Podcasts about holies

Share a commentA birth announcement shook the night sky and reset history: a child in Bethlehem who is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. We walk through Gabriel's lightning-fast message, the sheer scope of the angelic host, and the quiet courage of a young woman who said yes to God, even when it meant being misunderstood for life. Along the way, we connect the temple, the throne of David, and the promise of a kingdom without end to the gritty, hopeful ground of daily faith.We start with the contrast between human breakthroughs in communication and a form of delivery that never fails—messages sent by angels. From there, we linger with Mary as Gabriel speaks two powerful currents into her life: grace and greatness. Grace means undeserved favor; greatness means God's unstoppable plan. Mary's honest question about how a virgin can conceive meets a temple-shaped answer: the Spirit will overshadow her, as glory once filled the Holy of Holies. That image reframes us, too—believers become living temples who carry Christ into ordinary spaces with purpose and humility.Then the fields around Bethlehem come alive. Likely temple shepherds, charged with raising lambs for sacrifice yet barred from worship as unclean, hear first. Gabriel's announcement is precise and bold: the Deliverer has come, the Anointed King stands in David's line, and this child is God incarnate. Born for you. Not for angels—for people on the margins, for the devout in the temple, for anyone ready to receive grace. The Creator who once wrapped the universe in darkness now lies wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the Father fills the sky with a choir no earthly parent could hire.The closing challenge lands close to home: angels announced, but now we advance. If we carry Christ, then we carry his message—clearly, kindly, and courageously. Listen, reflect, and share the hope: Jesus is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. If this moved you, follow the show, leave a review, and send the episode to someone who needs good news today.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Share a commentA birth announcement shook the night sky and reset history: a child in Bethlehem who is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. We walk through Gabriel's lightning-fast message, the sheer scope of the angelic host, and the quiet courage of a young woman who said yes to God, even when it meant being misunderstood for life. Along the way, we connect the temple, the throne of David, and the promise of a kingdom without end to the gritty, hopeful ground of daily faith.We start with the contrast between human breakthroughs in communication and a form of delivery that never fails—messages sent by angels. From there, we linger with Mary as Gabriel speaks two powerful currents into her life: grace and greatness. Grace means undeserved favor; greatness means God's unstoppable plan. Mary's honest question about how a virgin can conceive meets a temple-shaped answer: the Spirit will overshadow her, as glory once filled the Holy of Holies. That image reframes us, too—believers become living temples who carry Christ into ordinary spaces with purpose and humility.Then the fields around Bethlehem come alive. Likely temple shepherds, charged with raising lambs for sacrifice yet barred from worship as unclean, hear first. Gabriel's announcement is precise and bold: the Deliverer has come, the Anointed King stands in David's line, and this child is God incarnate. Born for you. Not for angels—for people on the margins, for the devout in the temple, for anyone ready to receive grace. The Creator who once wrapped the universe in darkness now lies wrapped in swaddling clothes, and the Father fills the sky with a choir no earthly parent could hire.The closing challenge lands close to home: angels announced, but now we advance. If we carry Christ, then we carry his message—clearly, kindly, and courageously. Listen, reflect, and share the hope: Jesus is Savior, Messiah, and Lord. If this moved you, follow the show, leave a review, and send the episode to someone who needs good news today.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Prophetic Christmas Judgment? (audio) David Eells 12/24/25 Christmas 2025 Alison Pound - 12/21/25 (David's note in red) It's worth noting that I received the following word just 14 days out from Christmas Day. He previously said that we are right in the season for some specific events He has been warning about for some years now, to come to pass. This is the time of sorrows. Increasing magnitude and occurrence of earthquakes, of wars, deaths, mourning, floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes……. As I was preparing to post this, the Lord said read Psalm 68 [1] Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. [2] As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. The Psalm also says “LET THE RIGHTEOUS BE GLAD”. We are to PRAISE HIM, BECAUSE HE IS A GOOD GOD. ALL HIS JUDGMENTS ARE RIGHTEOUS! The whole chapter can be read below. This is what the Lord said to me on December 11. “That Christmas I told you about, where it would not be celebrated as in other years, this is the one. This year of 2025, Christmas will not be at all like other Christmases. All around the earth, every household will be affected by what I Am doing in the earth. Remember that My judgments are now in the earth and are upon its people. I Am dealing with believers. My people. Those who claim to know Me. I Am about to test all believers in the hardest test they have ever had to endure. Many will not make it. They will be taken away and the next time they awaken they will be standing in front of Me, being asked to account for themselves. This is a very serious time. All of heaven has paused. They take this time very seriously. Most of those on earth are completely unaware of what goes on in heaven, and what I Am about to do on the earth. But this Christmas, they will be right in the midst of My judgments. You know of what I speak. (He has warned of imminent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods in various places, and wars.) Many this year will have no home. Many homes, whole communities have (already) been destroyed by flooding. Lives have been lost. I speak of the fires also. (lives have been lost) And there will be more of both flood and fire.” Psa 68:1-35 For the Chief Musician; A Psalm of David, a Song. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; Let them also that hate him flee before him. (2) As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: As wax melteth before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. (3) But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God: Yea, let them rejoice with gladness. (4) Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: Cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts; His name is Jehovah; and exult ye before him. (5) A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation. (6) God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (7) O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah. (8) The earth trembled, The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God: Yon Sinai trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel. (9) Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, Thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. (10) Thy congregation dwelt therein: Thou, O God, didst prepare of thy goodness for the poor. (11) The Lord giveth the word: The women that publish the tidings are a great host. (12) Kings of armies flee, they flee; And she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil. (13) When ye lie among the sheepfolds, It is as the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her pinions with yellow gold. (14) When the Almighty scattered kings therein, It was as when it snoweth in Zalmon. (15) A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A high mountain is the mountain of Bashan. (16) Why look ye askance, ye high mountains, At the mountain which God hath desired for his abode? Yea, Jehovah will dwell in it for ever. (17) The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands: The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary. (18) Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell with them. (19) Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, Even the God who is our salvation. Selah. (20) God is unto us a God of deliverances; And unto Jehovah the Lord belongeth escape from death. (21) But God will smite through the head of his enemies, The hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his guiltiness. (22) The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring them again from the depths of the sea; (23) That thou mayest crush them, dipping thy foot in blood, That the tongue of thy dogs may have its portion from thine enemies. (24) They have seen thy goings, O God, Even the goings of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. (25) The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, In the midst of the damsels playing with timbrels. (26) Bless ye God in the congregations, Even the Lord, ye that are of the fountain of Israel. (27) There is little Benjamin their ruler, The princes of Judah and their council, The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. (28) Thy God hath commanded thy strength: Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. (29) Because of thy temple at Jerusalem Kings shall bring presents unto thee. (30) Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, The multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples, Trampling under foot the pieces of silver: He hath scattered the peoples that delight in war. (31) Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God. (32) Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises unto the Lord; Selah. (33) To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which are of old; Lo, he uttereth his voice, a mighty voice. (34) Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, And his strength is in the skies. (35) O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel, he giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.   Tragedy is Coming Just Praise Him – Glynda Lomax October 25, 2016 (David's note in red) A tragedy is coming that is so immense, so widespread in its effect that all the world will mourn with America. This tragedy will bring about a financial crisis like nothing before it. The shock will cause all to take an inventory of their lives. Many lost will run to Me then, to know more of Me, and you must be ready for this time. You must be ready to answer their inquiries about Me. You must be walking in My ways to model Me before them. I will begin soon to call more of my aging saints home to Me. I do not desire they to see this tragedy. These are the ones who have served Me long and well, and their rewards are great in heaven. The scope of this tragedy will be shocking. Many souls will be lost in what is going to happen. This is My last judgment call to the world to turn away from their sins, to turn to Me, to give Me their hearts. At the same time, many who know Me shall turn away, blaming Me for this tragedy, and laying down their faith. Satan will enter their hearts then and their end shall be far worse than their beginning. Hold tight to your faith, My precious children, do not let the enemy have your souls. Remain steadfast, for I have not forsaken you, and the end of all things is near. NOTE: I had been praying for days about why I keep feeling there will be no Christmas celebrations this year when I got this word. (It seems she had some reluctance. However many prophetic utterances don't come to pass the year they are spoken, but later so many can take warning. Many are just hearing this warning now when others are getting the same warning. Joseph taught that when a revelation is doubled it will come to pass.) I know it would take something huge to stop Christmas in America. Suddenly, I heard rumbling, and what came to my mind was an earthquake. I cannot say it is one, because He did not say that. I cannot say for sure that this (earthquake) will happen before Christmas, because the Lord did not say that. I was concerned about the term “judgment call” as it generally means a summary judgment based on known facts, but then I realized “call” could mean “calling” the lost to Himself. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 2 Peter 2:20-21 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (We have certainly seen this sign.) Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. What we see in these revelations below is the faction in Church and state are trying to take down the righteous, but God is directing their wrath to take them down instead, just as Pharaoh at the Red Sea, or Sennacherib at Jerusalem, or the 3 armies against Jehoshaphat at Jerusalem, etc. The glory of the Lord is going to be seen by the whole world at our Red Sea. The fear and respect of the Lord will be on many from among the nations. A common timing theme in these dreams is Christmas time, which symbolizes the time of the Man-child's birth. The day cannot be ruled out either. Individuals in these dreams represent corporate bodies of people around the world.   Coming Attack and Man-child Provision  Eve Brast - 11/27/18 (David's notes in Red) I had a dream where I was in my paternal grandparents' house in Highland Park in Dallas, Texas. I was in the living room and decided to go down to the basement (in real life there was no basement) to check on my three sons. As I went down the basement stairs, I saw my husband moving large containers of some sort from outside the house through the left brick wall of the basement, as if the wall was an illusion of some kind. (The breaching of a wall on the left symbolizes breaking with our sanctification, or separation from the world.) My sons were all younger in the dream: Noah was 9, Elijah was 6, and Josiah was 4. I called out to my husband over the commotion and asked if I could spend some time with the boys. He never stopped what he was so busily doing, only replied, “They are busy helping me. We don't have time for that.” (The left has always hindered the fellowship of the Bride with the children and this actually came to pass.) Then I heard and felt a shaking sound (I wrote this interpretation in 2018 before the recent revelations: This could represent the shaking coming at Christmas time, OR the time of the Man-child Body's birth, or both? - Even though the timing of Christmas and its traditions are false, it can represent the time of the Man-child's birth, whenever that comes. Why Christmas? We will see.) coming from behind me and I could see a large red CGI dragon in the spirit coming for me. (A realistic 3D animated dragon. The dragon in Revelation 12 is the beast of the first 3 1/2 years, who fails to devour the Man-child and then seeks to devour the Woman Church. From other dreams, we know that we are NOW in the time of the immature dragon, hence a cartoon dragon. I had a dream where this exact dragon was sneaking in a back window of our assembly to devour us. It came and failed.) I then hurried down the stairs and went around the stack of containers that he had brought into the basement, and turned around to see the dragon coming down the stairs. It had yellow eyes. (It looked just like the dragon Smaug from The Lord of the Rings movies.) It said, “I'm coming for you.” I hid behind the containers as it stomped past. Once it was past where I was, I noticed a Christmas tree over to the side of the basement. (Another Christmas time/Man-child birth revelation) So I hurried over and knelt down behind the tree and was praying and telling myself, “If I'm very still, he won't be able to see me.” Noah came over and began to ask me, “What are you doing, Mom?” I told him, “If I'm very still, he won't see me.” Noah laughed and said, “You mean him?”, pointing to the dragon. I said, “Yes.” He then started pushing on me and making me move. The dragon saw me and narrowed his eyes and said, “I see you!” He began to lumber over towards me as I woke up. (Children who are temporarily in the camp of the Left do not understand the true nature of the Dragon. The Woman escaped the Dragon in the dream here by waking up.) I asked Father for a couple of words by faith at random concerning this dream, and my finger was on “I have broken Moab” in Jeremiah 48:38 (Moab was the Children of Lot who factioned away as leftists from their brethren of Israel as a type of the Church) Jer 48:35-46 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods. 36 Therefore my heart soundeth for Moab like pipes, and my heart soundeth like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: therefore the abundance that he hath gotten is perished. 37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets thereof there is lamentation every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein none delighteth, saith Jehovah. 39 How is it broken down! how do they wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all that are round about him. 40 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle and shall spread out his wings against Moab (the factious in Church and state). 41 Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. 42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah. 43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah. 44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah. 45 They that fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. 46 Woe unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away captive, and thy daughters into captivity. (Both of these texts involve a visitation of the Lord to punish the wicked and reward the righteous. The Lord is coming, manifested in the Man-child body ministry by Word and Spirit. Jesus was first born as a baby and later was anointed to Minister. These two stages happen to the Man-child body of our day also.) The second one I received by faith at random, my finger was on “he will carry them in his bosom” in Isa.40:11 (The right and righteous will escape)  In context Isa 40:1-11 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem (the Bride); and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins. 3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low (The humble will be exalted and the proud humbled); and the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain: 5 and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it. 6 The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. 7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it; surely the people is grass. 8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever. 9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (the Bride), get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! 10 Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm (Jesus in the Man-child) will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. (Judgment on the Factious Edomites just before He rewards the Righteous) 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young. Notice the same words “his reward is with him, and his recompense before him” when God saved the Bride from the factious Edomites. And here it is in Isa 62:11-63:3 Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 12 And they shall call them the holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken. 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winevat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. When the Lord separates the factious spirits from some of the factious people, they will return to righteousness, although they will have missed the Bride. Others will die in their sins.   A Remnant of the Faction Begins to Return Around the Birth of the Soloman Man-child Body Eve Brast - 08/08/18 (David's notes in Red) I dreamed this morning that our local UBM assembly was meeting on an upper floor of an apartment building (An apartment represents a body of houses built together into a holy temple in the Lord, as Ephesians says.). The living room was smaller than the Shaw's and there was a small room to the right of the long entry way that was a kitchenette (Where the spiritual food is prepared). We were all sitting in a large circle singing acapella praises to the Lord. David was sitting along the wall where the entryway led into the living room. Michael was on his left, and I was on his right. I (As a type of the last Adam's Bride, Eve) was wearing a beautiful dress with a floral pattern on it. (A symbol of Fruit and beauty being born as in Springtime, by the corporate Bride body.). But I was very weak and thin from fighting a long illness. (Representing the corporate Bride fighting off the faction infection. Faction is division through unforgiveness, criticism, slander, etc. We fought it off in the Church and we saw the same spirits in the government. At this time, Eve actually was fighting off this infirmity, which the medical Journal says comes from an abusive relationship that she has been through. When she had this dream, she wasn't suffering from this, and we wondered what this dream spoke of. This shows us the timing is near for these things. (I believe I represent a corporate body sick of faction. But once the factious leader below was born again and he and others came back into an inferior fold, I was recovering as a body of people. Part of the text was good concerning those Father knows and will bring them back to Him, and the other part is concerning those in the dream who were too fearful to enter the door again.) I couldn't stand or move around for long before I had to sit down and rest. David and Michael had to help me by each holding my arms for support when I needed to stand or walk. But I was slowly regaining my strength day by day. (At that time, there were factious people returning.) Suddenly, the factious leader came through the front door and was encouraging others who had factioned away to enter also. The others had followed him to the door but wouldn't enter. (This represents the outer court of God's house) A couple of men came right inside the door, but were fearful to come any further. (Content to be in the holy place but not the Holy of Holies.) The factious leader himself came all the way up to the threshold of the entryway where the living room began, but wasn't interested in joining our praise and worship. (Not going to return to the Bride in the Holy of Holies, but to a lesser degree, the holy place) He was concerned more about undoing some of the damage he'd caused by factioning some away from the truth. He was trying to get them to come through the door. (The door being Jesus). He kept gesturing to the two men with an inviting motion to come into the entryway further. But they only stood right inside the door. The factious leader was wearing a white Polo shirt and tan shorts. He had an old baby blanket (Infected by memories from childhood), the size of a large shawl, draped around his shoulders. It had a silk edge sewn all the way around it and pink and baby blue stripes. Since it was from the 1970s it was not as white as it used to be and it was faded because of many washings. (He had fallen away from his new birth many times and had many washings so it has faded.) His right hand clutched it at his neck, like he didn't want it to fall off of him. (He didn't want to forget and lose his salvation again) I was shocked to see him with that blanket around his shoulders. I said, “Hey, everyone, the factious leader is here!” And I wanted to go over to give him a hug. So David and Michael helped me over to him. But Brandy was angry and alarmed and said, “He's not for real. He's just here to spy on us all and cause us more damage! Don't touch him!” (We have had dreams and attempts of faction acting as though they are cured to sneak into the body and cause damage. So suspicion is natural.) David and Michael said, “We asked the Lord if it was okay for him to come and got two heads for ‘yes'. But Brandy became incredulous and offended about it. I didn't know what to believe, so I didn't hug him. I decided to go to the kitchenette and wash the dishes. So David and Michael helped me to the counter, and I was able to lean against it for support so I could wash them. After our plates were clean, (Symbolizing the end of faction) I came back out and sat down, R. S., who was sitting at the 12:00 position, was directing the acapella singing and said, “Let's all sing Silver Bells! We'll sing it 6 times.” David was at the 6:00 position. So David and Michael helped me back up and we all held hands and walked in a circular, clockwise direction. (Time going forward) We sang, “Silver bells, Silver Bells, it's Christmas time in the city...” (Symbolizing the time of the Man-child's birth) I became tired and had to go sit down, and I thought, “Christmas time??” Then there was a couch behind the kitchenette in a little room and David was sitting wearing a blue shirt (representing heavenly) and blue socks and he had a baby diaper on. (The birthing of the David Man-child. The anointing could come shortly after, since the Man-child grows up very quickly). Then I woke up. I asked for a general text that covers this dream, and my finger was on Psalm 50:11, “I know all the birds of the mountains” (1-23) 1 A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God, Jehovah, hath spoken, And called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth. 3 Our God cometh, and doth not keep silence (The visitation of the Lord in the Man-child): A fire devoureth before him, And it is very tempestuous round about him. 4 He calleth to the heavens above, And to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 Gather my saints together unto me, Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; For God is judge himself. [Selah] 7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify unto thee: I am God, even thy God. 8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt-offerings are continually before me. 9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goats out of thy folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11 I know all the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? 14 Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the Most High; 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, And that thou hast taken my covenant in thy mouth, (We have received this text for the faction) 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, And castest my words behind thee? 18 When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, And hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; Thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: 23 Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me; And to him that ordereth his way aright will I show the salvation of God.   Remnant of Faction Returns  Anna Stewart - 12/07/18 (David's notes in Red) I dreamed we arrived at the Shaw's for a Wednesday Bible study and a factious leader had returned and was sitting in his old place against the front wall. Brandy was sitting next to him because Michael had left Brandy to share in the bible study because neither he nor David could make it yet. I had the sense that David knew the factious leader had returned, but I felt very uncomfortable that David and Michael were not there. He was thinner in the dream (less flesh) and wearing dark blue (heavenly, yet still in darkness?) and at one point showed his new guitar to someone. More and more people from our local body kept coming in, even those who normally cannot be there, until every person was there. The house changed at some point with two very large rooms to the back added on (Incoming brethren joining us from other places) and the main room where we were become an upper story (Symbolizing the people from the Upper room receiving the outpouring? Original foundation of people on higher level of leadership) with a sliding glass door opening onto a deck on each side of the house. David and Michael finally showed up and David had told the factious leader he couldn't be in there with us. (In Eve's dream, he also did not come into the assembly but was in an outer room. We believed this was a sign that he would come back, but not be in the Bride or be trusted yet because of falling away into faction.) The factious leader was outside on the deck, sometimes on his knees and forearms, sometimes sitting cross-legged. Everyone inside ignored his presence. Every once in a while, he would tap on the glass as if asking for some compassion from someone to let him in. Several times I saw him sitting out there with a pile of quarters on his knee and each time they were either all heads or all tails. I was wondering if he was asking the Lord questions. Things inside went on as normal, some people had brought food, others were eating a little bit and fellowshipping. David was in the back room working hard and I knew he was very busy and tired. At some point I felt led to look up my niece's name, Natasha, who has come to live here, and found in this dream that it meant something along the line of “to take authority and cast out spirits”. (This may be a sign of timing to begin to cast out the factious demons) In real life Natasha means born on Christmas day; resurrection. [In Eve's dream, this man came back with others when we were singing “Silver Bells, It's Christmas time in the city”. The Man-child is coming to the Bride, Jerusalem.] I felt it was from the Lord concerning this man [and likely a body of people he represents] and that I needed to tell David but I was afraid of getting out of place and doing something I shouldn't. I decided to find David and asked if he had a minute. He looked tired and said, “Not really. I have two seconds.” As quickly as I could, I told him what I felt the Lord told me, “to take authority and cast out spirits”. The scene changed and it was getting late and people began leaving for home until there were just a few of us left. Mostly the morning prayer meeting people remained: Eve, Matthew and me, and a few others. Everyone was sitting down, and things were pretty quiet. I realized that I wasn't doing what I should've been doing all along, and got down on my knees and began to intercede for the factious leader who was still outside. (Amen, it is a good time to pray restoration to a remnant of the faction) Then the dream ended.   The Last Holiday, Christmas  Sandy Shaw - 12/03/18 (David's notes in Red)  In this dream was like a scene from the movie, The Last Holiday (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Holiday_(2006_film). A man was sitting on the very edge of a building's top with a bottle of alcohol, contemplating whether he should jump. The building was old and tall, and like the architecture of the Swiss Alps. It was castle-like. Queen La Tifah walks out and says, “What are you doing here?” He says, “I think I'm going to jump!” She says, “It ain't worth it.” Then she sits down next to him. (The last Holiday is Christmas, symbolizing the time of the Man-child's birth. The Queen here represents the Bride and has a false sentence of death on her, which she later finds out is false. The drunk man committing suicide represents the left-wing, delusional, factious people who are committing spiritual suicide through spiritual drunkenness.)  LL Cool J (Jesus) says, “What are you doing?” She (The Bride) says, “I'm trying to get this guy to back into the hotel.” The guy on the ledge says, “I'm not going!” (Factioned away from the body of Christ built together into a Holy Temple as Ephesians says) LL Cool J says, “Well, you let that fool fall then. And you get back in there!” (I.E., separate yourself from them until they repent. Tit.3:10 A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; 11 knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.) LL is reaching for Queen La Tifah. But she is a few inches short and he can't reach her, and I'm standing behind him. I say, “Just grab her.” (I.E., Man-child rescues the Bride from the spiritually drunken faction.)  Then, when I saw that he grabbed her, I got his legs and we fell through the window into the building. (The Bride is rescued from the suicidal faction by Jesus in the Man-child)  As I'm trying to get up, I'm no longer there...I'm in a car, in the back seat. The doors are locked, I can't get out, and I'm in a seatbelt that won't unsnap. A big spider was coming toward me and was going to bite me on the leg. But back in reality, I got shook up because I'm on dialysis. And the nurses are shaking me, one was shaking my leg in the area where the spider was going to bite me. (A warning the Pharmakeia is poison and deadly. Many now know this.) The spider was the size of a golf ball, though oblong, the size of one I saw in our garage. (The Bride is rescued in parallel to the first scene)  I received by faith at random (About the factious in Church and government.) Eze.11:7. (In context, 7-12) 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron; but ye shall be brought forth out of the midst of it. 8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword upon you, saith the Lord Jehovah. 9 And I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. 10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. 11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; I will judge you in the border of Israel; 12 and ye shall know that I am Jehovah: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither have ye executed mine ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are round about you. (Judgment on the faction)    Christmas Eve - What is Coming   Winnie Osegueda - 6/8/22 (David's notes in red)  ... I prayed and asked the Lord to show me what was coming and when I fell asleep He gave me the following dream: I dreamt that I was in a very nice suburban area and it was the evening time of Christmas Eve. (Wow Christmas again!  Another confirmation that the baby boy Man-child is coming.) I could see all the houses decorated with colorful Christmas lights throughout this neighborhood on my left. My mother's house was also located on the left side of this suburban neighborhood. (Winnie's mom is being used to represent the apostate church on the left  that all of God's elect are born out of. Many apostates are in idolatry with the world and its traditions of men represented by the celebration of Christmas which is a pagan holiday. There is a connection between the modern day Christmas tree and the ancient symbol for the fertility goddess named Asherah  Jer. 10:1-5 Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.) There was a remake of an older movie being made except it wasn't actually a movie; it was really happening. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.   I recognized and remembered this old movie that they were remaking and it was starring Kiefer Sutherland who is an actor who played a great villain in movies in the 80s and 90s, and he was a villain in the movie in this dream as well). (The meaning of the name “Keifer” is a German nick name for someone who was quarrelsome, from an agent of Middle High German kiben, kiven 'to quarrel'. All of the factious are quarrelsome.) They brought in a new "actor" for the remake of this movie who looked just like a younger, rounder-faced version of Kiefer Sutherland. His haircut was like the one Kiefer Sutherland had in the movie "The Lost Boys," a film in which he played a vampire. ("The life of the flesh is in the blood." The spiritual vampires of the apostate churches who are “lost” children who “bite and devour” and suck the life out of people with their contentious and slanderous ways.) Because I had already seen and knew this movie very well, I knew that this Kiefer Sutherland look-alike had a plan to enter into each suburban home in this neighborhood and kill every family. I could see him lurking in the shadows of his brick house spying on the neighborhood through his window on the top floor. (Their leaders are stalkers and “peeping Tom's”.) These families were not suspicious, as he made himself appear to be trustworthy and friendly…  (Rom 16:17-18  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.  18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. Remember, they are actors.) I was now inside my mother's home... and this new "actor" was there as well. He handed my mother a box of Marlboro Red cigarettes and she accepted them. (She actually smoked these in real life when I was much younger.)  As soon as this actor walked off, I said "NO! NO! Why did you accept them?! Now you're marked!" and she said, "I like Marlboro Reds, so if he gives me Marlboro Reds, I'm going to take them.” (The cigarettes represent receiving bad and false spirits.) (Breath and spirit are the same word in scripture and taking in smoke represents taking in an unclean spirit. If you receive slander from a factious person, you will receive their same spirits.)  She seemed to be very bothered by my objections to her receiving these cigarettes, but I knew how this movie was going to play out, so I was desperately trying to warn her to no avail. (Many in apostasy aren't heeding our warnings currently. They will have to experience judgment before they turn back to righteousness, and still, many won't repent of their wickedness and they will be killed spiritually with an eternal death.) At this point, I knew that this actor was going to come back and kill her because she was marked, and that I had to go. (The mark of the beast) I couldn't stay with her there, or I would be killed as well, as much as it pained me to know what was going to happen. I didn't understand why no one else could see what was happening here. Since this movie was a remake of an old film, it should have been obvious what was going on, but it wasn't to them. (I know people who have seen this happen to others fall into the trap because of disobedience.  John 12:37-40  But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them.) I left this suburban area to find an escape and I entered into the city. I stopped by a clothing store that I used to go to when I was younger. (We should not shrink back represented by visiting the younger clothing store. Heb. 10:39 But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.)  I recognized one of the women that worked there in the dream, but not in real life. She was an overweight black lady with a fake ponytail. (This represents people who are walking in darkness; who feed the flesh.) She met me outside with a hug and said "Merry Christmas!" I said Merry Christmas as well ... (I don't personally celebrate Christmas, but I believe the Lord is just using this as a parable.) (A parable of judgment on the apostates at the time of the Man-child's birth.)   I noticed that I had a large overweight, gray, striped cat with me and it walked into the store. The cat wanted to stay behind and I agreed that it was best, because I could not escape what was happening with this cat tagging along. (The fat cat represents an abundance of flesh, self will and rebellion. Grey symbolizes lukewarm people, not white or black. These type people will not escape the faction demons because they must be separated from the Bride and ultimately the body itself.) I thought about the verse Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.) (We must leave the weight of our rebellious sin nature behind, represented by the fat, grey cat, if we want to escape the judgment of faction that is coming.) The lady in the store agreed that the cat could remain there in the store, but again, I was sad because I knew what was coming and that they would not be safe if they did not escape. This "actor" would come and kill them too, including the cat. (Psa 37:38 As for transgressors, (or the “rebellious”) they shall be destroyed together; The end of the wicked shall be cut off. And   2Pe 2:12  But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed.) I left the store and continued up a flight of stairs to leave this area as well, and then I woke up. The dream felt so real that when I woke up I felt like this was still happening, and I was trying to figure out what movie this was that they were trying to remake. (The people who don't learn from His-story are doomed to repeat it.) I asked the Lord for a verse by faith at random and received: Joel 2:19 (15-20 in context)  Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; 16 gather the people, sanctify the assembly, assemble the old men, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. (Notice: At the time of the attempted attack on the Bride she and the Man-child will be revealed and delivered.)  17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? 18 Then was the Lord jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. 19 And the Lord answered and said unto his people, Behold, I will send you grain, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations; 20 but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things. (The northern army is like Pharoah's army at the Red Sea. It is the end of the persecutors and the beginning of the wilderness tribulation.)

