Podcasts about holy spirit luke

(This podcast was previously published on July 18, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   A pastor in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA), sent me an email with the following requests:   He would like to know this from me:   1. Your word of exhortation on today's churches. 2. How God has led you to where you live with Pam in Colorado Springs?  

Why do I know what's true, but still feel stuck, powerless, or unchanged?Jesus shows us that faith was never meant to be only knowledge—it was meant to be power through the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44–49). Yet He also warns that it's possible to know Scripture and still miss the power of God (Matthew 22:29).This message explores what it means to live by the Holy Spirit's power in everyday life—identity, conviction, wisdom, and courage—not just moments of inspiration. The Spirit doesn't just inform us; He transforms us, helps us, and empowers us to be witnesses (Acts 1:8, John 16).If your faith has felt dry or disconnected, this is an invitation to something deeper than information—real life with God's presence and power.Watch and reflect as you consider what it means to truly live by the Holy Spirit.

In a sermon preached at Vestavia Primitive Baptist Church, Brother Luke looks at some of the functions of the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Holy Spirit play a vital role in the new birth, but it also leads and comforts us, confirms our sonship, and intercedes for us when we pray. 130302_001

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)

Listen to this week's sermon, Parables In Practice preached by Rev. Benjamin Kandt from Luke 11:1-13.CREATE - How to be filled with the Holy SpiritCONFESS any fears, sins, weaknesses, and needs (2 Cor. 12.9).RECEIVE forgiveness, cleansing, and strength (1 John 1.9).ENTRUST everyone and everything to God (Luke 23.46).ASK for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11.13).THANK your Father (Luke 10.21).EXPECT His presence and power (Isa. 41.10).

Each week at Vineyard Northwest, we gather to worship God, engage Scripture, and explore what it looks like to live in the way of Jesus.In this podcast, you'll hear our weekly teaching, rooted in the Bible and shaped by the values of the Vineyard: intimacy with God, compassionate justice, life in the Spirit, and following Jesus together in community.Whether you're part of our church family or just exploring faith, we hope that these messages encourage, challenge, and invite you into a deeper, more authentic relationship with God.Learn more about Vineyard Northwest, service times, and ways to connect at https://www.vineyardnorthwest.com/

As part of the series Living Confidently in Times of Great Change, Isaiah 54:1–3 calls the people of God to prepare for expansion:“Sing, barren woman… burst into song… Enlarge the place of your tent… do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left…”These words were spoken to a people who saw themselves as captives and victims. Jerusalem had been destroyed, the temple ruined, and the nation scattered. Yet God declared that restoration and multiplication were coming. They were not to prepare for survival—but for growth.History shows what can happen when this word is taken seriously. In 1792, a young shoemaker, William Carey, preached from this very passage and ended with the now-famous challenge: “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” From that moment the modern missionary movement was launched. What began small grew to impact nations. God still calls His people to move from limitation into expansion.1. It's Time To SingIsaiah 54:1 “Sing, barren woman… burst into song…”The command to sing was given to the barren, the fruitless, the disappointed and the hurting. Before they saw change, before fruit appeared, they were told to rejoice.Captivity had stolen their song. God was restoring it.Singing represents a mindset shift—from despair to faith, from victim to victor. Revival always carries a sound of praise because it reflects confidence that the Redeemer lives.Isaiah 54 continues with promises of: Growth, Dignity, Restoration, Everlasting love, Prosperity, Family blessing, ProtectionThe season of barrenness does not define the future. The first step into new growth is choosing praise before the breakthrough appears.2. It's Time To Stretch Isaiah 54:2–3“Enlarge the place of your tent… do not hold back… For you will spread out to the right and to the left.”The exiles had developed a survival mentality. When people face hardship, the instinct is often to withdraw, conserve, and protect what remains. But God commands the opposite: Do not hold back.The imagery is of a Bedouin tent being expanded—new skins added, cords lengthened, territory extended. Growth requires stretching beyond comfort.This is the mission of the Church:Acts 1:8 – “You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”Matthew 28:19 – “Go and make disciples of all nations.”Growth means moving outward—into communities, workplaces, campuses and neighbourhoods. It means sharing the gospel intentionally and believing for multiplication.Stretching requires faith. It requires stepping up to lead, to serve, to speak, to invite. Fear shrinks back; faith expands forward.3. It's Time To StrengthenIsaiah 54:2 “…strengthen your stakes.”Expansion without strengthening leads to collapse. As growth increases, foundations must deepen.• Strengthen Yourself In The WordPsalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet.”2 Timothy 3:16–17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed… so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped.”The Word equips, corrects, trains and guides. Growth demands daily discipline in Scripture. Strong tents require strong stakes.• Strengthen Yourself In The Holy SpiritJohn 3:34 – “God gives the Spirit without limit.”Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1). Effective witness flows from spiritual empowerment. Stretching cannot happen in human strength. Dependence on the Holy Spirit must deepen daily.• Strengthen Yourself OrganisationallyGrowth also requires order. Time, habits, finances, priorities and family life must align with purpose. Capacity must increase to sustain expansion.Organisation creates room for multiplication.In ConclusionGod is preparing His people for new levels of growth. The word is clear:Sing – shift the mindset from barrenness to fruitfulness.Stretch – refuse to hold back; expand in faith.Strengthen – deepen foundations in the Word, the Spirit and disciplined living.Isaiah 54:4 declares:“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.”This is not a season of retreat, but of advance. Not survival, but multiplication. Not limitation, but expansion.Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.

In this uplifting episode, I continue my series in the Acts of the Apostles explaining how believers are lifted out of the kingdom of hell and into the Kingdom of Heaven through Christ's resurrection [Colossians 1:13-14]. To enter God's Kingdom, one must be born again [John 3:1-8], a Spiritual transformation that allows a person to recognize their identity as "Kingdom kids" and the "righteousness of God in Christ" [2 Corinthians 5:21]. I emphasis that believers must be baptised in the Holy Spirit to receive power to overcome the devil's opposition and to fulfill our obligation as temples of the Holy Spirit [Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8]. Our core mission as empowered believers is to serve as active witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which effectively destroyed the works of the devil [1 John 3:8]. We must move beyond a "mental assent" of the Scriptures and become "doers of the word" [James 1:22-25], imitating Jesus' ministry of healing the sick and casting out devils. By recognizing that the devil was defeated at the cross, the body of Christ can exercise authority in the Name of Jesus to take dominion as if Christ were physically present [Acts 3:1-10]. Ultimately, this episode calls for Christians to wake up to their resurrected position and demonstrate their faith through corresponding actions. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #079 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #2 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].       www.aboundinglove.org

Christmas can be a really busy time of year. There's decorating, shopping (and more shopping!), office parties, baking cookies, cleaning, family gatherings, and holiday travel—just to name a few. Add in the family, financial, and emotional stress that often comes with the season, and it can all start to feel overwhelming.Sometimes it feels like your calendar is full, but your soul is empty.We want to help you slow down and treasure Jesus this Christmas—after all, He's the reason for the season.Today we talk about treasuring the Holy Spirit.Support the show

