributes. Even though mankind was created to be His imagers, Scripture is clear that only Yahweh can create something from nothing. That distinction is decisive. Humans act within creation. God alone calls creation into existence. No biblical text ever portrays a human, prophet, apostle, or believer as possessing the power to generate reality through speech. Whenever human authority is exercised in Scripture, it operates only in submission to God's revealed will and never independently of it. The third segment is: Only Yahweh Creates by the Power of His Word. Genesis establishes a boundary that Scripture never relaxes. Creation itself unfolds through divine speech. God speaks, and reality exists. Light appears because God commands it. Order emerges because God wills it. Life forms because God decrees it. No creature assists. No angel participates. No human imitates. Creative speech is presented as a uniquely divine act. Psalm 33 reinforces this truth by declaring that the heavens were made by the word of the Lord and that creation stands because He commanded it. Isaiah goes further, portraying Yahweh as the one who speaks and brings forth what He declares, while explicitly denying that any other being shares that authority. This is not poetic exaggeration. It is theological definition. Creative speech belongs to God alone. It is not shared with humanity, not even with God's imagers. Human words carry weight, influence, and consequence. They shape relationships, convey truth or falsehood, and lead toward wisdom or destruction. They do not possess ontological power. When humans claim that their declarations shape reality itself, they are not exercising biblical faith. They are attempting to imitate a divine prerogative. That impulse is not Christian. It is pagan at its core. The Fourth Segment is: New Thought as a Modern Carrier of an Ancient Pagan Idea. The nineteenth-century New Thought movement did not invent manifestation theology. It stripped ancient speech-magic of ritual language and repackaged it in psychological terms. Instead of spells, it spoke of affirmations. Instead of gods, it spoke of “the universe.” Instead of ritual authority, it emphasized belief and mental alignment. When this system entered Christian spaces, it adopted Christian vocabulary while preserving pagan assumptions. Declarations replaced prayers. Confidence replaced submission. Speech replaced petition. Phrases such as “name it and claim it” or “speak it into existence” assume that human words activate creative power. That assumption directly contradicts the biblical teaching that only Yahweh creates by command. This is not a Christian overstatement. It is a foreign worldview smuggled into the Church under familiar language. The Fifth Segment is: Scripture Forbids Declaring the Future Apart From God's Will. James 4 directly confronts the presumption behind these proclamation practices. James rebukes believers who speak confidently about tomorrow as though it belongs to them. The issue is not planning or hope. It is authority. Scripture teaches that the future does not respond to speech. It unfolds according to God's will. Biblical faith does not declare outcomes. It confesses dependence. Pagan systems attempt to control the future through words. Biblical faith entrusts the future to God. The distinction could not be sharper. The sixth segment is: False Assurances Have Always Marked False Prophets. Jeremiah 23 condemns prophets who proclaim peace, safety, and prosperity when God has not spoken. Their sin is not optimism. It is authority theft. They speak from their own imagination while claiming divine endorsement. Modern social media proclamations follow the same pattern. Promises of health, wealth, and protection are declared without covenant context, repentance, or obedience. The medium is modern. The offense is ancient. Speaking future outcomes in God's name without His command is not faith. It is false prophecy. The Seventh Segment is: Words Carry Moral Weight, Not Creative Power. Proverbs 18 verse twenty-one does not teach that words create reality. It teaches that words shape consequences. Speech can heal or destroy, encourage wisdom or cultivate ruin. Scripture never teaches that human words override divine will. If they did, suffering would disappear wherever believers spoke boldly enough. Yet Christ promised tribulation, not immunity. The apostles suffered not because they lacked faith, but because God's purposes extended beyond immediate comfort. The eighth segment it: Biblical Prayer Rejects Pagan Control. The prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane dismantles speech-magic completely. Jesus does not decree escape or declare deliverance. He asks, and He submits. If the incarnate Son does not use prayer as a mechanism for control, then any theology that teaches believers to do so is fundamentally unchristian. Prayer is not command. It is submission. The ninth segment is: The Spiritual Danger of Paganized Christianity. Manifestation-style proclamations are dangerous precisely because they appear spiritual while reshaping faith into technique. They train believers to expect control rather than trust, success rather than endurance, outcomes rather than...

https://square.link/u/UHRU92rp - Donate HereToday's reading takes us to Isaiah 40, where weary people are reminded who their God is. He speaks comfort, His Word stands forever, He comes with both might and tenderness, and He needs no counsel from anyone. The answer to weariness is not pretending we are stronger than we are—it is seeing God clearly again. Pasted text Pasted textIsaiah 40 reminds us that human strength fades, but God's strength never runs out. He does not grow weary of carrying people who are too weary to walk. So today, read Isaiah 40 and let the text lead you through five movements: comfort, listen, behold, consider, and wait. Ask the Lord for renewed trust and supplied strength for the next step of obedience—and then wait on the God whose power is never exhausted.

Have you noticed how the world has started to normalize divorce? It's interesting because it seems like the Bible is extremely clear that divorce isn't okay, and yet we seem to be becoming numb to it. Today, Pastor Ken shares that divorce was also normalized in Biblical times. The enemy wants to desensitize you to purity. You must remind yourself of who God calls you to be so you can know what's of God and what isn't. Go to His Word to gain your knowledge of right and wrong!

What happens when we ask God to build our lives—but refuse to follow His blueprint?God is the Master Builder, and we are the house. In this message, we're challenged to lay down our own plans, trust the pattern God has given us, and stop removing the “load-bearing walls” of His Word. God wants to build something within you that only He can receive the glory for.It's time to surrender our way and pray as Jesus did: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”Key Scriptures: Exodus 25; Proverbs 3:5–6Share this sermon with someone who needs to trust God's plan today.#DominionChurch #TrustGod #ChristianSermon

Dawn Hill examines Vlad Savchuk's "octopus spirit" teaching and the Scriptures used to support it. She explains why passages about thoughts, temptation, and spiritual warfare should be read in context rather than used to establish an unnamed demon. She closes with biblical encouragement to seek counsel, resist isolation, and look to Christ and His Word. For more from Dawn, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

Dawn Hill examines Vlad Savchuk's "octopus spirit" teaching and the Scriptures used to support it. She explains why passages about thoughts, temptation, and spiritual warfare should be read in context rather than used to establish an unnamed demon. She closes with biblical encouragement to seek counsel, resist isolation, and look to Christ and His Word. For more from Dawn, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

Dawn Hill examines Vlad Savchuk's "octopus spirit" teaching and the Scriptures used to support it. She explains why passages about thoughts, temptation, and spiritual warfare should be read in context rather than used to establish an unnamed demon. She closes with biblical encouragement to seek counsel, resist isolation, and look to Christ and His Word. For more from Dawn, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

October 1, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Daily Prayers: Asking a blessing & Returning ThanksDaily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 2:16-37; Matthew 6:16-34The eyes of all look to You, O LORD, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Ps. 145: 15–16) (Luther's Small Catechism “Asking a Blessing”)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As we've been discussing humility this week, we've talked about repentance, angels, and how we bear with one another. Today, God's Word helps us consider the Gift of prayer in our lives.Prayer is part of the life of God's people. We should pray at all times and in all places (Luke 18:1, 1 Timothy 2:8). Perhaps you pray every morning and evening during family devotions. You pray at the beginning or end of personal devotions. Before every meal, you pray, as the Small Catechism teaches us. Creating a continual habit of prayer is good. God desires to hear your prayers, and Jesus even taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer is also a good exercise in humility.If you could do whatever you wanted, you wouldn't ask anyone for anything. You'd never need to look to anybody else for help or call on someone in every trouble. Definitely, you wouldn't need to praise anyone, since you'd be able to do everything alone. Of course, you know you can't do everything. Prayer reminds us of this every time. When we ask for a blessing, we remember God is the one we're looking to. God alone is in control of every single moment and minute of this marvelous miracle called life. Before we eat, we remember that this food is a gift from God Himself, who has opened His hand to satisfy our desires and the desires of every living thing. You're humbling yourself to acknowledge how God is satisfying your desires. God is taking care of every living being, true enough, but take a moment and realize how amazing it is that God is taking care of you in this moment of prayer. He has put the food on your table. Not only does God know you need food, but God has provided for you in this moment. Prayer is humility in action, and it's a good discipline to practice at all times and in all places. May you continually look to God in prayer, who provides the needs of body and soul through your daily bread, but most importantly in His Word and Sacraments.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Hear us, dear Father, when we pray For needed help from day to day That as Your children we may live, Whom you baptized and so received” (LSB 865:3)Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

Dawn Hill examines Vlad Savchuk's "octopus spirit" teaching and the Scriptures used to support it. She explains why passages about thoughts, temptation, and spiritual warfare should be read in context rather than used to establish an unnamed demon. She closes with biblical encouragement to seek counsel, resist isolation, and look to Christ and His Word. For more from Dawn, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

Dawn Hill examines Vlad Savchuk's "octopus spirit" teaching and the Scriptures used to support it. She explains why passages about thoughts, temptation, and spiritual warfare should be read in context rather than used to establish an unnamed demon. She closes with biblical encouragement to seek counsel, resist isolation, and look to Christ and His Word. For more from Dawn, please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

Some truths don't click until God opens our eyes. Dr. Tony Evans explains how the Holy Spirit brings Scripture to life, helping us understand spiritual truths and revealing insights we might otherwise miss as we grow in our knowledge of God and His Word.