What if God's law moved from stone tablets to your heart? We walk through the end of Hebrews chapter 8 and venture into the beginning of chapter 9 to show why Jesus is the better priest who brings a better covenant with better promises—and why that changes everything about how we know God, obey, and worship. We unpack Jeremiah chapter 31's promise of an inner work of the Spirit, explore how the covenant speaks to Israel while blessing the nations, and clarify a key tension: the Mosaic Law is obsolete, yet God's moral will is fulfilled in us through the law of Christ.From there, we step into the tabernacle. Picture the outer court, the holy place, and the Holy of Holies sealed by a veil. Only the high priest entered once a year with blood for the mercy seat. Every detail shouted distance. Then the cross tore the veil. Jesus, our great High Priest, presented His own blood, opened a living way into God's presence, and continues interceding for us. The smoke of incense that once hovered before the curtain now imagery-richly belongs inside, because our Advocate is already there.This conversation connects theology to hope and practice. If the Spirit writes God's ways on our hearts, obedience grows from desire, not fear. If the law of Christ guides us, we live led by the Spirit rather than by ritual. If access is open, we come boldly to the throne of grace. Along the way, we address Israel and The Body of Christ [The Messiah], the promise of future belief, and how Gentiles share in covenant blessings without erasing the text's plain meaning. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Hebrews, and leave a review telling us: what part of the new covenant gives you the most confidence today?Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Send us a messageWithout a doubt, the “One World Religion” of the Antichrist is well on its way to being fully manifested all over the world in every realm of society – with the common denominator being harmony, peace, and unity that is woven into the lying Antichrist persuasions of the all-inclusive welfare of humankind.But nowhere in this quagmire of sugar-coated platitudes is the acknowledgement that all of this is being orchestrated by a deadly enemy who is determined to replace the One and Only God of All Creation – the God of True Love that is genuine and everlasting – for He Alone is LOVE – and that like sheep being led to the slaughter, those who have been deceived by Lucifer's masterful counterfeits, will follow a pseudo shepherd who is a deadly imposter. And after the world has come together under this “One World Religion” illusion,the Antichrist will enter the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem's Temple, and proclaim thathe is God, bringing all of earth's inhabitants under his tyrannical control, as thehorrors of the Tribulation Period rise to their most devastating heights.The Holy Spirit is heralding the alarm through His Watchmen on the Wall as He uncovers the sinister Antichrist plans behind such persuasive endeavors as “The Abrahamic Family House” with the call to turn with complete faith and trust in the One and Only True Savior of the word – YESHUA HAMASHIAH – while there is still time to do so.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2025Messages/25Dec21.pdf * Over the past two weeks we have seen how all of the doctrine, which the author of Hebrews shared in the first nine chapters, comes together to present the greatness of Jesus' sacrificial death on behalf of the whole world! Truly, God loved the world and gave His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world! * As the author is addressing this consummation of the redemptive plan to a Jewish audience in the 1st century, we see a distinctively Jewish emphasis (or reference to the Old Testament). * It is important to also note that there were "Judaizers" entering into the gatherings of the church to draw people back under the law! These individuals were false teachers and leading people into blaspheme. In our text today, we see the author overtly addressing this battle. * Our text today is actually an extension from last week's passage in which Jewish believers were given the phenomenal understanding that they could openly enter into the Holies where God resided with confidence. This privilege was afforded by the blood sacrifice of Jesus. * Today, we see the other side of this privilege - the warning - to not treat this privilege haphazardly, but to make sure that they were living by faith. * This message was presented by Bob Corbin on December 21, 2025 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