Jude tells us that he is the brother of James. In James' letter he says to us that he is the Lord Jesus Christ's brother (actually half-brother - for Mary was their mother see Mark 3verses31-35; and 6verses3). Joseph was the father of James and Jude. Mary was, contrary to orthodox teaching, not a perpetual virgin. After Jesus was born Joseph had a normal marital relationship with Mary (see Matthew 1verses23-25) and had an additional 3 sons and at least 2 unnamed daughters. Unlike his siblings Jesus was conceived by the power of God - the Holy Spirit (Luke 1verses30-35). The letter of Jude deals with the same issues as 2 Peter 2 - the problems created by the false teachers. The letter was written about 65 AD, by which time the departures in teaching from the true faith were multiplying. Jude had set out with the purpose of writing a letter to encourage his readers in their shared faith. But due to the pressing problems created by the errorists Jude was diverted to write about the need to continue in the faith and to strenuously resist the errorists. Verses 3-16 tell us that there will always be opposition from false brethren. Jude cites 5 Scriptural historical examples. These demonstrate God's dealings with the false leaders and, inferentially show the same point as 2 Peter 2 i.e. that Yahweh knows how to preserve and deliver the righteous. The first example was from the time of the wilderness wanderings, when Korah, Dathan and Abiram attempted to usurp the authority of Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16 gives details of that rebellion. The second example is the destruction of Sodom and deliverance of righteous Lot found in Genesis 19. The third example is that of the insatiable covetousness of Balaam, which not only destroyed himself but, also, many Israelites at the border of the Promised Land. These events are outlined in Numbers chapters 22-25. Example 4 related to the Samaritan opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and is outlined in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Samaritans falsely claimed a religious affinity with the God of Israel and they contended with chosen people. The 5th example is that of powerful and blasphemous Lamech in his attempt to eradicate Enoch. Genesis 4 shows us that only 7 generations from Adam wicked and godless men were opposing the way of God. Note in the AV that "ungodly" is used 7 times. Contrast Psalm 1, which in the Hebrew Bible is attributed to Enoch. Read aloud slowly. Pause and ponder. Verses 12-13 are a series of metaphors which expose the uselessness and dangers of all false teachers. The chapter concludes with a call to stand steadfast for the faith. The events overtaking the ecclesias had been prophesied by the Apostles. Scripture was being fulfilled before their eyes. Their part was to continue to faithfully follow their Lord Jesus Christ. So too must we. Any who become defiled by the influence of the false teachers are like a stick in the fire that needs to be swiftly plucked from the fire and extinguished. Let's pause and slowly read aloud and ponder the closing doxology of verses 24-25, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." ESVThanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

In Job 25 we have Bildad's third round of argument. His contention is the impossibility of humans being righteous before the Almighty. And at one level this is absolutely true. There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3verses9-11); but the same chapter in Romans tells of a righteousness from God. Remember, we were already told, in the 1st chapter of the book, that Job was an upright man - 1verses1. Bildad's reckoning was still coming from the viewpoint that since Job was suffering, it was because of Job's evil deeds. Bildad speaks of the immense power of our Sovereign. God's armies are beyond man's capacity to challenge. The heavenly bodies of the moon and stars, he argues are flawed. And the least of the Creator's works is this maggot called man. Job's reply in chapter 26 is to firstly acknowledge the magnitude of the Almighty's power. And that it's beyond man's reach to understand. In verses 2-4 Job tells of his aid to the needy and asks his friends to examine themselves by way of comparison. Then Job majestically outlines the wondrous might and activities of his Creator. Yahweh controls the wind, the sea and the waves in their circuits. And we frail humans just perceive a whisper of His grandeur. Job continues in chapter 27 by stating that, despite his suffering, he will steadfastly cling to his integrity. The suffering servant contends that the Almighty has removed Job's natural rights. Verse 3 tells us that our life is dependent on the spirit of the Almighty, being present in our nostrils and sustaining our breath. Man has no immortal soul. No matter what befalls me in life, Job says, I will remain steadfast. The LORD's suffering servant invites his friends to look at the flourishing of the wicked and their families too in verses 13-17. What we receive in life is not necessarily a reflection of our relationship to our Sovereign. But ultimately the wicked will be removed from the earth (Psalm 37verses1-11 read slowly. Pause and ponder.) Chapters 2 and 3 of Zechariah contain the next two visions, which were both relevant in the prophet's era and symbolic of the kingdom age under the Lord Jesus Christ. The measuring line of chapter 2 speaks of the restoration of Jerusalem subsequent to the judgement that would soon overtake it. But, given the fact that the exiles had returned, and were in the process of rebuilding, it has to incorporate a future Messianic application. Verse 4 speaks of the future blessing of a peaceful and restored Zion. Verse 5 tells us that the pillar of fire which protected the fleeing Israelites at the time of the Exodus - symbolising God's presence - will once again defend and glorify His nation shortly. Let the nations, who have in the past attacked Israel and will once more do so in the near future, know that anyone touching God's people is irritating the pupil of His eye. The daughter of Zion will, verse 10, rejoice when Yahweh in the person of His Son permanently dwells in Jerusalem (Joel 3verses17-21; Isaiah 2verses1-4; 52; Jeremiah 3verses17; Zechariah 14verses8 to the end). The vision concludes with a command to maintain reverential awe and silence before the Omnipotent Creator (see Habakkuk 2verses20). Chapter 3 is the vision of Joshua the high priest in filthy clothes working in the rebuilding of Zion's ruins. It is precisely what Jesus our Lord did. He partook of our fallen   nature in order to restore and save us (Hebrews 2verses14-18). The high priest was opposed by the Samaritans, as was our Lord by the Jewish rulers and the antagonistic burden of the human nature which he bore. But having faithfully completed the assigned work the Son of God is now seen clothed with glorious immortality (Psalm 45verses1-8). Joshua fulfilled this type by way of this enacted parable. Those that stood by were the angelic host whose nature was that of the Father and which our Lord now has having vanquished sin and death. This too is our hope as Luke 20verses35-36 informs us. In verse 6 of Zechariah 3 Joshua is charged to continue walking in the ways of God, in order that he might forever dwell in Yahweh's courts as Psalm 23verses6 promised. The seven eyes of the vision speak of the LORD's omniscience - nothing can be hidden from our All-seeing God. And the engraved signet speaks of the "character" (the Greek word for engraving of a seal which is used in Hebrews 1verses1-5) of the incomparable Son of God. And through the work God accomplished in His Son sin has been taken away by the offering of our Lord Jesus. Jude tells us that he is the brother of James. In James' letter he says to us that he is the Lord Jesus Christ's brother (actually half-brother - for Mary was their mother see Mark 3verses31-35; and 6verses3). Joseph was the father of James and Jude. Mary was, contrary to orthodox teaching, not a perpetual virgin. After Jesus was born Joseph had a normal marital relationship with Mary (see Matthew 1verses23-25) and had an additional 3 sons and at least 2 unnamed daughters. Unlike his siblings Jesus was conceived by the power of God - the Holy Spirit (Luke 1verses30-35). The letter of Jude deals with the same issues as 2 Peter 2 - the problems created by the false teachers. The letter was written about 65 AD, by which time the departures in teaching from the true faith were multiplying. Jude had set out with the purpose of writing a letter to encourage his readers in their shared faith. But due to the pressing problems created by the errorists Jude was diverted to write about the need to continue in the faith and to strenuously resist the errorists. Verses 3-16 tell us that there will always be opposition from false brethren. Jude cites 5 Scriptural historical examples. These demonstrate God's dealings with the false leaders and, inferentially show the same point as 2 Peter 2 i.e. that Yahweh knows how to preserve and deliver the righteous. The first example was from the time of the wilderness wanderings, when Korah, Dathan and Abiram attempted to usurp the authority of Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16 gives details of that rebellion. The second example is the destruction of Sodom and deliverance of righteous Lot found in Genesis 19. The third example is that of the insatiable covetousness of Balaam, which not only destroyed himself but, also, many Israelites at the border of the Promised Land. These events are outlined in Numbers chapters 22-25. Example 4 related to the Samaritan opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and is outlined in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Samaritans falsely claimed a religious affinity with the God of Israel and they contended with chosen people. The 5th example is that of powerful and blasphemous Lamech in his attempt to eradicate Enoch. Genesis 4 shows us that only 7 generations from Adam wicked and godless men were opposing the way of God. Note in the AV that "ungodly" is used 7 times. Contrast Psalm 1, which in the Hebrew Bible is attributed to Enoch. Read aloud slowly. Pause and ponder. Verses 12-13 are a series of metaphors which expose the uselessness and dangers of all false teachers. The chapter concludes with a call to stand steadfast for the faith. The events overtaking the ecclesias had been prophesied by the Apostles. Scripture was being fulfilled before their eyes. Their part was to continue to faithfully follow their Lord Jesus Christ. So too must we. Any who become defiled by the influence of the false teachers are like a stick in the fire that needs to be swiftly plucked from the fire and extinguished. Let's pause and slowly read aloud and ponder the closing doxology of verses 24-25, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." ESV Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