Sanctification — being set apart, made holy, conformed to the image of Christ — is not a self-improvement project. It is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 makes the most encouraging promise imaginable: the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Emily reminds us that our position in Christ is forever fixed — nothing can snatch us from His hand. But while we rest in the finished work of the cross, we are also called to partner with the Spirit through Scripture, prayer, service, and discipleship, allowing Him to renew our minds and gradually loosen the grip of worldly thinking and fleshly desire. The goal is not perfection this side of heaven — it is a life that, day by day and year by year, looks a little more like Jesus. Today's Bible Verse "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NIV Ponder Today Sanctification is God's work, not yours alone. You partner with the Holy Spirit in the process — but the deep, transforming work of making you holy belongs to the faithful God who called you. Rest in that. Your position in Christ is forever fixed. No failure, no stumble, and no season of spiritual dryness can change what Christ has already secured for you. Sanctification flows from that settled foundation — it does not establish it. Holiness grows gradually, not overnight. The goal is not perfection this side of heaven but a life that, day by day, looks increasingly like Jesus. Small, steady steps of obedience matter more than dramatic overnight transformations. Spiritual disciplines are how we partner with the Spirit. Bible study, prayer, serving others, discipleship, and evangelism are not how we earn God's favor — they are how we open ourselves to the mind-renewing, desire-transforming work of the Holy Spirit. The longer you walk with God, the less the world's pull satisfies. As your mind is renewed through His Word, worldly thinking and fleshly desires gradually lose their grip. That shift in desire is itself evidence of God's sanctifying work in you. A Prayer for You Today Father God, thank You for saving me, setting me free, and continually sanctifying me. I know that I fail every day, but I lean into Your grace all the more. Your grace is sufficient for each day and is such a gift in my life. You are a God who transforms and purifies — so help me renew my mind with Your Word, that I may know Your good, acceptable, and perfect will and see my life conformed more and more to the image of Your Son. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ isTUVU CommunitiesCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Show NotesWhat does it take to overcome life's greatest challenges and experience true victory through faith in Jesus Christ?In this inspiring episode of the Kingdom Crossroads Podcast, host T.S. Wright welcomes Christian author, speaker, and business consultant Dr. Raj Javalgi to discuss his book, Conquering Life's Battles: Finding Freedom and Living Victoriously.Dr. Raj shares his deeply personal testimony of faith, loss, suffering, and spiritual transformation. After experiencing the heartbreaking death of his infant daughter, watching his wife endure years of chronic illness, surviving two major heart attacks, and later losing his wife, Dr. Raj discovered that true victory is not found in the absence of life's struggles but in the presence of God.Drawing from his personal experiences, conversations with 300 individuals, and the timeless truths of Scripture, Dr. Raj explains how Christians can confront fear, anxiety, depression, addiction, loneliness, discouragement, and unforgiveness through God's Word, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit.Through biblical examples of Joseph, Job, King David, and Jesus Christ, this powerful conversation reveals how believers can find spiritual freedom, overcome adversity, and embrace the victorious life promised through Jesus Christ.In This Episode, You'll Discover:How Dr. Raj's journey from Hinduism to Christianity transformed his understanding of God, suffering, and salvation.How personal tragedy and life-threatening circumstances inspired his book, Conquering Life's Battles.Why understanding and applying biblical principles can help believers confront emotional and spiritual struggles.How the biblical examples of Joseph, Job, David, and Jesus provide encouragement during difficult seasons.The importance of praying Scripture and developing a daily relationship with God.How the Holy Spirit strengthens, guides, and empowers believers through life's battles.Why spiritual victory is not defined by the absence of suffering but by the presence of God.Featured ScriptureRomans 8:37 (KJV)"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."Three Keys to Living VictoriouslyDr. Raj concludes the conversation with three essential principles for overcoming life's battles: trust God even when circumstances seem overwhelming, remain grounded in His Word through daily prayer and Scripture meditation, and depend on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.His central message is that believers do not have to face life's challenges alone. Regardless of the struggles they encounter, God's presence, grace, and faithfulness remain their source of hope and strength.About Our GuestDr. Raj Javalgi is a Christian author, speaker, and business consultant whose personal journey through loss, adversity, and spiritual transformation inspired him to share the hope of Jesus Christ with others.His book, Conquering Life's Battles: Finding Freedom and Living Victoriously, explores 16 common life struggles through biblical examples, practical applications, guided prayers, Scripture references, and discussion questions.His mission is to encourage people to overcome life's challenges by trusting God, applying biblical truths, and embracing the power of the Holy Spirit.Learn more about Dr. Raj and his book:VictoriousPathway.comConnect with Kingdom CrossroadsJoin host T.S. Wright for more faith-building conversations with Christian authors, ministry leaders, and believers sharing powerful testimonies of God's work in their lives.Discover biblical wisdom, spiritual encouragement, and practical insights to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ and advance the Kingdom of God.Subscribe to the Kingdom Crossroads Podcast and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement, renewed faith, and the reminder that they are not alone in life's battles.SEO KeywordsPrimary keywordsDr. Raj Javalgi, Conquering Life's Battles, Kingdom Crossroads Podcast, T.S. Wright, Christian podcast, Christian author interview, finding freedom in Christ, living victoriously through faithSecondary keywordsOvercoming life's challenges with God, biblical encouragement, Christian testimony, overcoming fear and anxiety through faith, trusting God through suffering, healing from grief, power of prayer, praying Scripture, Holy Spirit guidance, spiritual victory, Romans 8:37, more than conquerors, Christian spiritual growth, biblical principles for overcoming adversitySuggested hashtags#KingdomCrossroads #RajJavalgi #ConqueringLifesBattles #ChristianPodcast #ChristianFaith #VictoriousLiving #TrustGod #PowerOfPrayer #MoreThanConquerors #HolySpirit

The importance of yielding to God and renewing our minds by His Word; developing a new attitude as we deal with challenging relationships.Order the full series on MP3 here! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1213/29?v=20251111

End-times prophecy can be confusing, especially when popular teachings seem to conflict with Scripture and history. In this episode, Howard Hunt, author of “Warning Rapture: The Great Disappearance, An Eventual Problem in Timing,” shares insights from over four decades of intensive study on the rapture and the tribulation. He explains why he believes the widely accepted pre-tribulation rapture view is based more on assumptions, recent history, and financial interests than on clear biblical foundations. Drawing from passages like Daniel 9, Ezekiel 38–39, and 2 Thessalonians 2, he lays out a detailed sequence of prophetic events that challenges conventional thinking. Howard also uncovers the historical roots of rapture theory in the 1830s and how it spread through movements, teaching institutions, and study Bibles. His research raises tough questions about why so many believers expect to be removed from suffering when the apostles themselves endured great hardship. This conversation is designed to help listeners think critically about what they have been taught and return to a deeper, Scripture-first understanding of end-times doctrine. Howard walks through the idea that a coming war involving Israel, Russia, and surrounding nations could trigger a peace treaty that marks the start of the seven-year tribulation. He explains how this covenant, linked to the Antichrist, sets prophetic “time” in motion and why the midpoint when the Antichrist stands in the temple and declares himself to be God is so crucial. Listeners hear how Howard differentiates between the general tribulation and the “great tribulation,” connecting it to the true wrath of God described in Revelation. He also discusses why miscalculations about rapture dates have caused real-world damage, from people selling possessions in anticipation of escape to believers becoming disillusioned when predictions fail. Through personal stories from ranching life, time in Israel, and ministry experiences, he illustrates how easily people can follow spiritual trends like sheep led astray. Howard emphasizes that a misguided hope of avoiding hardship could leave many unprepared for deception, persecution, and apostasy. This episode challenges Christians to rethink comfort-driven beliefs and to anchor their expectations in careful, contextual biblical study. https://youtu.be/57ZVhwqT4YU?si=7DLaG93uYGUEkv66 At the heart of Howard's message is a call to spiritual readiness, genuine faith, and a living relationship with God rather than reliance on sensational timelines. He urges believers to “study to show yourself approved,” describing true worship not just as outward expression but as a lifelong pursuit of knowing God and His Word. The conversation highlights the urgency of preparing hearts, sharing the gospel, and strengthening the kingdom of God within, especially if current global tensions point toward a rapidly approaching prophetic season. Howard also shares how near-death experiences, personal loss, and hardship deepened his dependence on grace and convinced him that God can meet people anywhere, even at their lowest point. He reminds listeners that faith is activated through listening being quiet before God, using our “two ears and one mouth” to hear more than we speak. The episode closes with an encouragement to be ready, watchful, and compassionate toward others as prophetic events unfold. For those wrestling with questions about the rapture, tribulation, and what lies ahead, this discussion offers clarity, challenge, and a powerful invitation to seek truth beyond popular theories. Quotes: "It's the Bible that says to study to show yourself approved, a workman rightly dividing the word of truth. To worship God is to learn of Him." "End-times deception is basically monetary. The rapture teaching went into the Scofield Bible, it went to the universities, and it really brought in the money." "I just want to share information that may be beneficial to the brethren and to people who do not know the Lord, because there's a lot of pre-trib stuff going on all over, and it's deceptive." Contact Details: Warning Rapture: The Great Disappearance, An Eventual Problem in Timing on Amazon