When Christmas is done and dusted – what do you do with it? Put it back in the cupboard with the decorations for next year – or let the message of Christian burn on in your heart?   CHRISTMAS IN REVIEW So how have you gone, in those busy weeks leading up to Christmas? Did you enjoy yourself or was the stress just too much? Was it a kind of rich experience or did the cares of this world; all that stuff, you know, that we do leading up to Christmas, did it rob you of the Christmas you think that you should have had? Over these last few weeks on the programme we have been working our way through a series of messages that I've called 'Message in a Bottle'. The whole Christmas story was born out of the shepherd heart of God; the heart of God to draw us into His arms. Have a listen to the Scripture that we used in the first programme, three weeks ago, Ezekiel, chapter 34, verse 11. And by the way, if you have a Bible, grab it; open it up because we are going to spend some time in God's Word today. This is what Ezekiel wrote; this is what God said: I, Myself will search for My sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so I will look after My sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on the day of clouds and darkness. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. God has this heart like a shepherd does for his flock of sheep, to look after us and to care for us and to love us. And out of that is born this incredible story of Christmas. You know how it all came about: Joseph and Mary, these two young people, ordinary people; nobodies like you and me, called to bring Jesus into the world. Not a king and queen; a teenaged girl and a young carpenter. Now all the stories of Christmas, I guess, are as familiar to all of us as breathing in and out everyday. I mean, we go through Christmas each year, but when you scratch underneath them, which is what we have been doing the last few weeks on the programme, I don't know, there's a gritty reality of life in the story of Christmas. It's a kind of a surprise, I mean, Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit; it's a virgin birth. And there was a prophesy centuries before, that Jesus would be born to a virgin. The prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 7, verse 14 of Isaiah: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign – the virgin will be with a child and she will give birth to a son. Great! You look at it from two thousand years on as we do and you think, "well, there's a virgin birth and that's what happened and that it was God's story." But back then, imagine the shame she went through when she had this pregnancy out of wedlock, at a time when that wasn't an acceptable lifestyle choice as it might be in society today? Even though God prophesied about that centuries before, who would of thought Mary, and who would have believed Mary going, "well, you know it was the Holy Spirit that did it?" Give me a break! So Mary went around with this shame and Joseph was going to dismiss her quietly until God spoke to him in a dream. And then Jesus was born in a stable and not a palace, in this place, Bethlehem. Even that was prophesied about centuries before. In Micah, chapter 5, verse 2, it says: But you Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me, one who will be ruler of Israel, whose origins are of old, from ancient times. See, that's a prophesy pointing forward to the birth of Jesus Christ, in Bethlehem. And of course, Herod tried to kill Jesus – they had to flee to Egypt. Again that was prophesied about centuries before in Jeremiah, chapter 31, verse 15: This is what the Lord says, "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning with great weeping; Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because her children are no more." There's a prophesy about the way that Herod slew all the young children under two years of age. And so I guess we have been looking at all things the last few weeks on the programme and I remember the first time I began to take a cold, hard look at the Christmas story – you know, the realities, the history. I was a bit disappointed. I mean, somehow I wanted to keep that idealised pantomime view of Christmas; the cutesy Mary, Joseph, donkey, baby in a manger thing. I mean, we like to idealise things. You know when Hollywood makes a movie out of a true story, they embellish things. You know, we like to do that. But Christmas isn't a pantomime. The true story of Christmas – of Jesus' birth – is about hardship, about pressure, about discomfort, about danger. I mean, Mary was on a donkey for a week or two, heading for Bethlehem for the census, in the last weeks of her pregnancy. That would have been fun! And then she gave birth to Jesus in a smelly, grotty stable, surrounded by animals. What a place to give birth to a child? And then Herod massacred all these infants and Joseph and Mary and Jesus were fleeing for their lives down to Egypt. This is the Christmas that Jesus chose for Himself; the Son of God, who always exists. I mean, John tells us in the first verse of the first chapter of John's Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God," and then down in verse 14, "And then the Word became flesh." So here is Jesus, the Eternal Son, who could choose the time, the place and the circumstances for His birth on this earth and as much as I mourned the passing of the cute Christmas pantomime in my heart, when you start to get down and dirty with the reality of Christmas, for me, it was like opening up the message in a bottle. It's like God sent this message from heaven that washed up on a beach, I find the bottle, I stoop down, I open it, and I discover what's really inside. See, for me, sticking with just the pantomime is like taking that bottle up off the beach and putting it on a shelf and looking at it with a warm glow saying, "yea, you know, I know what that message is. It's a cute pantomime; I don't have to open it." But opening the bottle, reading the message of Christmas; discovering the gritty reality for me, you know what it says in big letters? God became one of us! Your life, my life; they're not pantomimes; they're not some cutesy story – there's a tough reality to life. Sure there are joys and delights but there's also this gritty reality. Most of us, we don't live in a palace. Most of us, we are just ordinary, everyday people with ordinary, everyday lives with the challenges and the pressures and the losses and the hurts. So many people live scarred lives – so many people live lives where they're lost – so many people live their lives wandering aimlessly around; "why am I here, where am I headed, what's this life all about?" And it's one thing for God, from a distance, to say, "well, here are the answers". That's one thing but just at the right time, God becomes a man – the Message, the Word, becomes flesh; one of us. Theologians talk about the incarnation, me? For me, it's just God became one of us, like you and me. Christmas is a great time, but what of the Christmas story can we carry around in our hearts, every day of the year; 24/7? What of Christmas makes a real difference in our lives when Christmas is done and dust; when the season is over? Well for me, it's the fact that God became one of us. We will unpack that a bit more next.   HE UNDERSTANDS Let's pick up for a moment on the reality and the normality of Jesus entry into this world. He was the Son of God, we saw that before. I mean, John in John's Gospel makes it clear. Jesus just wasn't created on the day He was born. Jesus is the Eternal Son of God and yet on that night in Bethlehem, He became the Son of Man, one of us. In fact, that's how Jesus most frequently referred to Himself; He almost never said, "Son of God"; He mostly said, "Son of Man". He was both. But most people you ask, "was He more like God or more like us?" Most people would say, "well, I know that in Jesus, God became human, but at the end of the day, He's still God, so really He's not like us." I guess that's a natural reaction. Jesus is the Son of God; no, He didn't sin; He was and remains perfect. And so if we look at Jesus like that, in a sense, it doesn't help us on our journey. Jesus was perfect and He said some things about judging other people and loving our enemies and murder begins in the heart and you commit adultery if you just look at a woman the wrong way, all that stuff. And you can come to the conclusion, you know something, I can't live up to all that stuff. So I feel condemned and therefore, Jesus isn't good news at all. The fact that God became a man doesn't help me at all. A few weeks ago, at the beginning of this series, we looked a the shepherd heart of God and in particular the beautiful verses in Leviticus, chapter 26, verses 11 and 12, where God says to Israel: I will put My dwelling place in your midst and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and I will be your God and you will be My people. Please, understand how radical that is! It is totally contrary to all the other gods that all the other nations worshipped. Their concept was by and large, of appeasing the gods so that they wouldn't be punished. You went and worshipped gods and idols in temples up on hills, but here the God of Israel is a God of relationship with His people, on their journey, in their midst. And as we saw before, in John, chapter 1, verse 14: And then the Word became flesh and dwelt in our midst. Literally, tabernacled among us, like God tabernacled, or had a tent, with Israel on the exodus, so John says: "God came and dwelt with us through Jesus." Christmas is Jesus getting on our journey with us and one of the most beautiful explanations of that for me is to be found in Hebrews, chapter 4. If you've got a Bible, flick it open, go to Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 14. The picture here the writer of Hebrews is using is of Jesus as our High Priest. You know, the High Priest used to go into the temple on one day of the year, right into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, and take a sacrifice for peoples' sin. And so that's why the writer used this term the "High Priest". And he says: Since we have a great High Priest, who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith that we profess. For we don't have a High Priest who can't sympathise with our weaknesses but we have one who has been tempted and tested in every way, just as we are, yet He was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. See, it says here Jesus was not just in heaven, that's natural, He's the Son of God, but He is able to sympathise and empathise with all the stuff we go through. Why? Not just because He's God but because He has been through every trial and every temptation, every hurt, every disappointment that we ever have been or we will ever travel through. He's walked on those long dusty roads. I challenge you to read one of the Gospel accounts – Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, end to end in one session, like a story. Not all chopped up like we sometimes do, but end to end – and just look at what He experienced, how people treated Him, what they said about Him. How often they misunderstood Him. It will only take you a couple of hours and it's really worth doing. Curl up with a good cup of coffee and read a good book; the Good Book. And as you read about all the stuff He went through put yourself in His shoes and we begin to understand what He felt. At Christmas God steps out of heaven and into history. That's exactly what He does for us – He steps into our shoes, our reality, our experiences first hand, every trial, every temptation that we go through, He knows because He's God; He knows because He's man. And therefore, because of His humanity, because He's been through it all, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Therefore, because He became a man, became He has experienced what we go through; we can go to Him with boldness and confidence, and approach the throne of grace. A boldness that arises, not of who we are or what we do, a boldness that arises out of the central fact of Christmas – the Son of God became the Son of Man. Because of that we can be confident that He understands and that we will find and receive mercy and grace, just at the right time in our need. And the whole point of mercy and grace is that they can't be mercy and grace unless we don't deserve them. If we deserved them they wouldn't be mercy and grace. But we can be bold about them anyway. Can I tell you something? That's a Christmas message worth carrying around in my heart for everyday of the year, not just for the 25th of December. Jesus gets it not just because He's God; He knows everything of course, but because He became one of us and walked a mile or two in our shoes. That is something to warm our hearts every day of the year. But there's one other thing – a really important thing about our future, about our inheritance that comes out of Christmas and I'm going to share that next.   OUR INHERITANCE There's this one other thing; a really important thing that I want to share with you about Christmas today. Again it's a side of Christmas that you and I can carry around in our hearts every day of the year for the rest of our lives here on this earth. Earlier we looked a Christmas where Jesus becomes one of us; the thing that the theologians call the "incarnation". He gets it; He understands our circumstances because He's walked in our shoes and God's Word says that we should place our confidence in that. That when we are struggling; when we made a blunder; when we are just finding it hard, to come boldly before the throne of grace because Jesus has walked in our shoes and He understands That's fantastic and it's for here and now. But there's also a really important thing for the future that we get out of Christmas and that is "hope". Hope is such an important thing, something to hope for in the future; a certain hope; not a kind of uncertain hope like "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow", or "I hope I win the lotto", or, you know what I mean? A certain hope, because without hope life if hopeless. We have all experienced that sense of lost-ness and hopelessness from time to time and for some people it's a place where they seem to live almost permanently. Well, it's not meant to be that way. Have a listen to what the Apostle Paul writes in Romans, chapter 8, beginning at verse 15. He's writing about God's love for us through Jesus Christ and if you have a Bible, go there, Romans, chapter 8, verse 15. He writes this: For you didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you've received the spirit of adoption and by Him we cry, "Abba", 'Dad'. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirits that we are God's children. Now if we are His children, then we are His heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. See, Jesus became one of us. Yes, He's the Son of God; God the Son but just as He is the Son of God, we are children of God, joint heirs with Jesus. That's a hard idea to get our minds around because if we think, 'well, Jesus is so different to us because He is the Son of God', we miss the point. Jesus was a little baby that came into this world just as you and I did. He slipped into this world, He cried and He was just like you and me. He was born, He lived, He struggled, He ministered, He died, He rose again and now He is with the Father in heaven and He has gone ahead of us and we inherit what He inherits. The Apostle Peter puts it like this in First Peter, chapter 1, verse 3: Praise be to God and our Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, because in His great mercy He's given us a new birth into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you, who through faith, are protected by God's power. It's an inheritance that's being kept for us and it comes from the fact that we are joint heirs with Jesus. Jesus was the one that went to the cross for us; He was the one that rose again and He purchased that inheritance for us on the cross. That inheritance is there waiting for us, safer than anything we can imagine. The reason I have called this programme "Christianityworks" is because I believe that it does. I believe that faith in Jesus Christ changes our lives – it works – it makes our lives better. It means God gets in and deals with problems that we can't deal with. But you know what the risk of that is? The risk is we focus just on the here and now but God calls us to live with eternity in mind. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because in His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, being kept in heaven for you. God is saying, "Lift up your eyes. Look at eternity. Look at what I have prepared for you." You are a joint heir with Jesus. Jesus is the first born among many and He has risen from the dead and we get to spend eternity with Him in delight and worship and rest and peace and no sickness or tears or poverty. We are co-heirs of that, in Christ. That's all part of God's plan for Christmas. Jesus became one of us to make us joint heirs with Him. Christmas is an awesome message. It is like a message in a bottle when the Word became flesh; when Jesus was washed up on the sands of time as one of us. Jesus is God's message; that's why the Bible calls Him 'the Word of God'. Jesus is God speaking to us in a language we can understand and what a wondrous message – help for today and hope for tomorrow – compassion and understanding and mercy and grace for today because Jesus has walked in our shoes. And so we can be confident in that because of the fact that He knows, first hand, but also joint heirs with Christ for all eternity. Christmas – what an amazing message – a message in a bottle. And I want to encourage you, don't take Christmas and put it back in the cupboard with the Christmas decorations, just to kind of trot it out in twelve months time – don't do that. The message of Christmas is that God the Son became one of us and He walked the dusty roads of the Holy Land and experienced every thing that you and I experience. He knows what we are going through and He has purchased an eternal hope.

This episode begins with prayers in response to the tragic anti-Semitic attack at Bondi Beach. Stu Crawshaw and several congregation members lead us in prayer for victims, families, first responders, the Jewish community, and our city.Why would the God of the universe, the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator before whom angels tremble, want a personal relationship with you? And maybe more importantly: why don't you want a relationship with Him?In this final part of our "God, Why?" series, Ethan unpacks Romans 8:1-17 to explore both sides of this profound question. He begins by acknowledging what makes this question so difficult: God's overwhelming bigness and our crushing awareness of our own sin.Drawing from Old Testament stories of people struck down for touching the Ark, priests entering the Holy of Holies with bells on their robes (so others would know if they died), and Moses glowing after encountering God, Ethan paints the picture of a God who inspires reverent fear. How could that God want simple little me?Hosea 11 reveals God as the Father who taught His children to walk, who lifts them to his cheek and bends down to feed them. This isn't just New Testament love, this is the God of the Old Testament too. He's like Aslan from Narnia: not safe, but good. Big and powerful, yet inviting us to call him "Abba" Dad or Father.Romans 8 tells us our minds governed by flesh are hostile to God, unable to please him. We can't just show God our carefully curated "friendship profile". God sees everything. Every thought, every action, everything we've done and will do. So why would he want us?Because he loves us. And it's all we need.But then Ethan flips the question entirely: Why don't YOU want a relationship with God? Not theoretically, but actually. What's getting in the way of that relationship right now? Is it the desires of the flesh stopping you? Being too busy? Fear? Conflict with Christians? Your own sin? God's already answered why he wants you, he loves you and offers eternal relationship where you'll walk with him forever, never needing to leave his presence.So what's your answer?

Have you ever doubted God — even in moments when everything seemed right? In today's Peace on Earth reflection, Fr. Jonathan Meyer reflects on Luke 1:5–25, the story of Zechariah, a priest chosen to enter the Holy of Holies — and yet, even there, he doubted. This reflection reminds us that: • Doubt does not cancel faith • Struggle does not mean failure • Faith is a choice we continue to make Zechariah's story shows us that doubt can become a place of growth, recommitment, and praise — if we persevere. If you've ever struggled in prayer, adoration, or even during a retreat, this message is for you.

Read OnlineBut the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Luke 1:13–15Unlike Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Zechariah doubted the angel of the Lord's revelation. Our Blessed Mother encountered the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation and responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and when Joseph awoke, “he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Matthew 1:24).Today, we are given a similar scene to ponder. Zechariah and Elizabeth are identified as being “righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” (Luke 1:6). In other words, Zechariah was a holy man of God. While he was standing at the altar of incense located in the Holy Place, just outside the veil of the Holy of Holies, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him to announce that his wife had conceived a child in her old age. Gabriel further reveals, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:15–16).Given Zechariah's personal holiness and the extraordinary revelation he received from Gabriel, he should have believed what Gabriel said without hesitation. When he failed to do so, Gabriel said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words…” (Luke 1:19–20).This chastisement was clearly for Zechariah's benefit. Despite his lack of faith, God wanted him to participate in His divine plan of salvation. The chastisement was not a punishment in a punitive way. It was meant to instill greater faith in him, and it accomplished its purpose.Most of us are more like Zechariah than we are like our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. Despite our best intentions and attempts to remain faithful to God's will, we stumble. When that happens, we must see any consequences as a gift of love from God. Chastisements come in many forms. They are meant to wake us up to a greater obedience to God's will. Reflect today on any ways that your sins have resulted in consequences. It takes deep humility to admit our sins and take responsibility for their effects. Though it is easy to be angry, to point the finger elsewhere, and to justify our actions, doing so is a rejection of God's loving chastisement meant for our good. Strive to imitate Zecharaiah by humbly changing when your sin results in consequences so that God can bring good into your life, even from a lack of faith and obedience to His will.Most merciful Lord, You chastise those whom You love so as to redirect them to Your holy will. When I sin, please help me to accept the consequences with humility and as a motivation to turn back to You in fidelity and love. Please make me holy in imitation of Zechariah, Saint Joseph, and our Blessed Mother. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: William Blake, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Ever feel like you're stuck on a spiritual treadmill—striving, second-guessing, and never sure you've done enough? Hebrews chapter 7 offers a doorway out. We unpack why Jesus, as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, changes the terms of assurance from fragile to forever by holding a priesthood that never ends. Mortal priests came and went; Jesus lives and intercedes without interruption, which means your access to God isn't fluctuating with your feelings or your week. It's anchored in His unending life.We walk through Hebrews 7:23–28 to explore what “once for all” really means. Instead of daily sacrifices and human representatives who must atone for their own sins, Christ—holy, innocent, undefiled, and exalted—offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice and now stands in the true Holy of Holies on our behalf. That's practical relief. If He saves completely, your security doesn't hinge on spiritual hot streaks or rituals that try to patch what only His cross can cure. The old system was endless and exhausting. His finished work ends the churn and invites you to rest.We also clarify what ongoing intercession looks like: not a replay of the cross, but a living Advocate applying a decisive victory. When accusations rise, the Father sees the Son. That's why Hebrews urges us to draw near to trust the One who holds us fast. If you've wrestled with doubt, fear of losing salvation, or the pressure to be “worthy enough,” this chapter will steady your heart and widen your view of grace. Listen, reflect, and share with someone who needs to hear that Jesus saves completely and keeps completely. If this helped you breathe a little easier, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it on.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-ba89c00c0bc19fc66c98324846809bbb{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-ba89c00c0bc19fc66c98324846809bbb .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-ba89c00c0bc19fc66c98324846809bbb .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 15Daniel 9:20-27 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – December 15 Daniel 9:20-27 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1215db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Daniel 9 Gabriel Explains Jerusalem's Future 20 While I was still speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, I was casting my prayer for grace, concerning the holy mountain of my God, before the Lord my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the first vision, touched me. I was completely exhausted. [1] It was about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me, “Daniel, now I have come to give you insight with understanding. 23 At the beginning of your plea for grace, a word went out, and I came to declare it to you, because you are very treasured. So pay attention to the word and understand the vision.” The Vision of Seventy Sevens 24 Seventy sevens [2] are determined concerning your people and your holy city:     to end rebellion,     to finish sin,     and to atone for guilt,     to bring everlasting righteousness,     to seal up prophetic vision,     and to anoint a most holy one. [3] 25 You should know and have insight. From the going out of a word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, [4] a ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens. [5] Jerusalem will be rebuilt with public squares and a moat, but during troubled times. 26 Then after the sixty-two sevens, the anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. Both the city and the holy place will be destroyed by the people of a ruler who is coming, [6] and its end will be with a flood. There will be war until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He [7] will confirm a covenant for the many during one seven. In the middle of the seven, he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease. On the wing of abominations is one who causes desolation, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who causes desolation. Footnotes Daniel 9:21 Or he came to me in swift flight Daniel 9:24 A form of the word seven is used, but it is not the term Daniel uses for an ordinary week of seven days. The “weeks” in this prophecy probably represent periods of seven years. Daniel 9:24 The Hebrew phrase is not the usual expression for the Holy of Holies. Here it may refer to a holy person, the Messiah. Daniel 9:25 The Hebrew word used here is the source of the English term Messiah and the Greek term Christ. Daniel 9:25 The seven sevens extend from Daniel to Nehemiah and the sixty-two sevens from Nehemiah to Christ. Daniel 9:26 Titus, the Roman general who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 ad Daniel 9:27 The Messiah #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