Send us a text“Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:39-41).Freshly written and sent out immediately "morning by morning" from the morning prayer time of Tommy Hays each day.God bless you and you have a great day!—Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministrieshttp://messiah-ministries.org

In this Extraordinary series message, David Lyon shares from Matthew 8–9, showing how these chapters capture the heart of Jesus' ministry, and the heart of our mission as His church.Through a series of encounters (a leper healed, a centurion's servant restored, storms calmed, the demon-possessed set free, the sick and dying made whole) we see that Jesus meets every kind of need with power, compassion, and grace. David highlights how these chapters end with a turning point in Matthew 9:35–38, where Jesus looks upon the crowds with compassion and declares, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” It's a threshold moment: Jesus begins to multiply His ministry by sending out others to do what He has been doing.David explains that in these stories we see: • Nobodies — unnamed, ordinary people who met Jesus and were transformed. • Somebodies — because once we meet Him, we discover who we truly are: loved, forgiven, filled with purpose and identity (Matthew 16:15–18). • Everybody — because these stories represent all humanity: the broken, weary, hurting, and hopeful — all who need Jesus' touch.Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18–19; Acts 10:38), and now He fills His church with the same Spirit to continue His ministry of healing, freedom, and restoration. The harvest is here and now — in our towns, workplaces, and homes.David calls the church to respond to God's heart with Isaiah's words: “Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8). As Spirit-filled believers, we are commissioned as shepherds, carers, and ambassadors; ordinary people through whom Jesus continues His extraordinary work.It's a time to be filled afresh, to go in confidence, to invite others into the life of His church, and to believe that we are on the threshold of a new season - a season of favour, harvest, and glory in God's house.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/priorities-listening-then-labor/To the holy and faithful in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Colossians 1:2).Martha is busy. Jesus, the Messiah, the great Healer and Teacher everyone is talking about is coming for a visit. Plus, he's bringing twelve of his closest friends with him. So, Martha is busy. She has to roast the lamb, cook the vegetables, bake the bread, and make a special pie for dessert.Her sister Mary is busy helping her in the kitchen. Then there's a knock on the door. Jesus has arrived at their Bethany home. Martha and Mary put down their knives and bowls, brush off their hands on their aprons, and rush to the front door. They give Jesus a big hug and show him and his disciples into the living room.Martha excuses herself to go back into the kitchen. After a few minutes she notices that Mary isn't in the kitchen with her. She peaks into the living room and becomes upset because Mary is just sitting there at Jesus' feet, listening to him tell stories.Martha goes back into the kitchen. Now there's a little more oomph in her cutting and chopping. She's ticked! And she's become more ticked as the minutes tick by!Martha jabs the fork into the lamb, jams the spoon into the vegetables, and bangs the cupboards closed. The temperature in the kitchen is rising … and so is Martha's temper! She finally snaps. She slams her spoon down on the counter and storms out of the kitchen. And who does she lash out at? Not her sister! No. Her guest! The reason for all her preparations. She lashes out at Jesus!“Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40). “Lord, don't you care that I'm in the kitchen slaving away over a steaming stove while she sits here all doe-eyed at your feet doing nothing? How about cutting the chit chat and telling her to get her lazy rear end in the kitchen to help me?!”Martha has gotten her priorities all mixed up. She wants to serve Jesus. But Jesus has come to Martha's house to serve her. It was good that she stressed family and friends and a clean house and good food. But stressing all those good things only made her stressed out. But Jesus has come to her home to give her rest. It was good that she wanted to labor for her Lord, but it would have been better if she had first joined Mary in listening to her Lord.Jesus calmly replies to Martha's temper tantrum, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is needed. In fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). I hear Jesus paraphrasing the knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, “You have chosen poorly.”Strong words. Stinging words. But words that reveal much about Martha's – and our relationship – with the Savior.It's easy for us to get our priorities out of order, isn't it? We place the urgent over the important. We put the fun over the mundane. We do the easy over the difficult. That happens at home, in the workplace, in school. It especially happens within the church.We become hyper-focused on our vocations as parents, employees, citizens, retirees, students, athletes, etc. Those are good and godly pursuits. God wants us to focus on those things. Those are Second Table of the Law commands from God. Those are labors of love that we give to God and to those whom God has placed into our lives. They become issues, though, when those labors for the Lord come before or in the place of listening to our Lord. They become problems when the Second Table of the Law of loving our neighbor consumes more time and energy than the First Table of the Law of loving the Lord.Martha chose a good thing in wanting to labor for her Lord. Mary chose the better thing of first listening to her Lord. This isn't an issue of be Mary and don't be Martha. It's more an issue of first be Mary so you have the spiritual strength to be Martha. It's all about priorities.Martha's problem was not her service, but her lack of priorities. She wanted to please Jesus. She wanted to impress him with her house and a nice dinner. She wanted to serve him with her very best. And yet, it all failed. She wound up yelling at Jesus and being angry at her sister. She was occupied with many things, when one thing was needful. She was busy preparing a seven-course dinner, but Jesus would have been content with grilled goat cheese and tomato soup.It was not Martha's labor that Jesus wanted. It was Martha. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. He came to give, not to get. He came to be where two or three are gathered in his name – even if those two are two sisters. He came not to be the guest, but to be the Host, to lay down his life as a sacrifice for sinful humanity, to offer himself up for the life of the world, to be the Bread of Life and wine from heaven to bring refreshment, forgiveness, life, and salvation to all. As far as Jesus was concerned, Martha's house could have been a wreck, she could have laid out cold cuts and sandwich bread, she could have simply offered a loaf of bread and a dried fish. What mattered most to Jesus was that she make him and his words her priority.Jesus desires our service. He calls us to labor for the Lord. The Holy Spirit through his Gospel writer Luke places the story of Mary and Martha right after the story of the Good Samaritan. That parable of the Good Samaritan was all about serving the Lord by serving our neighbor. So, the Holy Spirit is teaching us that service and labor to our Lord and his people is certainly important. But that labor for the Lord must follow listening to the Lord.We want to obey God's first three commandments of loving the Lord above all things, keeping his name holy by worshiping and praying to him, and then spending time in God's house on the Sabbath Day. When we are loving the Lord with those first three commandments, then we are prepared to love our neighbor with the last seven commandments. After we listen to the Lord, we are prepared to labor for our Lord.Jesus doesn't criticize Martha for serving. He does not discipline her for failing to sit beside Mary at his feet. In fact, he doesn't scold Martha at all. When Jesus responds to her complaint, he states the obvious - she was anxious and worried about a lot of things. His only word to her is about the goodness of what Mary is doing. He seems to be saying to Martha that, while her serving is good, Mary is doing something even better.The better option is listening to Jesus. If we back up just a little farther in Luke's Gospel, we see the importance of Jesus' words. After the seventy-two returned from their successful mission, Jesus “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21) and then described the gracious will of the Father. God wills that no one knows him “except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him” (Luke 10:22). In listening to Jesus, Mary was getting to know the Father through the Son. Such things the prophets and kings of old longed to see and hear. In the end, the first great commandment must be the starting point for the second great commandment.But the second flows from the first, which is why Martha should be commended. She welcomed Jesus into her home (Luke 10:38). She followed the example of Jesus as loving service to her neighbor. She got a little cranky at Mary, which is where things started to go slightly awry, but not enough to get her in trouble. Mary's portion, listening to Jesus, was not better than something bad, but better than something good. And because it is better, it will not be taken away from Mary.The good news for you is that the better will not be taken away from you, either. As good as it is to labor for our Lord, it isn't even better to listen to the Lord first. For in the words of Jesus we hear the gracious promises of the Father. These promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation enliven us, transform us, and empower our good works of loving service.Priorities: Focus on God's business. Then focus on your busyness.Study the Bible. Then serve your neighbor.Worship the Lord. Then work for the Lord.Come to Jesus' Table. Then invite others to your table.Fill up with the one thing needful. Then fill your time with the other necessities.Let God fulfill his promises to you. Then fulfill your godly vocations in the world.Priorities: Sit at Jesus' feet like Mary. Come to worship every week to have a conversation with God. Stand in our Lutheran worship as you talk to God in your confession of sins, your prayers, your songs of praises, and in your confessions of faith. Sit as you listen to God speak to you in his Scripture lessons from the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel. Then have these Scriptures explained and applied to your life in the children's devotion, hymn of the day, and sermon.Attend the Sunday morning Bible study. I'm so impressed and excited to have so many of you here early on a Sunday to dig deeply into God's teachings. I plan to start another weekly Bible study in the fall.Make use of the devotional materials in the church entryway - Grace Moments, Meditations, and Forward in Christ. Listen to our Thirsty podcasts and other Lutheran podcasts. Read your Bible and have personal and family devotions daily. When I email you the written and recorded sermon this week, I'll also send along several devotions and podcasts you might find edifying. I'll also send you a daily Bible reading plan. In these ways you are sitting at the feet of Jesus. Then you are Mary – receiving the forgiveness of sins, strengthening your faith, and being comforted. You are finding rest from your work, and comfort from your anxiousness. You are coming to worship and Bible study where Jesus promises to be where two or three or fifty or sixty are gathered.There is nothing more needful in this life than the words and promises of Jesus. Nothing! Listen to the Lord. Surrender to his voice. Find peace in his presence. Through Jesus' Word and Sacraments – here in God's house and in your house, the Lord change our hearts. He rebukes so we repent. He warns so we slow down. He chastises so we cherish the rest we find only in him.Learn a lesson from Mary. But also learn a lesson from Martha. After you have listened to the Lord, then labor for the Lord. One of the reasons I accepted your call was when talking to you and the pastors who were serving you during the vacancy, I learned you were ready to get to work. We'll have open forums soon to talk about some of that work like outreach, fellowship, and worship.After worship today, some of us will be meeting to discuss outreach to the students at Casper College. I would love to invite them to fellowship events at Lord of Lords. All of us will be talking together soon about some things we might want to do to enjoy each other's company. I'd love to hear your ideas. We'll think of things that might appeal to children, teens, college students and young adults, as well as more seasoned adults. Perhaps showing a Wyoming football game or showing the Packers beating the Vikings. Perhaps an outdoor worship service or a picnic at the park. Perhaps an egg hunt or Bingo – everyone loves Bingo!Whatever we decide to do, we'll have fun laboring together for our Lord. That labor follows the fun of listening to our Lord. Because those are our priorities. Amen.The Father rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:11, 12).

