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Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1-3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In this November 8th, 2024 episode, your Bible reading coach and brother Hunter invites you on day 312 of our journey through scripture. We begin with Job 33, listening to Elihu's heartfelt dialogue with Job about God's ways, before diving into the opening chapters of First Corinthians. Here, Hunter guides us through Paul's passionate plea for unity, reminding us that true wisdom and power are found in the "foolish" message of the cross. Alongside the readings, we create space for prayer—interceding for ourselves, those we love, and the world around us. Hunter reflects on the simplicity of the gospel: that God, in radical, co-suffering love, has revealed His heart for humanity through Jesus. The episode closes with words of encouragement, partnership shoutouts, and an invitation to return tomorrow to be refreshed by God's love. Whether you're seeking spiritual guidance, deeper understanding of scripture, or simply a moment of peace, this episode offers a gentle reminder: you are loved—no doubt about it. So, let's open our hearts and journey together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: His message doesn't come with a bunch of show and pretense. He's not trying to build his own name or his own following. He's not trying to present himself as a great philosopher or a renowned debater. He has a simple and sincere spirit-empowered message. And it's so contrary to what the world would expect. So much so that he calls it the foolish preaching of the cross. He presents the simple, sincere, self-empowered foolish preaching of the cross. That message is that God in his love has offered his dearly loved Son to redeem humanity, to restore and renew all that was lost. God has loved all of humanity so much that he became one of us. He came to us in self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love. And on the cross, he has defeated death, despair, and the grave and drawn us to himself. On the cross, God fully revealed to us his loving heart, the precious value of every human life—including yours. Now we can know who God is and who we have become in Him. This is the foolish message of the cross. And it's for you, it's for me, it's for everyone. So today we rest in that, we rejoice in that. And we ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes that we might see more and more of what God has done, who he is, and what we have become. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen. Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. And now Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, Joy. Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life. Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation. Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL
The Blessing Is Ahead—But You've Gotta Press Forward to See It | Blessed Morning Prayer For TodaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright DailyEffectivePrayer.com SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™
How do you know whether you're just trying to be good, or whether the Holy Spirit has really brought transformation into your life? The way to know is to look at what's called the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. There's a whole set of characteristics of a supernaturally changed heart. We're looking now at the first of these: joy. Romans 5 tells us three things about joy. It tells us 1) joy is important, 2) Christian joy is unique, and 3) where Christian joy comes from. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 18, 2010. Series: The Real Signs of the Spirit. Scripture: Romans 5:1-11. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.
When was the last time you heard a message on the transformative power of the Holy Spirit? Today, Joyce delves into the importance of the Trinity's third person.
In this special bonus episode, we close out the year by slowing down and reflecting on what it means to end well — not by hustling harder, but by listening closely to the voice of God. After a year marked by pruning, change, and growth, [Host] shares how the Lord has used silence, stillness, and surrender to shape her faith and restore her peace. This heartfelt conversation is an honest look at what it's like to walk through a season of refining — where God asks you to lay things down, quiet the noise, and trust His timing. From learning to discern His voice through Scripture and the Holy Spirit's promptings, to recognizing His confirmation in everyday moments, this episode will help you reclaim ground that's been lost and realign your heart with His for the year ahead. If you've ever wrestled with the question "How do I know it's God's voice?" or felt weary from a year that didn't go as planned, this episode will meet you right where you are. Together, we'll end the year well — remembering His faithfulness, celebrating His pruning, and preparing to hear Him more clearly in the new year. This episode is brought to you by PreBorn, a ministry rescuing babies and supporting mothers in crisis. Every $28 you give sponsors an ultrasound for a woman considering abortion — and in that sacred moment when she hears her baby's heartbeat, everything changes.
Romans 15:13, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is the source of our hope. Hope means you have something to look forward to, something to […]
Welcome to Ask Paul Tripp, a weekly podcast from Paul Tripp Ministries where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp answers your questions, connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.This week, Paul responds to a question from Ron about the role of the Holy Spirit. Ron noticed that many worship songs invite the Holy Spirit to “come” or “draw near,” but he's confused - if believers already have the indwelling Holy Spirit, why do we sing that way?If you have a question you'd like to ask Paul, you can email ask@paultripp.com or submit it online at PaulTripp.com/AskSunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart For ChurchPaulTripp.com/Sunday
God's Word and the Holy Spirit have the power to totally transform your life! Dan Jacobsen shares insights from "Becoming New: 100 Days of Transformation through God's Word" authored by his grandfather, the late Warren Wiersbe. Dan also shares about the impact of Dr. Wiersbe's legacy of faith on his own life. Originally aired November 1, 2024 Check out Susie's new podcast God Impressions on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here
There's a clear difference between carnal and spiritual Christians. In this episode of the Encounter Podcast, David Diga Hernandez and Apostle Ron Davis discuss what it truly takes to walk in power and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is the call to a deeper, Spirit-filled life. The Encounter Podcast Ep.57
Pastor Dru Rodriguez teaches that the Holy Spirit moves from hovering over chaos to flowing through believers, making us participants in bringing peace to a chaotic world. Jesus invites the thirsty to come and receive living water that flows from within.
Can a true believer fall so hard that they can't repent and be forgiven by God? Do we receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands? If not, then how exactly? Will some Christians miss the rapture and be left behind because of disobedience?
#10MinuteswithJesus ** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him. ** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end. ** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance. 10-Minute audio to help you pray. Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God. Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.
Reformed Brotherhood | Sound Doctrine, Systematic Theology, and Brotherly Love
In this illuminating episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony explore Jesus' parables of the mustard seed and leaven found in Matthew 13. These seemingly simple parables reveal profound truths about God's kingdom—how it begins imperceptibly, grows irresistibly, and transforms completely. The hosts delve into what these parables teach us about God's sovereign work in both our individual spiritual lives and the broader advance of His kingdom in the world. Believers can find hope in understanding that God intentionally works through what appears weak and insignificant to accomplish His purposes. This episode offers practical encouragement for Christians who may feel discouraged by the apparent smallness of their faith or ministry impact. Key Takeaways The kingdom of heaven begins in small, hidden, or seemingly insignificant ways, but grows powerfully through God's sovereign work. The mustard seed illustrates the kingdom's visible expansion (extensive growth), while the leaven highlights its internal transformative influence (intensive growth). Both parables emphasize that God's kingdom often appears to "disappear" initially but produces outsized results through His work, not our own. These parables provide encouragement for times when the church feels weak or our personal faith feels insufficient—God's power is made perfect in weakness. God's kingdom transforms both outwardly (extensive growth illustrated by the mustard seed) and inwardly (intensive growth shown by the leaven). Cultural transformation happens most effectively through ordinary Christian faithfulness rather than flashy or provocative engagement. Christians should not despise small beginnings, recognizing that faithfulness rather than visibility is the true measure of fruitfulness. Understanding Kingdom Growth: From Imperceptible to Unstoppable The parables of the mustard seed and leaven powerfully illustrate the paradoxical nature of God's kingdom. In both cases, something tiny and seemingly insignificant produces results far beyond what anyone would expect. As Tony noted in the discussion, what's critical is understanding the full comparison Jesus makes—the kingdom isn't simply like a seed or leaven in isolation, but like the entire process of planting and growth. Both parables involve something that initially "disappears" from sight (the seed buried in soil, the leaven mixed into dough) before producing its effect. This reflects the upside-down nature of God's kingdom work, where what appears weak becomes the channel of divine power. For first-century Jewish listeners expecting a triumphant, militaristic Messiah, Jesus' description of the kingdom as beginning small would have seemed offensive or disappointing. Yet this is precisely God's pattern—beginning with what appears weak to demonstrate His sovereign power. This same pattern is evident in the incarnation itself, where God's kingdom arrived not through military conquest but through a humble birth and ultimately through the cross. Finding Hope When Faith Feels Small One of the most practical applications from these parables is the encouragement they offer when we feel our faith is insufficient or when the church appears weak. As Jesse noted, "God is always working. Even when we don't feel or see that He is, He's always working." The kingdom of God advances not through human strength or visibility but through God's sovereign work. These parables remind us that spiritual growth often happens imperceptibly—like bread rising or a seed growing. We may go through seasons where our spiritual life feels dry or stagnant, yet God continues His sanctifying work. Just as a baker must be patient while bread rises, we must trust the invisible work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the church. When we feel discouraged by apparent lack of progress, these parables assure us that God's kingdom—both in our hearts and in the world—is advancing according to His perfect timing and plan. As Tony explained, "The fact that it feels and looks and may actually be very small does not rob it of its power...in actuality that smallness is its power." God deliberately works through weakness to display His glory, making these parables powerful reminders for believers in any era who may feel their impact is too small to matter. Memorable Quotes "We shouldn't despise small beginnings. Let's not despise whatever it is that you're doing in service to God, to your family, to your churches, especially in the proclamation of the gospel... Faithfulness and not visibility—that's the measure of fruitfulness." — Jesse Schwamb "The Kingdom of Heaven is at work not only in our midst as a corporate body, but in each of us as well. God's grace and His special providence and His spirit of sanctification, the Holy Spirit is the spirit of holiness and the one who makes us holy. He is doing that whether it feels like it or not, whether we see outward progress or not." — Tony Arsenal "What cultural transformation looks like is a man who gets married and loves his wife well, serves her and sacrifices for her, and makes a bunch of babies and brings them to church... We transform culture by being honest, having integrity, by working hard... without a lot of fanfare, without seeking a lot of accolades." — Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 468 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother, you and I have said it over and over again. One of the incredible truths that the Bible conveys about the kingdom of God is that it's inaugurated in weakness. It's hidden. It advances irresistibly by the sovereign work of God through the Word and the Spirit. It transforms both individuals and nations until Christ's reign is fully revealed in glory. And so as we're about to talk about parables today, I can't help but think if that's one of the central positions of the Bible, and I think we both say it is how would you communicate that? And here we find Jesus, the son of God, our great savior, you know where he goes. He goes, mustard seeds and yeast. So that's what we're gonna talk about today. And if you're just joining us maybe for the first time or you're jumping into this little series, which is to say, we do know tiny series, this long series on parables, you, I go back to the last episode, which is kind of a two-parter because Tony and I tried this experiment where we basically each separately recorded our own thoughts and conversation, almost an inner monologue as we digested each of those parables, both the one of the mustard seed and then the leaven sequentially and separately. And now we're coming together in this episode to kind of talk about it together and to see what we thought of the individual work and to bring it all together in this grand conversation about the kingdom of God that's inaugurated and weakness and hiddenness. [00:02:31] Affirmations and Denials Explained Jesse Schwamb: So that's this episode, but it wouldn't be a episode without a little affirming. And a little denying it seems, 22, we should this, every now and again we pause to say why we do the affirmations and denials. Why, why do we do this? What, what is this whole thing? Why are we bringing it into our little conversation every time? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I mean, it, it, at its core, it's kind of like a recommendation or an anti recommendation segment. We take something that we like or we don't like and we spend a little bit of time talking about it. Usually it ends up taking a little bit of a theological bent just 'cause that's who we are and that's what we do. And we use the language of affirmations and denials, uh, because that's classic, like reformed confessional language. Right? If you look at something like the, um. I dunno, like the Chicago statement on Biblical and Errancy, which was primarily written by RC sprawl, um, it usually has a, a statement, uh, of doctrine in the form of things that we affirm and things that we deny. Um, or you look at someone like Turin, a lot of times in his, uh, institutes of elected theology. He'll have something like, we affirm this with the Lutherans, or we affirm that or de deny that against the papus or something like that. So it's just a, a little bit of a fun gimmick that we've added on top of this to sort of give it a little bit of its own reformed flavor, uh, onto something that's otherwise somewhat, um, Baal or, or I don't know, sort of vanilla. So we like it. It's a good chance for us to chat, kind of timestamps the episode with where we are in time. And usually, usually, like I said, we end up with something sort of theological out of it. 