Some truths don't click until God opens our eyes. Dr. Tony Evans explains how the Holy Spirit brings Scripture to life, helping us understand spiritual truths and revealing insights we might otherwise miss as we grow in our knowledge of God and His Word.

In this edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 30:5–6 and one of Scripture's strongest declarations about the reliability of God's Word. “Every word of God is pure.” His Word has been tested like precious metal in the fire and found without impurity. Because God has spoken, we can trust Him completely and take refuge under His protection. Agur then gives a serious warning: “Add thou not unto his words.” When we add human traditions, doctrines, or opinions and attribute them to God, we are no longer explaining His Word; we risk misrepresenting the One who spoke it. God's Word does not need improvement. It needs to be believed, obeyed, and faithfully proclaimed. Lesson 193-2026 Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting MannaNation.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961 MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

Jesus' words in Luke 14 can sound shocking: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that Jesus is not commanding hatred, but establishing the proper order of our loves.Our devotion to Christ must be so great that every other relationship is held with an open hand. Family, friends, and even our own desires matter deeply—but none can take the place that belongs to Jesus alone. He is not looking for half-hearted discipleship or convenient faith. He calls us to recognize Him as sovereign Lord, Master, and King.Dr. Youssef also unpacks Jesus' command to carry our cross and follow Him. The cross is more than a difficult circumstance; it is a picture of dying to self. Discipleship means surrendering our demand for control, laying down our own agenda, and bringing every part of life into conformity with Christ.And paradoxically, loving Jesus above all else enables us to love others more deeply. As we sit at His feet, study His Word, renew our minds, and grow in grace, He reshapes our hearts so that our love for family, neighbors, and even enemies begins to reflect His own.Let us pray.Jesus, help me to more fully understand Your calling on my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Friends of the Rosary,Following Christ the Lord means trusting His wisdom even when we cannot understand everything.In today's Gospel (Luke 9:57-62), Jesus teaches that discipleship requires a whole, steady heart to follow him, not delay or look back.He said,“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”Without hesitation, Job in the first reading (Job 9:1-12, 14-16) recognized God's greatness and mystery, while Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church, and the saint of today, showed us how to love His Word more deeply.About Saint Jerome, who in paintings sometimes holds a large rock as a symbol of mortification, after receiving a fine education in the classics in Rome, he settled in a cave in Bethlehem out of an intense devotion to Christ's life. He studied Hebrew in penance for temptations. The greatest fruit of his lifelong study and writing was the Vulgate, the popular Latin translation of the Bible commissioned by Pope Damasus. He died in 420 and is one of the four great Latin Fathers of the Church.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• September 30, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET 

Jesus routinely met and ate with people who we would refer to today as very, very lost. They were the most despised people of that day. And yet, Jesus had no issue with spending time with them. Our workplace is not only a place to make a living, but also a place God has ordained for us to make relationships, build trust, and grow friendships – especially with pre-believers. Often, the workplace is where we have the greatest opportunity to influence those who don't know Jesus, and who are struggling or dying without Him. How many people would Jesus have already invited to lunch if He worked at your place? Look with His eyes. Pray for courage to introduce yourself to those He shows you, and don't forget your/(you're) light, as His Word works in you, today. 

Andrew is joined by Pastors Maritza, Eric, and Dan to dive deeper into Sunday's message on truth. They discuss how Jesus being “the way, the truth, and the life” means truth isn't something we invent for ourselves, but something God reveals through His Word and the Holy Spirit, and share ways that new believers can build the foundation of their faith.

Continuing our week solely focused on worship, today we will experience Psalm 34.Be present. Be all in on this moment. No distractions. Listen with your ears and your heart. Let's experience His Word and our worship together.Psalm 34‚ NLTI will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt his name together.I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord.Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!Turn away from evil and do good.  Search for peace, and work to maintain it.The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.He rescues them from all their troubles.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.… the Lord will redeem those who serve him.Just as David did here, when was the last time you bragged on God?When was the last time you shared with someone what He has done for you?Listen again to the final words of this passage as I personalize David's words for us.The Lord hears me when I call to him for help.He rescues me from all my troubles.The Lord is close to me when my heart is broken; he rescues me when my spirit is crushed.I may face many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.Let's pray just as we have worshipped: “Father God, thank You for being our guard who surrounds and defends. Thank You that You watch over us and hear us. Thank You that You are close to the brokenhearted and though we face troubles, You will rescue like the good Father You are. As above, so below.” - Amen

What does the way we handle money reveal about our spiritual maturity? In this message, we explore how giving, generosity, stewardship, and our relationship with money can reveal what we truly trust and value. Spiritual maturity isn't simply about how long we've followed God—it's about how we respond to His Word, practice self-control, and learn to put Him first. Discover why God isn't ultimately after your money—He wants your heart, your trust, and your whole life. Listen and be challenged to examine what you're putting first, grow in generosity, and become more like God in the way you live, give, and serve. ---------- Welcome to the LifeHouse Church Podcast.
We're so glad you're here. Whether you're listening at home, on your commute, or in a quiet moment during your day, we believe God has something personal and timely for you in this message. At LifeHouse, our heart is simple: to lead people to Know God, Grow together, and Go serve and make a difference. Through practical, Gospel-centered messages, we want to help you grow in your faith, experience real transformation, and live out your purpose in everyday life. These messages speak into real-life areas like relationships, marriage, family, purpose, emotional health, and spiritual growth—wherever you are on your faith journey.