To the holy and faithful in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Colossians 1:2).Martha is busy. Jesus, the Messiah, the great Healer and Teacher everyone is talking about is coming for a visit. Plus, he's bringing twelve of his closest friends with him. So, Martha is busy. She has to roast the lamb, cook the vegetables, bake the bread, and make a special pie for dessert.Her sister Mary is busy helping her in the kitchen. Then there's a knock on the door. Jesus has arrived at their Bethany home. Martha and Mary put down their knives and bowls, brush off their hands on their aprons, and rush to the front door. They give Jesus a big hug and show him and his disciples into the living room.Martha excuses herself to go back into the kitchen. After a few minutes she notices that Mary isn't in the kitchen with her. She peaks into the living room and becomes upset because Mary is just sitting there at Jesus' feet, listening to him tell stories.Martha goes back into the kitchen. Now there's a little more oomph in her cutting and chopping. She's ticked! And she's become more ticked as the minutes tick by!Martha jabs the fork into the lamb, jams the spoon into the vegetables, and bangs the cupboards closed. The temperature in the kitchen is rising … and so is Martha's temper! She finally snaps. She slams her spoon down on the counter and storms out of the kitchen. And who does she lash out at? Not her sister! No. Her guest! The reason for all her preparations. She lashes out at Jesus!“Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40). “Lord, don't you care that I'm in the kitchen slaving away over a steaming stove while she sits here all doe-eyed at your feet doing nothing? How about cutting the chit chat and telling her to get her lazy rear end in the kitchen to help me?!”Martha has gotten her priorities all mixed up. She wants to serve Jesus. But Jesus has come to Martha's house to serve her. It was good that she stressed family and friends and a clean house and good food. But stressing all those good things only made her stressed out. But Jesus has come to her home to give her rest. It was good that she wanted to labor for her Lord, but it would have been better if she had first joined Mary in listening to her Lord.Jesus calmly replies to Martha's temper tantrum, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is needed. In fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). I hear Jesus paraphrasing the knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, “You have chosen poorly.”Strong words. Stinging words. But words that reveal much about Martha's – and our relationship – with the Savior.It's easy for us to get our priorities out of order, isn't it? We place the urgent over the important. We put the fun over the mundane. We do the easy over the difficult. That happens at home, in the workplace, in school. It especially happens within the church.We become hyper-focused on our vocations as parents, employees, citizens, retirees, students, athletes, etc. Those are good and godly pursuits. God wants us to focus on those things. Those are Second Table of the Law commands from God. Those are labors of love that we give to God and to those whom God has placed into our lives. They become issues, though, when those labors for the Lord come before or in the place of listening to our Lord. They become problems when the Second Table of the Law of loving our neighbor consumes more time and energy than the First Table of the Law of loving the Lord.Martha chose a good thing in wanting to labor for her Lord. Mary chose the better thing of first listening to her Lord. This isn't an issue of be Mary and don't be Martha. It's more an issue of first be Mary so you have the spiritual strength to be Martha. It's all about priorities.Martha's problem was not her service, but her lack of priorities. She wanted to please Jesus. She wanted to impress him with her house and a nice dinner. She wanted to serve him with her very best. And yet, it all failed. She wound up yelling at Jesus and being angry at her sister. She was occupied with many things, when one thing was needful. She was busy preparing a seven-course dinner, but Jesus would have been content with grilled goat cheese and tomato soup.It was not Martha's labor that Jesus wanted. It was Martha. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. He came to give, not to get. He came to be where two or three are gathered in his name – even if those two are two sisters. He came not to be the guest, but to be the Host, to lay down his life as a sacrifice for sinful humanity, to offer himself up for the life of the world, to be the Bread of Life and wine from heaven to bring refreshment, forgiveness, life, and salvation to all. As far as Jesus was concerned, Martha's house could have been a wreck, she could have laid out cold cuts and sandwich bread, she could have simply offered a loaf of bread and a dried fish. What mattered most to Jesus was that she make him and his words her priority.Jesus desires our service. He calls us to labor for the Lord. The Holy Spirit through his Gospel writer Luke places the story of Mary and Martha right after the story of the Good Samaritan. That parable of the Good Samaritan was all about serving the Lord by serving our neighbor. So, the Holy Spirit is teaching us that service and labor to our Lord and his people is certainly important. But that labor for the Lord must follow listening to the Lord.We want to obey God's first three commandments of loving the Lord above all things, keeping his name holy by worshiping and praying to him, and then spending time in God's house on the Sabbath Day. When we are loving the Lord with those first three commandments, then we are prepared to love our neighbor with the last seven commandments. After we listen to the Lord, we are prepared to labor for our Lord.Jesus doesn't criticize Martha for serving. He does not discipline her for failing to sit beside Mary at his feet. In fact, he doesn't scold Martha at all. When Jesus responds to her complaint, he states the obvious - she was anxious and worried about a lot of things. His only word to her is about the goodness of what Mary is doing. He seems to be saying to Martha that, while her serving is good, Mary is doing something even better.The better option is listening to Jesus. If we back up just a little farther in Luke's Gospel, we see the importance of Jesus' words. After the seventy-two returned from their successful mission, Jesus “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21) and then described the gracious will of the Father. God wills that no one knows him “except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him” (Luke 10:22). In listening to Jesus, Mary was getting to know the Father through the Son. Such things the prophets and kings of old longed to see and hear. In the end, the first great commandment must be the starting point for the second great commandment.But the second flows from the first, which is why Martha should be commended. She welcomed Jesus into her home (Luke 10:38). She followed the example of Jesus as loving service to her neighbor. She got a little cranky at Mary, which is where things started to go slightly awry, but not enough to get her in trouble. Mary's portion, listening to Jesus, was not better than something bad, but better than something good. And because it is better, it will not be taken away from Mary.The good news for you is that the better will not be taken away from you, either. As good as it is to labor for our Lord, it isn't even better to listen to the Lord first. For in the words of Jesus we hear the gracious promises of the Father. These promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation enliven us, transform us, and empower our good works of loving service.Priorities: Focus on God's business. Then focus on your busyness.Study the Bible. Then serve your neighbor.Worship the Lord. Then work for the Lord.Come to Jesus' Table. Then invite others to your table.Fill up with the one thing needful. Then fill your time with the other necessities.Let God fulfill his promises to you. Then fulfill your godly vocations in the world.Priorities: Sit at Jesus' feet like Mary. Come to worship every week to have a conversation with God. Stand in our Lutheran worship as you talk to God in your confession of sins, your prayers, your songs of praises, and in your confessions of faith. Sit as you listen to God speak to you in his Scripture lessons from the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel. Then have these Scriptures explained and applied to your life in the children's devotion, hymn of the day, and sermon.Attend the Sunday morning Bible study. I'm so impressed and excited to have so many of you here early on a Sunday to dig deeply into God's teachings. I plan to start another weekly Bible study in the fall.Make use of the devotional materials in the church entryway - Grace Moments, Meditations, and Forward in Christ. Listen to our Thirsty podcasts and other Lutheran podcasts. Read your Bible and have personal and family devotions daily. When I email you the written and recorded sermon this week, I'll also send along several devotions and podcasts you might find edifying. I'll also send you a daily Bible reading plan. In these ways you are sitting at the feet of Jesus. Then you are Mary – receiving the forgiveness of sins, strengthening your faith, and being comforted. You are finding rest from your work, and comfort from your anxiousness. You are coming to worship and Bible study where Jesus promises to be where two or three or fifty or sixty are gathered.There is nothing more needful in this life than the words and promises of Jesus. Nothing! Listen to the Lord. Surrender to his voice. Find peace in his presence. Through Jesus' Word and Sacraments – here in God's house and in your house, the Lord change our hearts. He rebukes so we repent. He warns so we slow down. He chastises so we cherish the rest we find only in him.Learn a lesson from Mary. But also learn a lesson from Martha. After you have listened to the Lord, then labor for the Lord. One of the reasons I accepted your call was when talking to you and the pastors who were serving you during the vacancy, I learned you were ready to get to work. We'll have open forums soon to talk about some of that work like outreach, fellowship, and worship.After worship today, some of us will be meeting to discuss outreach to the students at Casper College. I would love to invite them to fellowship events at Lord of Lords. All of us will be talking together soon about some things we might want to do to enjoy each other's company. I'd love to hear your ideas. We'll think of things that might appeal to children, teens, college students and young adults, as well as more seasoned adults. Perhaps showing a Wyoming football game or showing the Packers beating the Vikings. Perhaps an outdoor worship service or a picnic at the park. Perhaps an egg hunt or Bingo – everyone loves Bingo!Whatever we decide to do, we'll have fun laboring together for our Lord. That labor follows the fun of listening to our Lord. Because those are our priorities. Amen.The Father rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:11, 12).View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/priorities-listening-then-labor/