Introduction: John 17:3 – And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 1:18 – No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. I Want to Know God (John 1:1–3): The REALITY: Jesus is GOD. Colossians 2:9 – For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Zechariah 12:10 – And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced… Acts 20:28 – Pay careful attention to yourselves... to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Hebrews 1:2 – But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. The RESPONSE: FAITH in Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. How Can I Grow in Knowing Jesus? CONFESS with your mouth. Romans 10:9 – If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. HEAR the Word. Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. KEEP His commandments. John 15:10 – If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 1:1-3What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Why do you think the deity of Jesus is denied by so many cults? Why is that such a common point of contention?How would you explain the Trinity to a 7 year old?Define “faith”. Why do you think faith is the God-ordained way of knowing Him?What's your favorite dinosaur?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Stegosaurus.Nobody asks, so I'm just going to tell you.Game show host.And gray.Oh, oh, and what I want for Christmas.I just want to know God.Did you ever ask for something, like for Christmas or whatever, and somebody got you the genericversion?Has that ever happened to anybody else?Show of hands.You wanted something and you got the generic version?That happened to me when I was a kid.When I was a kid, they came out with this wacky thing.It was called a pogo ball.How many people show of hands remember the pogo balls?Okay, a few of you.One person in the first service did.Or about half of the first service's attendance.Remember what a pogo ball was?If you don't know, just imagine like a snowman with the head cut off.It was that kind of shape, right?And it had this hard plastic ring that went in between these two balls that were kindof fused together.And you were supposed to like stand on the plastic disc and squeeze your feet on thattop ball and then you would bounce on the pogo ball.And the pogo ball would let you jump almost as high as you could jump if you weren't ona pogo ball.But it was the hot item the one year.And I wanted a pogo ball.You know what my parents got me?The Saturn ball.Pogo balls, generic cousin.The Saturn ball.And not only was it actually not fun to use, but my family was making fun of me when Idid use it.So if I would jump on it, they'd be like, "Here we go on our Saturn ball, our Saturnball, our Saturn ball."And that really hurt my feelings.So the Saturn ball got thrown into a closet and it's probably still there until today.But look, I know we've had this conversation before.But there's just some things you can't go generic, right?Like ketchup.Altars.Oreos.The generic's not the same.Don't try to tell me that it is because you're just lying to yourself.But nothing has been made more generic than God.We live in a culture that is okay with the generic concept of God.But when you get specific, people get squirrely about that.You're like, when people say, "God bless America.""God bless America."You know, you can ask, "Well, which God?"Do you mean the God of the Bible, the one who created us, the one who judges sin, theone who commands us to repent and believe, the one who calls us to live our lives accordingto his wisdom?And it's like, oh no, not that God.But we're just okay with the generic concept.But you see, the problem with that line of thinking is God isn't a generic concept.In fact, God's not a concept at all.God is a person.God is a specific person.And as we enter into the Christmas season, you know, we know the Christmas story fromMatthew and from Luke, right?We know that version of the Christmas story well with the census, and Bethlehem and Maryand Joseph and angels and shepherds and manger and the star and the magi.Right?Well, Matthew and Luke sort of tell the story of the incarnation like looking over people'sshoulders, right?But we're going to be looking at the Gospel of John because his Christmas story is a littledifferent.In John's Christmas story, we are looking over God's shoulder.That's really the theme of the whole book of John.And we studied this some years back.But the theme of John is this, "The God of the universe has revealed himself by cominginto this world as a man to not just save you, but to have a relationship with you."That God wants you to know Him.In fact, this is what Jesus Christ was praying.John 17.3, Jesus said, "And this is eternal life that they may know you."The only true God in Jesus Christ, whom you have sent, eternal life.Nothing's more important than eternal life because you are either going to live foreverwith God or you're going to die forever apart from God.So what do you want for Christmas?The top of your list should be eternal life.And according to Jesus, that comes from knowing Him, from knowing God.And I do have to remind you that knowing about God is not the same as actually knowing God.You realize those are two completely different concepts.Knowing about God and knowing God.Not the same.Think of it this way.Imagine a young man comes to church, a single man.And he's been coming here for a while when all of a sudden one day he notices there isa beautiful young single woman.And he's like, "I don't think I met her, but who is that?"But he gets his friend.He's like, "He found out who that girl is."And his friend comes back with the information.And he says, "Oh, you asked about that girl.Here's what I know.She loves missions."She loves working with children.She enjoys traveling.And get this, she's a big Steelers fan.But she also loves rom-coms.Now if this friend goes back to the dude and gives this report on what this woman is like,do you think this man would be like, "All right, now that I have the information abouther, I am satisfied.Thank you.That is all."Is that the end of the story?No, you see, now that he knows about her, that makes him all the more want to know herpersonally.You see, that's how it is with God.That's how it is with Jesus Christ.The more you know about Him, the more you want to know Him personally.The fact should lead you to the relationship.How do I know God personally?Well John 1.18 tells us that no one has ever seen God, the only God who has at the Father'sside.He has made Him known.And folks, this is a fundamental truth.That the only way that we can know God is He has to make Himself known.And that's what we celebrate every Christmas that God has made Himself known because Hedid it in the most personal way possible.He showed up and introduced Himself.So look at John 1.Picking up in verse 1.We're just going to get the first three verses today.This might feel more like a Bible study than a sermon.But these are important truths that we're going to wrestle down here.John 1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word wasGod.He was in the beginning with God.All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."Notice that John in introducing our Lord, He's using this word, "Word" a lot.Why does He use the word "Word"?Well He doesn't really explain that.But I promise you that the audience that He wrote to in the first century would have knownexactly what He was talking about.Because John primarily would have been writing to the Greeks and the Jews.The word "Word" in the Greek is "Logos."And to the Greeks, the Logos was like this impersonal force, this impersonal energy source.Because the Greek philosophers were like, "Look, all of this had to come from somewhere.The world didn't happen by accident.There has to be some force out there that's behind the structure of the earth.All logic and reason."They had this idea, it was an impersonal force, and they called it the Word, the Logos.So John is writing to the Greeks, and he goes, "Hey, you guys talk about the Logos, right?Did you know the Logos is a person?"It's not a thing, it's a person.It's a person that was with God.It's a person that was God, and it's a person according to John 1.14 that became fleshand dwelt among us.So that's how the Greeks would have heard this.Do you know how the Jews would have heard this?And we probably don't have to guess, right?When the Jews would have heard the Word Word, what would they have thought of?They immediately would have thought of the Law and the Prophets, what we call the OldTestament.You see, you go through the Old Testament over and over and over.The Word of the Lord came too.The Word of the Lord came too.The Word of the Lord came too.And all of the Law and the Prophets, it's known as the Word of God.So the Jews would have picked up on this concept immediately.You know what the purpose of words is?Words are to communicate something.Words are to be deliberately chosen and used to convey information to another person.That's what John's saying to the Jews.The Word became flesh.Jesus Christ is God's communication to man.A living, breathing Word.So God isn't some impersonal force.God's not a generic concept.According to God's Word, He is a person.And He has revealed who exactly He is in Jesus Christ.Let's just pause for a second and ask that you would pray for me as we do this littlestudy together that I would accurately represent God's Word.Let me pray for you to have a heart open to receive this absolutely essential truth thatGod is teaching us today.So let's pray.Father in heaven, we live in a culture that is fine to think of you in general terms.But to call you a person, a father, the sovereign of the universe, it's tough for some peopleto grasp.And I just pray Father today, especially over these next few minutes, that we would reallyhave our hearts and minds open to what it is that your Word wants to teach us aboutthe way that you've revealed yourself through your Son.It's in Jesus' name that we pray.Amen.So on your outline, I want you to write some things down.I want to know God.Here's where it starts.Number one, the reality.This is the reality.Jesus is God.Let's look at these verses here.Look at verse one again.He says, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God."In the beginning.Is that something familiar at all?That phrase, "In the beginning."Where have we heard that?Genesis 1-1, right?That's how the whole Bible starts.And John is starting in the same place.John is saying, by saying in the beginning, John is saying, "Before anything was created,the Word existed."The Word.And notice he says two things about the Word.First of all, the Word was with God.And secondly, the Word was God.First of all, let's talk about the Word was God.This claim is nothing less than Jesus Christ is Almighty God.This is all through the New Testament.If we were to just do a Bible study today looking at the verses of the New Testamentto talk about Jesus being God, we would be here long after the snow melted.But the New Testament is so full of this truth.For example, Colossians 2-9 says, "For in Him, in Jesus, the whole fullness of Deitydwells bodily."Most concise statement of Jesus' Deity is probably right here in John 1-14.It says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, gloryas of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."The Word became flesh and dwelt.That Word dwelt in the Greek is the word tabernacled.The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.You heard the tabernacle?In the Old Testament, it was this portable structure that as Moses was leading the Israelitesout of Egypt, God told Moses to build this structure and it had this tent with the HolyPlace and the Holy of Holies.And this was the place where God's unique presence dwelt among His people.So when John says, "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us," you know, if youwere in the Old Testament times, if you lived with Old Testament Israel and somebody said,"Hey, can you point to the place where God's unique presence lives on the earth?"You would point to the building, the tabernacle.You would say, "Yeah, God's unique presence on earth is right there."Fast forward to 2025 right now.If I were to say, "Can you point to the place where God's unique presence dwells on earth?"Where would you point?It's right here, right?Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.The temple was just the permanent version of the tabernacle.This is where God lives.This is God's unique presence here.So what John is saying in John 1.14 is for about 33 years of earth's history, when youwould ask, "Where is God's unique presence on the earth?"You'd point to a man.That man's name is Jesus Christ.You would point to him and say, "Right there.That man is the unique presence of God on the earth.This is where he is."All right?Jesus is not an exalted angel.Jesus is not some special enlightened human.According to this verse, Jesus is the God.And every false religion denies this, by the way.And I can just tell you personally, you would be shocked at how many times I've had to havethis conversation with people over the course of my ministry, that people who actually say,Jesus never said He was God.You heard that argument?Jesus never said it.What the argument is this, that's something the church kind of came up with.We kind of, like some religions like us, we sort of hitched that idea onto Jesus.Did Jesus Himself, they say, "Oh, if you study the words of Jesus, He never said He was God."Well, do you remember back in Exodus chapter 3, God called Moses through the burning bush.You know, you're going to lead my people out of Egypt.You're going to lead them to the promised land.Do you remember Moses says to God, "Well, what if Israel asks who sent me?"What if Israel is like, "What is His name?"Do you remember in that moment, God told Moses what His name is?You remember?God told Moses His name is, "I am who I am."That's God's name.His name is, "I am."I love that.God didn't say to Moses, "My name is I was."Like Moses, like what's your name?And God's like, "Moses, I was.Oh Moses, you should have seen me back in high school.Oh Moses, I was so good looking and I was such a good athlete.Back in the day Moses, back in the day I was really something.No, he's not the I was.But nor did God tell Moses that he's the I will be."Right?Like Moses is like, "What's your name?"And God's like, "Well Moses, you tell the Israelites, I might not be nothing specialnow but I'm taking my vitamins and I'm drinking my milk and I'm doing my palates and I'm jumpingon my pogo ball and someday, someday I'm going to be something great.I will be."God's not the I was and he's not the I will be.God is, "He is I am."From eternity past, He is infinite, majestic holiness.He is the I am.And in eternity future, He will still be infinite, majestic holiness.He is the I am.You're like, "Well what does that have to do with Jesus?"Because Jesus repeatedly claimed that He is the I am.It's all through the gospel of John, what, like seven times.I am the bread of life.I am the light of the world.I am the way and the truth and the life.I am the good shepherd.I am the door.All through Jesus made this claim.John chapter 8, Jesus said before Abraham was, "I am."John chapter 10, Jesus said, "I and the Father are one."And in that moment the Jews picked up stones, they were going to kill them for saying that.Jesus says, "I did a lot of good works for which of them are you going to stone me?"And they said, "Oh no, you're making yourself out to be God the way you're talking."And you see, they knew exactly what He was saying.They knew exactly what He meant when He said, "I and the Father are one."Oh, and by the way, not only does the Bible say that Jesus is God, did you know that the Bible also says that God is Jesus?Here's what I mean.Look at Zechariah 12/10.This is before the incarnation, the Christmas story.This is before the baby in the manger story.This is Old Testament.Look at what God says.God says, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a spirit of grace and please, for mercy, so that when they look on Me on Him whom they have pierced."Do you see how God identifies Himself?He identifies Himself as the one who was pierced and who was the one that was pierced.It's Jesus Christ on the cross.Do you see that?Do a little word study there.That's exactly what He's saying.They will look on the one whom they've stabbed.Right?It's also in the New Testament.God is Jesus.Look at Acts 20, for example.Paul says, "The Ephesians elders pay careful attention to yourselves to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood."Who bought the church with His blood?He says God.You're like, "I thought it was Jesus that shed His blood."Well, Paul's saying that as Jesus shed His blood, that was God obtaining the church with His own blood.So Jesus is God, yes, and the Bible also says that God is Jesus.The word was God, but the Bible also says here that the word was with God.The word was with God.And in case you missed it, in case you didn't quite catch it in verse 1, verse 2, he just says the exact same thing.He was in the beginning with God.So somehow, Jesus is God, but being with God, somehow He is distinct from the Father.Like if I said to you yesterday, I was with my buddy Nathaniel, and I was my buddy Nathaniel.You would say, "Were you and Nathaniel smoking something? Like what was going on there?"That doesn't make sense, does it?How can you be with somebody and be somebody at the same time?But that's exactly what the Bible says about Jesus and His relationship with God.He's not only God, but He's also with God.And people want that explained all the time.Pastor Taylor had a couple of weeks ago, the little children back there had a Q&A thing with him.And one of the questions they were asking about, the trinity.And look, do you want to know about the trinity? Here's the reality.Nobody can figure that out. That's the truth.You can't do it.Because from the moment you were born, you've only ever known two things in your life.Your whole life, you've only ever known two things.And that's time and space.You can't fathom an existence outside of time and space.This is where we are.And now we have a God who lives and exists in rules outside of time and space.God is not bound by time and space.And somehow we think that we're going to be able to explain everything about Him.Here's what I know.The Word was with God and the Word was God.The Bible says God exists.He's one God, but He exists as three persons.Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Jesus is eternal, but distinct.And you don't have to explain it to believe it.I can't explain to you how my car works, but I believe that it does when I get in and drive it.Look at verse 3.He says, "All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made."Okay, this is just theology 101. It's all through the Old Testament.God is Creator.And John here is saying Jesus is God, He's with God.And then John takes another step and says, "Jesus is Creator. He made all things."And somehow, again, the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in creation at the same time.You're like, "Can you explain that?"I just told you I could not explain that.But somehow God, the Father created through God the Son, and the Genesis tells us that the Spirit of God hovered above the waters.All three members of the Trinity were involved.And somehow Jesus is the agent of creation.The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 2 that in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son,whom He appointed the heir of all things through whom also He created the world.Through whom He created the world.That's all John's saying here in verse 3."Every living thing gets life from something else.A tree, a dog, a woodpecker, you. You got life from something else.The only person who has never received life from someone else is God Himself."That's what John's saying, since Jesus already existed before creation,and because Jesus didn't get His life from something else, then He must be God.Those are the biblical facts about Jesus.And listen, even if you're sitting here today or listening to the podcast later or whatever,even if you don't agree with that, can we take an honest look at what the Bible says and stop trying to twist it?Oh, it doesn't really say that.The Bible overwhelmingly says that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.That's the truth that you have to reckon with.He is God.So if you want to know God, number two, the response.The response. You want to know God? The response is faith in Jesus.The reality is Jesus is God. The response is we have to have faith in Jesus.You see, God took the initiative.God did His part in revealing Himself as Jesus, so the question is, what's my part in knowing Him?It's faith.Faith is the only way to know God.Oh, and speaking of generic,not only do people use the name of God in a generic sense,but you'll find that people use the concept of faith in a generic sense.There is a true biblical sense and definition of faith,but we live in a culture that just throws that word faith around all the time and uses it in all kinds of ways.Here's what I mean.Some people use faith like it means a wishful thinking.Faith is just wishful thinking.Like, well, I just kind of have faith that everything's going to work out.Like, what does that even mean?For some people, they think faith is just the way of the ignorant.Like, well, you believe in science.Or you believe in faith, rather. I believe in science.And they're condescending. You're just some, you know, backwoods, redneck, you're ignorant.I believe in science, but you have your little fairy tale faith.And still other people look at faith as some kind of ambiguous spirituality.You hear people say, I'm a person of faith.Do you know who else is a person of faith?Literally everybody.Everybody believes in something.What is your faith in?Because you can have faith in the wrong thing.So listen, my friends, God is not a generic concept and neither is faith.Faith is a specific disposition towards a specific person.That's why Hebrews 11.6 says without faith,it is impossible to please Him for whoever would draw near to God.That's the knowing God piece.Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He existsand that He rewards those who seek Him.It starts with obviously an acknowledgement of His existence,but it doesn't stop there. You have to seek Him.You have a responsibility.God took the initiative. He revealed Himself in Jesus.What is my responsibility in this relationship?Or how can I grow in knowing Jesus?I want you to draw these three things down.How can I grow in knowing Jesus?Letter A, you have to confess with your mouth.Romans 10.9 says, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.And you are not going to grow in your relationship with Himif you don't have one to begin with."So have you made that confession?Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the crossto pay the penalty for your sins, that He rose from the deadto give you eternal life? Do you believe that?Because people have this idea that, well, we're all children of Godand a creative sense, yes, but not in the adoptive sense.Yes, we do all have a relationship with Jesus.The question is, do you have a good relationship with Himor a bad relationship with Him?You have to confess with your mouth.Ask to start there, letter B, you have to hear the Word.You have to hear the Word.Romans 10.17 says, "So faith comes from hearingand hearing through the Word of Christ."The only way your faith grows is through the Word of God.Because this is the only truly reliable source of informationabout Jesus, because this is the source of informationthat was given to us by God.You have to be in the Wordif you're going to know Jesus.Any relationship involves time and communication.And some people, they spend no time in His Word,no time praying His Word and reading and studying and meditating.And they spend no time at all in the Word.And then they wonder why they feel so distant.Relationships grow when time is spent together.You need to prioritize spending time and praying the Word of God.Finally, letter C, keep His commandments.Jesus says in John 15.10, "If you keep My commandments,you will abide in My love just as I have kept My Father's commandmentsand abide in His love."That's how you abide. It's through obedience.Now listen, if you're a Christian and you're in sin,sin is not going to end your relationship with Jesus.But you're obviously going to feel distant from Godif you have unrepentant sin.Any area of disobedience in your life that you refuse to deal with,you're going to feel distant.And that's not on God. That's on you.God hasn't gone anywhere. You have.So what is it in your life right now that you're like,"I know that this is what God wants me to stop doing,or maybe something God wants you to start doing,but you know exactly what it is.You need to turn from that sin.You need to obey whatever Jesus is calling you to.And you're going to enjoy the freedomthat repentance brings in your walk with Christ."This is what keeps people from coming to Christin the first place, by the way.Jesus will take you just as you are,but He won't leave you that way.Jesus wants to transform you.He wants to change you.Some people just don't want to be changed.Keep His commandments.The Word became flesh.God became a man.Our worship team would come back up.You know, I came to Christ when I was 20.And it's an amazing thing to grow up in a churchas a kid.All those days, all those yearssitting in the church, how little I really understood.But when I was led to Christ, it was this whole newworld, right?And I remember I was trying to understand.And I had this Bible that my parents got me.You know, some Bibles have the little story inserts,little devotional things that kind of build into the Bible.Well, this Bible had this story in it.And the story goes something like this.There was this farmer and his wife, it was Chris Paseeb,and the farmer's wife was going to church.And she asked her husband if he wanted to go with her.He goes, "No, I don't get that church stuff.It doesn't, that makes no sense to me.You know, I'm not interested at all, but you go have fun."Well, she went to church.And while he was home, he saw that there were birds trying to getinto his barn.This really bad deep freeze came over, kind of like,"What happened here?"And these birds were trying to get into the barn,seeking shelter from the cold.The farmer says, "Well, I can help those birds."So he goes, "I'll just go out and open the doorand let them in the barn."And when he went out, you know what birds do, right?They just kind of scattered everywhere.The farmer's like, "Well, that sure didn't help anything."So he thought, "Well, maybe if I just leave breadcrumbs,I can like guide them in there somehow."Didn't work.No matter what the farmer did, he couldn't get the birdsinto the barn to get shelter.And as the story goes, I don't think it's a true story,but as the story goes, he stood and lookedout the kitchen window, and he saw the birds back flyingaround the outside of the barn not able to get in.And the farmer thought to himself,"Those birds are going to die."And as badly as I want to save them,I don't know how I can get them into the barn.But then the farmer had a thought.The farmer thought, "You know, if I could become a birdfor like five minutes, I could approach them,they wouldn't be scared of me, I could speak their language,and I could show them the way that they could be saved."And right when he had the thought, the story goes,"Off in the distance, he heard the church's bells ringing."And that's when it connected.It's a dumb story.Admittedly, what I'm going to tell you as a young Christian,when I read that, that's what made everything click for me.Yes, that's the purpose of the incarnation,that God became one of us to save us.So what do you want for Christmas?I want to know God, not the generic knockoff,but the real person.Because knowing God is eternal life.We're going to have our elders and members of our prayer teamup front here.And in just a moment, Ashley's going to sing a song over you.And we're going to have a good old-fashioned altar call.You can stay in your seat, you can pray right where you are.But I want you to know there's people that are up here that would love to pray with youand for you.So as Ashley sings over you, we're going to invite youto come. Maybe there's somebody herethat today you're like, "You know what? I don't really know God. I know about Him.But I don't really have a relationship with Him.Today's the day. Today's the day that you can go from knowing aboutGod to knowing God. So please come.Our Father in Heaven, we thank Youfor the way that You have demonstrated Your holiness and loveby taking on flesh and blood.Father, I pray against all of the distractions. It's that time of yearthat there's more to do than we have time to do.And there's so many things buying for our attention.Father, I pray that we would take a realclose examination at the person of Jesus Christ and examine our own hearts.Are we truly walking with Him? Do we trulyhave a relationship with Him that we're spending timetogether and knowing and growing?Or are we just churchgoers?Father, I thank You. You've revealed Your heart. You want us to know You.You've done everything and have just simply called us to receivewhat You have accomplished.Father, thank You. We praise You and ask that You would continue to manifestYour goodness and presence in us by the power of Your Spirit through the wisdomof Your Word. We praise You in the name of JesusChrist, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Lies travel fast, but they don't last. We end Hebrews chapter 6 and open chapter 7 finding a sturdier place to stand: God's promise to Abraham, sealed by an oath, and a hope described as an anchor for the soul. From that foundation, we follow the thread behind the veil into the true tabernacle, where Jesus acts not as our forerunner and high priest who secures our access to the presence of God.We unpack how an ancient sanctuary layout—outer court, holy place, Holy of Holies—mirrors a heavenly reality, and why that matters for everyday assurance. If Jesus Christ [Messiah] carries His own blood into the real Holy of Holies, then atonement is not a metaphor; it is the substance the Old Testament symbols pointed to. Along the way, we meet Melchizedek, the mysterious king of Salem, whose sudden appearance with bread and wine, blessing, and tithe becomes a powerful type of Christ: king of righteousness, king of peace, and priest of God Most High. The absence of his genealogy in Genesis isn't a puzzle to solve as much as a signpost toward an eternal priesthood fulfilled in Jesus.This conversation stays grounded with a vivid nautical image of a “forerunner” boat that carries the big ship's anchor over the sandbar into safe holding. That's how our hope holds when life's tides pull us backward: not because we are strong, but because our anchor is set in God's unchangeable character. If you've felt the drag of doubt or the sting of broken promises, this is a warm, thoughtful guide to a trust that doesn't crack under pressure.If this helped steady your faith, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs firm footing, and leave a quick review to help others find it.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In this special Christmas episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan is joined by scholar and author Donna Nielsen for a breathtaking exploration of Mother Mary's true identity, her lineage, her temple upbringing, and the ancient traditions that honor her far beyond the biblical text.Drawing from Christian apocrypha, Islamic scripture, German folktales, early temple traditions, Renaissance iconography, and Middle Eastern lineage records, Donna reveals a side of Mary rarely talked about. This is a beautiful, expansive, and deeply reverent journey into Mary's life and mission—the perfect Christmas episode for anyone wanting deeper spiritual understanding.Timestamps 00:00–04:00 | Introduction 04:00–06:00 | Protestant vs. Catholic Mary 06:00–13:00 | How stories honor real people without always being factual 13:00–16:00 | Maternal lineage 16:00–27:00 | Prophecy of the tree, branch, flower, and fruit of light 27:00–29:00 | Story of Anna and Joachim  29:00–32:00 | Early childhood portrayals of Mary 32:00–35:00 | Temple customs, Mary's purity traditions, and symbolic upbringing 35:00–38:00 | Presentation of Mary at the temple: Christian and Muslim narratives 38:00–40:00 | Mary's weaving 40:00–43:00 | Annunciation symbolism 43:00–46:00 | Women at wells 46:00–48:00 | Mary entering the Holy of Holies 48:00–50:00 | Oldest image of Mary 50:00–53:00 | Mary in Islam 53:00–56:00 | Islamic art and symbolism 56:00–59:00 | Mary the New Eve  59:00–01:03:00 | Nativity traditions 01:03:00–01:06:00 | The three Marys 01:06:00–01:10:00 | Dormition, Assumption, and ancient beliefs about Mary's death 01:10:00–01:12:00 | Mary in Latter-day Saint tradition and limited portrayal 01:12:00–01:16:00 | Mary as the Virgin in the Book of Mormon 01:16:00–01:19:00 | Virgin: meanings beyond sexuality  01:19:00–01:23:00 | Colors, flowers, fruits, and symbolic art of Mary 01:23:00–01:28:00 | Shell and pearl symbolism 01:28:00–01:32:00 | Medieval chants and Mary's collaborative role with Christ 01:32:00–End | Closing symbolism: milk, blood, tears, and divine compassionAdditional Resources: The Protoevangelium of James - Reading by Meghan FarnerHoly Child Jesus by Donna NielsenLearn more at donna-connections.blogspot.com Thank you for listening to Hidden Wisdom! For more classes, writings, and upcoming events, visit meghanfarner.com. ✨ New Class Now Open: The Language of Heaven: Basic Symbols Discover the foundational symbols of divine communication and deepen your spiritual understanding for FREE! Register here! If this episode brought value to your life, please consider: Donating through Venmo: @Meghan-Farner Subscribing to stay updated Sharing it with someone who would love it Leaving a comment or review to help others find the show Connecting and exploring more resources at meghanfarner.com Thank you for being a part of the Hidden Wisdom community!