God Empowers the Weak (7)  (audio) David Eells, 9/30/26 We all want to manifest the fruit of the Spirit, but first there must be the crucifixion of the lusts. Jesus taught us and He's our example. Many people think He was an example so that we wouldn't have to die. No, Jesus didn't die so that we wouldn't have to die. Jesus died so that we could die. I'm talking about dying spiritually; dying to self. He died to make it possible for us to die to self.  Those who refuse to take up their cross and follow Him, and refuse to obey His commands, are refusing to be disciples. Even if they call themselves Christians. I want to show you that Jesus turned the other cheek, but He did it as an example to us. When Jesus was before Pilate and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:12-14), He resisted not the evil. He did turn the other cheek. He had the power to say “No.” He had more power than the disciples understood He had because they thought they were going to save Him with the sword. (Mat.26:52) Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. He said, “Don't you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Look, Jesus had power they didn't know of to keep from going to the cross. He didn't have to resort to man's arm of the flesh. One angel in the Old Testament killed 185,000 men (2 Kings 19:35) and Jesus is talking about calling 72,000 angels here. That's power! Christians need to realize that their power is not in the arm of the flesh; it's in the Kingdom of Heaven. That power should be used to fulfill God's Will. In the very next verse after Jesus said, “Don't you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels?” He said, “how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Mat.26:54) We want the Scriptures to be fulfilled in us, which is the manifestation of Christ; however, they won't be fulfilled if you refuse to go to your cross. Just as Jesus had a free will and He could have called the 12 legions of angels, we have a free will, and we could, in many cases, walk away from our cross. But that doesn't mean we won't be faced with it again. We will be faced with it again and again because God is merciful. And we'll be faced with it until we get it right or just run out of time because we are running out of time. We've been put here to bear fruit, and we've been given a certain amount of time to do that. There's a door closing on the other end of this life. I've shared before the vision my wife had about being on a treadmill. The door ahead was closing. We had to run faster and faster to get through the door before it closed. The treadmill was imperceptibly picking up speed going in the opposite direction, and we had to run faster and faster. That's the way the world is; it's picking up speed in the opposite direction, and the door is closing. We're running a race but it's not a race against one another; this is a race against time. There's a door closing. You have to bear fruit or else you'll be called what Scripture and Jesus called an “unprofitable servant,” cast forth into outer darkness (Matthew 25:30). There's no such thing as bearing fruit without the cross. I'm going to point out just a few of Jesus' commands and show you that when you obey them, they put you in a position of weakness. You cannot defend yourself. You cannot hit back. You won't be able to do the things that your flesh wants because, if you do, your flesh will live and it will get stronger. (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh (in other words, if you walk in obedience to the flesh), ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. We want the new man to live and there's only one way that can happen – the old man has to die. They live in the same house. The spiritual man was supposed to go into the Promised Land and kill the old man and live in his house, and we are, in one parallel, that promised land. That spiritual man is Christ in us and He's the spiritual man in every one of us, Who seeks to take over our vessel. (1Pe.2:18) Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (19) For this is acceptable (the literal translation is actually “grace”), For this is grace, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. Grace? That's right. God sends us through grace down here on this earth. Sometimes we don't look on it as grace, but it's fleshly suffering. He calls it grace. That's the original word there. We have to go through suffering. (Act.14:22) … Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. We must go through suffering because the flesh doesn't die without suffering. If you're not suffering, then you're not ceasing from sin. Peter said, He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1Pe.4:1). That's because when you're suffering, when the flesh is suffering – and I'm talking about that entity of the old man in you, the mind of the flesh in you – when that old man is suffering, it means that he's not getting his way and he's dying. This is not about the physical flesh suffering, you understand. I'm talking about that entity that lives in you that wants to gratify “self.” If the old man is not suffering, you're not bearing the cross; you're not obeying the commands of Jesus to lose your life. So Peter called it “grace” here. (1Pe.2:20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it,] ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye shall take it patiently, this is grace with God. The last thing we want is to do right and to have wrong done to us in return. We want justice and our rights. The flesh demands its rights, but the flesh is a dead man. We reckon the old man to be dead unto sin (Romans 6:11) and dead men don't demand rights. You can slap the dead man on one cheek and they'll turn the other one, too. That's the way Jesus commanded us. If you want that old man to die, then don't feed him. Just don't obey him and he'll die. This is grace with God. (1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called…. We were called to suffer in what the world would call “wrongfully.” In other words, we're called to suffer when we do right. (1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously. In other words, Jesus left judgment, wrath and payback in the hands of God. Peter said Jesus left this example to us so that we should follow in His steps. Every day we're going to have an opportunity to do this. There's just no way you could live this life without having an opportunity to deny our self life. Don't waste your time. Redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16), the Scripture says. This is what we're here for. Suffering is one of God's greatest methods to put to death your flesh so that Christ can live in you.  (1Pe.3:13) And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? (14) But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; (15) but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: (16) having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. (17) For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. (18) Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. We can see a spiritual type there in the life of Christ. When He resisted not the evil, He was put to death in the flesh, but He was made alive in the spirit. This is a spiritual type for us because, if we want to be made alive in the spirit, we must accept our death in the fleshly self-life daily.  (1Pe.4:14) If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed [are ye;] because the [Spirit] of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. (15) For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: but if [a man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. (17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if [it begin] first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? (19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God (That doesn't fit the prosperity doctrine very well, does it?) commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. Commit your soul unto a faithful Creator. Jesus obeyed His own command in Matthew 5:39 and He was crucified for it. I can imagine several places where He could have interjected just a little bit of truth and totally turned the situation around, such as when He talked about, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (Joh.2:19). Of course, he spake of the temple of his body (21), but that's not what was brought out at the trial by the Sanhedrin and I never saw Him even objecting to it, though He knew what He meant. He didn't bother to stick up for Himself. There's one person from the Old Testament who really impressed me with his understanding of not resisting him that is evil, and that's David. He obeyed this. I've seen probably a half-dozen to a dozen good examples of where David obeyed this doctrine. He seemed to be way ahead of his time in understanding what it was that pleased God. He seemed to be almost walking in New Testament revelation in some areas of this resisting not evil and it definitely bore fruit in his soul. (Psa.38:12) They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me,] And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all the day long. (13) But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. (14) Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs. (15) For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God. David put his trust in God to bring about justice, just as the Lord did (1 Peter 2:23), and not with his own tongue, nor in his own strength. In fact, as we read on here, you'll see that David knew and understood God's purpose. You know, it's a fiery trial when you resist not the evil, no matter what form it is. There's a righteous indignation that rises up on the inside of you wanting justice, but listen, we can't afford justice. Nobody reading this can afford justice. We want mercy. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful (Psa.18:25). If you get justice, you're in trouble. Did you know that? God gives justice to some and He gives mercy to others (Romans 9:21-23). Christians get mercy. The world doesn't always get mercy. But I'll tell you what, the only thing we better show to the world is mercy because God's going to be merciful and forgiving to those who are merciful and forgiving. And to those who are not merciful, He's going to give justice (Matthew 18:35). None of us here can afford the justice of God. Not everybody even gets a revelation of God in this world, but they get justice because every man is going to reap what he sows (Galatians 6:7). People ask, “What do you do with the wicked who never hear the name of Christ?” No problem. They're going to get justice. Everybody in this world is going to at least get justice, but Christians, at least true Christians, are going to get mercy and grace from Him.  God's not doing wrong by doing that because He's at the very least giving justice to people. But we had better pray that we don't get justice because that means we'll pay for what we've done and what we are doing that is wrong. David understood this, and Jesus understood this. So David says, “for I said, Lest they rejoice over me: When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.” (Psa.38:16) (17) For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. (18) For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. (19) But mine enemies are lively, [and] are strong; And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. (20) They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good. (21) Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. (22) Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. (39:1) I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. (2) I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. (3) My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned; [Then] spake I with my tongue: (4) Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me to know how frail I am. You know, when David resisted not the evil, when he kept his mouth shut when he was really being pressured to speak up, he said the fire burned in him. Have you ever felt that fire? I have. It's just like a real fire burning in you. It's a fiery trial that's come to prove you and to burn up the wood, hay and stubble of the self-life. You know, we've been told by some church ministers that the fiery trial is in the next life, but that's as big a lie as has ever been told. (1Co.3:12) But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. It's here that you go through the fiery trial to burn up the wood, hay and stubble, not in the next life. The Bible says, “the day shall declare it.” There are no days in eternity. This is where the fiery trial comes. But you can avoid the fiery trial very easily. All you have to do is not obey the commands of Jesus. If you don't obey Him, it's easy to avoid those kinds of trials, and quite often we'll go around them, but what we're doing is putting off the day of crucifixion and the day of bearing fruit. God wants to motivate us with many, many Scriptures that today is the day of salvation. Today is God's day of deliverance (2 Corinthians 6:2). I found many places where David understood this. One of them is when Nabal's herds had been protected by David and his men out in the wilderness (1 Samuel 25:16). By the way, Nabal means “fool.” And David's men were sent to Nabal to get some supplies for his men, who were living in the wilderness, and Nabal answered them very roughly and sent them back without any help (1 Samuel 25:10,11,14). So David had decided, “I'll just go over there and take his head off” (1 Samuel 25:22). Meanwhile, Nabal's wife, who was a very understanding and wise woman, decided she was going to go meet David and ask his forgiveness, and she did (1 Samuel 25:24). And one thing she said is, “Thank God that the Lord has withheld you from avenging yourself at your own hand” (1 Samuel 25:26,31). She said that twice. Then David thanked her for her part in bringing that to pass (1 Samuel 25:32,33). You know, there's something wrong about us avenging ourselves with our own hand. (Rom.12:19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God:] for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. He said, if you do this, “thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head” (20). In other words, it's God's job to repay. If we repay, then God has to whip us because we've been commanded over and over not to repay. If we do it, He's going to whip us, but He doesn't have to whip them.  I'll give you an example. If you have two kids and you tell them, “Now, look, don't you hit back. If so-and-so does something to you, you come and tell me; I'll take care of it. If one of them hits back, then the other one has al­ready gotten his punishment. In that case, why should I hit him again? I'm going to have to hit you since you're the one who needs the whipping because you disobeyed me.” Here's the point. This is the way God does things. If He tells us. “Don't do it,” there's a purpose in it. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. What we war against must be done in the spirit; it must be done with authority of Christ and through the power of faith. It can't be done in the flesh.  Let me show you a really good example of this from David. (2Sa.16:5) And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. (6) And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. (7) And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow: (8) the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned … Well, I don't know if Shimei knew it or not, but David had opportunity about three times to kill Saul. It was in his hand to do it, and he wouldn't do it. He would resist the evil. He wouldn't repay. He left that to the Lord, and the Lord took care of that. The Lord used the Philistines to take Saul and his whole family out (1 Samuel 31:6), but He didn't have to blame David for it. David even had to dodge some of Saul's spears and his evil spirits (1 Samuel 18:11, 19:10). Shimei went on with his slander… And the Lord hath delivered the kingdom unto the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood. (2Sa.16:9) Then said Abishai the son of Zeruah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse the lord my king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. (10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David … Do you see that? “The Lord hath said unto him, ‘Curse David.'” David wasn't wrong here. The Lord works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). He sends wicked people to us to crucify our flesh. It's His purpose to do that, just as He sent and used the hand of wicked men to crucify the Lord. (Act.2:23) Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. God used these vessels of dishonor. He used the people of Israel and He used the wicked Roman Empire to crucify the Lord, as the Scripture says. It's the same with us. He put us here in the midst of a bunch of wolves. Jesus said, “I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luk.10:3). We have been put here for crucifixion, and the world is designed to crucify us. If you don't understand that, you don't understand the sovereignty of God. God designed this world to crucify us. Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Stop and think. “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Before Adam fell, God designed a Savior. Do you think we're in Plan B? Nope. We're in Plan A. There never has been a Plan B because God is Sovereign. He designed this world to manifest sons, and to manifest sons, you have to have a fallen nature to begin with. There have to be people who don't deserve God's goodness. That's where you have to start out because God wasn't creating angels. If He was creating angels, He wouldn't have had to make man at all. God didn't want angels. He wanted somebody who was fallen and so they could gratefully realize they picked up by the grace of God. You remember what Jesus said to one of the Pharisees? (Luk.7:40) And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. (41) A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. (42) When they had not [wherewith] to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? (43) Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. (47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. In other words, “Who is forgiven much, loveth much.” See, we're going to know how to love God because we don't deserve anything. We have fallen and have been picked up by grace, not by our works, but by grace or unmerited favor. We don't deserve anything. We deserve justice, but pray you don't get that because God's grace is far above justice. His mercy is far above justice. That's why we have to give grace to other people. Don't give them what they deserve; you may get what you deserve. (Mat.7:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. If you give somebody justice, you'll receive it back. Give them mercy. Give them grace. God will judge them. God may even judge them out of your mouth, but understand that it won't be with your flesh. The prophets spoke judgments. In the Book of Revelation, prophets speak judgment in (Revelation 11:6). I'm convinced that everything that happens in the Book of Revelation comes out of the mouth of God's children. Many of the curses today that are coming upon this world are coming out of the mouth of God's children. In fact, I'm convinced that all of them do. God is bringing judgment, and He's doing it through His people but it won't be personal retaliation or unforgiveness. They're speaking judgment, but they're not doing it with the mouth of the flesh. You know, we can't rise up against this government that God ordained according to Romans 13. If you do, God promises, “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Mat.26:52). But ultimately God's Kingdom is coming. The saints are going to possess the Kingdom, and they're going to take it from the Beast. They will do this by using the Sword of the Spirit and it will be happening in the spirit realm. They won't be doing it in the flesh. The flesh must be crucified. Works of the flesh must cease. You must desist. You must resist not him who is evil. In the spirit realm, we can do many mighty things. God has planned it that way so that your spirit man will be strong, but your flesh will be weak. That's the way God's salvation, God's deliverance, and every need is going to come. David understood that the Lord had commanded this, and we need to understand this, too. All we have to do is read Job to see that circumstances are the same today as they were back then. (Job2:10) … What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?…. And you know what? Job repented after God answered him in chapters 38-40. He repented of his self-righteousness. He repented (Job 42:1-6) and God gave him back what he'd lost (Job 42:10). But God used crucifixion in Job's life. Job wasn't physically doing wrong things; he wasn't in outward immoral disobedience. His problem was self-righteousness. God brought all this against him to bring him to repentance. David was also put in a position of crucifixion by God. God sent this enemy against him and David understood that. I think very few people in the Old Testament had wisdom like David concerning this. And he said, (2Sa.16:10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? (11) And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. “The Lord hath bidden him.” Think about that the next time people come against you and want to put you on the cross, and you keep wanting to climb down. We do want to climb down off that cross, but you can't drive the nails. God has designed the wicked to put the cross in the ground and drive the nails. That's their calling in this world.  God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. He has vessels of grace and vessels of wrath. They're all doing His Will, one way or the other. All things serve the Lord, and He works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). If you understand this, you can walk in grace and peace in this world, no matter what comes against you, because God put you there for a purpose. He put you there to be crucified and so that you would learn to use the weapons of your warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4). You know, sometimes the Lord sends the devil against you just so you can defeat him. He'll send the enemy against you, but He doesn't want you to go against him by wrestling with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Remember that the Bible says, “resist not him that is evil” (Mat.5:39). On the other hand, it says, “resist the devil” (Jas.4:7). “Resist not him that is evil” is talking about man. We don't wrestle with flesh and blood. When they wrestled with flesh and blood in the Old Testament, that was a type and shadow of them wrestling with principalities and powers. Go back over there and read the names of those kings and the names of those tribes that were conquered, and study in the Hebrew what those names mean. You're going to find out they're all the lusts of the flesh and demon spirits. That's who the Israelites were spiritually wrestling with and everything that happened to them was a type and a shadow for us. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. So go back to the Old Testament and look at it carefully. You'll see what they wrestled with.  Today we think we're supposed to carry on an Old Testament-type warfare in the way we war with people, but you can't grow if you do that. God will chasten you if you do that because you're rebelling against His Word. And David said of his accuser, “the Lord hath bidden him” (2Sa.16:11). (12) It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day. David is saying that the Lord will pay him back good for his resisting not evil. If the Lord's going to bless you for it, go ahead and let them curse. Didn't Jesus say you'd be blessed when men would curse you? Absolutely (Matthew 5:11). Didn't He say the spirit of grace and the Spirit of God would rest upon you? Have you ever experienced that? I have. When I first learned of this doctrine, the Lord put me in situations where I did, by His grace, turn the other cheek, and I felt the power of God on me for going through that. It's just a great anointing that comes upon you when you obey God in the place where you want to defend yourself, and you refuse to do it. Instead, you leave it in the hands of God, and you won't defend yourself.  If you do defend ‘self', then the old man will live; he'll climb down off that cross. Even though he's crucified, he's not totally dead yet, so he can still climb down. It's true that we have to reckon him dead (Romans 6:11), but until he is dead, don't let him live; don't feed him. Do you know what fasting is a type of? Well, when you fast, you're not feeding the flesh. What happens when you don't feed it? It gets weak. What does that do? It makes the spiritual man strong. There's a reason for fasting and there's a spiritual type. The whole chapter of Isaiah 58 is talking about spiritual fasting, about denying yourself, so we see that they had a revelation of that in the Old Testament, too. (2Sa.16:13) So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (14) And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there. Well, that wasn't the end of the story. David never did do anything to Shimei, but his son Solomon had him killed because he rebelled against his commands and left the city. It's hard to comprehend why Shimei was so against David. My guess is he was a low-life who just didn't want to understand the situation here. Anybody who was on Absalom's side and saw righteousness in Absalom and not in David, and saw righteousness in Saul and not in David, was in trouble. He was a sick son of the devil. Leaving our recompense in God's hands will do a work in you that nothing else will do because our old man would like to get the last word. And the last place you'll usually overcome in doing this is in your family. You can do it pretty well with the world and with the Christians around you, but one of the last places you're going to do it is with your family. The Scriptures teach this really well. The Lord says, “bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not” (Rom.12:14).(17) Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. (18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. We're to be at peace with all men. I once had a rather strange thing happen to me when I was in that state between dreaming and waking up. I was faced with an enemy that had come against this country. I saw an invasion force, and I was in the midst of it, and I was saying things to them in this dream like, “You're not my enemy.” The world may have enemies, but the world is not our enemy. Did you know the world is not our enemy? He said, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men” (2Sa.7:14). See, the rod is not your enemy; the rod is God's method of creation. When what we call our “enemy” is finished doing their work, God's going to destroy them. They have a work to do that we have to cooperate with God in. They are the rod of God who comes against us, but they're not really our enemy. We are to resist not that evil because that evil is what crucifies this flesh, which is our true enemy; it's the enemy of our eternal life. So they're doing a work in us that nothing else could do, and we need them. And God says, “as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men” (Rom.12:18). (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]. “Give place unto the wrath.” That “of God” wasn't in the original. Just cross that out because it's not in there. It says, “give place unto the wrath: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord” (19). (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Our method to bring the Gospel to people around us is to overcome evil with good. And Paul said, always leave the vengeance up to the Lord. Now I've heard for years that this ‘heaping coals of fire upon their head' was coals of conviction. Maybe so. But if you don't take vengeance, the Lord will, because He said to Israel, I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse (Gen.12:3). The Bible says we're the Israel of God. That verse is about you. It's not about a bunch of pagan Israelites who don't know God. No, it doesn't have anything to do with them. It has to do with the Israel of God. For as many as are of the faith of Abraham, these are the sons of Abraham (Romans 4:16). (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart…. God's going to bless those who bless you, but He's going to curse those who curse you.  (Psa.140:9) As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them. (10) Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise. So, this ‘burning coals upon the head;' could mean a lot more than just the convicting power. There are some people who will be totally convicted when you resist not their evil, and God can overcome evil in people who can be convicted because the power of God is drawing them. But there are some people who have no desire toward God. They're not being drawn of God, as a matter of fact. The Scripture doesn't say God draws everybody. (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him…. It's just not in there. And this won't do anything for them, but the Bible does say God's judgment will fall upon them. If you resist not the evil, God's judgment will fall upon them, so those burning coals can mean the judgment of God. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God…. Did you know that there is no power but of God? If somebody has power over you, guess Who gave them that power? Jesus told Pilate, “thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above” (Joh.19:11). It's the same situation with us. God puts us in positions where physically we don't have the power; the enemy, the wicked, have the power. How many times have you ever seen a Christian government over a country? Daniel said that God gives the kingdom to whom He will and He sets up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4:17). Did you ever wonder why God does that? Did you ever wonder why, in the days of Jesus, there were the Neros and the Caesars, and since then the Hitlers and the Mussolinis? God does that because we need crucifixion. God is in the process of creating sons, and there has to be a crucifixion for sons. The people in power most often are the wicked. The Bible says in Romans 13 that when they're put in power, God puts them there. So it says, “let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God” (Rom.13:1). And that was written in the days of the Herods and the Caesars and the Neros! God put them in there and they crucified the Christians. They brought the Christians through trouble and all that was God's purpose. (Act.14:22) … Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Yesterday we looked at one of the most sobering statements in2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul said that people will be deceived because: “theydid not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Today,verses 11 and 12 tell us what happens when people persistently reject God'struth. Paul writes that because of their rejection: “God will send themstrong delusion, that they should believe the lie.” Those are seriouswords. Atfirst, they may even trouble us. Why would God send a strong delusion? Theanswer is found in the context. These people have already been given the truth.They have rejected it. They have refused to believe it. They have chosenunrighteousness instead. Verse 12 says they: “did not believe the truthbut had pleasure in unrighteousness.” God isn't preventing sincerepeople from believing. These are people who have heard truth and deliberatelychosen the lie. Thereis a biblical principle here that appears throughout Scripture. When peoplecontinually reject God's light, eventually God allows them to experience theconsequences of the darkness they have chosen. Romans chapter 1 describespeople who knew God but refused to glorify Him as God. Three times in thatchapter we find the sobering expression: “God gave them up.” Theychose their way. And eventually God allowed them to have what they had chosen. Wesee something similar with Pharaoh in Exodus. Pharaoh repeatedly hardened hisheart against God. Eventually Scripture tells us that God hardened Pharaoh'sheart. That'swhy we should never treat God's truth casually. Every time God speaks to usthrough His Word, we have a choice. We can say: “Yes, Lord.” Or we canresist Him. And every “yes” makes it easier to say yes again. But everydeliberate “no” can make the next “no” easier too. Hebrews says: “Today,if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Notice thatword: Today. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today. Thereis also an important lesson here for those of us who already know Christ. Welive in a world filled with information. We can turn on television or open ourphones and within seconds hear hundreds of voices telling us what to believe. Buttruth isn't determined by popularity. Truth isn't determined by opinion polls. Truthdoesn't change because culture changes. God's Word is truth. Jesusprayed to His Father in John 17:17: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Yourword is truth.” Sohow do we protect ourselves from deception? Know the Word. Read the Word. Studythe Word. Believe the Word. Obey the Word. The best protection against acounterfeit is becoming thoroughly familiar with the genuine article. Paul'swarning about future deception should cause us to love God's truth even moretoday. And there is one phrase in verse 12 that especially challenges me. They “hadpleasure in unrighteousness.” The problem wasn't simply intellectual. Itwas moral. Sometimes people reject God's truth not because there isn't enoughevidence, but because accepting God's truth would require them to change theway they live. Paulwrote in Romans 1:18-19: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heavenagainst all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth inunrighteousness ..."  Noticethat they suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. This means because of theirunrighteous or immoral and sinful living they refused to listen to the truth ofthe Gospel and Jesus and even attempted to destroy it.  Jesussaid in John 3 that men loved darkness rather than light because their deedswere evil. So today let's ask ourselves: Do I really love the truth? DoI want God to show me where I'm wrong? Am I willing to change when His Wordcorrects me? That's evidence of a heart that loves truth. My friend, truthmatters. And the greatest truth of all is Jesus Christ. Let's love Him. Let'slove His Word. Let's walk in His truth. And let's share that truth with a worlddesperately in need of it. 