Birth of a King G'day and welcome to Partake! We are now on day 11 of our series "Glimpses", looking at the story of the Bible in 30 days, from the time of creation through to the time of the fullness of redemption! We looked together at the Covenants in the Old Testament as a set of stairs from Creation through to what we call the New Covenant. Now, we have started looking at the documents which record the life of Jesus Christ, who as Christians, claim to fulfil those Covenants we talked about. His birth is the most celebrated around the world and He transcends cultures, peoples and languages. Jesus Christ is the most unique person in all of recorded history. He is also the most divisive person to be found at any time and anywhere. Almost everyone has an opinion about him, even if that opinion is based on ignorance, silence or misinformation. Climbing the staircase! Like climbing a staircase, step by step, we looked at together through the Covenants and we caught glimpses of God sending a saviour or messiah for the world. We discovered that God was planning the time when He would step into history as this saviour person, who we believe to be the man, Jesus Christ. We looked at the Covenants that God made with people, which all looked forward to this saviour, messiah and king. These covenants were to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. This King was to be their hope - their saviour. Jesus' genealogy as recorded in the Gospels takes his physical line back to Abraham via David. Abraham as we saw was the father of Israel and David the King with a promise from God to have a king on the throne forever. Jesus grew into maturity as any young Jewish boy did. Life Events You can read about the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ in the following passages from the Bible: Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-18; John 1v1-18 Documented in history and affirmed by most secular and non-Christian sources. Here are the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ and his early childhood from the Gospel record: His Pre-existence - John 1:1-5 His Genealogy - Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38 Angel Gabriel visits Mary - Luke 1:26-38 Angel appears to Joseph in a dream - Matthew 1:18-25 His Birth in Bethlehem - Matthew 1:25, Luke 2:1-7 Shepherds visit him at the manger - Luke 2:8-20 His circumcision and presentation in the Temple according to the Covenant Law of Moses - - Luke 2:21-38 Wise men present gifts in house - Matthew 2:1-12 Joseph's family including Jesus escape to Egypt with Jesus - Matthew 2:13-15 Herod's wrath on Bethlehem's children - Matthew 2:16-18 Herod dies in Spring of 4 BC - Matthew 2:19 Joseph's family including Jesus settles in Nazareth - Luke 2:39 Events in his childhood - Luke 2:40-52 Luke 2v1-7, 21-24. Please do make a note of the names of history recorded by Luke to date the birth of the man, Jesus: Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Birth of Jesus Christ That Jesus was a human male is not really disputed. However, the birth of Jesus Christ is extraordinary at every level. He was born of a woman, which in itself tells us that at least in a prenatal state, he was nurtured and formed as any other male baby was and is. On the physical level, Jesus was born as any person is, but as regards his conception, He was conceived like no other person - conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1v35). This was so that Jesus would not be given the sinful nature past that all humans have. Jesus was fully human and fully divine. Other documents, outside of the Bible from that time period also attest to Jesus and his existence. What's in a name? When Jesus was born, his name imbued the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. So important is our understanding of the birth of Jesus that no fewer than 4 angels come to give us a full picture of the event. Do you think that his parents, Joseph & Mary ever gazed upon him, and thought "How misnamed he is!" They did not, because they knew the very purpose for which he was born. Did Jesus ever think of how misnamed he was? Certainly not! His name means one who saves, or a rescuer. The entirety of his birth, life and death were centred on this very role. His role was to save all those who would follow Him. Further up the staircase! As we look through the remainder of this series we will discover together how and why He was born to be this messiah, saviour and king we caught glimpses of in the Old Testament. We will see that Jesus confirms God's promises, that he reveals God as a Father and that he gave us an example of how to live life to the full. We shall also see how his life was the catalyst for a religious revolution. He was not merely a man who received some special power. He was not some strange creation that was half man and half God, with his human nature somehow absorbed into the divine. He was, as we shall see in this series, much more than those ideas! In our next study we will look at Jesus' Mission and Identity. Thank you! Right mouse click or tap here here to download as a MP3 audio file