1 Kings 8:1-9:9 // Tom NelsonWitness Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant being placed in the Holy of Holies, and the resulting presence of the glory of the Lord. This teaching explores Solomon's prayer of dedication and God's powerful response, including the crucial covenant conditions for continued blessing and divine presence. Essential viewing for those studying Solomon, the Temple, and the importance of obedience.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49530081 PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new25.12.07

1 Kings 8:1-9:9 // Nathan MillerWitness Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant being placed in the Holy of Holies, and the resulting presence of the glory of the Lord. This teaching explores Solomon's prayer of dedication and God's powerful response, including the crucial covenant conditions for continued blessing and divine presence. Essential viewing for those studying Solomon, the Temple, and the importance of obedience.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49530080 PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2542/responses/new25.12.07

1 Kings 8:1-9:9 // Gabe CoyleWitness Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant being placed in the Holy of Holies, and the resulting presence of the glory of the Lord. This teaching explores Solomon's prayer of dedication and God's powerful response, including the crucial covenant conditions for continued blessing and divine presence. Essential viewing for those studying Solomon, the Temple, and the importance of obedience.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49530082 PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2553/responses/new25.12.07

1 Kings 8:1-9:9 // Bill GormanWitness Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant being placed in the Holy of Holies, and the resulting presence of the glory of the Lord. This teaching explores Solomon's prayer of dedication and God's powerful response, including the crucial covenant conditions for continued blessing and divine presence. Essential viewing for those studying Solomon, the Temple, and the importance of obedience.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49530083 PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2546/responses/new25.12.07

1 Kings 8:1-9:9 // Paul BrandesWitness Solomon's dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant being placed in the Holy of Holies, and the resulting presence of the glory of the Lord. This teaching explores Solomon's prayer of dedication and God's powerful response, including the crucial covenant conditions for continued blessing and divine presence. Essential viewing for those studying Solomon, the Temple, and the importance of obedience.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49530078 PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2574/responses/new25.12.07 

Welcome to Daily Bitachon . We're on our Friday series where we talk about Shabbat . In our prayers of Shabbat , interestingly, every tefilah has a different theme. Friday night, we say Vayechulu , we say some pesukim that talk about creation. And we say that it's zecher l'maasei breishit . It's there to remember creation. In the Shacharit prayers, which we're going to discuss now, we mention Matan Torah and how special the Jewish people are. As it says, in Shemot 31:16, ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת, the Jewish people will keep the Shabbat , לעשות את השבת לדורותם ברית עולם. It's an everlasting covenant, it's a deal. Who's it a deal? ביני ובין בני ישראל. It's between God and the Jewish people. Ot hi l'olam . It's an everlasting sign. כי ששת ימים עשה ה' את השמים ואת הארץ. God created the heavens and earth in six days וביום השביעי שבת וינפש. And after that it says, and God didn't give it to the other nations of the world. We'll see how exactly that fits in. There's another pasuk in Shemot Lamed Alef Yud Gimmel that also talks about the ot , and it says כי אות היא ביני וביניכם לדורותיכם. It is an everlasting sign, l'daat , to know כי אני ה' מקדשכם, to know that I am Hashem that makes you holy. And Rashi says, what does that mean? What's this ot ? אות גדולה היא בינינו. It's a great sign between us, as we said, it's a sign, it's a covenant, it's a deal. What is that? She'bacharti bachem , I chose you, ונחלתי לכם את יום מנוחתי למנוחה. I chose you, and how do I know I chose you? Because I gave you the day to rest that I rest on. God allowed us into His resting day. That's a sign of how special we are. That is a sign of honor. We have Shabbat and other nations do not. And that now we understand the continuation that we say in the Amidah . ולא נתתו ה' אלוקינו לגויי הארצות. God did not give this to the the nations of the world. ולא הנחלתו מלכנו לעובדי אלילים. And the idol worshipers did not get this inheritance. Gam b'menuchato , in His resting day, lo yishkenu areilim , the fore skinned ones, those that are not Jewish, did not have a brit milah , cannot dwell in this day of menuchah . כי לעמך ישראל נתתו באהבה. God gave it to us lovingly, l'zera Yaakov , to the seed of Yaakov , asher bam bacharta , God chose us. As Rashi says, bacharti bachem , I chose you. So we walk around with Shabbat . It's a sign that we're special, that we're different. Just like tefillin is a sign, brit milah is a sign. It's interesting that it says that lo yishkenu areilim , those non-circumcised, fore skinned people cannot have anything to do with menuchah of Shabbat . All these signs are signs that we're special. It's interesting, it says that anything shows up in three dimensions: people, place, and time. Holiness shows up in people, place, and time. Holiest person, the Kohen Gadol . Holiest place, the Holy of Holies. Holiest time, Yom Kippur . And they all come together as the Kohen Gadol enters the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur . And this sign that God has is also in people, place, and person. It's a sign in people with the brit milah . It's a sign in place, the tefillin are a box which represents space, makom . And lastly, it's a sign in time, Shabbat . And that's what we're talking about, to be proud and walk around with this badge of honor, the badge of Shabbat that separates us. Something to be proud of. You can wear the king's garments, so to say. You can enter into this special elite place that no one's allowed into, but us. So much so that it says goy she'shavat chayav mitah . If a goy decides to keep Shabbat , he's chayav mitah . The Chida in ספר נחל קדומים על במדבר 22 colon 28 explains why. Because he says if someone decides to use the king's scepter, he's chayav mitah . God gave us this scepter to use because we're His children. There's another analogy I once saw brought down in one of the Midrashim , that if a king and queen are sitting alone in a room. some servant walks in, off with his head. Shabbat is the time when God and the Jewish people are alone, and how dare anyone else enter into that special time. So these are all unbelievable appreciations of this great sign of Shabbat and therefore, let us truly appreciate it and take in all that wonderful, beautiful time.

Zevachim 82 : Marc Chipkin : 2025-12-05 Which offering whose blood is brought inside is invalidated? Does bringing some blood inside disqualify the rest of the blood? Blood brought inside the Holy of Holies.