This week, Pastor Chris and Josh go back over Sunday's message on the authority of Jesus in Mark 1 and what it means that He speaks and acts with power no one else has. They talk about the difference between knowing about Jesus and really knowing Him, and how faith becomes personal when we're honest with Him. They close with practical encouragement for resting in His Word, His plan, and His mission in the week ahead.

Christ calls His church to make disciples through the proclamation of the gospel, baptism, and teaching His Word. Dave Jenkins explains why the local church is central to that mission and how ordinary believers bear witness to Christ in everyday life. For more from Equipping You in Grace, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/equipping-you-in-grace-2/

Growing In God Podcast Program Number: GIG #321   Title: Love God With All Your Heart   Web Description: The biblical feasts are a divine time in which we can break through into things that are available to us. Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is one of those times. As we finish Sukkot this year, let us do it with a drive of spirit that says we will walk with God, we will obey His Word, and we will love Him with all our hearts and souls. We can do this because His provision and equipping have enabled us.   Show Notes: The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to celebrate the preparation God has for us in this life, just as Israel observed the feast as a remembrance of their preparation in the wilderness. A major aspect of that preparation was the Lord commanding His people to love Him with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might. He also told them, "This commandment is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach." God was not commanding them to do something that He was not also enabling them to do.   Now apply this to yourself as a believer in Christ today. John reminds us that we do not have a new commandment. It is the same commandment we have heard from the beginning. We know that we are to love the Lord with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves, but obeying that sometimes seems too difficult or out of reach. We need this realization that if God tells us to do something, He also equips us and enables us to do it.   Therefore, we cannot continue making excuses for not loving God and observing His commandments to us, especially in these days in which we live. There is an urgency on this age to obey God, just as He commanded Israel to do. So as you continue to celebrate this great Feast of Tabernacles, I encourage you to reach in with an even greater faith that God will enable you to love Him with all your heart in order to please Him and be capable of performing the works that He has prepared for us.   Key Verses:   •       Deuteronomy 30:5–8. "God will circumcise your heart … to love the LORD your God with all your heart." •       Deuteronomy 30:9–14. "This commandment … is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach." •       Deuteronomy 30:15–20. "I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live." •       2 John 1:4–6. "This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning." •       Leviticus 19:18. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." •       Romans 10:6–8. "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART." •       Deuteronomy 6:4–13. "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." •       Jeremiah 31:33. "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it."   Quotes:   •       "God doesn't command you to do something that He doesn't also equip you and enable you to do." •       "We can do this. He's putting it in our heart. He's putting the words of faith in our mouth that we may speak them into existence." •       "This promise comes not because you say, 'I'm saved,' and you go on and live your life in some other way. It comes because we literally live a life in which we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, and we obey His voice."   Takeaways:   1.    This is not out of reach for us. We can do this. We can come into the reality of loving the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul. This Word is near us. It is in our mouths and in our hearts that we may observe it. 2.    There are Words that He has commanded us. There are the Words that He has put upon our hearts. And we have to stop saying, "This is too difficult for us." It is not too difficult. God has made it possible. 3.    Let us celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in such a way that we come out of it living in days of life and prosperity, and we walk away from the age of death and adversity.

In this episode of Finding Purpose with Russ Andrews, Russ takes us into Hosea chapter 8 and explores the biblical warning to "sound the trumpet" when danger is approaching. Drawing from the role of the watchman in Scripture, he examines six ways Israel rebelled against God, including breaking His covenant, knowing about God without truly knowing Him, rejecting His Word, embracing idolatry, and becoming religious while remaining spiritually lost. Russ then connects these biblical lessons to the spiritual condition of America and emphasizes the need for Christians to return to Scripture, humble themselves, pray, confess their sins, and seek revival. Discover why Russ believes the answer to a nation's deepest problems begins with God's people and the restoration of biblical truth in our homes, churches, and communities.

Think about a cake… You may have seen some beautiful and elaborate cakes before. And isn't it the biggest disappointment in the world when you bite into a slice of cake, and it's like eating cardboard? In today's message, Pastor Richard wants you to know that the Word of God has to be at the center of your walk with God. You can put on an outward display of being a “good Christian.” But do you spend time knowing God through His Word?

God Wants You Healed! God is a good God, and His Word says, "By His stripes, you were healed;" so you ARE healed. Discover more on this episode of Fight To Win with Pastor Kurt Owen.Tactical Tip: Many of our videos contain a short section we call Tactical Tips. Most offer ways to improve personal safety and security.Request the Free Offer: https://www.fighttowin.tvLearn More, Register for Events & Donate:https://www.kurtowen.com/***UPDATED TEXT TO GIVE INFORMATION***Text GIVEKOM to 44321Prefer to Watch the Video?https://youtu.be/iYDxoWi6d38Become a supporter of this podcasthttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fight-to-win-tv-with-kurt-owen--5638799/support.

September 30, 2026Today's Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15; Matthew 6:1-15“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:1-2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.As we've been going through the Word this past week, we've been examining the virtue of humility. Today, God's Word leads us to consider how humility helps us in our relationships.People are complicated and frustrating. You've worked on a class project all week, but one member of the group shows up on the day of the presentation completely unprepared. When you thought you did a great job on a paper, it comes back covered in red marks. Your brothers and sisters are getting on your nerves for the ten-thousandth time. While you were doing okay, your parents seemed judgmental. Sometimes, your own thoughts and self-talk are awful, as even you seem to be your own worst enemy. People can be frustrating, and the world's answer is to simply cut them off, make yourself feel better, and only do what makes you happy. It's tempting some days more than others, but it's a lie. This lie is the call of pride, which makes you see the faults of others while you seem so perfect. The call of pride says, “When you make mistakes, there was a reason for it,” or “You know better.”Dear Christian, you've been called to something more.By the Holy Spirit, you're a Christian. In your Baptism, the pastor put the sign of the cross upon your forehead and your heart to mark you as one for whom Christ was crucified. You have the name of Christ on you; do not take that lightly. Called, gathered, and kept by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel, you aren't meant to walk in the ways of the world. Pride makes you think you're so high and mighty when others make mistakes, but humility and the Word of God remind us of our own sin. You are complicated and frustrating. You make mistakes, get on your siblings' nerves, and are judgmental. Lord, have mercy. Humility and gentleness should mark our attitudes as we are patient with one another, bearing with each other in love. Humility helps you to esteem others more highly than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Humility helps you to remember your own imperfections and helps you bear with the faults of others. This is what it means to walk with Jesus in the manner He's called us. May God bless you as you, through the Holy Spirit, seek to walk in the manner of a Child of God and follow His Word humbly and gently. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Forgive we now each other's faults As we our faults confess, And let us love each other well In Christian holiness” (LSB 845:3)Rev. Miguel Gonzalez-Feliciano, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Klinger and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA. Tackle the book of Revelation and discover both the promise and challenge of the end times in this new volume in the Concordia Commentary Bible Study Series. Dive into the wide breadth of information available in the Concordia Commentary series with this new line of Bible studies. Each volume covers one of the Concordia Commentaries to help break up deep, theological content into easy-to-digest sections.

There's a difference between human opinion and divine truth. Dr. Tony Evans explains how the Bible wasn't simply written by people, but was breathed out by God Himself, giving His Word the authority and power to teach, correct and prepare us for the lives He has called us to live.

Our choices deliver outcomes to our lives, and the book of Proverbs shows us the decisions that lead to blessings—and those that lead to curses. So, why wouldn't we choose behaviors that bring God's blessings? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson shares what Proverbs teaches us about abundance and poverty. He discusses the importance of work and generosity, as well as the biblical definition of abundance. It can be easy to slip into laziness or selfishness, but Proverbs tells us clearly what the products are of those behaviors. God's character is revealed in His Word, and in this book of wisdom, He tells us the right choices to make. Let's listen to His guidance!

The importance of yielding to God and renewing our minds by His Word; developing a new attitude as we deal with challenging relationships.Order the full series on MP3 here! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1213/29?v=20251111

Welcome back to Build Your Bible Habit! As you continue the habit of reading a daily chapter of Proverbs, you will develop an appetite for more Scripture. Gradually move from reading to studying, looking up unfamiliar words and studying other books of the Bible.  Over time, you will find yourself "handling matters wisely" and finding good outcomes more often (Prov. 16:20). Wisdom is a gift and a treasure, and God gives it to us freely. We just have to show up and "eat the meal" He provides from His Word. Daily. Apply: Living What We Learn-A 31-Day Devotional by Francie Taylor FOR COUPLES: Rough Patches: Temporary Marital Tensions by Francie Taylor Peace Beyond Panic: A Heavenly Perspective on Anxiety and Depression by Dr. John W. Vaprezsan Bible Studies at Keep the Heart Gorgeous Bibles and Framed Shell Art Follow Keep the Heart on Instagram NEW: Seashell Devotions with Francie on Instagram Like Keep the Heart on Facebook "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Proverbs 29:18)

God gives 20 different principles about guarding and keeping His Word. We keep them diligently, never turning aside to the right or left, never adding or diminishing from them, meditating on them continually, and being strong and very courageous to keep God's way in the midst of a crooked generation. And we are just getting started!