The first portion commences "In the days when the judges ruled". The book sets the times, as paralleling the time of the second appendix to Judges 19-21, and is as vital in preparing us for David's kingship as the end of the last book was in establishing Saul's origins. Even the locality is the same in Bethlehem/Judah (' the house of bread and praise'). We are told that there was literally a famine in the land at that time, undoubtedly spiritual as well as literal; a scarcity of the word of God. Ironically the man Elimelech ('my God is king'), representing what the nation should have known; yet living as though there was no king and doing what was right in their own eyes; believing sustenance could be found apart from the people of God, left for Moab. The two sons marry non-covenanted wives and die (their names also emblematic of their unfaithfulness - sickly and pining). Death overtakes them leaving faithful Naomi heirless. On hearing that "God had visited His people with bread" the three women commence the homeward journey. Orpah stays in Moab, but Ruth passionately and imploringly pleads her loyalty to Israel's God (1 verses 16-17). They arrive home at Passover- the time of the barley harvest. Chapter 2, introduces us to faithful Boaz whose description matches that of Gideon in Judges 6. Providentially he extends to Ruth the care and compassion of the Creator to strangers and widows. She is blessed bountifully and we await developments in the unfolding story. We are impressed by the Godly environment that Boaz has created for his workers despite the deplorable spiritual conditions which prevailed throughout the nation. Isaiah 44 announces the superabundance of blessings that God will bestow upon children responding to His gracious pleas. Verses 1-5 speak of the blessings Yahweh will give to Israel, His chosen people. Verse 5 tells of the time when their Sovereign's children identify with Him by surnaming themselves as the people of the God of Jacob. This theme is picked up in the Servant prophecies in chapter 65:15-19. In Isaiah 44:6-8 Yahweh declares that He alone is God and Israel's Saviour. That understanding is the reason that His people in verse 5 now choose to be known as the people of the God of Israel. Verses 9-20 contrast the Omnipotent Creator to dumb, useless, impotent idols. There is wonderful irony in the way that the prophet ridicules the idols and their makers. The fashioner of the graven image wearies himself in the task of making his image and uses a part of the same tree to warm himself and bake his bread. What complete folly there is in the idolater's failure to see the stupidity of idols and those that form them. Verses 21-25 tell us what the LORD was about to do in saving His people. Verses 26-28 reveal the work of Cyrus the Persian as the man chosen by Yahweh to overthrow Babylon. He would also decree liberty for the captives and send exiled Israel home to rebuild Jerusalem. This prophecy was made about one and a half centuries before Cyrus accomplished this great work of the LORD.. Cyrus' name is symbolic of his typical role, as the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning "one like the heir". Jude tells us that he is the brother of James. In James' letter he says to us that he is the Lord Jesus Christ's brother (actually half brother - for Mary was their mother see Mark 3verse 31-35; and 6 verse 3). Joseph was the father of James and Jude. Mary was, contrary to orthodox teaching, not a perpetual virgin. After Jesus was born Joseph had a normal marital relationship with Mary (see Matthew 1verses 23-25) and had an additional 3 sons and at least 2 unnamed daughters. Unlike his siblings Jesus was conceived by the power of God  - the Holy Spirit (Luke 1verses 30-35). The letter of Jude deals with the same issues as 2 Peter 2 - the problems created by the false teachers. The letter was written about 65 AD, by which time the departures in teaching from the true faith were multiplying. Jude had set out with the purpose of writing a letter to encourage his readers in their shared faith. But due to the pressing problems created by the errorists Jude was diverted to write about the need to continue in the faith and to strenuously resist the errorists. Verses 3-16 tell us that there will always be opposition from false brethren. Jude cites 5 Scriptural historical examples. These demonstrate God's dealings with the false leaders and, inferentially show the same point as 2 Peter 2 ie that Yahweh knows how to preserve and deliver the righteous. The first example was from the time of the wilderness wanderings, when Korah, Dathan and Abiram attempted to usurp the authority of Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16 gives details of that rebellion. The second example is the destruction of Sodom and deliverance of righteous Lot found in Genesis 19. The third example is that of the insatiable covetousness of Balaam, which not only destroyed himself but, also, many Israelites at the border of the Promised Land. These events are outlined in Numbers  chapters 22-25. Example 4 related to the Samaritan opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and is outlined in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Samaritans falsely claimed a religious affinity with the God of Israel and they contended with chosen people. The 5th example is that of powerful and blasphemous Lamech in his attempt to eradicate Enoch. Genesis 4 shows us that only 7 generations from Adam wicked and godless men were opposing the way of God. Note in the AV that "ungodly" is used 7 times. Contrast Psalm 1, which in the Hebrew Bible is attributed to Enoch. Read aloud slowly. Pause and ponder. Verses 12-13 are a series of metaphors which expose the uselessness and dangers of all false teachers. The chapter concludes with a call to stand steadfast for the faith. The events overtaking the ecclesias had been prophesied by the Apostles. Scripture was being fulfilled before their eyes. Their part was to continue to faithfully follow their Lord Jesus Christ. So too must we. Any who become defiled by the influence of the false teachers are like a stick in the fire that needs to be swiftly plucked from the fire and extinguished. Let's pause and slowly read aloud and ponder the closing doxology of verses 24-25, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." ESV