'cause that's, that's just the nature of us and that's, that's the way it goes. That's, and that's what happens, like when we're talking about stuff we. Like when we're together at Christmas or at the beach, like things take that theological shift because that's just who, who we are, and that's what we're thinking about. Jesse Schwamb: By the way, that sounds like a new CBS drama coming this fall. The nature of us. Tony Arsenal: The nature of us? Yeah. Or like a, like a hallmark channel. Jesse Schwamb: It does, uh, Tony Arsenal: it's like a a, I'm picturing like the, the big city girl who moves out to take a job as a journalist in like Yosemite and falls in love with the park ranger and it's called The Nature of Us. Jesse Schwamb: The nature of us Yes. Coming this fall to CBS 9:00 PM on Thursdays. Yeah. I love it. Well, this is our homage to that great theological tradition of the affirming with, or the denying against. So what do you got this week? Are you affirming with something or you denying against something? [00:04:55] No Quarters November Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming. This is a little cheeky. I'm not gonna throw too much, much, uh, too much explanation. Uh, along with it. I'm affirming something. I'm calling no quarters, November. So, you know, normally I'm very careful to use quarters. I'm very careful to make sure that I'm, I'm saving them and using them appropriately. And for the month of November, I'm just not gonna use any quarters. So there'll be no 25 cent pieces in my banking inventory for the month. Oh. So I'm, I'm making a little bit of fun. Of course. Obviously no, quarter November is a tradition that Doug Wilson does, where he just is even more of a jerk than he usually is. Um, and he, he paints it in language that, like, normally I'm very careful and I qualify everything and I have all sorts of nuance. But in November, I'm just gonna be a bull in a China shop, um, as though he's not already just a bull in a China shop 95% of the time. So I'm affirming no corridors. November maybe. No corners November. Everything should be rounded. Jesse Schwamb: That's good too. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. No, no. Quatro November. Like we don't do anything in Spanish. No fours in Spanish. I don't know. Okay. I'm just making fun of that. I'm just making fun of the whole thing. It's such a silly, dumb enterprise. There's nothing I can do except to make fun of it. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I think that's fair. That's basically the response it deserves. This time, we, we brought it up for several years going, it's such a strange thing. [00:06:13] Critique of Doug Wilson's Approach Jesse Schwamb: It's hard not to see this thing as complete liberty to be sinful and then to acknowledge that. Yeah. As if somehow that gives you, reinforces that liberty that you're taking it, it's so strange. It's as if like, this is what is necessary and probably we'll get to this actually, but this is what is necessary for like the gospel or the kingdom of God to go forward is that kind of attitude at times. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I will say this, I do always look forward every year to seeing what he sets on fire. 'cause the, the videos are pretty great. I'm not gonna lie. Like the video quality is, is certainly compelling. Um, and you could say it's lit is another little punny way to get at it. Uh, I, I haven't seen it this year. I mean, that's, we're recording this on November 1st, so I'm sure that it's out. Uh, I just haven't seen it yet. But yeah, I mean, it's kind of, kind of ridiculous, uh, that anyone believes that Doug Wilson is restraining himself or engaging in lots of fine distinctions and nuance. You know, like the rest of the year and November is the time that he really like holds back, uh, or really doesn't hold back. That's, that's just a silly, it's just a silly gimmick. It's a silly, like, I dunno, it's a gimmick and it's dumb and so I'm gonna make fun of it 'cause that's what it deserves. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I think that's right. You know, I was thinking recently because as you said, the counter just rolled over. And generally this time of year I end up always watching that documentary that Ligonier put together on Martin Luther, which is quite good. And I think it does, has a fair treatment of him, including the fact that he was so bombastic and that he was very caustic with his language. And I think they treat that fairly by saying, oh, that some of the same things that we admire in somebody can be some of the very same things which pull them into sinful behavior. And there's no excuse for that. And, and, and if that's true for him, then it's true for all of us, of course. And it's definitely true for Luther. So I think this idea, we need to be guarding our tongues all the time and to just make up some excuse to say, I'm not gonna do that. And in some way implying that there's some kind of hidden. Piety in that is what I think is just so disturbing. And I think most of us see through that for what exactly it is. It's clickbaits. It's this idea of trying to draw attention by being bombastic and literally setting things on fire. Like the video where he sets the boat on fire is crazy because all I can think of is like, so if you judge me, one more thing on this, Tony, 'cause I, I, when you said that, I thought about this video, the boat video implicitly, and I've thought about this a lot since then. There's a clip of him, he sets the boat on fire and it's kind of like him sitting on the boat that is engulfed in flames looking out into the sea, so, so calmly as if it's like an embodiment of that mean this is fine, everything is fine, this is fine. Right? Yeah. And all I can think of is that was great for probably like the two seconds that somebody filmed that, but guess what happened immediately after that? Somebody rescued you by putting out the fire on the boat. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: It's just like insanity to presume that, encapsulating that single moment and somehow conveying that he is a great champion, pioneer advocate of things of the gospel by essentially coming in and disrupting and being caustic and that him setting thing on fire makes everything better is a mockery, because that's not even exactly how that shoot took place. Yeah. So I, I just really struggle with that, with the perspective he is trying to bring forward. Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I'm dubious whether or not there was actually any fire involved. Well, that's, I think 95% of it is probably camera magic, which is fine. Like, I don't know. That's fine. Like, I don't want Doug Wilson to burn up. That's, that wouldn't be cool either. But, um, yeah, I mean, like the fruit of the spirit is love, joy piece patience, kindness, good as gentleness, setting things on fire and being a jerk in November, apparently. And I, I just don't, I, I've never fully understood the argument. Um, and this is coming from someone who can be sarcastic and can go over the top and go too far. And, and I recognize that about myself. I've just never understood the argument that like, it's okay to be a jerk sometimes. Or, or not even just, okay. It's necessary to be a jerk sometimes. Exactly. Um, there's a difference between boldness and being a jerk. And, you know, I think, um, the people who, who know me well are gonna like fall off their chairs. I say this like, Michael Foster is actually someone who I think. Does the boldness with a little bit of an edge. I think he actually does it really well. And just like all of us, I, you know, he, he probably goes over the line, uh, on occasion. Um, and, and, but I think he does the, I'm just going to be direct and straightforward and bold. And sometimes that might offend you because sometimes the truth is offensive. Um, I think he does that well. I think where we go sideways is when we try to couch everything in sort of this offensive posture, right? Where, where even the things that shouldn't be offensive, uh, somehow need to be made offensive. It, it's just, it's dumb. It's just, um, and I'm, I'm not saying we should be nice just for the sake of being nice. I think sometimes being nice is. When I say nice, I mean like saccharin sweet, like, like overly uh, I don't know, like sappy sweets. Like we don't have to be that. And uh, there are times where it's not even appropriate to be that. Um, but that's different than just, you know, it's almost like the same error in the wrong direction, right? To be, just to be a jerk all the time. Sometimes our words and our behavior and our actions have to have a hard edge. And sometimes that's going to offend people because sometimes the truth, especially the gospel truth is offensive. Um, but when what you're known for is being a jerk and being rude and just being offensive for the sake of being offensive. Um, right. And, and I'll even say this, and this will be the last thing I say. 'cause I didn't, I, I really intend this just to be like a, a jokey joke. No quarters, November. I'm not gonna spend any quarters. Um, I don't know why I was foolish enough to think we weren't gonna get into it, but, um. When your reputation is that you are a jerk just to be a jerk. Even if that isn't true, it tells you that something is wrong with the way you're doing things. Right. Because I think there are times where, and I'll say this to be charitable, there are times where Doug Wilson says something with a little bit of an edge, and people make way too big of a deal out of it. Like they, they go over the top and try to condemn it, and they, they make everything like the worst possible offense. And sometimes, sometimes it's, it's just not. Um, and there are even times where Doug says things that are winsome and they're helpful and, um, but, but when your reputation is that you are a jerk just to be a jerk, or that you are inflammatory just to get a reaction, um, there's something wrong with your approach. And then to top it off, when you claim that for November, like you explicitly claim that identity as though that's not already kind of your shtick the rest of the year. Um, and just, it's just. Frustrating and dumb and you know, this is the guy that like, is like planting a church in DC and is like going on cnn. It's just really frustrating to see that sort of the worst that the reformed world has to offer in terms of the way we interact with people sometimes is getting the most attention. So, right. Anyway, don't, don't be a pirate. N November is still my way. I celebrate and, uh, yeah, that's, that's that. Jesse Schwamb: That's well said. Again, all things we're thinking about because we all have tendency to be that person from time to time. So I think it's important for us to be reminded that the gospel doesn't belong to us. So that means like that sharp edge, that conviction belongs to Christ, not to our personalities. So if it's tilted toward our personalities, even toward our communication style, then it means that we are acting in sin. And so it's hard for us to see that sometimes. So it does take somebody to say, whoa. Back it down a little bit there and you may need to process. Well, I'm trying to communicate and convey this particular truth. Well, again, the objective that we had before us is always to do so in love and salt and light. So I agree with you that there is a way to be forthright and direct in a way that still communicates like loving compassion and concern for somebody. And so if really what you're trying to do is the equivalent of some kinda spiritual CPR, we'll know that you, you don't have to be a jerk while you're doing it. You don't have to cause the kind of destruction that's unnecessary in the process. Even though CPR is a traumatic and you know, can be a painful event by it's necessary nature, we administer it in such a way that makes sure that we are, we have fidelity to the essential process itself, to the essential truths that's worth standing up for. Yeah, it's not a worth being a jerk. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. [00:14:37] Practical Application of Parables Tony Arsenal: Jesse, let's, let's move along. What are you affirming or denying tonight Jesse Schwamb: and now for something much lighter? So, my, my affirmation I share at the risk of it being like so narrow that maybe nobody will actually want to use this, but I actually had you in mind. Tony, I've been sitting on this one for a little while 'cause I've been testing it. And so we're, we're just gonna run like an actual quick experiment 'cause I. I'm guessing you will find this affirmation useful and will come along with me and it and might even use it, but you and I are not always like representative of all the people in the world. I say that definitely tongue in cheek. So we're a little bit nerdy. We love our podcasts and so occasionally, I don't know if this happens to you, I'm guessing it does, but I want to capture like a moment that I heard while podcast is playing on my phone. Maybe somebody says something really interesting, it's great quotes, or it's mathematical nature and I wanna go back and process it. And so generally what I do is I, I don't know, I stop it. I try to go back and listen to it real quick if I can, or maybe I can't because running, driving, all that stuff. So. When I hear something now that I want to keep, I just cry out to my phone. I have an, I have an iPhone, so I say, Siri, you could do this with Google. Take a screenshot. What happens is the phone captures an image of my podcast app with a timestamp showing of course what's being played. Then I forward this image, this is the crazy affirmation part. When it's time to be alive, I forward this image to a certain email address and I get back the text transcript of the previous 90 seconds, which I can then either look at or file into my notes. What is this email address sent it to you. Well, here's the website so you can go check it out for yourself though. Website is actually called Podcast Magic App, and there's just three easy steps there, and this will explain to you how you actually get that image back to you in the format of a transcript. And the weird thing about this is it's, it's basically free, although if you use it a lot, they ask for like a one-time donation of $20, which you know me, I love. A one time fee. So I've been using this a lot recently, which is why I've been sitting on it, but it is super helpful for those of you who are out there listening to stuff. They're like, oh, I like that. I need to get that back. And of course, like you'll never get it back. So if you can create this method that I've done where you can train your phone to take a snapshot picture of what's on the screen, then you can send it to Podcast Magic at Sublime app, and they will literally send you a transcript of the previous 90 seconds no matter what it is. Tony Arsenal: That is pretty sweet. I'll have to check that out. Um, I don't listen to as many podcasts as I used to. How dare you? I just, the I know. It's, it's crazy. Where do we even do it Feels like heresy to say that on a podcast that I'm recording. Yes. Um, Jesse Schwamb: we've lost half the audience. Yeah. Tony Arsenal: Well, yeah. Well, the other half will come next. Um, no, I, I, I just don't have as much time as I used to. I, I live closer to work than I used to and um, I'm down to, we're down to one car now, so, um, your mother is graciously giving me a ride to work. Um, 'cause she, she drives right past our house on the, the way