Jase puts science and Scripture side by side to explore what really happens when we die, from decay and consciousness to the promise of resurrection. The guys tackle the big question head-on: did Jesus actually go to hell between the cross and the empty tomb, and what does that mean for believers like Phil who are with the Lord but still awaiting resurrection? Plus, Kim Bright sheds light on the devastating effects of microplastics on human health and offers a solution that's surprisingly simple. In this episode: Hebrews 1, verses 1–3; Hebrews 2, verses 14–15; John 2, verses 18–22; John 5, verses 16–29; Matthew 6, verses 9–10; Romans 6, verses 1–4; Ephesians 2, verses 1–7; Romans 8, verses 1–4 and 18–23; 2 Thessalonians 1, verse 9; Luke 16, verses 19–31; Luke 23, verse 43; 2 Corinthians 5, verses 1–8; Philippians 1, verses 21–24; 1 Peter 3, verses 18–20; 1 Samuel 28; Hebrews 12, verses 1–2 and 22–24; Hebrews 13; 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 13–18 “Unashamed” Episode 1222 is sponsored by: https://andrewandtodd.com or call 888-888-1172 — These guys are the real deal. Get trusted mortgage guidance and expertise from someone who shares your values! https://preborn.com/unashamed — Visit the PreBorn! website or dial #250 and use keyword BABY to donate today. https://www.puretalk.com/unashamed — Get their best unlimited plan for just $29.95 a month! https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Al is finally losing weight! Schedule your one-on-one consultation today by visiting the website or calling 864-644-1900. http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://open.spotify.com/show/3LY8eJ4ZBZHmsImGoDNK2l Chapters: 00:00-15:01 Jase studies physics & thermodynamics 15:02-24:53 The Holy of Holies is emptied 24:54-37:21 What happens to souls in Hell 37:22-44:30 Did Jesus go to Hell? 44:31-56:12 The solution to the microplastics problem — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the hidden knowledge of ancient civilizations with this deep conversation featuring Praveen Mohan.We explore the global pyramid network, ancient portals, vimanas, time dilation, monoatomic gold traditions, and the possibility of an advanced global civilization thousands of years ago.From Thailand to India, Cambodia, Mexico, Egypt, and Sri Lanka—cultures across the world shared the same architecture, the same science, and in many cases the same rituals involving gold, energy, and interplanetary travel described in ancient texts.✔ Global civilization connections✔ Pyramids around the world✔ Gold ingestion in Ayurveda (historical, cultural)✔ Vimana technology & ancient rockets✔ Time dilation described in the Puranas✔ Portal locations in India & Sri Lanka✔ Ancient scientific knowledge modern physics now confirms✔ Praveen Mohan's Thailand Temple Tour infoThis documentary-style interview breaks down ideas that challenge conventional history and expand our understanding of ancient science.Disclaimer: This video is for historical and cultural discussion only.Nothing here is medical advice.00:00 Global pyramid civilizations01:22 Were they part of one global culture?02:40 Sacred geometry & gold03:06 Ingesting gold in ancient India04:13 Ayurveda & gold rituals today05:43 Portal locations in India & Sri Lanka07:34 Vimanas & ancient rockets08:37 Time warp & time dilation in ancient texts09:48 Modern physics aligns with ancient stories12:17 Lost technologies rediscovered14:46 Ancient knowledge suppression15:07 Praveen's Thailand tour17:04 Healing power of temples18:45 Chanting inside sacred chambers19:37 Holy of Holies comparison21:13 Global collaboration plans30 Day Free Trial Of 4biddenknowledge.TV 30 Day Free Trial On 4biddenknowledge.TVSupport the show

Discover the hidden knowledge of ancient civilizations with this deep conversation featuring Praveen Mohan.We explore the global pyramid network, ancient portals, vimanas, time dilation, monoatomic gold traditions, and the possibility of an advanced global civilization thousands of years ago.From Thailand to India, Cambodia, Mexico, Egypt, and Sri Lanka—cultures across the world shared the same architecture, the same science, and in many cases the same rituals involving gold, energy, and interplanetary travel described in ancient texts.✔ Global civilization connections✔ Pyramids around the world✔ Gold ingestion in Ayurveda (historical, cultural)✔ Vimana technology & ancient rockets✔ Time dilation described in the Puranas✔ Portal locations in India & Sri Lanka✔ Ancient scientific knowledge modern physics now confirms✔ Praveen Mohan's Thailand Temple Tour infoThis documentary-style interview breaks down ideas that challenge conventional history and expand our understanding of ancient science.Disclaimer: This video is for historical and cultural discussion only.Nothing here is medical advice.00:00 Global pyramid civilizations01:22 Were they part of one global culture?02:40 Sacred geometry & gold03:06 Ingesting gold in ancient India04:13 Ayurveda & gold rituals today05:43 Portal locations in India & Sri Lanka07:34 Vimanas & ancient rockets08:37 Time warp & time dilation in ancient texts09:48 Modern physics aligns with ancient stories12:17 Lost technologies rediscovered14:46 Ancient knowledge suppression15:07 Praveen's Thailand tour17:04 Healing power of temples18:45 Chanting inside sacred chambers19:37 Holy of Holies comparison21:13 Global collaboration plans

God Dwells With Us | Matt Lantz--Just before entering the Holy of Holies, the priest comes to the Altar of Incense with its reminder to pray continually to the Lord.--Notes

The sermon centers on the definitive and eternal nature of Christ's sacrifice, emphasizing that His one offering on the cross fulfilled and superseded the temporary, repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Drawing from Hebrews 10, it contrasts the inadequacy of animal sacrifices—which could only cover sin annually without removing it—with the perfect, once-for-all redemption achieved by Christ, who entered the Holy of Holies not with blood of animals but with His own blood, securing eternal redemption. The message underscores that Christ's work is not merely atonement (a covering) but full remission, where God remembers sins no more, making further sacrifices unnecessary and any return to Old Testament rituals a willful rejection of grace. The preacher calls believers to rest in this finished work, to embrace the new and living way into God's presence, and to stand firm in the assurance of salvation secured by God's unchangeable oath, which guarantees eternal security and a hope anchored in Christ's priesthood after Melchizedek.

This powerful exploration of Revelation 21-22 challenges us to rethink everything we thought we knew about heaven and our eternal destiny. Rather than a distant escape plan, we discover that God's ultimate vision is restoration, not evacuation. The Greek word 'kainos' reveals that God isn't making all new things, but making all things new—like refurbishing that old Camaro or restoring vintage furniture. This isn't about abandoning creation; it's about God finishing what He started in Genesis. We learn that earth, not heaven, is our true home—not as it is now, but as it will be when heaven comes down. The imagery of New Jerusalem as both bride and city shows us we're not just saved, we're wanted in covenant love. God personally wipes away our tears, dwells among us, and invites us into the restored Holy of Holies where we become a royal priesthood. The Tree of Life, once forbidden, becomes ours for healing. Most remarkably, we don't retire in paradise—we reign with Christ. This gives us both a future hope that sustains us through life's plot twists and a living hope that empowers us to bring heaven down today. Our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life aren't an honor roll but a paid debt, reminding us that heaven is for the purchased, not the perfect.

John 11:45-53,Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.We live in times, sadly, in which it's not hard to imagine public officials seeking their own benefit. Covering their own interests. Talking arrogantly and rudely. Pursuing political expediency in which seemingly righteous ends are said to justify grossly unrighteous means.Unfortunately, it's not hard to imagine leaders like Caiaphas. As we hear about Caiaphas, we have lessons to learn by way of contrast. And there are marvels to see here about our God and his Son and the wonder of the grace of his gospel.Jesus on the RiseLast Sunday we heard how Jesus's sovereign, omnipotent word raised the dead man, four days in the tomb. John 11:43-44,“‘Lazarus, come out!' The man who had died came out…”Jesus continues as the ascendency, and now, having raised a well-known dead man, so near Jerusalem, he's turning the city upside down. Many believe (v. 45), but others go to the Pharisees and stir up trouble (v. 46). They gather the high court, “the council,” called the Sanhedrin, made up of 70 priests and elders and scribes, with the high priest presiding. And they say,“What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.”Indeed he does: water into wine (2:11), cleansing the temple (2:15), restoring a dead son to life (4:53), healing the sick of all kinds (6:2), multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed thousands (6:14), giving sight to a blind man (9:16), and now, raising a dead man who had been in the grave four days (11:44).Yes, he has done many signs. But instead of asking, like many common people are, “Could this be the long-promised Christ?” the leaders as a whole are tragically more concerned with preserving their own place and privilege. They are more oriented on political concerns with the unbelieving Romans than with spiritual concerns in their Scriptures. “If we let [Jesus] go on like this,” they say, “everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation” (v. 48).Which bring us to the fateful moment, in verses 49–52.God Versus High PriestAt the council, Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks the decisive word. It comes from his mouth; it comes out of his heart. It is fully his. He is fully responsible for it. And John tells us in verse 51, “He did not say this of his own accord.” Who's accord, then, was it? God's accord. Jesus has talked over and over in this Gospel of his coming and his acting as “not of his own accord” but his Father's. This is God's accord, God's plan.So what we have in verse 50 is two visions of the coming death of Jesus: Caiaphas's and God's. Caiaphas perceives the situation, considers his own interest, and issues his counsel, which carries the day. And God is not caught off guard; he doesn't rush in to fix things and “turn” them for good. No, before Caiaphas willed it, God willed it. Before Caiaphas said it, God planned it. God superintends these evil words, from Caiaphas's evil heart, for God's good purposes and the salvation of his people from sin and death.And strange as this sounds in our ears, this is not new in the Bible. This is how the first book of the Bible ends. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says to his brothers who sold him into slavery,“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”He doesn't say God used it or that God turned it. Sinners meant evil; God meant it (same evil) for good. Same evil, two intentions. And we see something similar near the end of the Bible in Revelation 17:17,“God has put it into their hearts [wicked earthly rulers] to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled…”So, as the council meets, God is not wringing his hands, saying, “Oh no, the high priest is giving the decisive word to put my Son to death.” No, God has planned it. He has orchestrated every detail. In Acts 4:28, early Christians would praise God for bringing to pass at the cross “whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Oh Caiaphas means evil against Jesus, but God means it for good, to bring it about that many people should be saved.So, let's meditate on this double meaning in the words of Caiaphas in three parts.1. Two Visions of the PeopleWhat does Caiaphas mean when he says the people? Look at verse 50:“…it is better for you [Sanhedrin] that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”For Caiaphas, “the people” and “the whole nation” are ethnic Jews. Caiaphas wants to preserve his own ethnicity, and as we'll see, he has very selfish reasons for doing so. So, by “people” and “nation” Caiaphas means ethnic Jews.What does God mean? Verses 51-52:[Caiaphas] did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.So, for God, “the people” means “the children of God” which is not every ethnic Jew, nor is it limited only to ethnic Jews. The “children of God” are all who believe in Jesus — many believers in Jesus are among the Jews, as we've already seen, and now comes a stunning expansion, like we saw in John 10:16: Jesus has “other sheep” who are not of the Jewish fold — that is, Gentiles!God's chosen children are not limited to Israel; nor is every ethnic Israelite included. From the beginning, God chose ethnic Israel historically as a channel to bring his eternal salvation to all the nations. Now, at last, Messiah has come. And now, by surprise, Messiah goes to a sacrificial death — and through him the gates swing wide to all who believe, all believing Jews and all believing Gentiles. The chosen sheep, scattered among the nations, are “the children of God,” which will come to be called “the church.”And here's the scandal of Jesus's sacrificial achievement in gathering God's children from all nations: in Christ, fellow believers in faraway places, of different nations and ethnicities, are closer by far than fellows in ethnicity, place, and mere human nation. And so today, if you are in Christ, you have something far more important in common with a Christian in China or Russia, than you do with your unbelieving American neighbor who just happens to prefer the same political party you do.So, first, two visions of the people: Caiaphas means ethnic Jews. God means a new-covenant spiritual people from every nation, scattered abroad, and called the church.2. Two Visions of SubstitutionCaiaphas's proposal is for substitution. A people are in danger of destruction. So substitute one man on behalf of the people, and kill him, so that the people do not perish. A political scapegoat. Verse 50 again:“…it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”For Caiaphas, one man, Jesus, should perish, so that the Messianic fervor dissipates, the Jesus movement fades, and almighty Rome remains undisturbed and doesn't come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple. And amazingly, in the superintending providence of God, Caiaphas words this in sacrificial language. One man, he says, will die “for the people” — literally, on behalf of the people. Of course, Caiaphas means it politically. This is pure politics, not spiritual leadership. This is vintage political expediency. And par for the course in world politics. Perhaps you've heard it called the end justifies the means. The end goal is seen to be good, and so the means used to get there are compromised. And mark this: this is evil. Normal and justifiable as it may seem, this is evil in God's eyes. And this, normal politics as it might be, carries the day not in Rome but in Jerusalem among the council of 70 priests and elders and Pharisees, from the mouth of Israel's high priest. More on that in a minute.What about for God? What does he mean by this substitution? Verses 51-52 again:[Caiaphas] did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.For God, his own Son, the eternal second person of the Godhead, fully divine, now fully human as man — Jesus dies on behalf of the children of God. And oh the irony of the sacrificial language — uttered by Israel's high priest for political expedience, and totally unaware that in his very words he formulates, in the sacrificial terms of Israel's religion, the very mechanism God uses to bring that sacrificial system and first covenant to its long-awaited apex and conclusion. This sacrifice of Jesus is the very Sacrifice that for centuries all the animal sacrifices have anticipated — all the endless blood of bulls and goats and lambs that has flowed and flowed for centuries has pointed to this one man's flow of blood at the cross.Which brings us right to the heart of the good news of Jesus, and amazingly, in God's sovereignty, the words of Caiaphas, meant for evil, have us here, as God means them for good.Christians have long called this “penal substitution.”Penal means that a penalty is due for human sin. Sin is an affront to an infinitely worthy God. He made us, and in our sin we have turned our backs on him. And the New Testament makes it clear that the payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). We all deserve the penalty of death, and eternal separation from God, because of our sin against him. Penal means there's a just penalty for our sin that must be paid.And the good news is that Jesus, in his death on the cross, is our substitute. We deserve death for our sin, but Jesus puts himself forward to die in our place, “on our behalf.” This sacrificial language of substitution runs all the way back to Leviticus — Jesus offers himself as the substitute, in our place, to receive our penalty of death (as animals did only temporarily in the old covenant), that he might then rise, and with him we too might be released to life.So, God's vision is penal substitution: Jesus is our substitute sin-bearer. He took the penalty of death we deserve for our sin, by substituting himself in our place at the cross, that all the children of God, scattered abroad, could be joined to him by faith and live.3. Two Visions of High PriesthoodCaiaphas is Israel's official high priest. There is no other high priest, only one. There are whole chapters of Scripture (Exodus 28–29; Leviticus 8, 16) that deal with his clothes and how to consecrate him for office, and what he does on the Day of Atonement, which is the one day each year when the high priest enters the Holy of Holies to offer the climactic annual sacrifice on behalf of the people. So, who was Israel's high priest that year? John tells us three times. Don't miss this, and don't miss the scandal of it.Verse 49: one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all…”Verse 51: [Caiaphas] did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation…And John 18:13-14: once the soldiers arrested and bound Jesus, “First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.”So, it is Israel's high priest who gives the decisive word that puts Israel's long-awaited Messiah to death. The last act of Israel's final high priest is to give the word to kill Israel's Messiah.Oh the failure of the mere human and hereditary high priesthood! It failed from the very beginning:Think of Aaron, Moses's brother, the first high priest. What was his infamous first public act? He made and led the people in worshiping the golden calf. Then his sons, Nadab and Abihu “offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2).Next we think of negligent Eli and his worthless sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam 2).And more broadly, over and over again, Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Malachi condemn the greed and corruption and idolatry and neglect of Israel's priests.The history of Israel, from beginning to end, makes the lesson plain: mere humanity and heredity cannot provide the needed high priest to mediate between God and man.And Caiaphas sees that Israel's high priesthood goes out with a bang. This is so tragic: politics and its expediency have captured the high priest! He's ordained as the nation's spiritual leader and playing at politics! As Don Carson observes: “the nation perished anyway [in 70 AD], not because of Jesus' activity but because of the constant mad search for political solutions where there was little spiritual renewal.”O God, give your church spiritual renewal and free us from any “constant mad search for political solutions.”Lessons by ContrastWe see the kind of guy Caiaphas is by the first thing out of his mouth: “You know nothing at all.” That's how he talks. That's his tone: you guys are stupid. You're fools. What are you trying to do, solve this problem righteously? You're trying to fix this trouble without resorting to evil? Let me show you fools how to do it.And then, with the same mouth, and as with the mouth of Satan himself, he speaks the decisive word to put the nation's Messiah to death: “it is better for you that one man should die for the people.” Don't miss that “for you” in verse 50. He does not say it's better for the nation but “for you,” for you priests and elders and scribes in the room. It's better for you, Sanhedrin. This is wicked leadership.So, beware: fathers and mothers, teachers, business people, fellow pastors. Beware a tone that treats others like fools. It may seem small (“fight the world on the world's terms”). It's not small. Where is it coming from? From the heart. Your careless, socially conditioned, socially permissible words are coming from your own heart. And where are they going? It may be a first indicator that expediency is taking root in your heart. Beware the spirit of expediency that would say (or usually not even say it but just live it): my good ends justify these shady means. You are, in effect, saying, “Sin is okay, evil is okay, deception is okay, injustice is okay, if it serves the purpose for something I really want and would make my life a lot easier.”And in leadership beware the spirit of self-service (rather than self-sacrifice). Let me tell you what's really easy to do in a room of decision makers: decide on what's easiest for the room. What's best for the people here. Whether it's a Sanhedrin of 70 or an elder table of 8, the natural pull, apart from the help of God's Spirit, is for a room of sinners to work toward decisions that are easiest and best for the room.As your pastors, we are aware of this pull, and we pray and we resolve and we keep each other accountable that we not make decisions that are best for the room. Rather, as your pastors we take it as our call to ask for God's help and work toward decisions that are best for this church — and are often more costly for us personally. More work to do. More conversations to have. More calls to make, letters to write, topics to research, tasks to compete. This is how good leadership often works: more, not less, is required of the leaders to care well for their people. (A critical parenting lesson, especially in discipline!)Our Great High PriestI end with this, as we come to the Table: Did you realize there are two high priests in this passage? I didn't see this at first. Yes, there is Caiaphas, and as the high priesthood in Israel fails, and comes to its appointed end with one last and greatest failure of all, the one who emerges is not only our sacrifice and substitute but, as Hebrews calls him, our great high priest. I know priesthood can seem obscure and distant to us in the 21st century. Perhaps here's one way to get your bearings more around what it means to have Jesus as our great high priest: he is not like Caiaphas. Caiaphas was one of many and the last in Israel. Jesus is the first, and one and only, in the new covenant. Caiaphas's office was temporary. Jesus's is forever, and of an entirely different order. Caiaphas was evil, rude, self-serving. Jesus, our great high priest is…holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those [other] high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:26-27)Brothers and sisters in Christ, “we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 8:1). “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