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-22-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: What About The Various English Translations of The Bible?/ Matt Talks about the “Veneration” of Mary in The RCC/ A Question about The Holy Spirit/ Luke 18-The Pharisee and The Tax Collector-Difference in Prayers/ Was Jesus Fully God While He was on Earth?/ January 22, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-22-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: What About The Various English Translations of The Bible?/ Matt Talks about the “Veneration” of Mary in The RCC/ A Question about The Holy Spirit/ Luke 18-The Pharisee and The Tax Collector-Difference in Prayers/ Was Jesus Fully God While He was on Earth?/ January 22, 2025

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 01-22-2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include:What About The Various English Translations of The Bible?/ Matt Talks about the "Veneration" of Mary in The RCC/ A Question about The Holy Spirit/ Luke 18-The Pharisee and The Tax Collector-Difference in Prayers/ Was Jesus Fully God While He was on Earth?/ January 22, 2025

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?If you're ever a little suspicious about the idea that the Holy Spirit fills believers, Susie and Angie will help clear up confusion as they  look closely at the Greek word for “fill” in Luke 1:67.Luke 1:67 (NIV)“His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:” LiveSteadyOn.comhttps://livesteadyon.com/ To connect with Susie:https://susiecrosby.com/Facebook: @‌susiecrosbyauthorInstagram: @‌susiecrosby Susie's devotionals, “Lighthearted” and “Just One Word: 90 Devotions to Invite Jesus In” are available on Amazon.https://www.logos.com/https://enduringword.com/https://www.wordhippo.com/https://www.biblegateway.com/https://www.blueletterbible.org/ Gerhard Delling, “Πίμπλημι, Ἐμπίμπλημι, Πλησμονή,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 130.Simmons, Brian, trans. The Passion Translation. BroadStreet Publishing, 2017.Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 1:15. I. Howard Marshall, “Luke,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 983–984. A. Boyd Luter, “Luke,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1604. Theme music:Glimmer by Andy Ellison

2024.12.22 Filled with the Holy Spirit | Luke 1:57-80 | John Wood by EP Church Annapolis

Today’s Bible Verse: "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah." - Luke 2:25-26 “Want to listen without ads? Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/ MEET OUR HOSTS at https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Luke explains the multi-faceted work of the Holy Spirit

Luke describes the essence and nature of the Holy Spirit and explains his role in our walk with God

I will never forget as a nineteen-year-old teenager struggling under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and making the excuse that why should I become a Christian if I can't live the life that God demands that I should live in the Bible. The devil was deceiving me into thinking that the temptations for me as a teenager would be more than I could handle. For sure, shortly after I trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior, I was very concerned and fearful about facing all those youthful temptations.   But the next week after my salvation, on a Sunday night service at Landmark Baptist Temple in Cincinnati Ohio I heard a message where the pastor gave a verse from 1 Corinthians 10 that jumped out at me and gave me the assurance that I would be able to deal with any temptation that came my way. The verse was 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV), “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”   This is the first verse that I say that I memorized, but honestly, I don't recall even memorizing it because I so desperately needed this verse that it immediately stuck in my mind and heart, and I never forgot it. God will never allow any temptation or trial to come my way that I cannot bear or deal with because He is faithful, and He knows what I can or cannot handle. And God will make a way for me to resist the temptation. This verse gave me the assurance that I needed to begin my spiritual journey without the fear of failure, and faith to trust the Lord for whatever the devil attacked me with!   Here in Luke 4, as we study the temptation of Jesus by the devil, we find that God has also made available to us all the resources we need to overcome any temptation. We have at our disposal the same spiritual resources that Jesus used when He faced and defeated Satan. Remember Luke points out just before Jesus is tempted that at His baptism Jesus was praying (Luke 3:21). Prayer is a mighty weapon that we have been given in dealing with Satan. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6).   Jesus was assured of the Father's love in Luke 3:22 when the Voice came out of heaven at His baptism saying, “You are my beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.” You and I have been given the assurance over and over again from the Scriptures that our heavenly Father loves us unconditionally. I could give many verses but here are several that comes to mind immediately: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). And of course, John 3:16 is always a reminder that the love of God is so great that He sent His Son to die on a cross for us. Romans 5:8 tells us that God manifest and showed us His love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!   Jesus was fasting! Along with prayer, fasting is a neglected spiritual discipline that displaces the distractions of food and other things for a period of time so that we might focus fully on God's grace and strength. This also allows us to tap into the amazing power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1) to guide us and lead us in “paths of righteousness”. And to give us courage to face whatever the devil might throw at us.   Jesus said, “It is written” and quoted the Word of God! I love 1 John 2:14; “...I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” God's Word strengthens our faith to stand (Ephesians 6:10-18).   Finally, we also have the resource of the Lord Jesus in heaven interceding for us! “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). And remember Jesus is the ultimate overcomer! “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).   You can be an overcomer every day in Jesus too!   God bless!

Bishop Todd Hunter preaches from Luke on Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit.

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Preached by Fr. Jon Beadle on May 12, 2024.

Preached by Fr. Jon Beadle on May 12, 2024.

“Pentecost is For Everybody” – “Empowered beyond our own abilities” – Short overview of some of the different church types followed by: Receiving the power of the Holy Spirit!” * Acts 1:3-5 The Promise of the Holy Spirit * John 20:21-22 Receive the Holy Spirit * Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. * John 3:3-5 You Must Be Born Again * Genesis 2:7 The Breath of Life * John 14:16-17 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit - The Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes from Jesus. * Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." - The Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes after you have been save.

Pastor of Formation & Mission Benjamin Kandt resumes our Beatitudes series, focusing on the last beatitude: witness-bearing courage. He shares stories of what persecution may look like for those in hostile cultures, while also challenging listeners that their lack of persecution may not be because the culture isn't hostile to the gospel, but because they've compromised their witness. He invites us to examine ourselves, but to also seek the filling of the Spirit in order to truly bear witness to Jesus with courage and care. For more on enduring persecution in the global church, you can listen to a powerful podcast episode here.The acronym that Pastor Ben used in the responsive prayer is CREATE—How to be filled with the Holy Spirit:Confess the truth about your fears, sins, weaknesses, and needs (2 Cor. 12.9).Receive forgiveness, cleansing, and strength (1 John 1.9).Entrust everything to God (Luke 23.46).Ask for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11.13).Thank your Father (Matt. 11.25).Expect His presence and power (Isa 41:10).