and right past my work on the way to her work. Um, but yeah, so I guess I say that to say like, the podcast that I do listen to are the ones that I really wanna make sure I'm, I am, uh, processing and consuming and, uh, making sure that I'm kinda like locking into the content. Jesse Schwamb: Right. Tony Arsenal: So this might be helpful for that when I do hear something and I do think, like, it's hard because I use matter, which is great, and you can forward a podcast to matter and it generates a whole transcript of the entire episode, which is great. Um, but I don't often go back and, you know, a lot of times, like I'll go through my matter, uh, queue and it'll be like three weeks after I listened to a podcast episode, I be like, why did I put this in here? Right? I get that. I don't wanna listen to the entire 60 minute episode again to try to remember what that special thing was. So I just end up archiving it. So this might be a good middle ground to kind of say like, I might set, I might still send it to matter to get the whole transcript, but then I can use this service to just capture where in the transcript actually was I looking for? Um. It's interesting. I'll have to look at it too, because you can, you can send, uh, through Apple Podcast, the Apple Podcast app and through most podcast apps, I think. Right? You can send the episode with the timestamp attached to it. Yes. So I wonder if you could just send that, that link. Okay. Instead of the screenshot. Um, you know, usually I'm, I'm not. Uh, I don't usually, I'm not driving anymore, so usually when I'm listening to a podcast I have, my hands are on my phone so I could actually send it. So yeah, I'll have to check that out. That's a good recommendation. Jesse Schwamb: Again, it's kind of nuanced, but listen, loved ones, you know what you get with us, you're gonna get some, it could be equally affirmation, denial that Doug involves Doug Wilson, and then some random little thing that's gonna help you transcribe podcasts you listen to, because life is so hard that we need to be able to instantly get the last 90 seconds of something we listen to so that we can put it into our note taping at note taking app and put it into our common notebook and keep it. Yeah, there you go. Tony Arsenal: There's a lot of apps. There was actually a, a fair number of apps that came out a while ago that were, they were trying to accomplish this. Where you could, as you were listening to the podcast, in that app, you could basically say, highlight that and it would, it would highlight whatever sentence you were on. But the problem is like by the time you say highlight that you're already onto the next sentence, you now you're going back trying to do it again. And I didn't find any of that worked really seamlessly. It was a lot of extra friction. So this might be kind of a good frictionless or less friction way to do it. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I'm totally with you. [00:20:08] The Kingdom of Heaven Parables Jesse Schwamb: I mean, speaking of like things that cause friction, there's no doubt that sometimes in Jesus' teaching on the parables that he himself brings the heat, he brings a little friction in his communication. And since you and I basically did go through each of these parables, we don't have do that again on this conversation. In fact, what I'm looking forward to is kind of us coming together and coalescing our conversation about these things, the themes that we both felt that we heard and uncovered in the course of talking through them. But I think as well ending with so what? So what is some real good shoe leather style, practical application of these ideas of understanding the kingdom of God to be like this mustard seed and like this lemon. So why don't I start by just reading. Again, these couple of verses, which we're gonna take right out of Matthew chapter 13. Of course, there are parallel passages in the other gospels as well, and I'd point you to those if you wanna be well-rounded, which you should be. And so we're gonna start in verse 31 of chapter 13. It's just a handful of verse verses. Here's what Matthew writes. Jesus puts another parable before them saying The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It's the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. He told them another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flower till it was all leavened. Alright? Yeah. So Tony, what do you think? Tony Arsenal: Uh, I mean, these are so like, straightforward. It was almost, it, it felt almost silly trying to like explain them. Yeah. One of the things that, that did strike me, that I think is worth commenting too, um, just as a, a general reminder for parables, we have to be careful to remember what the parable is saying, right? So I, I often hear, um. The smallness of the mustard seed emphasized. Mm-hmm. And I think your, your commentary, you did a good job of kind of pointing out that like there's a development in this parable like it, right? It's a progression and there's an eschatology to it, both in terms of the, the parable itself, but also it comments on the eschatology of the kingdom of heaven. But it's not just that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It's the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sewed in his field. Right? It's that whole clause that is the, the kingdom of heaven is like likewise, the kingdom of heaven is not just like leave, it's like leave that a woman took in hidden in three measures of flour till all was leavened. So when we're looking at these parables. Or when we're looking at really any parable, it's important to make sure that we get the second half of the, the comparison, right? What are we comparing the kingdom of heaven to? You know, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a sower who sowed seeds among, you know, in three types of four types of soil. This kingdom of Heaven is like, this is like that. We don't wanna miss part of the parable because we latch on to just like the first noun, and that follows the word like, um, but I think these are great, these are great little, um, parables that in some ways are almost like, uh, compliments or ex explanations of the other parables that we're looking at too. They, they explain to us something more about what the Kingdom of Heaven is using similar kinds of analogies that help us flesh out the parables that are surrounding them. So the Kingdom of Heaven. You know, again, we always want to caution against kind of like overinterpreting, the parables, but the, the parable of the sower is talking about the seed that is sewn into the field, right? And then there's the parable of the wheat and the tears, and there's seed again. And we, we might have a tendency to sort of miss the nature of the kingdom in a certain sort of dynamic. This fleshes this out. So we might think of like the parable of the sowers, like we don't know what, what proportion is of good soil, you know, good soil versus bad. We know that there's three types of soils that are bad soils or unproductive soils and one type, but we don't know like how much of the soil is, um, like what percentage of the field is that. Similarly, like we don't know what percentage of the field was wheat and what was weeds. This is kind of reminding us that the, the kingdom of heaven is not found primarily in the, um, the expansiveness of it. Right. It's not, it's not initially going to look like much. It's going to initially start out very small. Right. And in some ways, like in both of these, it appears to disappear entirely. Right? You sow a grain of mustard seed. I don't, I've never seen a mustard seed, so, but it's very small. Obviously you sow that into the ground. You're not gonna find it again, you're not gonna come back a week later and dig up that seed and figure out where you sewed it. Um, similarly, like you put a, you put a very small amount of yeast or lemon into a three measures of flour. You're not gonna be able to go in even probably, even with a microscope. You know, I suppose if you had infinite amount of time, you could pick a every single grain of flour, but you're not gonna be able to like go find that lemon. It's not gonna be obvious to the eye anymore, or even obvious to the careful searcher anymore. So that's what the kingdom of heaven is like in both of these. It's this very small, unassuming thing that is hidden away. Uh, it is not outwardly visible. It is not outwardly magnificent. It is not outwardly even effective. It disappears for all intents and purposes. And then it does this amazing thing. And that's where I really think these, these two parables kind of find their unity is this small, unassuming thing. That seems ineffectual actually is like abundantly effectual in ways that we don't even think about and can't even comprehend. Jesse Schwamb: Right? Yeah. I would say almost it's as if it's like, well, it's certainly intentionally, but almost like offensively imperceptible. And I think that's the friction that Jesus brings with him to the original audience when he explains it this way. So again, from the top, when we said this idea that the kingdom of God is imperceptible, it's hidden, it grows, it conquers, it brings eschatological resolution. And I'm just thinking again, in the minds of the hearers, what they would've been processing. I think you're spot on. I liked your treatment of that by focusing us to the fact that there is verb and noun and they go together. We often get stuck on the nouns, but this, that verb content means that all of this, of course, is by the superintendent will of God. It's volitional. His choice is to do it this way. It is again, where the curse becomes the blessing, where it's the theology of the cross or theology of glory, where it is what is small and imp, perceptible and normal by extraordinary means becomes that which conquers all things. And so I can. Picture, at least in my mind, because I'm a person and would, would wanna understand something of the kingdom of God. And if I were in a place, a place of oppression physically and spiritually living in darkness, to have this one who claims to be Messiah come and talk about the inauguration of this kingdom. My mind, of course, would immediately go to, well, God's kingdom must be greater than any other kingdom I could see on this earth. And I see it on the earth that the sun rises. And cast light across provinces and countries and territories in a grand way. And then we have this kingdom of God, which, you know, theory, the, the sun should never set on it and the sun should never be able to shine, but on a corner of it. And it doesn't have provinces or countries, it doesn't even have continence, but it has, it encapsulates worlds. And it doesn't stretch from like shore to shore or sea to shining sea, but from sun to sun or star to star from the heavens to the earth, its extent couldn't be surveyed. Its inhabitants couldn't be numbered. Its beginning, could never be calculated because from Tard past, it had no bounds. And so I'm just thinking of all these things and then like you said, Jesus says, let me tell you what it's really like. It's like somebody throwing a tiny seed into a garden. Or it's like a woman just making bread and she puts yeast into it. These seem like not just opposites, but almost offensive, I think, in the way that they portray this kingdom that's supposed to be of great power and sovereign growth, but it comes in perceptibly and how perfect, because the one who's delivering this message is the one who comes imperceptibly, the person of Christ preaching the gospel and the hearts of believers. But that grows into a vast and global proportion, and that of course, that aligns exactly with so many things you and I have talked about in process before. These doctrines are providence and sovereign grace, that God ordains the means that is the seed and ensures the outcome, which is the tree. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I think too, um, you know, I don't, I don't know of any affinity with mustard seed in like the Old Testament law, but there's, there's a sort of a reversal of expectation here too, because although Levin is not always associated with like impurity, um, I think most Jewish listeners would immediately have a negative connotation with Levin for sure. Right? So when, when all of a sudden he's comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to leaven it, it becomes sort of this, um, the reason Levin is so pernicious and the reason that in the Old Testament law, you know, they're, they're, they're not just not making their bread with leave for the, for the Passover. They have to like sweep out their whole house. They have to empty all their stores out. They have to clear everything out. And that's not just because like. In, in, in Old Testament, sort of like metaphors, leaven does get associated with sin, right? Uh, and that gets carried on into the New Testament, but just the actual physical properties of leaven is like, if there's any little bit of it left on the shelf or even in the air, like even on your hands, it's can spoil the whole batch. It can cause the entire batch to go a different direction than you want it to. And in a certain way, like the Kingdom of Heaven is like that, right? Um. [00:30:21] The Resilience of God's Kingdom Tony Arsenal: You hear about, um, you hear about situations where it seems like the presence of God's people and the, the kingdom of God is just, it's just eradicated. And then you find out that there's actually like a small group of believers who somehow survived and then like Christianity is thriving again like 50 years later. Um, you can't just wipe out the kingdom of heaven because it is like leaven and any small remaining remnant of it is going to work its way back through the entire batch in a way that is, uh, mysterious and is somewhat unpredictable and is certainly going to surprise people who are not expecting it to be there. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. [00:31:04] Understanding Theological Concepts Jesse Schwamb: One of the things I really picked up in your treatment of that, that kind of drew me in in a special way was, you know, we think of some theological terms. We have really, I think, strong. Rubric for processing them, and especially like their multifaceted nature. So for instance, when we think about sanctification, we often talk about positional and progressive. And those are really helpful ways to understand a concept that brings us into modeling where it's finite and precise to a degree that allows us to understand it and comprehend it with a greater degree of confidence. And knowing it's many parts, because it is many parted. [00:31:36] The Parable of the Leaven Jesse Schwamb: And I was thinking as you were talking about the leaven, how the kingdom of heaven here that is inaugurated by Christ, that comes by the power of the Holy Spirit is growth and always deny that. But what you drew out for me was I think we're definitely seeing in that this idea of the intensive growth and then of course in the. Parable of the mustard seed. It's more extensive growth and they're both important. So they're in consummate harmony. It's not just like one recapitulating the other. And what that made me think about was even as you were speaking now, this really interesting difference, you know, the woman is taking this, again, talking about the verb, there's two nouns here actually. There's like the, the proper pronoun of the woman there is the act which she's doing, which she's taking the leaven and working it as it were like into the flower. I just did like a weird motion here on the camera if you're watching on uh, YouTube. Sorry about that. [00:32:28] Practical Lessons from Bread Making Jesse Schwamb: Almost like I was giving CPR, but she's working it into this meal or this flower and the working it from within outwards and that working itself like changes the whole substance from the center to the surface of this meal. Now I was thinking about this 'cause you noted something about bed bread. Bread baking in yours. And I did actually just a couple weeks ago, make some bread and the recipe I was using came with this like huge warning. Some of the recipes are like this, where when you're using some kinda lemon, most of the time we're using yeast. You have to not only be careful, of course, about how much yeast you put in because you put in too much, it's gonna blow the whole thing up. You're gonna have serious problems. You're not gonna make the bread anymore, you're gonna make a bomb, so to speak, and it's gonna be horrible. You're not gonna want to eat it. But the second thing is the order in which you add the ingredients, or in this recipe in particular, had very explicit instructions for when you're creating the dry ingredients. When you have the flour, make a little well with your finger and delicately place. All of the yeast in there so that when you bring the dough together, when you start to shape it, you do it in a particular way that from the inside out changes the whole thing so that there's a thorough mixing. Because the beauty of this intensive change is that. As you know Tony, like there's so many things right now in my kitchen that are fermenting and I talked about before, fermenting the process of leavening something is a process of complete change. It's taking something that was before and making it something very different. But of course it retains some of the essential characteristics, but at the same time is a completely different thing. And so it's through a corresponding change that man goes to whom the spirit of God communicates His grace. It's hidden in the heart and chain begin, change begins there. You know, the outward reformation is not preparing a way for inward regeneration. It's the other way around that regeneration, that reformation on the outside springs from a regeneration that's on the inside, growing out of it as a tree grows from a seed as a stream flows from the spring or as leave, comes and takes over the entire lump of dough. [00:34:26] The Power of Small Beginnings Jesse Schwamb: It's amazing. This is how God works it. We again, on the one side we see the kingdom of heaven. That is like the manifestations of his rule in rain coming, like that seed being sown and growing into this mighty tree. It brings shade. The birds come nest in it. And that may be a reference Allah to like Ezekiel or Daniel, the Gentiles themselves. There's that inclusion. And then to be paired with this lovely sense that, you know what else, anywhere else, the power of the kingdom of heaven is made. Manifest is in every heart in life of the believer. And so the Christian has way more in religion in their outer expression than they do anybody else. Because the inner person, the identity has been changed. Now you and I, you and I harp all the time on this idea that we, we don't need some kind of, you know, restoration. We need regeneration. We don't need to be reformed merely on the outside by way of behaviors or clever life hacks. We need desperately to be changed from the inside out because otherwise we. Where it's just, I don't know, draping a dead cold statue with clothing, or all we're doing is trying to create for ourselves a pew in the house of God. What we really need is to be like this bread that is fully loving, that grows and rises into this delicious offering before the world and before God. Because if you were to cut into this outwardly looking freshly baked bread and find that as soon as you got through that delicious, hard, crispy crust on the outside, that in the inside all it was, was filled with like unprocessed, raw flour, you would of course say, that's not bread. I don't know what that is. But that's not bred. What a great blessing that the promise that God gives to us is that the kingdom of God is not like that. It lies in the heart by the power of God. And if it's not there, it's not anywhere. And that though the Christian May at times exhibit, as we've talked about before, some kinda hypocrisy, they are not essentially hypocrites. Why? Because the Kingdom of God is leavening us by the power of the Holy Spirit. That gospel message is constantly per permeating that yeast through all of who we are, so that it continues to change us. So that while the natural man still remains, we are in fact a new creation in Christ. So to start with, you know, bread and or not bread to end with bread, but to start with flour and water and yeast and salts, and to be transformed and changed is the intensive power of the growth of the gospel, which is with us all our lives, until we have that beautific vision. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I think, um, you know, to kind of take a, a pivot maybe to the practical, I think this is, this is not the point of the parable necessarily 'cause the parable. I think there's a lot that these parables have to say to us about like, personal, individual growth, but they really are about the growth of the kingdom or the, the, maybe necessarily the growth of the kingdom. I think that's there too. But really like the nature of the kingdom as this sort of like, hidden, hidden thing that then grows and creates big results. [00:37:34] Encouragement in Times of Darkness Tony Arsenal: I, I think this is a, this is a parable that should encourage us. Like absolutely for sure we should look to this and, and be encouraged because. It is not the case. Um, I know there are lots of people who wanna act as though like this is the worst time anyone has ever lived in, and everything is the worst as it's ever been. It's, this is not even close to the worst time that the church has ever existed in, um, there are, it's funny, um, we'll give a little plug. Some of our listeners have started their own new show called Over Theologizing, and, um, it, it was, it was funny listening to the second episode they had, um. Pete Smith was on there and they were saying, like, they were talking about like, how do you feel about the nature of the church? And Pete was like, it's fine. Like it's great out here. Like there's lots of churches, lots good. Like I, I think that there are pockets in our, in our world, um, particularly, you know, my, my former reference is Western World and in the United States and in some senses in, in Europe, um, there are certainly pockets of places where it's very dark and very difficult to be a Christian, but by and large it's not all that challenging. Like, we're not being actively persecuted. They're not feeding us to the lions. They're not stealing our businesses. They're not, um, murdering us. You know, like I said, there are exceptions. And even in the United States, there are places where things are moving that direction. But there are also times when the church is going to feel dark and small and, and like it's failing and, and like it's, it's weak. And we can look at these parables and say, the fact that it feels and looks and may actually be very small does not rob it of its power that does not rob the kingdom of heaven of its power. It in, in actuality that smallness is its power, right? Leave is so powerful of an ingredient in bread because you need so little of it, right? Because that it, you can use such a small quantity of lemon to create such a, a huge result in bread. That's the very nature of it. And it, its efficacy is in that smallness. And you know, I think the mustard seed is probably similar in that you, you don't need to have, um. Huge reaping of, of mustard seed in order to produce the, the crop that is necessary, the trees that are necessary to, to grow that. So when we look around us and we see the kingdom of heaven feeling and maybe actually even being very small in our midst, we should still be encouraged because it doesn't take a lot of leave to make the bread rise, so to speak. And it doesn't take a lot. And, and again, like of course it's not our power that's doing it, that's where maybe sort of like the second takeaway, the baker doesn't make the bread rise by his own like force of will, right? He does it by putting in this, this agent, you know, this ingredient that works in a sort of miraculous, mysterious way. It's obviously not actually miraculous. It's a very natural process. But I think for most of history. So that was a process that probably was not well understood, right? We, we, people didn't fully understand why Bread did what it did when you used lemon. They just knew that it did. And I think that's a good takeaway for us as well, is we can't always predict how the kingdom of heaven is gonna develop or is gonna operate in our midst. Um, sometimes it's gonna work in ways that seem to make a lot of sense, otherwise it's gonna seem like it's not doing anything. Um, and then all of a sudden it does. And that's, that's kind of where we're at. Jesse Schwamb: I like that. That's what a great reminder. Again, we all often come under this theme that God is always working. Even when we don't feel or see that he is, he's always working and even we've just come again on the calendar at least to celebrate something of the Reformation and its anniversary. Uh. What again, proof positive that God's kingdom will not fail. That even in the places where I thought the gospel was lost or was darkens, even in Israel's past in history, God always brings it forward. It cannot, it will not die. [00:41:26] Faithfulness Over Visibility Jesse Schwamb: So I wanna tack onto that by way of, I think some practical encouragement for ministry or for all believers. And that is, let's not despise small beginnings. Like let's not despise whatever it is that you're doing in service to God, to your family, to your churches, especially in the proclamation of the gospel. This is from um, Zacharia chapter four, beginning of verse eight. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, the hands of the rebel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zabel. So I love this encouragement that is for all Christians. That's one. Again, God is doing all the verbs like just. For one last time for everybody in the back. God does all the verbs. Yeah, and in so doing, because he is doing all the verbs, he may, but he chooses to start with small things because again, he is always showing and exemplifying his glory and he does this in these normative ways. It's a beautiful expression of how majestic and powerful he is. So let's embrace those things with be encouraged by them. The gospel may appear weak or slow in bearing fruit, yet God guarantees its eventual triumph. God guarantees that he's already stamped it. It's faithfulness and not visibility. That's the measure of fruitfulness. So if you're feeling encouraged in whatever it is that you're doing in ministry, the formal or otherwise, I would say to you. Look to that faithfulness, continue to get up and do it, continue to labor at it, continue to seek strength through the Holy Spirit, and know that the measure of his fruitfulness will come, but maybe in a future time, but it will come because this is what God does. It's God doing all the work. He's the one, he's essentially the characters needs of these parables, sowing the seed, working in lemon. Yeah. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And I think, you know, like I said, the, the parables are not necessarily about individual personal growth. Um, but I, I think the principle that is here applies to that as well is I think oftentimes we feel like, um. I'll speak for myself. There are have been many times in my walk as a Christian, um, where it just feels like nothing's happening. Right? Right. Like, you just feel like it's dry and like you, you're, you know, you're, you're not like you're falling into some great sin or like you've walking away from the faith, but it just feels sort of dry and stale and like God isn't doing anything. And, um, I've only ever tried to bake bread once and it was a, it was just a terrible, terrible failure. But, um, I think one of the things that I've. I've read about people who bake bread is that there is a level of patience that has to come with it, right? Because oftentimes it seems like the bread isn't rising. It seems like the, the lemon is not doing what it's supposed to do until it does. Right? And like, if you take the bread out of the oven every couple of minutes to check and see if it's rising, it's never going to rise. It's never going to do what it's supposed to do. And, um, you know, I think that is kind of like the Christian life in microcosm too, is we, we have these spiritual disciplines that we do. We pray, we read the scriptures, we attend faithfully to the Lord's Day service. And oftentimes it doesn't feel like that's doing anything right. But it is. The Kingdom of Heaven is at work in not only in our midst as a corporate body, but the kingdom of heaven is at work in each of us as well. That's right. God's, God's grace and his, uh, special providence and his spirit of, of sanctification, the Holy Spirit is the spirit of holiness and the one who makes us holy. Um, he is doing that whether it feels like it or not, whether we see, um, outward progress or not. If the spirit dwells within us, he is necessarily making us holy and necessarily sanctifying us. Um, and and so I want us to all think about that as we, we kind of wrap up a little bit here, is we shouldn't be. I, I don't wanna say we shouldn't be discouraged, um, because it's easy to get discouraged and I don't want people to feel like I'm like, you should never be discouraged. Like sometimes the world is discouraging and it's frustrating, and it's okay to feel that, but we should be able to be encouraged by this parable. When we look at it and we remember like, this is just. This is just the parable form of Paul saying like, God glories by using the weak to demonstrate his strength. Exactly right. He, he is, his power is shown in, in using the weak and frail things of this life and this world to accomplish his purposes. And so when we are weak, when we are feeling as though we are failing as Christians, we should be able to look at this and say, well, this is what the kingdom of heaven is like. It's like a tiny mustard seed, a tiny mustard seed of faith that grows into a large tree. It's, it's like this little little spark of leave that God puts in us and it's hidden in us and it leavens the whole loaf. And that's us, right? And that's the church, that's the kingdom. It's the world. Um, God is at work and he is doing it in ways that we would not ordinarily see. Even the person who has this sort of like explosive Christian growth. That's not usually sustained. I think most people when they first come to faith, especially if they come to faith, you know, as a teenager or a young adult, um, they come to faith and they have this like explosive period of growth where they're like really passionate about it and on fire. And then that, that passion just kind of like Peters out and you kind of get into like the, the day in, day out of Christianity, um, which is not, it's not flashy. It's not sexy, it's not super exciting. It's very boring in a lot of ways, like right, it's, it's basic bread, it's basic water. It's hearing a, a person speak and it's, it's reading words on a page. But when the Holy Spirit uses those things, he uses them faithfully to finish the work that he started. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I think that's exactly right. The spirit's work of leavening, it continues quietly, but it powerfully, yeah. And we shouldn't despise that quietness or that smallness that I think is altogether a gift of God. And again, we're talking about the one who embodies the perfect will of God, who came and condescended to his creation was like us in every eight, where every way without sin. This is the one who became, I think as Paul writes in Galatians, a curse for us. And so again, this blessedness arises out of, again, what I think is this offensive means. And if that is the model that Christ gives to us, we ourselves shouldn't despise that kinda small beginning or even despise the sacrifices we're often called to make. Or those again, I would say like offensively and auspicious kinds of beginnings. All of that is peace wise, what it means to be a follower of Jesus. And there's a beauty in that. And I would say, I want to add to what you said, Tony, 'cause I think it was right on, is this idea that's easy to be discouraged is. It doesn't require any explanation. I, I, I'm totally with you. If you were to pick up any, or go to any kind of website and just look at the headlines for their news reporting, you're going to find plenty of reasons to be discouraged and to feel melancholy. And yet at the same time when I think we, you and I talk about these things, what I'm prone to consider is what Paul writes elsewhere to the church in Corinth, where he says in two Corinthians chapter 10, we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. Being ready to punish every disobedience when you're disobey, when you're obedience is complete. And so what I think that applies to us in this particular case is understanding that this is the promise of God. Like you're saying, you and I are saying. Discouragement happens. And yet the truth is that small inauspicious beginnings in the kingdom of heaven always result in outsized gains that God never ceases to work. That he's always with us, that he's always for us. Then we do have to take captive those thoughts that lead us into kind of a disproportionate melancholy that pull us away or distract us from this truth of God, the knowledge of God, which is that he is super intending, his sovereign will completely over every molecule in the universe because this is what the Kingdom of Heaven does. And so that gives us, I think as I said last week, hope and evangelism we're storming those gates of hell we're coming for you like because there is a triumphalism in Christ that will be manifested in the final day. It's the reformed understanding of the here but not quite yet. [00:49:57] Cultural Engagement as Christians Jesse Schwamb: And like the last place that Le that leads me to like some practical, I think application is, and I wanna be careful with this, so I'm curious for your opinion. It's cultural engagement. You know, if we're thinking about this, leave permeating this dough, this tiny seed growing to overtake the garden, then I think believers should labor to continue to bring biblical truth into every sphere. So your family, your vocation, arts, politics, everything under Christ's lordship. I think sometimes that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be. As we've talked about the top of the show, really outspoken in a provocative kind of way. I think sometimes, again, that same quiet though, consistent work that the Holy Spirit does that's powerful in leavening us is the same thing that we can do with just our attitudes at work or our attitudes in our family, or our willingness to serve or our kind words. Of course, it does require us to preach the gospel using words. It also means that the power of the leaven is that quiet power. It doesn't jump outta the bread. It doesn't boast, but it is present. So maybe I'm saying Christians, let's be present, and leavening means to be present with the attitude and the mind of Christ. What? What do you think? Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I think that's, um, I think that's right on, you know, um, it, it's not quite a parable, but Christ, Christ commands his people to be like salt and light and true. Um, and, and by saying that the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, you know, like a, a measure of leaven that was hidden away in three measures. Um, he's also commanding us to be like leaven, right? And he is commanding us to be like the, the mustard seed because that is what we are. And I think, um, we shouldn't think that we can cloister off or sequester off the kingdom of heaven from the rest of culture and create like, um, I'm not quite, uh, I'm not quite to the point where I'm, I'm a transformational in the sort of like Tim Keller sense, but I do think that. We, and I don't like this word, but I'm not sure of a better, a better way to say it, but like, we like to set up these little Christian ghettos where like we, we isolate ourselves culturally into these little subcultures and these little sort of cordoned off areas of culture. Um, where we, we actually then strive to look just like the culture that's around us, right? Right. We subsection off Christian music and although it's, you know, typically it's like a decade behind the curve in terms of what music is good, we're really just doing the same music as the rest of the world. We just baptize it with Christian language. Like, I remember my, my youth pastor in high school rewrote the song closing time to Be Quiet Time. And like that was like, that was like the most Christian thing he could do at the time, was rewrite the lyrics to a song. But like, that's, that's absolutely not what cultural transformation looks like. Right. Well, cultural transformation, and maybe I'm channeling a little bit of, of Michael Foster here, what cultural transformation looks like. Is is a man who gets married and loves his wife, well, serves her and sacrifices for her, and makes a bunch of babies and brings them to church, right? Like that's, that's cultural transformation. And in our culture, like that is a very counter-cultural way to do things. It's actually very counter-cultural. There have been times when that's not particularly countercultural and there probably will be times again where it is. And actually it seems like our broader American culture is moving away from the sort of like two kids, two kids and a dog is a, is a bygone era fantasy. And now it's like two single people living in a house together with a dog. Um, you know, and, and that's not to say that that's the only way to be, to transform culture, right? That's just one example of sort of the most mundane, natural thing is actually the way that we do it. Um. We transform culture by, um, by being honest, having integrity, yes. By, um, working hard, right? Yes. Going to work, doing your job well, uh, without a lot of fanfare, without seeking a lot of accolades, um, and just doing a good job because that's what God commands us to do when he tells us to honor our employers and to be good, faithful bond servants in the Lord. Um, that is also very, uh, that also will transform culture. Um, you know, I think we think of cultural transformation and we, I think we immediately go to, for better or worse, we go to like the Doug Wilsons of the world and we go like, that guy's engaging the culture. Well, yeah, I guess in a certain sense he is. Um, or we, or we go to. The Tim Keller's of the world where they are, they're engaging culture in a different way. But I think for most of us, for most Christians, our cultural engagement is very nor like very normal and very boring. It's living a very ordinary, quiet life. Um, you know, what does Paul say? Work quiet life. Mind your own business. Work with your hands, right? Like, don't be a busy body. Um, like that's, that's actually the way that culture is transformed. And that makes perfect sense. We will have to come back and do another episode on this sometimes, but like, that makes perfect sense. When you think about how God created Adam and what he was supposed to do to transform and cult, cultivate, right? The word cultivate and culture come from the same roots to transform and cultivate the entire world. What was he supposed to do? Plant a garden, tame the animals, right? You know, bake babies. Like, it's, it's not, um, it's not. Rocket science, it's not that difficult. And again, we are all called to different elements of that. And God providentially places us in situations and in, in life, you know, life circumstances, we're not all gonna be able to fulfill every element of that. But that's where this, that's where this becomes sort of the domain of the church, right? The church does all of these things in the culture, and I don't mean the church as institution. I mean like the people who are the church. They do all of these things in very ordinary, normal ways, and that will, that will transform the culture. Um, right. You, you show me a. And this is not, you know, by God's common grace, there are lots of really nice people out there who are more or less honest and have integrity and work hard at their jobs. So it's not as that, that's a uniquely Christian thing. But you show me a, a, a person who is known to be a Christian and works hard as honest is straightforward, is kind, is charitable, is self-sacrificial in, in all arenas of their life. Um, people will notice that and they will see it as different and they will associate it with Christianity. They will as
Discover how to pray over anointing oil for healing, deliverance, and protection. Learn biblical truths, practical prayers, and how to activate the Holy Spirit's power through oil consecrated for God's purposes. Purchase Kathy's book Healed at Last – Overcome Sickness to Receive your Physical Healing on Amazon https://a.co/d/6a6mt8w or at: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/healed-at-last/ Purchase Anointing Oil with a prayer cloth that Kathy has personally mixed and prayed over on Kathy's Website or Amazon. Order anointing oil by Kathy on Amazon look for her brand here https://amzn.to/3PC6l3R or Kathy DeGraw Ministries https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/product-category/oils/ Training, Mentorship and Deliverance! Personal coaching, deliverance, e-courses, training for ministry, and mentorships! https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/training/# Anointing oil is one of the most powerful biblical tools God has given us for healing, deliverance, and consecration. Many believers wonder, "How do I pray over anointing oil?" In this teaching, Kathy DeGraw reveals the truth about blessing and using oil, while debunking myths that keep people in confusion. Whether you use olive oil from your cupboard or purchase anointing oil that has already been prayed over, the key is the Holy Spirit's presence and your faith in what Jesus accomplished at the cross. Kathy shares a powerful prayer you can speak over your oil, along with practical tips on worshiping, praying in tongues, and playing Scripture over your oil to invite the glory of God. You'll also learn why anointing oil is biblical, how it was used in both Old and New Testament times, and how you can use it today to anoint your home, family, and even objects to remove ungodly attachments. If you are ready to experience healing, deliverance, and protection through the power of anointing oil, this episode will equip you with the tools you need to step into your inheritance as a child of God. #anointingoil #healingprayer #deliverance #spiritualwarfare #kathydegraw **Connect with Us** - Website: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathydegraw/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathydegraw/ Podcast - Subscribe to our YouTube channel and listen to Kathy's Podcast called Prophetic Spiritual Warfare, or on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/show/3mYPPkP28xqcTzdeoucJZu or Apple podcasts at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prophetic-spiritual-warfare/id1474710499 **Recommended Resources:** - Receive a free prayer pdf on Warfare Prayer Declarations at https://kathydegrawministries.org/declarations-download - Kathy's training, mentoring and e-courses on Spiritual Warfare, Deliverance and the Prophetic: https://training.kathydegrawministries.org/ - Healed At Last ~ Overcome Sickness and Receive your Physical Healing: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/healed-at-last/ - Mind Battles – Root Out Mental Triggers to Release Peace!: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/product/mind-battles-pre-order-available-january-2023/ -Kathy has several books available on Amazon or kathydegrawministries.org **Support Kathy DeGraw Ministries:** - Give a one-time love offering or consider partnering with us for $15, $35, $75 or any amount! Every dollar helps us help others! - Website: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/donate/ - CashApp $KDMGLORY - Venmo @KD-Ministries - Paypal.me/KDeGrawMinistries or donate to email admin@degrawministries.org - Mail a check to: Kathy DeGraw Ministries ~ PO Box 65 ~ Grandville MI 49468
Send us a textRob thought God created him for wrath, that he was unwanted by God or anyone else until this wild encounter with the Holy Spirit.❤️ SHOW YOUR SUPPORT - LINKS BELOW...➡️ Email me: https://www.karlgessler.com/contact➡️ DONATE ➡️ Join our team!https://www.givesendgo.com/karlgesslerfamilybandhttps://www.patreon.com/karlgesslerhttps://cash.app/$KarlgesslerSocial Media➡️Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089357625739➡️Telegram - https://t.me/FaithoftheFathers➡️Truth Social - https://truthsocial.com/@UCLOvq6O4aIXLrkKxwXkq3uA#Bibleteaching #deliveranceministry #demons #Christianity #Discipleship #orphanchild #deliverancetestimony #freedom #encounterwithgodSupport the show
God the Holy Spirit, from our Midweek Bible Study: "Doctrine of the Trinity" - 11.5.25 Taught by Peter Finch. Presented by McGregor Podcast 2025 Visit Our Website at McGregorPodcast.com
Presented by Julie Busteed I've been looking at what it takes to build healthy relationships. And I've saved the best for last: forgiveness. This verse in Matthew always catches me short. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15). I need to take to heart this command! Relationships are living, growing things because they involve people who are growing and changing. And because you are human, there will be times when words are spoken or actions are taken that hurt someone in the relationship. You and I need to forgive others and also ask for forgiveness—things that are not easy to do, except through the power of the Holy Spirit. But wait—there's more! Jesus said we should love our enemies. I look at Jesus' example of laying down his life for you and me. When he was on the cross, suffering, he forgave those who crucified him. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). That's the ultimate in forgiving your enemies. It really seems quite impossible, doesn't it? Jesus was fully God and fully man. But I don't think that excuses you or me to forgive even our enemies. Corrie Ten Boom and her family helped many Jewish people escape the Nazi's in WW2. As a result, she was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. She survived and wrote books and spoke about her experience. Corrie recounts the following as she was speaking about forgiveness at a church in Munich in 1947: Afterward, I saw him—a man moving toward me through the crowd. I recognized him instantly: a former guard from Ravensbrück, the concentration camp where my sister Betsie and I had been imprisoned for hiding Jews. He approached me, now dressed in civilian clothes, and said, “A fine message, Fräulein. How good it is to know that all our sins are at the bottom of the sea.” Then he extended his hand. “I was a guard at Ravensbrück. I've become a Christian, and I know God has forgiven me, but I would like to hear it from you. Will you forgive me?” I stood frozen, remembering Betsie's suffering and death. Forgive him? I could not. Yet I knew Jesus' words: “If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive yours.” Forgiveness is not a feeling—it's an act of the will. So, I prayed silently, “Jesus, help me. I can lift my hand; You supply the feeling.” Mechanically, I reached out—and as I did, a current seemed to pass from my shoulder to our joined hands. A warmth filled my heart. “I forgive you, brother,” I said, “with all my heart.” In that moment, I felt God's love more deeply than ever before.[1] May you and I be obedient and lift our hands and trust God to fill us with his love. --- [1] Corrie Ten Boom, Sherrill, E., & Sherrill, J. L. (2008). The hiding place. Chosen Books.