Come Out of Babylon and Return to God's Ways | KIB 551 DESCRIPTION COME OUT OF BABYLON AND RETURN TO GOD'S WAYS What happens when believers stop fighting the Word of God and simply begin asking: "Father, what are Your ways?" In this special Feast of Tabernacles edition of Kingdom Intelligence Briefing, Dr. Michael Lake and Mary Lou Lake speak from the heart about their journey of learning to leave Babylon's patterns behind and increasingly align their lives with the Kingdom of God. The Feast of Tabernacles provides the backdrop for an important question: Are we allowing Scripture to define our Christianity—or are we interpreting Scripture through traditions and cultural assumptions we inherited from Babylon? Dr. Lake examines the biblical feasts as God's appointed times—divine rehearsals that point toward the work of Messiah. The spring feasts reveal what Christ accomplished in His first coming, while the fall feasts prophetically anticipate events associated with His return, His Kingdom, and ultimately the new heaven and new earth. Pasted text The discussion also confronts the historical process through which portions of Christianity became increasingly separated from their Hebraic foundations and absorbed practices from surrounding cultures. But this episode is NOT a call to religious legalism. It is a call to return to the Word. Dr. Lake explains the biblical concept of Torah as the loving instruction of the Father. Rather than viewing God's commandments through the harshness associated with Roman law, believers should understand God's instructions as revealing the pathway He established for His people. That produces one of the central principles of KIB 551: We cannot expect Kingdom results while deliberately walking according to the ways of another kingdom. Repentance realigns us with God. Obedience closes doors to the enemy. The Word renews our minds. And the Holy Spirit progressively teaches believers how to walk according to the Kingdom into which Christ has brought them. Pasted text Dr. Lake puts the principle powerfully: "You cannot outgive your disobedience." Kingdom life cannot be reduced to formulas, offerings, religious rituals, or outward appearances. God desires obedience flowing from faith and love. As believers leave Babylon, repent, and align themselves with Scripture, they progressively close doors through which the enemy has operated and learn how to walk in the blessings and freedom of God's Kingdom. Pasted text Mary Lou also shares a deeply personal message for believers who are exhausted, grieving, sick, or walking through overwhelming circumstances: LET GOD CARRY YOU. There are seasons when believers reach the end of their own strength. Surrender can be difficult—especially for someone who has experienced betrayal, trauma, disappointment, or loss. Yet surrendering ourselves into God's hands can become the beginning of restoration. Sometimes faith means standing. Sometimes faith means fighting. And sometimes faith means allowing the Father to carry us through something we cannot carry ourselves through. Pasted text KIB 551 also addresses sanctification. Maturity does not mean that temptation somehow ceases to exist. Rather, as believers grow closer to God, they increasingly recognize that sin simply costs too much. Why trade the presence of God for momentary pleasure? Why descend again into a valley from which God has already brought us? Why reopen doors Christ has helped us close? There are pleasures in the presence of God that Babylon cannot reproduce. Pasted text The episode concludes with perhaps its clearest statement of purpose: We do not obey God to make Him accept us. We obey Him because He has already accepted us in Christ. Because He loved us and gave Himself for us, our response is gratitude, surrender, obedience, and love. This Feast of Tabernacles, may the peace of God fill your home. May healing come to bodies and emotions. And may the Holy Spirit continue leading the remnant out of Babylon and deeper into the ways of the Kingdom. Pasted text Key Scriptures and Biblical Themes Leviticus 23:41 — The Feast of Tabernacles as an enduring appointed time. Zechariah 14:16–19 — The Feast of Tabernacles during Messiah's reign. Joshua 1:8 — Meditating upon and obeying God's Word. John 15:5 — Christ as the Vine and believers as the branches. Deuteronomy 28:1–68 — Blessings and curses associated with covenant faithfulness and disobedience. Hebrews 12:18–29 — Sinai, Zion, obedience, judgment, and "our God is a consuming fire." Romans 6:16–18 — Slavery to sin contrasted with obedience and righteousness. Proverbs 18:21 — Life and death in the power of the tongue. The transcript particularly emphasizes Leviticus 23:41 and the Hebrew concept of olam while discussing the enduring significance of the Feast of Tabernacles. Pasted text CHAPTERS / TIMELINE These timestamps come directly from the transcript's timestamp markers, with chapter headings describing the discussion beginning at or near those markers. 00:00 — Biblical Life TV: Empowering the Remnant 01:29 — Welcome to KIB 551 01:53 — A Special Feast of Tabernacles Conversation 02:13 — Encouragement During Difficult Times 04:58 — Mind War, Psychological Operations & New Age Thinking 08:48 — Self-Talk, Faith Teaching & New Age Parallels 12:09 — Healing, Trust & Learning to Surrender to God 16:03 — How Should Christians Approach the Biblical Feasts? 18:58 — The Feasts Are Divine Rehearsals 19:36 — Spring Feasts, Fall Feasts & Messiah 20:43 — Leviticus 23:41: "A Statute Forever" 22:38 — Tabernacles & the Millennial Reign 26:54 — Christianity, Paganism & Religious Tradition 31:36 — Polycarp, Passover & the Early Church 34:38 — Deconstructionism vs. Biblical Truth 38:02 — Culture Does Not Redefine God's Word 40:13 — Torah: The Loving Instruction of the Father 43:49 — "You Cannot Outgive Your Disobedience" 44:10 — Obedience Opens Doors to God's Kingdom 46:00 — Avoiding Legalism in the Hebraic Roots Movement 50:41 — Babylon's System Turns Everything Toward Self 51:33 — Strengthening Believers Going Through Difficult Times 52:19 — "Let God Carry You" 54:11 — Believing God for Healing 54:59 — Dr. Lake's Personal Healing Testimony 57:52 — Sanctification & Why Sin Becomes Too Expensive 59:47 — Experiencing the Peace of God 1:01:12 — Health, Food & Biblical Dietary Principles 1:05:48 — Obedience Even When We Do Not Understand 1:07:45 — Stop Fighting the Word of God 1:08:04 — Obedience From Love, Not Religious Legalism 1:08:33 — "Because He Loved Me, I Changed My Life" 1:09:42 — Biblical Life TV Partner Message CALL TO ACTION Babylon continually asks us to define good and evil for ourselves. The Kingdom asks a different question: What has God said? The goal is not religious legalism. The goal is not earning salvation. The goal is learning to walk with the God who has already redeemed us through Jesus Christ. Examine the traditions you inherited. Examine your priorities. Examine what you allow into your home. Examine your theology. And compare everything with the Word of God. When Scripture reveals something that needs to change, do not fight the Word. Repent. Realign. Obey. And keep walking deeper into the Kingdom. If KIB 551 has encouraged or challenged you, please LIKE this video, SUBSCRIBE to Biblical Life TV, and SHARE this episode with someone who is learning how to come out of Babylon and walk more fully in God's ways. COMMENT BELOW: What has God shown you from His Word that required you to change something you had previously believed or practiced? PARTNER WITH BIBLICAL LIFE TV Kingdom Intelligence Briefing and Biblical Life TV are made possible through the prayers and faithful support of our partners around the world. Our purpose remains to provide deep biblical teaching that will inform, strengthen, and empower the remnant for the days ahead. The program itself describes this mission as helping believers become empowered by the Word of God to fulfill His purposes in these last days. Pasted text If Biblical Life TV has strengthened your walk with God, please prayerfully consider partnering with the ministry. Biblical Life P.O. Box 160 Seymour, Missouri 65746-0160 Online giving is available through the ministry's official resources. Kingdom Intelligence Briefing Thank you to everyone who prays, gives, shares these programs, and stands with us as we work to prepare the remnant.

Something is stirring in this generation, and it's getting harder to ignore.   Pastor Rod Parsley sits down with Bishop Evans and Pastor Ashley Kariuki for a powerful conversation about what many are calling “The Quiet Revival.” Across this generation, there is a growing hunger for God, His Word, prayer, discipleship, and a faith that is real.   Gen Z is going back to the Word. Young men are pursuing God. Sons and daughters are hungry for more. So how does the Church recognize what God is doing and help fan the flame?   This generation doesn't want surface-level Christianity. They want more.   Subscribe to The RP Podcast and join us for a new episode every Tuesday at 8 AM ET.

There's a difference between human opinion and divine truth. Dr. Tony Evans explains how the Bible wasn't simply written by people, but was breathed out by God Himself, giving His Word the authority and power to teach, correct and prepare us for the lives He has called us to live.

Discover what it means to prosper God's way by aligning your life with His Word and His principles. Learn how to walk in God's wisdom, experience His provision, and become a faithful steward of what He has entrusted to you. True prosperity goes beyond finances—it's about thriving in every area of life while keeping God at the center.

Does prayer come easy to you? Or is it hard to know how to talk to God? Lee Nienhuis was a teenager when she began to understand what a relationship with Jesus looked like. Mentored by her youth pastor and his wife, this new understanding inspired her to deepen her relationship with Christ through prayer. Now, as a mom of four, Lee uses Scripture to pray specific prayers over her children. Join Lee as she shares with hosts Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni how to use Scripture to guide us through praying for all the people, things, and situations in our lives. You don't want to miss this final episode of Season 18 of the God Hears Her podcast.  Guest Bio: Lee Nienhuis is an author, speaker, and passionate Bible teacher whose love for the Lord and His Word is contagious. Lee is a communications specialist, ministry coach, and consultant for many churches and nonprofit organizations. With a heart for inductive Bible study and missions, she speaks both domestically and abroad, communicating a dynamic vision of biblical literacy for the next generation. Lee's books, Brave Moms, Brave Kids, and Counter-Cultural Parenting, are a clarion call for parents who are looking to raise wholehearted Christ followers in this generation. Lee's writing and speaking have been featured on Focus on the Family, True Woman, Iron Sharpens Iron, and Proverbs 31 ministries. Lee and her husband, Mike, have four kids and live in West Michigan.    Notes and Quotes:  “It wasn't that I didn't know that Jesus had died on a cross . . . it was that I didn't understand how that was supposed to relate to our life.” —Lee Nienhuis  “God's Word transforms lives in broken places.” —Lee Nienhuis  “The healing that I was finding was what I wanted for other people. The only thing I knew was that Jesus loves me and that I'm supposed to tell other people about Him.” —Lee Nienhuis  “Little by little, God transformed me, and I am not who I was.” —Lee Nienhuis  Lee's Prayers: “Lord, would you give me a heart for your Word?” “Lord, would you give me a heart for lost people?” “Lord, would you teach me how to pray?”  “I can have control or I can have faith, and I am choosing faith every time.” —Lee Nienhuis  Verses:  Ephesians 3:19  Galatians 6:2  Related Episodes:  GHH Ep 86 – When We Pray Like Jesus: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/when-we-pray-like-jesus/ GHH Ep 99 – Conversations with God with Lori Hatcher: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/conversations-with-god/ GHH Ep 199 – Praying Honestly with Rachel Britton: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/praying-honestly/  Links:  Join our Email List : https://go.odb.org/sign-up-ghh Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM Lee's Website: https://leenienhuis.com/about-me/ Pray Naturally by Rachel Britton: https://www.amazon.com/Pray-Naturally-Finding-Spiritual-Confidence/dp/1640703683/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UdnRqFZW8FNHKQ7aO848rkaGPi02CNV5wF7Xi_b2Br39nsaoHkqGYsxC8HLZ3Fk0.3Q5c1NCQ5Ye1AyIP2KeTeexDyiJi-KeA1kHM44HNSBo&dib_tag=se&hvadid=778115814181&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9021712&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=10531869851246428587--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10531869851246428587&hvtargid=kwd-2457826502637&hydadcr=17811_13794493&keywords=pray+naturally+rachel+britton&mcid=6092d020e8ca351f8b33ac3c01da060c&qid=1788189098&sr=8-1 

What is the key to experiencing the fruit of the spirit flowing through you every day? On Believer's Voice of Victory, Gloria Copeland teaches that love never fails when you stay connected to God. Discover why maintaining living contact with God through His Word and prayer is essential to walking in love and living in victory. Gloria explains that you don't have to depend on your own ability to live the Christian life—remain united to God and allow His power to work through you. Stay in living contact with the Father every day and let the overflow of His love be seen in you!Mentioned in this episode:BVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link Hub