When the holy and most pure child Mary (Mariam or Miriam in Hebrew) reached the age of three, her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna, fulfilled the vow they had made to dedicate her to God. Going in procession with a company of maidens carrying torches, they presented their child at the Temple in Jerusalem, where Zecharias the High Priest took her under his care, blessing her with these words: "The Lord has glorified thy name in every generation; it is in thee that He will reveal the Redemption that he has prepared for his people in the last days." He then brought the child into the Holy of Holies — something completely unheard-of, for under the Law only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy Place, and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement.   (In the icon of the feast, the maidens who accompany the Theotokos are shown bare-headed, as was customary for unmarried girls; but the Theotokos herself, though only three years old, wears the head-covering of a married woman to show her consecration to God.)   The holy Virgin lived in the Temple for the next nine years, devoting herself entirely to prayer. In this time she attained the utter purity of heart befitting the destined Bearer of the Most High; she became in her own person the fulfilment and condensation of all of Israel's faithfulness. Saint Gregory Palamas says that, when the Theotokos entered the Holy of Holies, the time of preparation and testing of the Old Covenant came to an end for Israel, which was now ready, in the blessed Virgin, to bring forth the Savior.   When Mary approached marriageable age, she was entrusted to the chaste widower Joseph to guard her. (The Prologue says that a life of intentional virginity was unknown among the Hebrews, so the righteous Joseph undertook the forms of marriage so as not to cause scandal among the people.)   "Wherefore the Church rejoices and exhorts all the friends of God for their part to enter into the temple of their heart, there to make ready for the coming of the Lord by silence and prayer, withdrawing from the pleasures and cares of this world." (Synaxarion)

When the holy and most pure child Mary (Mariam or Miriam in Hebrew) reached the age of three, her parents, the righteous Joachim and Anna, fulfilled the vow they had made to dedicate her to God. Going in procession with a company of maidens carrying torches, they presented their child at the Temple in Jerusalem, where Zecharias the High Priest took her under his care, blessing her with these words: "The Lord has glorified thy name in every generation; it is in thee that He will reveal the Redemption that he has prepared for his people in the last days." He then brought the child into the Holy of Holies — something completely unheard-of, for under the Law only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy Place, and he only once a year on the Day of Atonement.   (In the icon of the feast, the maidens who accompany the Theotokos are shown bare-headed, as was customary for unmarried girls; but the Theotokos herself, though only three years old, wears the head-covering of a married woman to show her consecration to God.)   The holy Virgin lived in the Temple for the next nine years, devoting herself entirely to prayer. In this time she attained the utter purity of heart befitting the destined Bearer of the Most High; she became in her own person the fulfilment and condensation of all of Israel's faithfulness. Saint Gregory Palamas says that, when the Theotokos entered the Holy of Holies, the time of preparation and testing of the Old Covenant came to an end for Israel, which was now ready, in the blessed Virgin, to bring forth the Savior.   When Mary approached marriageable age, she was entrusted to the chaste widower Joseph to guard her. (The Prologue says that a life of intentional virginity was unknown among the Hebrews, so the righteous Joseph undertook the forms of marriage so as not to cause scandal among the people.)   "Wherefore the Church rejoices and exhorts all the friends of God for their part to enter into the temple of their heart, there to make ready for the coming of the Lord by silence and prayer, withdrawing from the pleasures and cares of this world." (Synaxarion)

(3:42) Bible Study from Maccabees – 1 & 2 Maccabees are often neglected but are very important for us in understanding the plan of God. Did you know the New Testament is a lot thinner than the Old Testament? That is because the New Testament is simply the fulfillment of the Old Testament. As Catholics, we need to consider the history of salvation, and reading Maccabees can help us do that. (23:40) Break 1 Letters: (26:29) Email – Celia: Why was the veil of the Holy of Holies torn in 2 when Jesus died? (31:52) Email - I am feeling hopeless. How can I overcome this? (40:39) Break 2 (41:11) Word of the Day - “Mna” (44:47) Phones: (45:18) Carlos - In the case of an emergency and when there is no water, what do you do for Baptism? (47:07) Bob - My grandkids aren’t being taught good Catholic teaching at home. Where can I start with them?

Step past the veil and into the core claim of Hebrews: Jesus is not only our mediator but our high priest who became the final, perfect sacrifice. We start with the Old Testament portrait—priests from among the people, a high priest entering the Holy of Holies once a year—and show why that pattern points to a deeper need. To truly represent us, a priest must share our humanity. To truly reconcile us, the priest must offer a sinless, sufficient sacrifice. Only Jesus is both.We walk through Hebrews chapters 1–2 to see how the text holds together Jesus' full divinity and full humanity, then unpack propitiation with clear language: God's justice satisfied, the barrier removed, the way back opened. No more yearly cycles of guilt. No more blood of bulls and goats. “It is finished” means done once for all. From there, Hebrews 3 turns the diamond: Moses served in the house; Jesus built the house. That shift matters, especially for anyone tempted to settle for tradition, tribe, or moral effort. The builder outranks the servant because the builder authors the story.Along the way we address a common struggle: confusing spiritual feelings with spiritual facts. Hebrews calls believers “holy brethren” and “partakers of a heavenly calling” because God sets us apart in Christ. That assurance empowers perseverance. When the author says “we are his house if we hold fast,” the “if” functions as a marker of genuine confidence—those who belong continue, not by grit alone, but because Christ is faithful. Consider Jesus becomes our rallying cry: engage your mind, weigh the claims, and become firmly persuaded.If you're hungry for a faith that invites thinking, offers real assurance, and centers on a Savior who is both advocate and offering, this conversation will steady your steps. Listen, share with a friend, and tell us: which image of Jesus—high priest, sacrifice, builder—strengthens your hope today? If this helped you, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it on.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

In the message, “THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS,” Pastor Rich Whitter teaches from Hebrews 9:6–12, highlighting the contrast between the old sacrificial system and the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. Pastor Rich explains how the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies only once a year with the blood of animals but Jesus entered once for all, securing eternal redemption through His own precious blood. This passage reminds us that forgiveness, freedom, and access to God were purchased not by human effort, but by the spotless sacrifice of Christ Himself.We'd love to have you join us in person this Sunday at 9AM, 10:30AM, or 12PM come worship with us and grow deeper in your faith.

In the sixth message of our series called Feasts, Mel teaches about the Feast of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This message centers on the profound significance of atonement as described in Leviticus 16 and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Drawing from Leviticus 23:26-32, Mel explains the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, where the high priest, Aaron, entered the Most Holy Place to offer sacrifices for the sins of Israel, including the scapegoat that symbolically carried the people's sins into the wilderness. He highlights the gravity of approaching God's presence, referencing the deaths of Aaron's sons and the massive veil separating the Holy of Holies. Mel connects these Old Testament practices to the New Testament, emphasizing Hebrews 9:11-15 and 10:19-22, which portray Jesus as the ultimate High Priest and Lamb of God, whose sacrifice tore the veil and opened direct access to God's presence. He underscores that Christ's blood, unlike the temporary animal sacrifices, provides eternal redemption, inscribing believers' names in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 3:5), inviting all into a reconciled relationship with God through faith.

Just as a child naturally responds when visiting grandpa's house, we have an automatic response when encountering God's presence - worship. In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year, but when Jesus died, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom, permanently removing the barrier between God and humanity. Now, through Christ's perfect sacrifice, we become God's temple where His Spirit dwells. Revelation chapters 4 and 5 show us heavenly worship filled with continuous praise, beauty, and the Lamb at the center. Even when we don't feel like worshiping, choosing to acknowledge God's worthiness allows Him to meet us in our circumstances.

Todayin Ephesians 3, we're talking about the mystery of the church. The word mysteryis used at least six times in the New Testament to refer to the church that wasborn on the day of Pentecost. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would comeupon people and anoint them to do special deeds, great works such as Samsondid. But in the New Testament, something new takes place. Something that washidden in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit would not only come down upon thepeople and upon the church (Acts 2:1-4), but He would enter the hearts of thebelievers and dwell there and never leave.  TheHoly Spirit might be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and He might be quenched (1Thessalonians 5:19), but the Holy Spirit will still be there. Our body is thetemple of the Holy Spirit, the temple of God. 1 Corinthians 6:19:20. My friend,we need to believe and understand this truth, this truth of the mystery of thechurch, being born on the day of Pentecost, is now God's agency, God'sinstitution that He is using to spread the Good News, the Gospel to let theworld know that by faith you can have a relationship with God through JesusChrist. The church is “according to theeternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”.  Thisgreat mystery and truth was important to Paul (vv. 1-5). It was important tothe Gentiles that now they could be one with the Jews and be one in Christtogether (vv. 6-8). It was important to the angels (vv. 9-10).  And as we've been seeing through this chapter,it is also very important to the believers that today we should understand thisgreat truth. When God saved Paul, He deposited with him the precious treasuresof the Gospel truth (1 Timothy 1:11). Paul in turn committed these truths to othersand exhorted them to commit the truths to faithful men who would guard and sharethem (2 Timothy 2:2).  And in those apostolicdays, the truth of the church was being made manifest in such a way thateverywhere everyone went and they knew as they became a part of that local bodyof believers, the body of Christ, that they were a part of something specialand they had a plan and program. They had a mission to be on with God, and theyturned the world upside down for Jesus Christ (Acts 17:6). And in a very wicked,evil, cruel world, things changed because of the church.  Today,I believe that the same thing is happening again. I really believe in theselast days before Jesus Christ comes again. This great truth, the mystery of thechurch should be important to us today as we study through the Scriptures. Weknow that this “mystery” is the key to what God promised in the Old Testament.What Christ did in the gospels, what the early church did in the book of Acts, whatPaul and the other writers teach in the epistles, and what God will do asrecorded in the book of Revelation. God's program today is not the headship ofIsrael, Deuteronomy 28:1-13, but the headship of Christ over the church. Wetoday are under a different leadership, dispensation, if you want to call itthat, from that of Moses and the prophets. We must be careful not to confusewhat God has clarified.  Thereason so many churches are weak and ineffective because they do not understandwhat we have and what they have in Jesus Christ. This great truth concerning the church is not a divine afterthought. Itis part of God's eternal purpose in Christ (Ephesians 3:11). When we know this truth, we will have boldness and access with great confidenceinto the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God, and to go forward againstthe gates of hell with the message of Jesus Christ.  Oh,my friend, today, like Paul, we ask that you don't lose heart over what ourspiritual leaders and the people of God might suffer on behalf of sharing thisgood news with the others in the world. This passage of scripture shouldencourage us today to give our all to Christ, live for Him, and let His Gospelbe known to the world around us.