Have you ever wondered if you're really hearing God's voice—or just your own thoughts? In this first episode of The Listening Life series, Jill Lillard unpacks what it means to live attuned to God's presence and guided by His Spirit. Through the “one thing” thread woven across Scripture—David's desire for God's presence, Mary's attentiveness, the rich young ruler's call to surrender, and Paul's focus—you'll see how the listening life is about centering everything on Him. Jill also shares how the Holy Spirit teaches, reminds, gives wisdom, and brings Scripture to life, making God's voice a living reality in your everyday. If you've longed to hear Him more clearly, this episode will encourage you to quiet the many things and return to the One who is always speaking.Want to learn how to process emotions with God instead of pushing them down?Join me for my live workshop, From Stuck to Surrendered: Recovering the Lost Art of Feeling—a two-hour experience to help you move from emotional paralysis to peace.
Friends of the Rosary,Today, in Luke's Gospel (Luke 16:1–8), Lord Jesus tells a parable urging us to take a hard look at our spiritual health and renew our relationship with him.He acknowledges our weaknesses — even dishonesty, as described in the parable of the stewardship.Despite our faults, the Savior invites us to start a new life in Christ by correcting our errors and developing the necessary strengths.Jesus admires our resolve.It's the virtue of prudence, which moves us to live with confidence in God's goodness.Bishop Barron advises, “If your prayer life is weak, act to give it new life. If you have not been worshiping fervently at Mass, decide to participate more fully. If you have a broken relationship, repair it. And so on. Decide now, then act.”Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play|• November 7, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
In this episode of Wake Up, Look Up, Pastor Zach explores the spiritual and physical benefits of long walks, prompted by a recent study on walking and health. He connects this practice to biblical principles of rest, reflection, and soul restoration, showing how uninterrupted time with God cultivates mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Pastor Zach encourages listeners to step away from hustle culture, embrace intentional walks, and create space to hear from the Holy Spirit.Have an article you'd like Pastor Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!
The Profound Power of Unity and Obedience Join Dr. Edith Davis as she dives into the essential, non-optional nature of unity for the body of Christ. She begins by celebrating God's love for diversity—seen everywhere from tropical rainforests to deserts—and explains that this diversity is a reflection of life at its most prolific. True unity in the Church, she asserts, is found not in conformity, but in universal acceptance of Christ Jesus as both Savior and Lord. This powerful teaching covers critical areas for every believer: -- The Call to Lordship: Not everyone wants Jesus to be their Lord, but obedience to Him is always for our good. -- Checking Your Foundation: Divisiveness, strife, and envy are "works of the enemy," which should prompt a check of one's salvation, as being saved should mean operating in the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self-control). -- The True Meaning of Meekness: It is not weakness, but power and authority under submission to the Lord God, Holy Spirit. -- Supernatural Love: We are commanded to love one another, our neighbors, and our enemies—a feat that is supernatural and requires the power of the Holy Spirit. -- The Example of Stephen: The first martyr's prayer for his persecutors led directly to the conversion and mighty ministry of Saul (Paul) of Tarsus, demonstrating the powerful consequences of obedience and love. -- Walking in Authority: As sons and daughters of the King, believers have been given the authority and power to rule and reign and to destroy the works of the enemy, including sickness, disease, lack, and poverty. -- The Necessity of Intimacy: To walk in unity and power, we must prioritize intimacy with Christ Jesus—spending personal time with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to feed our own spirit from the overflow. Dr. Davis concludes with a call to action to walk unified and be about the Father's business, warning that we "cannot afford to be offended, period." Scriptures for Further Study -- Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruits of the Spirit) -- Acts 7:59-60 (Stephen's prayer for his enemies) -- Acts 9:1-22 (The conversion of Saul of Tarsus) -- Proverbs 3:5-6 (Trust in the Lord with all your heart) This is episode 379. +++++++ Check out my new website: https://www.enterthegloryzone.org/ MY AUDIO BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE You can Divorce Proof Your Marriage by understanding the Secret Keys of Love. You will come to understand that your Marriage has an enemy. You will come to understand that you are dating your future spouse representative. You will come to understand that your Marriage has the gift of Supernatural Sex. For more information about purchasing this audio book, click here: https://personalbuy.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product8702.html
SPOKEN with AMBIENT MUSIC by THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS ROSARY 2 United in Prayer. Enjoy this week's collection of beautiful music to help inspire your prayerful intentions alongside this daily rosary. The spoken portion of this rosary features a female voice and is a little over 20 minutes long, with extended music for additional meditation. This rosary contains the luminous mysteries, recited on Thursdays. These mysteries focus on Jesus' public ministry, including his baptism and the institution of the Eucharist, with fruits such as openness to the Holy Spirit and adoration. Join the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com **NEW** 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - LUMINOUS THURSDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/3FsR8I6WiTs SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: 17 Minute Rosary - Thursday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/S6fNrAPjf2M MOST VIEWED THURSDAY ROSARY: Calm Music https://youtu.be/73Z7rRx6dnM MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Have you joined our Membership? Starting at only $1.99 a month, you can directly help this channel grow: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXCEpdy0etQAdEHB1z-oTg/join Or consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection. This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes. Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous. Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #JoyfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #MondayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish
In a raw and relatable message from 2 Timothy 1, Pastor Micah Stephens urges believers to abandon paralyzing fear and stir up God's gift within, drawing from Paul's prison farewell to Timothy amid impending execution. With humor from his elk hunt in Montana and a tender anecdote of his two-year-old daughter fearlessly launching off the coffee table into his arms after watching her siblings, Pastor Micah illustrates how observing God's faithfulness builds reckless trust. Tying to Godspeak's anchored reading, he confronts cultural complacency, emphasizing remembrance of heritage—like Timothy's grandmother Lois and mother Eunice—to fan the Holy Spirit's flame of power, love, and sound mind, culminating in communion's call to remember Christ's victory over the cross's "doom" for eternal joy. Reference Verses2 Timothy 1 verses 1–7, Genesis 15 verse 1, Luke 1 verse 30, Luke 2 verse 10, Luke 24 verse 6, Joshua 4 verses 1–7, 1 Samuel 7 verse 12, Philippians 4 verses 11–13, Philippians 3 verse 8, James 5 verse 16, Romans 11 verse 29, Acts 1 verse 8, Ephesians 3 verse 20, Proverbs 9 verse 10, Matthew 10 verse 28, 1 Corinthians 14 verse 33, Isaiah 41 verse 10Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information! https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team
Zechariah 4:1–10. God gave Zechariah a vision to encourage a weary people rebuilding after exile. The lampstand and flowing oil revealed that revival doesn't come from human strength but through the unending supply of the Holy Spirit. The task wasn't to build by effort but to stay connected to the Source. Pastor Josh Kelsey shows us how this prophecy reminds us not to despise small beginnings. What looks like rubble to us, God sees as a finished temple. The mountain before us is no match for His Spirit, and the same grace that began the work will complete it.
Signs, Wonders, Miracles—God's Calling You to Walk in Power Like Jesus | Blessed Morning PrayerSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright DailyEffectivePrayer.com SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™
Every church has its own doctrines about things like salvation, baptism, the end times, and the Holy Spirit. But when you read the Bible, are you looking through the lens of your church's doctrine? Have you ever studied what you've been taught for yourself to see if, in context, it's really what the Bible says?
Every church has its own doctrines about things like salvation, baptism, the end times, and the Holy Spirit. But when you read the Bible, are you looking through the lens of your church's doctrine? Have you ever studied what you've been taught for yourself to see if, in context, it's really what the Bible says?
#10MinuteswithJesus ** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him. ** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end. ** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance. 10-Minute audio to help you pray. Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God. Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.
It's Thursday, November 6th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Nigerian Muslims killed pastor, kidnapped 20 church members Nigerian Fulani Muslim assailants killed a pastor and nine Christians over the past week. On October 28, Muslim Fulani bandits killed Rev. Yahaya Kambasaya and kidnapped 20 of his church members in central Nigeria. In a neighboring state, militants killed nine Christians in a string of attacks between October 31 and November 3. A Christian attorney in the area told Morning Star News, “These incidents occurred even when they were preceded with an early warning alert given to relevant authorities.” Hamas returns body of American hostage Hamas, the Palestinian Muslim terrorist group, returned to Israel the body of the last American hostage it was holding in Gaza on Tuesday. Itay Chen was a 19-year-old Israeli-American soldier. He was killed and taken hostage during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X, “We honor his life, mourn his loss, and stand by his family.” Muslim socialist Zohran Mamdani elected as New York City mayor In the United States, Democrats won several elections after voters went to the polls on Tuesday. Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist, won the race for mayor of New York City, and gave his victory speech Tuesday night. MAMDANI: “The sun may have set over our city this evening, but as Eugene Debs once said, (cheering) ‘I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.' (cheering) “For as long as we can remember, the working people of New York have been told by the wealthy and the well-connected that power does not belong in their hands. Fingers bruised from lifting boxes on the warehouse floor, palms calloused from delivery bike handle bars, knuckles scarred with kitchen burns. These are not hands that have been allowed to hold power. And yet, over the last 12 months, you have dared to reach for something greater. (cheering) Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. (cheering) The future is in our hands. (cheering) “My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty.” (cheering) He is now the first Muslim mayor of the biggest U.S. city, who beat former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo. NBC News reported that Zohran Mamdani got 50.4% of the vote, former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo got 41.6%, and Republican Curtis Sliwa got 7.1% On CNN, conservative commentator Scott Jennings explained who Eugene Debbs was whom Mamdani quoted with great admiration. JENNINGS: “He started his speech by quoting Eugene Debs, who ran for president of the United States five times as the Socialist Party of America candidate. “He went after everybody that he thinks is a problem. People who own things, people who have businesses. He said an interesting quote, ‘No problem too large for government to solve.' And so, when you think of the world that way, that every problem is something for government to do, let me just decipher this for you. “Tax increases as far as the eye can see which means the people who need to provide jobs, to the young people that you say need jobs, are going to flee as quickly as they possibly can. “He clearly sees the world in terms of the people who are oppressing you and the oppressed. And he said, ‘The oppressed are now in city hall.'” Democrat victories in other blue states There were two other notable Democratic victories. Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the race for governor of Virginia with 56.3%, becoming the first woman to do so, reported NBC News. She beat Winsome Sears, who got 43.2% of the vote, and served as the Republican Lt. Governor under the term-limited Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. And Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the race for governor of New Jersey with 56.3% of the vote, keeping the position in the hands of Democrats, and beating Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Vice President J.D. Vance responded to the elections on X. He said there's no reason to “overreact to a couple of elections in blue states.” But he also added, “We have to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past.” Republican leaders prayed for America Republican leaders and lawmakers joined with the Family Research Council for a time of prayer last Thursday. Listen to the opening comments from Tony Perkins, the president of Family Research Council. PERKINS: “Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 18:19. “He says, ‘Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on Earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them.' “So tonight, we gather with the recognition that we need God's help. We gather in the name of Jesus to pray and ask for His hand, the Lord's hand of guidance, the Holy Spirit to lead us.” And listen to some of the closing prayer from Dr. Ben Carson, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. CARSON: “Lord, we come before you today to pray for our nation. You have blessed the United States with freedom and opportunity and a rich legacy of faith. Please restore the righteousness in our homes, integrity in our institutions, unity among our people. “And thank You for Your abundant blessing, Lord. You're bringing us together this evening through electronic media. But we know You're with us always. And we ask, in the name of Jesus, that you would bless us and bless this nation. Amen.” Vatican rejects Mary, mother of Jesus, as co-Redeemer On Tuesday, the Roman Catholic Church rejected Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the “co-Redeemer” of the world. The Vatican's top doctrinal office stated, “Any gaze directed at her that distracts us from Christ or that places her on the same level as the Son of God would fall outside the dynamic proper to an authentically Marian faith.” However, World Magazine notes the statement does not affirm a Protestant perspective on Mary. The Evangelical publication wrote, “Protestants believe Mary was ‘highly favored' by the Lord, but they do not believe she has an active role in the lives of believers.” 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” Construction begins on Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer And finally, constructions begins this week on what is set to be the largest Christian monument in the United Kingdom. It's called the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer. The design for it is in the shape of an infinity loop called a Möbius strip, a surface which has neither beginning nor end. It will stand 170 feet tall and made out of one million bricks. Each brick will be linked to a story of answered prayer. Already, Christians have submitted 120,000 stories from 125 countries. Richard Gamble, the project's founder, said, “This is the moment to build a landmark of hope… a lasting testimony to the power of prayer, preserving the Christian heritage in our nation.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, November 6th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
A native of Thessalonica, he rose from secretary to Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople (commemorated August 30), to deacon, then succeeded St Alexander as Patriarch around 337. For his virtue and his zeal for Orthodoxy he was hated by the Arians, who were still powerful in the Empire. The Arian Emperor Constantius, learning of Paul's election, exiled him and made the Arian Eusebius Patriarch in his place. St Paul went to Rome, where he joined St Athanasius the Great in exile. Furnished with letters from Pope Julius, he was able to ascend the Patriarchal throne once again upon the death of Eusebius. But once again the Arians were able to put one of their party on the Patriarchal throne: Macedonius, who even went beyond the Arian heresy and denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Once again the legitimate, Orthodox Patriarch found himself in exile in Rome. In succeeding years St Paul stood firm for Orthodoxy while complex political and military intrigues swirled around him, with the Orthodox Constans, Emperor of the West (and Constantius' brother) supporting him while Constantius continued to oppose him. For a time Constans was able to enforce Paul's place on the Patriarchal throne, but when he died, Constantius banished St Paul to Cucusus on the Black Sea. There, while he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the house where he was kept prisoner, the Arians strangled him with his own omophorion. His relics were brought back to Constantinople by the Emperor Theodosius the Great.
Sign Up Free Mini E-Courses: Free Mini CoursesSign Up for Prayer: Orbis Prayer Ministry Network – Receive prayer for healing, prophecy, inner healing and deliveranceDonate: Give - Orbis MinistriesIn this special post-Halloween episode, Ken Fish and Grant Pemberton dive into the modern fascination with the supernatural, exploring how Halloween has shifted from harmless fun to open celebration of the occult. They trace the holiday's pagan origins, discuss how it ties into spiritual hunger in a post-Christian West, and share real stories of haunted houses, spiritual encounters, and deliverance.Ken tells true and unsettling stories about haunted houses he's cleansed—including manifestations of blood, apparitions, and poltergeist activity—and explains the biblical perspective on the dead, burial, and honoring the body. The episode ends with a surprising and deeply theological discussion about why Christians should take burial seriously instead of opting for cremation.How to Engage with Orbis:- Check out Ken's book, On the Road with the Holy Spirit: https://a.co/d/0OVIIA0- Partner with Orbis Financially: Give - Orbis Ministries- Download the app: App - Orbis Ministries- Are you interested in learning about Holy Spirit-led ministry? Visit Orbis School of Ministry at Homepage | Orbis School of Ministry or email our Registrar, Jo McKay, at jo@orbisminstries.org- Upcoming Orbis Ministries overseas ministry trips are posted on orbisministries.org under the Train tab- Join an International Ministry Trip link behind the registration/login portal.- Do you want to join Ken's private Facebook discussion group, "God is not a Theory?" Please send a Facebook Direct Message to Bryan Orbis and a friend request to be added to it.
We recommend listening to the teaching, HaSatan | Did the Devil Make You Do It? | Part 5, before listening to this episode.Afterburn: also known in the fitness world as the “afterburn effect.” Simply put, the more intense the exercise, the more oxygen your body consumes afterward. This effect could occur spiritually after Rabbi Berkson's intense teachings each week. This Afterburn Q&A session allows your mind and soul to consume more understanding (oxygen).Some of the topics covered are:• Intro• Thankful for this teaching• Does what we do matter to everyone?• Should I work for or patronize this kind of company?• Lock down the bad connection • The cobra and mongoose example• The power of positive thinking?• Yahweh makes a way of escape• Don't be embarrassed about your connectors• I rewired my brain• How do I have the Holy Spirit if…• Their problem is easier to handle than mine• Can I rebuild my soil?• This inspired me to change my life• What has helped me most is learning about guarding• I shocked them when I did it• Moving from existing to livingSubscribe to take advantage of new content every week.To learn more about MTOI, visit our website, https://mtoi.org.https://www.facebook.com/mtoiworldwide https://www.instagram.com/mtoi_worldwidehttps://www.tiktok.com/@mtoi_worldwide You can contact MTOI by emailing us at admin@mtoi.org or calling 423-250-3020. Join us for Shabbat Services and Torah Study LIVE, streamed on our website, mtoi.org, YouTube, and Rumble every Saturday at 1:15 p.m. and every Friday for Torah Study Live Stream at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Borrowed Land, Stolen Labor, and the Holy Spirit: The Struggle for Power and Equality in Holmes County, Mississippi (UP Mississippi, 2025) chronicles the profound history of a low-income county that became a pivotal site for Delta organizing during the civil rights movement. Landowning African American farmers, who enjoyed more economic independence than sharecroppers, emerged as the grassroots leaders of the movement. The volume begins with the county's Native American heritage, moving through the periods of removal, land sales to speculators, the rapid increase of enslaved labor in the nineteenth century, and early African American political engagement during Reconstruction. Author Diane T. Feldman explores how African Americans fostered cooperative landownership efforts in the 1880s and 1920s, alongside the development of schools and churches, particularly the Church of God in Christ, a denomination founded in Holmes County. The fight for voting rights started with African American farmers in the 1950s and gained momentum with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s. Their struggle to desegregate schools culminated in the landmark Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes, which abolished dual school systems in the South. The final chapters cover the past sixty years and current initiatives to restore food production in the Mississippi Delta. Enriched with recent and historic photographs, this volume serves as a microhistory of a single county, illuminating broader themes prevalent throughout Mississippi and the rural South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
Borrowed Land, Stolen Labor, and the Holy Spirit: The Struggle for Power and Equality in Holmes County, Mississippi (UP Mississippi, 2025) chronicles the profound history of a low-income county that became a pivotal site for Delta organizing during the civil rights movement. Landowning African American farmers, who enjoyed more economic independence than sharecroppers, emerged as the grassroots leaders of the movement. The volume begins with the county's Native American heritage, moving through the periods of removal, land sales to speculators, the rapid increase of enslaved labor in the nineteenth century, and early African American political engagement during Reconstruction. Author Diane T. Feldman explores how African Americans fostered cooperative landownership efforts in the 1880s and 1920s, alongside the development of schools and churches, particularly the Church of God in Christ, a denomination founded in Holmes County. The fight for voting rights started with African American farmers in the 1950s and gained momentum with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s. Their struggle to desegregate schools culminated in the landmark Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes, which abolished dual school systems in the South. The final chapters cover the past sixty years and current initiatives to restore food production in the Mississippi Delta. Enriched with recent and historic photographs, this volume serves as a microhistory of a single county, illuminating broader themes prevalent throughout Mississippi and the rural South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
Friends of the Rosary,When the Pharisees and scribes recriminated the Lord for welcoming sinners and eating with them, Jesus responded by addressing the parable of the lost sheep, as we read today (Luke 15:1–10). He then invited them to rejoice over the found sheep.“In just the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”It's the joy of the Heavens over repentant sinners. We take this joy from the person of Jesus Christ.As He revealed,“There will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• November 6, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
Welcome to Episode #189 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today's episode, we will continue expanding on the greatest news for the church —the Great Snatching Away, or Rapture of the church (Harpazo in Greek).
Celebrity makeup artist and esthetician Mary Beth York understands firsthand the highs and lows of industry success. Having become a born-again Christian along the way, the Holy Spirit revealed to her that the detour was the path; that the obstacles, spiritual confusion, and collapse of the life she built for herself were only the setup for God to rebuild her life: this time on a firm foundation. Connect with Mary Beth and shop her fabulous beauty products at her website: https://mbyork.com/Listen to her podcast, Beauty Revival, here.SUPPORT His Heartbeat through Crown of Beauty Internationalhttps://www.crownofbeautyinternational.com/donateCONNECT with His Heartbeat and Crown of Beauty InternationalWebsite// Facebook//InstagramEmail: crownofbeautyinternational@gmail.comConnect with Sue Corl's Instagram//Facebook// WebsitePurchase Sue's Transformational Bible Studies and Devotionals on Amazon!Sue Corl's best-selling books: Crown of Beauty Bible Study, Broken But UndefeatedCrown of Beauty International: EMPOWERING WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD WITH GOD'S TRUTH!
Borrowed Land, Stolen Labor, and the Holy Spirit: The Struggle for Power and Equality in Holmes County, Mississippi (UP Mississippi, 2025) chronicles the profound history of a low-income county that became a pivotal site for Delta organizing during the civil rights movement. Landowning African American farmers, who enjoyed more economic independence than sharecroppers, emerged as the grassroots leaders of the movement. The volume begins with the county's Native American heritage, moving through the periods of removal, land sales to speculators, the rapid increase of enslaved labor in the nineteenth century, and early African American political engagement during Reconstruction. Author Diane T. Feldman explores how African Americans fostered cooperative landownership efforts in the 1880s and 1920s, alongside the development of schools and churches, particularly the Church of God in Christ, a denomination founded in Holmes County. The fight for voting rights started with African American farmers in the 1950s and gained momentum with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s. Their struggle to desegregate schools culminated in the landmark Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes, which abolished dual school systems in the South. The final chapters cover the past sixty years and current initiatives to restore food production in the Mississippi Delta. Enriched with recent and historic photographs, this volume serves as a microhistory of a single county, illuminating broader themes prevalent throughout Mississippi and the rural South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Borrowed Land, Stolen Labor, and the Holy Spirit: The Struggle for Power and Equality in Holmes County, Mississippi (UP Mississippi, 2025) chronicles the profound history of a low-income county that became a pivotal site for Delta organizing during the civil rights movement. Landowning African American farmers, who enjoyed more economic independence than sharecroppers, emerged as the grassroots leaders of the movement. The volume begins with the county's Native American heritage, moving through the periods of removal, land sales to speculators, the rapid increase of enslaved labor in the nineteenth century, and early African American political engagement during Reconstruction. Author Diane T. Feldman explores how African Americans fostered cooperative landownership efforts in the 1880s and 1920s, alongside the development of schools and churches, particularly the Church of God in Christ, a denomination founded in Holmes County. The fight for voting rights started with African American farmers in the 1950s and gained momentum with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s. Their struggle to desegregate schools culminated in the landmark Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes, which abolished dual school systems in the South. The final chapters cover the past sixty years and current initiatives to restore food production in the Mississippi Delta. Enriched with recent and historic photographs, this volume serves as a microhistory of a single county, illuminating broader themes prevalent throughout Mississippi and the rural South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Rebecca Weiss sits down with James Aladiran, founder of Prayer Storm in the U.K., to unpack what it really means to live on fire for God—and how easily that fire can fade if we're not intentional. James shares his incredible encounter with the Holy Spirit that completely transformed his personality, calling, and purpose. From a shy missionary kid who wanted nothing to do with public speaking to a bold voice calling a generation to prayer, his story reveals what happens when you say, “God, I don't want to leave the same.” James also exposes why so many believers lose their passion after spiritual highs—moving from conference to conference without building a private altar of prayer. He shares how to sustain your hunger for God, guard your heart from worldly distractions, and overcome spiritual apathy in a culture addicted to entertainment. With prophetic insights about purity, holiness, and spiritual warfare, including a stunning dream about Medusa and the spirit of Jezebel, this episode will reignite your desire for God's presence and show you how to keep the fire burning_._
When it comes to the Holy Spirit, most of us have questions we're a little unsure about asking:Is His voice audible or more like a nudge?How do I know it's Him and not just my own thoughts?And what happens if I ignore what He's saying?In this episode, we talk honestly about what it means to hear and engage with the Holy Spirit. We'll unpack how God speaks, why slowing down matters and how to recognize the difference between conviction and condemnation.Whether you've been following Jesus for years or you're still figuring out what all this means, this conversation will remind you that the Holy Spirit isn't distant or mysterious - He's deeply personal, always present, and still speaking.
Borrowed Land, Stolen Labor, and the Holy Spirit: The Struggle for Power and Equality in Holmes County, Mississippi (UP Mississippi, 2025) chronicles the profound history of a low-income county that became a pivotal site for Delta organizing during the civil rights movement. Landowning African American farmers, who enjoyed more economic independence than sharecroppers, emerged as the grassroots leaders of the movement. The volume begins with the county's Native American heritage, moving through the periods of removal, land sales to speculators, the rapid increase of enslaved labor in the nineteenth century, and early African American political engagement during Reconstruction. Author Diane T. Feldman explores how African Americans fostered cooperative landownership efforts in the 1880s and 1920s, alongside the development of schools and churches, particularly the Church of God in Christ, a denomination founded in Holmes County. The fight for voting rights started with African American farmers in the 1950s and gained momentum with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s. Their struggle to desegregate schools culminated in the landmark Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes, which abolished dual school systems in the South. The final chapters cover the past sixty years and current initiatives to restore food production in the Mississippi Delta. Enriched with recent and historic photographs, this volume serves as a microhistory of a single county, illuminating broader themes prevalent throughout Mississippi and the rural South. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies
Click here for more on this topic and other free resources - https://www.drjimrichards.com The Critical Factor of Faith We all know that miracles are a gift—freely given by the Holy Spirit. Yet, if we're honest, we've all faced moments when the miracle we needed didn't manifest. In those moments, we often turn inward and start judging ourselves or even questioning God. We assume we know why the miracle didn't happen—and then, based on those assumptions, we try to fix the problem in our own strength. But here's the truth: when we're in need, God doesn't tell us to seek a miracle first—He tells us to seek wisdom. The critical factor in faith is knowing and trusting what God is saying! Wisdom may have many definitions, but one thing is certain: true wisdom always leads to practical application. It shows us how to walk out God's promises in real life. That's why Scripture says wisdom is the principal thing—the most essential factor of all. Get wisdom before you attempt to devise your plan! God knows what's in your heart. He knows the path you're able to walk—the path that will lead you to the life you desire. Without wisdom, we waste time chasing what worked in the past or trying to imitate someone else's formula. But when we seek God first, the Holy Spirit unfolds the map, showing us where and how to walk! Join me this week as we discover why wisdom is the critical factor in faith —and how God wants to show you the exact path to activate faith in your heart and bring His promises to life!
The Church That Hell Fears! • Pastor Todd Coconato LIVE at Living Proof - Conroe, TX Website: www.toddcoconato.com | www.pastortodd.org To give and support this ministry and these broadcasts: www.toddcoconato.com/give Romans 8:11 (NKJV) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. John 14:12 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also. And greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NKJV) Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NKJV) For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. Luke 10:19 (NKJV) Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Mark 16:17–18 (NKJV) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
In this episode of Wisdom's Table, I dive deep into a topic that quietly sabotages many Christian entrepreneurs: double-mindedness. I felt compelled to share this prophetic word, knowing that many of us have experienced the tension between faith and fear at various points in our lives. We explore how double-mindedness shows up. Not through a lack of talent or opportunity, but as a split between believing in God's provision while simultaneously worrying about our decisions. This internal conflict can cost us peace, money, and momentum in our callings. I emphasize that God is not vague, and the Holy Spirit is not confusing; therefore, we shouldn't feel the need to hedge our bets when it comes to our faith. I reference James 1:5-8, which highlights the importance of asking God for wisdom in faith without doubting. I clarify that doubt, in this biblical context, is more than mere skepticism; it can lead to a state of double-mindedness, which is essentially doubt that has taken root. I break down the concept of double-mindedness, explaining that it can be characterized by a weak will, divided interests, and a lack of commitment to our faith. Ready to GROW in your faith and calling?? Join the Kingdom Leaders Community and get ready to unlock more momentum than you thought possible. CLICK HERE FOR KLC INFO TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Welcome to Wisdom's Table Introduction to the podcast and today's fiery topic. 00:00:37 - The Danger of Double-Mindedness Exploring how double-mindedness affects Christian entrepreneurs. 00:01:51 - Biblical Foundation Reading and discussing James 1:5-8 on wisdom and doubt. 00:02:43 - Understanding Doubt vs. Double-Mindedness Clarifying the difference between doubt and double-mindedness. 00:05:02 - The Nature of Doubt Examining biblical doubt and its implications. 00:06:49 - The Story of Thomas Analyzing the interaction between Jesus and Thomas regarding doubt. 00:09:06 - Characteristics of Double-Mindedness Identifying how double-mindedness manifests in our lives. 00:09:28 - Divided Faith Understanding how doubt can divide our faith. 00:10:28 - Spiritual Whiplash Describing the instability of being double-minded. 00:13:06 - Orphan Mentality Discussing how an orphan mentality leads to overworking and doubt. 00:15:06 - Self-Preservation Exploring how self-preservation reflects double-mindedness. 00:16:40 - The Cost of Double-Mindedness Understanding the delays and consequences of being double-minded. 00:17:11 - Steps to Overcome Double-Mindedness Introducing practical steps to address double-mindedness. 00:19:06 - Repentance The importance of repentance in overcoming double-mindedness. 00:19:47 - Cleansing the Mind Practical advice for cleansing thoughts that contribute to double-mindedness. 00:20:50 - Purifying the Heart Discussing actions to purify the heart and remove doubt. 00:21:42 - Unifying the Mind The significance of unifying the mind through prayer. 00:22:55 - Invitation to Community Encouragement to join the Kingdom Leaders Community for support. 00:24:08 - Next Week's Episode Preview Teasing the upcoming episode focused on resting in the Lord.
Spiritual maturity doesn't happen in isolation—it grows in community. In this message, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit didn't just unite people to God at Pentecost—He united people to each other. The same Spirit that filled the Early Church still calls us to connect, forgive, and grow together today. Discover why the deepest transformation happens when we make space for real relationships.
In this message, Pastor Landon teaches from Luke 15:8–10, where Jesus describes the joy of heaven over one sinner who repents—and how the Holy Spirit lights the way. The lost coin represents something precious that never loses its worth, even when hidden. It reflects the image of God in every person—each life still bearing His imprint and value, no matter how far from Him. The Holy Spirit convicts (not condemns), reveals truth, and draws people to Jesus—while the church “sweeps the house” in faithful, practical evangelism. Our simple call to action: Light. Sweep. Celebrate. Depend on the Spirit, diligently seek the lost, and rejoice when grace wins.
Psalm 119:170-176, Ezekiel 11:1-20, Hebrews 7:18-27. You come to him *through* *Jesus*, the man who is God, our Lord, brother and friend Your prayers are inspired by *the Holy Spirit of God,* who lives within your heart
Acts Series Message: 02 Episode: 3 of 3 Broadcast: November 06, 2025 Key Verses: Acts 1:8 In this episode of Walk in Truth, Pastor Michael Lantz teaches from Acts 1:8 in a message titled "The Power and Work of the Holy Spirit." As Pastor Michael takes a closer look at this powerful verse, you'll be reminded that the same Spirit who empowered the early church is alive and working in believers today. This teaching will encourage and equip you to walk boldly in your faith, live out God's truth, and rely on the Holy Spirit's strength to guide and sustain you through life's challenges. Welcome to Walk in Truth! These are the Bible teachings of Pastor Michael Lantz. Equipping you to reach out with God's truth to all people. And how to apply that truth to today's issues, trends, and culture. Leave your question or comment contact@walkintruth.com