This is the sermon for the Lord's Day for March 3rd, 2024.

POWER FOR TODAY is intended to equip the believers with the supernatural dimension of God, through the teaching of the unadulterated word of God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nicky-agyepong/message

On every school day for three years, Colleen has been dressing up in a different costume or mask to greet her children as they exit the school bus each afternoon. It brightens the day of everyone on the bus—including the bus driver: “[She] bring[s] so much joy to the kids on my bus, it’s amazing. I love that.” Colleen’s children agree. It all started when Colleen began fostering children. Knowing how difficult it was to be separated from parents and to attend a new school, she began greeting the kids in a costume. After three days of doing so, the kids didn’t want her to stop. So Colleen continued. It was an investment of time and money at thrift shops, but, as reporter Meredith TerHaar describes, it brought a “priceless result: happiness.” One little verse amid a book of wise and witty advice, largely by King Solomon to his son, sums up the results of this mom’s antics: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). By bringing cheer to all her kids (biological, adopted, and foster), she hoped to prevent crushed spirits. The source of true and lasting joy is God through the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21; Galatians 5:22). The Spirit enables us to shine God’s light as we strive to bring joy to others, a joy that offers hope and strength to face trials.

Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, and while the gospel writers recognize it as the start of Jesus's ministry, Luke draws our attention also to Jesus in the posture of prayer. It was while praying that Jesus received the Holy Spirit. In this week's sermon, we take a closer look at how Jesus was prepared for the work ahead. 

The Christian should not be anxious because of the Holy Spirit 1. Don't Be anxious about the judgment 2. Don't be anxious about your eligibility 3. Don't be anxious about getting it right.

Fr. Jacob Hsieh is a Nobertine priest of St. Michael's Abbey and a teacher of Latin, religion and chant.  In this episode, he discusses The Creeds of Our Catholic Faith in this I Thirst Follow Up Week 9Also Beauty of Our Catholic Heritage  airs live weekdays at 6:00am and 11am  Pacific Time go to spiritfilledevents.com website or download our Spirit Filled Radio App for Android or Apple Devices.APPLE LINK FOR APPGOOGLE PLAY LINK FOR APPArchives of shows from Spirit Filled Radio are available on podcast at spiritfilledevents.comNotes On The Creed of Our FaithWhat will we learn about in this session?Reflection on The Creeds of The Catholic Faith The Apostles CreedIt came from the ApostlesIt is the symbol of our faithContains in simple terms, the beliefs of our faithThe Nicene CreedHow did the Nicene Creed Come aboutHow does it differ from the Apostles CreedThe battle against heresiesConsubstantial combated the heresy of AriusScriptures that support the Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty (Isaiah 44:6; 45:5), Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3; Acts 14:15). I believe in Jesus Christ (Luke 2:11; John 20:28), His only Son (John 3:16), our Lord (John 20:28), He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), and born of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:27). He suffered under Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:23-25), was crucified (John 19:20; Acts 4:10), died (1 Corinthians 15:3), and was buried (1 Corinthians 15:4). He descended to the dead (1 Peter 3:18; Luke 23:43). On the third day He rose again (1 Corinthians 15:4, Matthew 28:1, 5-10). He ascended into heaven (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51, Acts 1:11), and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19; Hebrews 1:3). He will come again to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1; John 5:22). I believe in the Holy Spirit (John 15:26; 16:7-8, 13-14; Acts 13:2), the holy universal Church (Galatians 3:26-29), the communion of saints (Revelation 19:14; Hebrews 10:25), the forgiveness of sins (Luke 7:48), the resurrection of the body (1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 6:39), and the life everlasting (John 10:28; 17:2-3). Amen. Nicene Creed and the Scriptures1. Jesus is as equally divine and eternal as the Father, not created by the Father.- Micah 5:2- John 1:1-3- John 10:30- 1 Corinthians 8:6- Colossians 1:15-17- Hebrews 1, particularly Hebrews 1:32. The Holy Spirit is as equally divine and eternal as the Father and the Son.- Genesis 1:1-2- Romans 8:9- 1 Corinthians 2:11, 16- 

Rachelle Starr is the founder of Scarlet Hope, which is a ministry designed to share the hope of Jesus with women in the adult entertainment industry. She is also the author of Outrageous Obedience: Answering God's Call to Shine in the Darkest Places. The month of January is sex trafficking awareness month. Rachelle knows firsthand from her work with Scarlet Hope, spending the last 15 years loving on and building relationships with women who work in strip clubs, and the world of porn and prostitution, and shares with us some of what she's seen, how a woman finds herself entrapped in such a situation, and what its like to see their lives totally changed by Christ and having some of their physical needs addressed for them to experience rescue holistically as well. Rachelle's book is a galvanizing experience full of questions for each of us who are called to love like Jesus, and her passion for Christ, and for the hurting is contagious. Buckle up, you guys, this is one story you won't want to miss hearing, and perhaps the Lord even has something just for you and your story in it. If you are interested in connecting with Rachelle or looking into the ministry of Scarlet Hope, be sure and follow them and see if there is a local chapter near you!  There is hope for our stories, and He's not finished with any of us. Connecting with Rachelle Starr AND Scarlet Hope Buy a copy of Outrageous Obedience Facebook Instagram  Rachelle's Website Scarlet Hope  Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty Facebook Instagram  Tik Tok  Website YouTube   JOIN OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!!!! I would be honored to have your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return.  *References: Crazy Love by Francis Chan Scarlet Hope Bakery  Scarlet Hope career development program  Passion Conference End It Movement Christine Caine and A21  Sex Trafficking story from Atlanta // AG A similar situation in Florida Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers  “Filthy Rich” documentary on Netflix about Jeffrey Epstein Paul Tripp “Pretty Woman” Signs to look for in airports and public spaces  Dr. Jessica Peck *Scripture References: -The book of Esther (quick overview!) -The book of Ruth (quick overview again ;)) Genesis 1:27-You were created in God's image 1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:6, Jeremiah 29:11 -He's created you for a purpose and for Himself  Romans 2:3-4-God's kindness leads people to repentance and relationship with Him  Matthew 25:36-40-When have you seen me naked? John 10:10-The enemy comes to steal kill and destroy and Jesus came to give us life Lamentations 3:22-23-Mercies are new every morning  John 8:1-11-Who of us can cast the first stone Matthew 9:36-Jesus saw them like sheep without a shepherd James 1:22-25-we don't want to just be full of knowledge  John 14:15-being obedient to God's call Isaiah 6:8-Here I am send me  John 14:26, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2 -Listening to the Holy Spirit  Luke 16:10-(she) who is faithful in little is faithful in much  Ecclesiastes 3:1-There is a season for everything 1 Corinthians 15:58-The Lord wastes nothing 1 Corinthians 2:1-5-2 Corinthians 12:9- The Lord makes Himself known in His weakness John 10:11-18-The Lord is a good shepherd 1 Peter 2:9-We have been called into His marvelous light  *Questions to ponder: -what have You saved me for and who have You saved me for? -can we ask God to have your heart softened for those inside the walls of a place you want to look away from Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog  *Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com