The plan of God is to pour His abundant love; everything He is and everything He has and all His peace and His joy; His plan is to pour that out upon your life. And that … that's why He's sent the Holy Spirit.   How Thirsty are You? We are starting a new series this week on Christianityworks called "The Holy Spirit and Me". For most of my life I haven't been a Christian. My early memories of church as a child were hard pews and filtered light through yellow windows and the Latin Mass and then as I grew up, a German Mass. And for me as a child, it felt like the whole thing was just droning on. I don't mean to criticise but for me as a kid, the whole Christianity/religion thing – it just didn't work. It all seemed pretty much irrelevant. In fact, I remember in church, sitting as a young child, I knew my father could wiggle his ears and I thought, "Maybe I can do it too" and the biggest thing I got out of that time – sitting still for me for an hour on end was just a terrible thing as a kid – was learning to wiggle my ears. And as I grew up, I'm your typical baby-boomer – you know, I was into career, into money, into having things and I discovered I was very good at what I did so, I got onto the treadmill of life and the whole religion and rules and church thing, by and large, for me, was just irrelevant – particularly as a baby-boomer. So when I came to that time in my life, about eleven years ago, when God started to stir things around inside of me; began to develop a sense of my own spirituality, I thought, "I only want this if it is real, if it's relevant, if it's here and now, if it makes a difference." The notion of church and religion to me was vacuous and out of date and irrelevant. If there was a God I wanted to know Him and if not I thought, "I can do without all that other palaver" – you know. I don't know if you have been at functions or events or cocktail parties when you are standing around and you have a discussion with someone and it's all superficial and you wander off and go and get another drink and you talk to someone else at all this superficial level. It's so different to having a great meal with some close friends where there is a depth and a reality to the relationship. And I guess to me, that was the distinction between the whole churchy/religiousy thing on the one hand, which I saw as superficial and the depth of relationship on the other which is what I wanted with this God – with this Jesus, if He was who He said He was. A friend is someone who sticks by you through thick and thin. A friend accepts you for who you are, good and bad. So I thought, "If I am going to be a Christian I want a deep, passionate, real relationship with God." I remember having a cup of coffee not many months after I gave my life to Christ and this man was my pastor – a wonderful man – and he saw how excited, how passionate I was about this new relationship that I had discovered with Jesus. And he said to me, "Berni, you know, it's not always going to be like that. There will be days when it's bad," and in a sense he's right, there are some tough days in life. But I went home and I was really angry with what he had said and I remember praying, I said, "God, if I am going to be a Christian I want to do it with my all and I want it to be a real, powerful relationship and I want to know this peace and this joy and this love and this excitement every day of my life." Now, there are three types of people in this world – those who enjoy a relationship like that with God – and I would encourage you to stick with us today because it will be an encouragement to listen to what we are talking about with the Holy Spirit. There are those who believe in Jesus – the second type – but they don't have that sort of relationship. Somehow the Christianity thing is hollow; it's empty. The third…the third are people who don't yet believe in Jesus, who don't have that relationship and maybe you are asking, "Well, does He have anything to offer?" So today let me encourage you – we are going to open up a box here and look at what Jesus says about the subject of having a relationship with Him and for you to evaluate that and decide for yourself whether that's the sort of passionate relationship you would like to have. Way back in the Old Testament, to the prophet Jeremiah, when God's people, the people of Israel were going through some really tough times – God always seems to show up for Israel during the tough times. And He makes really powerful and far-reaching and exciting promises and this is one of those times. He says: Look, after all this is through, I will put My Word inside you. I'll write it on your heart and I will be your God and you will by my people and you won't have to teach each other and say to each other, 'Know God' because you will know Me. From the least to the greatest" says the Lord, "I'll forgive you and I'll remember your sin no more and you will love me. I love that passage because that's God heart; that's God passion; that is God saying to me and God saying to you, "I want to have a relationship with you, I want to be close to you, I want for you to know Me." You know, it's one thing to know God; it's another thing to know God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our spirit, to be consumed with the wonder and the awe of who God is. There is another beautiful passage in the Book of Joel – another one of the Old Testament prophets: And God says, "After all these things, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesy. This picture of God wanting to have a relationship; this picture of God pouring out His Spirit - you know, He's not doing it with an eye-dropper; He's not doing it with a little cup, God wants to pour out His Holy Spirit. That's why this week we are starting a series called, "The Holy Spirit and Me". Who is this Holy Spirit? What's His job? What's He like? What does He do? What's my relationship? What's the whole point of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? So right now I'd ask you how thirsty are you? How much do you want to have a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit?   Intimacy with God We are going to have a look today at what Jesus had to say about this person, the Holy Spirit and we are going to John chapter 14 – if you have got a Bible, grab it and open it up – the fourth Book in the New Testament – John chapter 14. Now Jesus has spent three and a half years with His disciples; they were fishermen and tax collectors and they had seen Him do the most amazing miracles; they had heard Him preach powerful sermons but the time was drawing near for Him to be crucified. Now Jesus was a religious subversive. The religious establishment of the day was into rules and religion and pomp and ceremony and hypocrisy and oppression and they had done deals with the Roman occupying power and Jesus ... Jesus comes along and threatens that. He is like a breath of fresh air. He hangs around with common people, like you and me. He stands up for the oppressed ones and the marginalised ones. He does miracles and He shows up the establishment and so they plot to kill Him. So His disciples have this sense of fear and loss. He is telling them about it and they are wondering, "Well what about my life? I mean, this Jesus who has been doing these amazing things, He says He is going to be crucified – what then?" So this little rag-tag group of fishermen and tax collectors and the people that God has chosen to establish His church are about to experience the deep loss of Jesus on the cross. And Jesus comes along and promises them something and that's what we are going to read now in John's Gospel chapter 14, beginning at verse 15. Let's have a bit of a read. He says: If you love me you will keep my commandments and I will ask My Father and He will give you another advocate; another comforter to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because they don't see Him or know Him but you know Him because He dwells and abides with you and He will be in you. I won't leave you orphaned; I'm coming to you. In a little while the world won't see me any longer but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father and you are in me and I am in you. They who have My commandments and keep them, are those who love Me and those who love Me will be loved by My Father and I will love them and reveal Myself to them. Judas – not Iscariot, another Judas – said to Him "Lord, how is it that you reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" And Jesus answered him "Those who love me will keep My Word and My Father will love them and we will come to them and make our home with them." And then He goes on to say: Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I don't give it to you the way the world gives. Don't let your hearts be troubled and don't let them be afraid. This is a promise from Jesus in this tough time, just like those Old Testament promises we looked at earlier. This is God showing up in a difficult, tough time, making beautiful, wonderful, powerful promises and here He promises the Holy Spirit. He says: If you love Me you will keep My commandments and I will ask Dad and He will give you another one; another advocate. "If you love Me ..." Is He looking for perfection? No! Jesus knows we are not perfect but He is saying if you live your life for Me – if you really love Me, the things that I have taught you, the things that you have heard, the things that I've said are really important – My wisdom, love your enemy, love your neighbour, don't judge other people – all that stuff, He says if you will do that, I'll ask Dad and He will send you another counsellor. Now if you have a Bible, this word is translated in different ways – Counsellor or Advocate or Comforter "like Me". In fact, the words that Jesus uses there mean "just like Me" – another one "just like Me". So all of a sudden we know something about this Holy Spirit that He is promising. The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus. Ever wondered what the Holy Spirit is like because when we say, "God the Father", we go, "Well, I can imagine what a good dad is?" We haven't all had good dads but we can all imagine what a good father is like and so we look at God as "Father" and we go, "Yep, I get that bit." "God the Son", well, we understand sonship and we understand Jesus because we can pick up at least four books in the Bible – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Gospels – and read exactly what He was like and how He behaved and how He reacted and what He said. But kind of getting your mind and your heart around the Holy Spirit is ... it's a whole bunch more difficult isn't it? And here Jesus tells us what the Holy Spirit is like – He is just like Jesus. In the Old Testament, remember we read earlier, the promise in Joel: I will pour out My Spirit on everyone. And Jesus is saying, "It's about to happen folks!" God is God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit – we don't understand that fully – three persons, one God and Jesus is saying, "It's about to happen, guys. I know I'm going to be crucified but sometime real soon I'm going to follow-up on My promise to pour out My Spirit and I'm going to pour My Spirit out on you and if you love Me, if you believe in Me, I will come and make My home in You. I'm in Dad and you will be in Me and Dad and I will come and make our homes in you." Let's look at it again: This Spirit of truth whom the world can't receive because they don't know Him and they don't see Him but you do – you know Him because He abides with you. See, "abides" is such a strong word – it doesn't mean "shack up", it doesn't mean "visit", it doesn't mean "have a cup of coffee together", it means "to be with us forever" and that's what Jesus said: I will give you another advocate to be with you forever. And we will come and make our home with you. If you love Me and keep My Word, My Dad will love you and He and I, through the Holy Spirit, will make our home with you." Up until then, the presence of God had been understood to be inside the temple in Jerusalem, in the Holy of Holies and no one could come close to God and here in Jesus, God comes close to us. And Jesus says, "It gets better than this – we are about to get much closer because when I pour My Spirit out, I will be dwelling with you and living in you." In fact, He goes on to say, in John chapter 16: It's to your advantage that I go away because if I don't go away I won't be pouring My Spirit out on you and having My Spirit is so much better. What an amazing plan Jesus has for us! What an awesome plan to pour out His Spirit and we will pick up and look at that plan just a little bit more next.   Jesus Comes Home Well, God does have an amazing plan for us to have a relationship with Him that is intimate and real and here and now. I remember talking to a young man at a church I was at a few years ago – I was running an ALPHA course, which is a course to introduce people to Jesus and what Christianity is all about. And this man was a young Jewish lawyer by the name of David and we were talking about the Holy Spirit – we were talking about exactly this passage that we've just read. It says: I will come and make My home in you. My Spirit will abide with you forever. And I was explaining it is kind of like God moves in. God moves into our lives, into our hearts and into our spirits and into our souls and He is with us every second of every minute of every hour of every day for the rest of eternity. And this young lawyer said 'Woe, that's a bit of an invasion of privacy isn't it?' I guess it is … I guess it is when a man a woman gets married, you know, all of a sudden there in each other's space and they are in each other's lives and they share the same bed and they share every room in the house. It is kind of an invasion of privacy but it's God's plan. Not for religion, not for rules: If you love Me you will keep My commandments and I will come and make My home in you. I will love you, I will show Myself to you. It says here in this passage we have just been reading. When Jesus said: It is to your advantage that I go away so that I can send you the Holy Spirit. What He was meaning was this: Jesus was God in the flesh and being a man He had a physical limitation – He could only be in one place at one time but the Holy Spirit doesn't have that problem. The Holy Spirit … God the Spirit can be in me and in you and in a trillion other people at exactly the same time. The Holy Spirit is God with me and God with you, 24/7. And when Judas asks the question in verse 22 of chapter 14, when he says: Lord how is it that You reveal Yourself to us and not to the world? That is a good question. Jesus answer is: I will make My home with you. I will abide with you. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit will be on your journey with you. Not in a church, not in a building, not in a temple, not in an air-conditioned heaven, I'll be on the journey with you through thick, through thin, through up, through down, through plenty, through not enough, through fire, through storm, Jesus is in that place with us. But this isn't for everyone; this isn't for the world; this isn't for people who say, "Well, you know something, I'm going to live my life my way and Jesus can be my little lap dog; my little puppy who does tricks and helps me when I need Him to." No, this is on God's terms – God is God. If you love Me you will keep My commandments and I will ask Dad and He will give you another advocate just like Me to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot accept. If we want to race off and live our lives contrary to God's will, Jesus is saying "I'm sorry, but this isn't for you. I want to give you My Spirit, I want to move in, I want to dwell with you, I want you to see Me, I want to reveal Myself to you through the Spirit of God, but you know something, it's on God's terms because God is God. And sometimes we think, "Well, what will that mean? What will I have to do?" And we think, "Well, that's God's problem; God will teach us, God will show us when we invite Him in." And that's exactly what Jesus says. Pick it up in chapter 14, verse 25: I have said these things to you while I am still with you but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. What a great plan! What an awesome plan! It's so scary sometimes to contemplate this Person, the Holy Spirit and think what's it going to mean? What do I have to give up? And all the time what the Spirit brings is joy and peace and an intimate relationship with God that we can't even begin to imagine until He does that work in us. And when He does that, He changes us. We get addicted to His joy. I'm addicted to the peace that the Holy Spirit brings. That's why I spend time with God; that's why I do what I do. I just love Him and when we do that somehow He changes us. You know those things that you've been trying to change in yourself all your life – I have them too. When we draw close to Him, that flame burns and somehow, all that rubbish just burns away, day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year. So it's not a self-help programme, its God changing us. For me when I accepted Jesus I did it holus-bolus. Like the disciples, it was a time of loss and fear and loneliness for me eleven years ago. When I accepted Him the pain didn't go away straight away – I still had ups and downs – but God blessed me so greatly with a beautiful wife and daily I live in His presence and day after day after day He is changing me and touching me and guiding me and moulding me and it's the Holy Spirit … God the Holy Spirit in me. And God the Holy Spirit in you who wants to do this; who wants to show us Jesus and tell us how wonderful He is. This is what Jesus says in chapter 16, beginning at verse 14 about the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit will glorify Me because He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine and for this reason I said to you that He will take what is mine and declare it to you. The plan of God is to pour His abundant love, everything He is and everything He has and all His love and His peace and His joy – His plan is to pour that into your life and my life through the Holy Spirit. Father, I pray that as we have been in Your Word today Your Spirit would stir us up – You would give us a hunger and a thirst and a desire to be filled with Your Holy Spirit and I pray Father God in Jesus name, that You would do exactly that. 

Holy Mass is not just a ritual. It is not a routine. It is the Sacrifice of Calvary made present before your very eyes. In this homily, Fr. Dom breaks open the truth of the Mass with fire, clarity, and conviction. He reminds us that the Eucharist is heaven on earth, the most powerful prayer, and absolutely necessary for salvation.If you have ever drifted through Mass without purpose or conviction, this episode will shake you awake. Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, Church Fathers, and Sacred Scripture, Fr. Dom calls men to approach the altar with humility, reverence, and hunger for the living God. He challenges every man to return to Mass not as a spectator but as a soldier stepping onto the battlefield of Calvary.You will learn:Why the Mass is the same sacrifice as Jesus' death on the Cross—offered in a sacramental, unbloody way.How venial sins can be forgiven in the Mass and when to call them to mind.Why the Third Commandment (“Keep holy the Sabbath”) is the most broken commandment today—and how to fix it.How to prepare properly for Mass: through repentance, reading Scripture, and interior silence.What the saints taught about the unfathomable value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.Why humility, not pride, makes our prayers powerful and pleasing to God.Fr. Dom reminds us: “If the Mass were man-made, we'd be fools to be here. But it's not. It's a gift from the Father who loves us.”The Challenge: This week, go to daily Mass at least once. Prepare before you enter. Read the readings. Call to mind your sins. Offer your week, your struggles, and your family at the Offertory. Listen intently to the prayers of the priest. Then receive the Eucharist with devotion and gratitude. This is your lifeline. This is your weapon.Three Powerful Quotes from the Homily:“The celebration of Holy Mass has the same value as the death of Jesus on the Cross.” — St. Thomas Aquinas“If we knew the value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how much greater effort we would put forth to attend it.” — St. John Vianney“The Mass is where heaven meets earth. This is the Holy of Holies.” — Fr. Dominic CouturierKey Takeaway for Men: The Mass is not optional—it's the foundation of a man's spiritual life and the weapon that protects his soul and family from evil. Every Catholic man must anchor his life around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ gives Himself completely so that we may have the strength to finish the race and fight the good fight.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com

At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Think about the magnitude of your direct and personal access to God that your prayers give you, through Jesus, if you will only pray. Before Jesus, ordinary people did not have direct access to God, through the Throne Room of God, with a direct personal relationship with God. In Old Testament times, people would come to the priests; and the priest would offer up a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The priests, and not the people, were communing directly with God. On Good Friday and at Jesus death on the cross, the “Temple Veil” was torn from top to bottom (i.e. “Temple Vail” was a large, very thick, and very heavy barrier that divided that portion of the Temple accessible by those wishing to sacrifice for prayer and the “Holy of Holies” where the only the High Priest could meet with God and pray on behalf of the people of God.). At Jesus Resurrection, no longer was an intermediary (e.g., a Priest) required for direct prayer with God by the people in Christ (i.e. Jesus Followers).  Because Jesus created a New Covenant relationship with His followers, now your prayers are in direct communion with God, the Creator of the Universe. Everyone, who is in Christ, may have access to the Throne Room of God in the name of Jesus. What a privilege this direct access to God is for those who are in Christ. The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:16, tells Jesus Followers that, because of the Gospel, you have direct access to God's “throne of Grace” for your needs: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:1-13; John 15:9-10; Revelation 4:1-2; Psalms 69c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Interior Life – Maintenance of the Inner Man -- Part 7: A Listening Spirit” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Audio Treasures is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The "Holy of Holies" of Scripture Subtitle: Puritan Devotional Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Grace Audio Treasures Event: Devotional Date: 10/22/2025 Bible: Song of Solomon 1:2-4; Song of Solomon 5:16 Length: 5 min.

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Corné, email (2:21) - Was the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies while Jesus was in the temple? If not, where was the Ark? Camille, Facebook (5:27) - Was Mary just a surrogate mother to Jesus, or were her chromosomes used for him? Rich, email (6:32) - Is the account in Matthew 7:24-27 literal? Debra, email (11:12) - Am I in sin for going to my old Methodist church? Blake, FL (16:18) - How will it be possible for people to be saved during the Tribulation if the Holy Spirit is no longer on Earth? Curtis, MA (18:27) - What about the "sparkle creed?" Nicholas, NY (25:43, continued after break at 33:26) - How does Titus 2:14 relate to "Mary was full of grace?" Judi, TX (37:08) - Why do people support the death penalty when they are against abortion? Francisco, NJ (45:38) - How can I explain why we don't have dinosaurs to my friends that believe in evolution? Tracy, PA (49:59) - How should I respond to my friend that says women can be pastors based on Paul and the Ephesian church? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Go with Pastor Steve Alexander in Hebrews speaking of the Believer's Access through the Holy of Holies.

In last week's kickoff to our new series Collide, we learned about the layout of the Tabernacle -- the Outer Courts (for the general public), the Inner Courts (for priests only), and the Holy of Holies (only for the one High Priest).  Today, our service will be a little different than usual.  Instead of all the music at the beginning of the service, we will only have one song (a new one, don't miss it!) and then a very short sermon from Pastor Matt.  After that, the congregation will split and walk through various "stations" with elements representing the Lampstand, the Table of Showbread, and the Altar of Incense, so you get a sense of what worship was like in the Tabernacle.  

We experience the Holy of Holies, and the congregation will be divided up to visit the three different stations to see how the ancient priests worshipped in the most holy place. Join us to learn more of this holy tradition that was originally only meant for the highest priest.  

Today we return to our Collide series with the final sermon "Holy of Holies."  This refers to the central room of the tabernacle.  Not even all the priests could enter here; this room was reserved only for the high priest, and even he could only enter once per year.  Being in this room meant being directly in the presence of God.  But now, WE have access to be in God's presence, because of Jesus' sacrifice -- how?  Through praise.  

By John Freeman - The Holy of Holies was a cube shaped room in the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and later in the Temples in Jerusalem. It was the inner room of the Holy Place. To get into it, one would have to enter the Tabernacle courtyard, pass the bronze altar, the bronze laver, enter the holy place, pass the

  The teaching completes the study of the seven feasts of the Lord, focusing on the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Emphasis: these are God's feasts, not merely Israel's—they reveal His plan for the whole world. Christ fulfilled the spring feasts through His life, death, and resurrection; the fall feasts point to His return and final harvest. Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles Feast of Trumpets: The “alarm” call to repentance, beginning the 10 “Days of Awe.” Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): High priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for Israel—foreshadowing Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Imagery: veil, bells and pomegranates on priest's robe, blood covering the mercy seat → fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection. Feast of Tabernacles: Commemoration of deliverance from Egypt, dwelling in booths, God's provision in the wilderness. Prophetic picture of final harvest and God “tabernacling” with His people in the future kingdom. Prophetic and End-Time Insights Tabernacles points to: Final Harvest: ingathering of nations (Revelation 14, Ezekiel 37). Protection and Provision: God shelters Israel in tribulation. Messiah's Reign: Christ dwelling with His people, fulfilling Ezekiel's promise. The Antichrist will desecrate the rebuilt temple mid-tribulation; Israel's eyes will be opened, leading to great tribulation. God will intervene, bringing judgment (wrath poured out in righteousness). Nations will be judged based on their stance toward Israel; blessing or cursing depends on alignment with God's covenant. Jerusalem in Prophecy Central focus: Jerusalem is the stumbling block for nations. Zechariah 14: God will defend Jerusalem, split the Mount of Olives, and establish His reign. Nations that resist worship during the Millennial Kingdom will face plagues and drought. The Feast of Tabernacles continues into the Millennium as a required festival for all nations. Application & Encouragement Believers must live ready for Christ's return—watching, not waiting for signs like the rebuilding of the temple before repenting. Call to repentance, intercession, and readiness: Repent like Israel's days of awe. Witness faithfully to the lost. Trust God's plan, even for loved ones not yet saved. Reminder: God loves the lost more than we do—Christ intercedes even now. Closing Notes Festivals reveal God's redemptive plan: past (fulfilled in Christ), present (salvation available now), and future (His return and reign). Encouragement: keep faith, pray for the lost, and be filled with hope as the end of the age approaches.  

More on the parallels and comparsions between various offerings, and the way intent for the particular offering does (or does not) invalidate a meal-offering. Including whether the blood of the given (animal) offering can be present in the Holy of Holies. Also, a new mishnah! Is a Korban Pesach that is slaughtered in the morning of the 14th of Nisan considered slaughtered at the wrong time? Plus, the new wrinkle of whether the offering is eaten, as compared to the korban olah, which is not. And returning to the question of early on the 14th of Nisan counts as the correct time for the Pesach sacrifice.

At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Think about the magnitude of your direct and personal access to God that your prayers give you, through Jesus, if you will only pray. Before Jesus, ordinary people did not have direct access to God, through the Throne Room of God, with a direct personal relationship with God. In Old Testament times, people would come to the priests; and the priest would offer up a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The priests, and not the people, were communing directly with God. On Good Friday and at Jesus death on the cross, the “Temple Veil” was torn from top to bottom (i.e. “Temple Vail” was a large, very thick, and very heavy barrier that divided that portion of the Temple accessible by those wishing to sacrifice for prayer and the “Holy of Holies” where the only the High Priest could meet with God and pray on behalf of the people of God.). At Jesus Resurrection, no longer was an intermediary (e.g., a Priest) required for direct prayer with God by the people in Christ (i.e. Jesus Followers).  Because Jesus created a New Covenant relationship with His followers, now your prayers are in direct communion with God, the Creator of the Universe. Everyone, who is in Christ, may have access to the Throne Room of God in the name of Jesus. What a privilege this direct access to God is for those who are in Christ. The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:16, tells Jesus Followers that, because of the Gospel, you have direct access to God's “throne of Grace” for your needs: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:1-13; John 15:9-10; Revelation 4:1-2; Psalms 69c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “What Are You Aiming For” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB