Podcasts about Hosea

Nehemiah 4 tells of the mockery that comes from the Jews' enemies in an attempt to discourage them from the work of building the wall. Nehemiah makes it a matter of prayer to his God. Likewise, the people of the LORD were not diverted from the work. The enemies next threaten sabotage and open attack upon the rebuilding work. This too fails because of Nehemiah's diligence and the measures he takes for constant surveillance and the protection of the builders. Nehemiah places each family working on the wall directly in front of their home. Each worker works with a weapon in one hand.Hosea 14 tells of a plea to Israel to return to Yahweh. The nation needs to consider why they had been smitten and to find suitable words to request God's healing and forgiveness. Then the Almighty's anger will be turned away. In poetic language the prophet describes how blessings will return to Israel. In forsaking idolatry and learning the just and upright ways of Yahweh the faithful will thrive and experience the bountiful blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ's coming kingdom.1 Thessalonians 3verses1-5 Paul tells us of the sufferings that the Apostle experienced in Athens. Next Paul informs his readers of the great encouragement and comfort that Timothy brings him; and it is the news of the Thessalonians' magnificent response to the gospel. Note how the chapter finishes - read aloud verses 12-13 and pause, and ponder. Chapter 4 speaks of how pleased God and Paul are with the way that the believers are living their lives as a witness to their faith and to their trust in God and His Son. The love the Macedonian believers show to each other is evidence that they have learned what God's Word teaches. They needed to keep working until the Lord Jesus' return. These believers did, however, have a wrong view about the order of events after the Lord's return. The living believers will have no time advantage over those faithful who had fallen asleep in Christ i.e. died. Verses 13-18 describe what happens at Christ's return to the earth. Jesus will come with angels and the trumpet of God (1 Corinthians 15verses52-53). Those believers who are alive when he comes will be caught up together with those believers who have been raised from the dead, into a great cloud of witnesses (see Hebrews 12verses1- 2). These believers will be caught into the air i.e. aerial, in the sense that, together with their Lord Jesus Christ, they will be the rulers (or those elevated to be in authority) over the people of the earth - i.e. the subjects of that coming kingdom. What a comfort to those who are now suffering persecution.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Nehemiah 4 tells of the mockery that comes from the Jews' enemies in an attempt to discourage them from the work of building the wall. Nehemiah makes it a matter of prayer to his God. Likewise, the people of the LORD were not diverted from the work. The enemies next threaten sabotage and open attack upon the rebuilding work. This too fails because of Nehemiah's diligence and the measures he takes for constant surveillance and the protection of the builders. Nehemiah places each family working on the wall directly in front of their home. Each worker works with a weapon in one hand. Hosea 14 tells of a plea to Israel to return to Yahweh. The nation needs to consider why they had been smitten and to find suitable words to request God's healing and forgiveness. Then the Almighty's anger will be turned away. In poetic language the prophet describes how blessings will return to Israel. In forsaking idolatry and learning the just and upright ways of Yahweh the faithful will thrive and experience the bountiful blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ's coming kingdom. 1 Thessalonians 3verses1-5 Paul tells us of the sufferings that the Apostle experienced in Athens. Next Paul informs his readers of the great encouragement and comfort that Timothy brings him; and it is the news of the Thessalonians' magnificent response to the gospel. Note how the chapter finishes - read aloud verses 12-13 and pause, and ponder. Chapter 4 speaks of how pleased God and Paul are with the way that the believers are living their lives as a witness to their faith and to their trust in God and His Son. The love the Macedonian believers show to each other is evidence that they have learned what God's Word teaches. They needed to keep working until the Lord Jesus' return. These believers did, however, have a wrong view about the order of events after the Lord's return. The living believers will have no time advantage over those faithful who had fallen asleep in Christ i.e. died. Verses 13-18 describe what happens at Christ's return to the earth. Jesus will come with angels and the trumpet of God (1 Corinthians 15verses52-53). Those believers who are alive when he comes will be caught up together with those believers who have been raised from the dead, into a great cloud of witnesses (see Hebrews 12verses1- 2). These believers will be caught into the air i.e. aerial, in the sense that, together with their Lord Jesus Christ, they will be the rulers (or those elevated to be in authority) over the people of the earth - i.e. the subjects of that coming kingdom. What a comfort to those who are now suffering persecution. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

In this episode we hear Troy Salingers article called “AnsweringRabbi Tovia Singer: Jewish Hermeneutics/The Resurrection of The Messiah on 3rdDay”. The article appears on Salinger's “Let the Truth Come Out” website.Salinger begins by outlining the interpretive methods usedby ancient Jewish rabbis, contrasting them with the typical modern Christianemphasis on literal, historical–grammatical interpretation (peshat). In Jewishtradition, while the plain sense of a text was recognized, it was oftensecondary to deeper interpretive layers such as midrash—an approach of“mining” the scriptures for hidden meanings beneath the surface.To illustrate, Salinger cites an example from the Talmud inwhich a rabbi derives a messianic era of four hundred years from two unrelatedpassages simply because they used the same word afflict. Another exampleis from Midrash Rabbah, where a single ordinary verse is applied to sixdifferent people or events in Jewish tradition—including the Messiah—ratherthan simply to the plain meaningSalinger then shows how New Testament authors employ similarmethods: for instance, in the Gospel of Matthew the event of Jesus' flight intoEgypt and return is linked to Hosea 11:1 (“Out of Egypt I called My son”), eventhough the plain context of Hosea addresses Israel's historical situation inEgypt. These midrashic methods were normative in ancient Jewish hermeneutics.Turning to the work of Tovia Singer, Salinger contends that RabbiSinger criticizes New Testament writers for misusing the Tanakh (HebrewScriptures) but fails to apply the same standard to the rabbinic interpretershe otherwise praises. Specifically, Rabbi Singer is accused of ignoring orminimizing how the rabbis themselves freely used midrashic interpretation,while insisting that the New Testament authors are being deceptive when they dothe same. Salinger calls this approach “disingenuous,” suggesting that Rabbi Singercapitalizes on Christian ignorance of Jewish interpretive traditions in orderto undermine Christian claims about Scripture and fulfillment.Hebrew Vocabulary:Tanach:the Hebrew Scriptures, “Old Testament”Pashat:plain or “simple” meaning of the textmidrash:“enquiry”, commentary or interpretation of the Hebrew Bible usually findingdeeper meaningsResources:Answering Rabbi Tovia Singer:Jewish Hermeneutics/The Resurrection of The Messiah on 3rd Dayhttps://letthetruthcomeoutblog.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/answering-rabbi-tovia-singer-jewish-hermeneutics-the-resurrection-of-the-messiah-on-the-third-day/#d500256e-a368-4a8a-8cf0-a0ff46f15f5a-linkOne God Report Podcasts with author Troy SalingerPre-IncarnateAppearances of Jesus in the OT: Truth or Mythhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUqWXumvcp5p1klRmE6uAaU7uGSOMDuCX Is the "Memra" the Pre-incarnateSon of God?https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUqWXumvcp5rvmD5Q9dO68RFlfeg_cc8C

Nehemiah 3 tells the readers of Judah's consecrating of the gates and the rebuilding of the wall. It contains lists of who built, and why they built. All classes from professional craftsmen (goldsmiths) to common labourers worked - including the high priest Eliashib and his 5 daughters. Sadly, it also listed some, such as the nobles of the Tekoites, who to their shame failed to become involved in the building of the wall.Hosea 13 tells of the LORD's relentless watching over Israel (v7) "like a leopard by the way". Their idolatry would be visited with chastisement, as of a devouring lion. The king they sought in their beginnings - Saul was given by God in His anger and taken away in His wrath. The same remained true for every king from Israel (the northern kingdom). However, the loving kindness of Yahweh is stated in verse 14, which is cited with regards to the blessings of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15verses54-55. But for the time being their discipline remained a necessity.Paul's first visit to the Thessalonians (in Macedonia) was perhaps around 51 AD. The letter commenced with "grace" (Greek ‘charis' - love) and "peace" (Hebrew ‘shalom' - wholeness, or peace), which come from God, our Father. As a group of Christian believers, the Macedonians were severely persecuted, like their fellow Jewish believers in Judea - many of them being put to death for their beliefs. The Thessalonians were, however, extremely generous in financially contributing to Paul's preaching - especially the Philippians. The central message of both letters is the second coming of Jesus Christ to set up the kingdom of God on earth. Every chapter of both letters refers to this - some chapters containing several references (in the Bible we find over 500 references to the second coming of Jesus Christ). Their love and labours for the Truth were exemplary to all believers. Note verse 9 refers to their belief in "the Living God" and cites not only the verse in Jeremiah 10verses10, but the whole context of Jeremiah 10 was relevant to the situation of the Thessalonian believers. Chapter 2 speaks of the love of Paul, Silas, Timothy and Titus among them. Interestingly the name Titus means "nurse", or "rearer". Paul worked to support his companions' needs and for the preaching of the gospel. The Apostle commends the believers for their patience in suffering persecution. Finally, he expresses a desire to see them again and says that in the day of Christ's coming their acceptance of the gospel would be his victor's crown (Greek 'stephanos').Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Nehemiah 3 tells the readers of Judah's consecrating of the gates and the rebuilding of the wall. It contains lists of who built, and why they built. All classes from professional craftsmen (goldsmiths) to common labourers worked - including the high priest Eliashib and his 5 daughters. Sadly, it also listed some, such as the nobles of the Tekoites, who to their shame failed to become involved in the building of the wall. Hosea 13 tells of the LORD's relentless watching over Israel (v7) "like a leopard by the way". Their idolatry would be visited with chastisement, as of a devouring lion. The king they sought in their beginnings - Saul was given by God in His anger and taken away in His wrath. The same remained true for every king from Israel (the northern kingdom). However, the loving kindness of Yahweh is stated in verse 14, which is cited with regards to the blessings of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15verses54-55. But for the time being their discipline remained a necessity. Paul's first visit to the Thessalonians (in Macedonia) was perhaps around 51 AD. The letter commenced with "grace" (Greek ‘charis' - love) and "peace" (Hebrew ‘shalom' - wholeness, or peace), which come from God, our Father. As a group of Christian believers, the Macedonians were severely persecuted, like their fellow Jewish believers in Judea - many of them being put to death for their beliefs. The Thessalonians were, however, extremely generous in financially contributing to Paul's preaching - especially the Philippians. The central message of both letters is the second coming of Jesus Christ to set up the kingdom of God on earth. Every chapter of both letters refers to this - some chapters containing several references (in the Bible we find over 500 references to the second coming of Jesus Christ). Their   love and labours for the Truth were exemplary to all believers. Note verse 9 refers to their belief in "the Living God" and cites not only the verse in Jeremiah 10verses10, but the whole context of Jeremiah 10 was relevant to the situation of the Thessalonian believers. Chapter 2 speaks of the love of Paul, Silas, Timothy and Titus among them. Interestingly the name Titus means "nurse", or "rearer". Paul worked to support his companions' needs and for the preaching of the gospel. The Apostle commends the believers for their patience in suffering persecution. Finally, he expresses a desire to see them again and says that in the day of Christ's coming their acceptance of the gospel would be his victor's crown (Greek 'stephanos'). Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

In this episode of Arise + Abide, Curtis and Sally explore Hosea chapters 10 and 11—two striking passages that reveal both the severity of God's judgment and the depth of His enduring love. Hosea paints Israel as a once-fruitful vine whose prosperity led them away from the Lord and deeper into idolatry. Their misplaced trust in altars, idols, and military strength exposes a hardened spiritual landscape in need of breaking up and renewal. Yet woven through the warnings is a tender reminder of God's fatherly compassion. As Hosea recounts, God taught Israel to walk, lifted the yoke from their neck, and cared for them with kindness—even as they drifted further from Him. In chapter 11, we hear God's heart break as He refuses to abandon His people completely: "How can I give you up, Israel?" Instead, He promises a future restoration, a gathering of His people when He roars like a lion calling them home. Curtis and Sally reflect on the themes of spiritual sowing and reaping, the danger of misplaced trust, and the hope found in God's persistent love. Drawing connections to Galatians and the teachings of Jesus, they invite listeners to consider the call to surrender, to cultivate righteousness, and to trust the One who leads with both justice and compassion.

In Colossians 3 verses 1-4 tell us that since we have through the act of baptism been raised in him to a new life our thoughts and actions should be in harmony with this. And so, from verses 5-9 all those past behaviours are to find no place among believers. Our new self is being renewed every day through our growth in understanding what it means to be "in Christ". From verses 12-17 the focus of the believer's mind and actions is to centre on living with (and as) Christ. From verses 18 to the chapter's end, he addresses the different groups within Christian households and advises on proper behaviour. Chapter 4 continues with instructions for masters and servants - such an important topic as five sixths of the Roman world were slaves. Verses 2-4 is a request to those at Colossae to pray for Paul's preaching.Verse 5 tells that their speech and behaviour must be sincere at all times - "seasoned with salt". Verses 7-17 conclude with final greetings. Verse 18 tells us that the letter was written by Paul in his own handwriting.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Send us a textWhat if the darkest season of your life is the very place your faith learns to breathe? We gather around the story of Job, the raw honesty of separation, and the quiet courage of surrender to ask a harder question: what does dependence on God look like when everything is stripped away?We start with the childlike posture of reliance—simple trust that God holds what we can't. From there, we face the sting of Job's wife and the pattern Scripture reveals: the enemy often reaches our hearts through the voices closest to us. Not to blame, but to awaken. We talk frankly about the power of a spouse to either steady or shatter, and why godly women and men carry a shared calling to protect the covenant when pressure mounts. The insights get personal as Ashley shares a breaking point that becomes a turning point—moving from “why” to “be still,” discovering that exhaustion can drive us into the hands that never fail.Along the way, we open Hosea to see relentless love in action and explore how marriage mirrors Christ and the church. We admit how leadership feels when the plan is unclear, and why a simple “I don't know, but I trust God” can be holy. A community prayer anchors the moment, reminding us that intercession is not filler—it's fuel. If you've felt the blow that comes from the closest person, if you've wondered how to stand when surrender feels like loss, this conversation offers sturdy hope: darkness can be the frame that makes God's light burn brighter.Lean in, share this with someone who needs strength tonight, and if this spoke to you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us where God met you in your hardest chapter.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Nehemiah was cup bearer to the king of Persia - an exalted and esteemed position. He had just received news from Hanani of the terrible condition of the walls and gates of Jerusalem. The year was about BC 469 and as soon as Nehemiah heard these words he prayed and fasted for several days acknowledging his sins and those of his people, which had brought this terrible situation. He acknowledges Yahweh's righteousness and His loving kindness quoting from the Law of Moses, as told in Deuteronomy. Chapter 1 concludes with the implication that Nehemiah intended to take up the matter with king Darius. The next chapter tells of Nehemiah in the presence of the king with his face showing a sadness of heart - this was forbidden by the law. Nehemiah who, the book shows to be a man of prayer and action, is questioned by the king as to what the sadness might mean - is there a plot against the king? Whereas the prayer of chapter 1 was over many days this time this prayer is a brief spontaneous momentary prayer requesting God to cause the king to favourably listen to Nehemiah's prayer. The response of the king was to grant Nehemiah extended leave to return to Jerusalem to fix the problem. In verses 9-10 we are told of the Persian king's support for Nehemiah. We are also told about the disturbance this created among the Jews' enemies. After 3 days of thinking about the size of the problem before him Nehemiah arose at night and secretly inspected the walls. So that ownership of the problem would occur, Nehemiah asked the rulers what they would recommend be done. Their answer was, "Let us rise up and build". This only served to strengthen the opposition they faced. Nehemiah told Sanballat, the Horonite (i.e. Edomite), Geshem - the Arabian; and Tobiah- the Ammonite and servant to Sanballat - that these enemies had "no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem" (2verses20 ESV).   Hosea in chapter 12 speaks of Israel's falsehood to God and even to the Assyrians also so that Egypt came and punished them. Verses 2-14 speak of the LORD's quarrel with both the northern kingdom of Ephraim and the southern kingdom of Judah. These verses tell in a parable what both kingdoms needed to learn - and of course the lessons are equally true for us. Hosea tells us that Jacob was from the time of his birth until the night before his confrontation with Esau a deceiver to whom God was teaching lessons by continuously exposing Jacob to deceivers far worse than himself - particularly Laban, who was both his uncle and father-in-law. When Jacob was faced with a dilemma that he could not solve God compounded the problem for him by dislocating Jacob's hip (read Genesis 32). Now Jacob was forced to rely on God, rather than his own resourcefulness, and to now have finally learnt that all along he should have left the solution to his problems with God. The summation of Jacob's life given by God, through Moses, was that Jacob was a "plain" (Hebrew "just", or "upright") man - this meant he always tried to be godly, but had to wrestle with traits that were strongly part of his heritage. The greatest lesson of his life was to learn to TRUST God. Hosea tells us that now Jacob having found God at Bethel (the house of God) tells us to learn the same. Deuteronomy tells us that when they gave their tithes to Yahweh that they were to recite, "A Syrian ready to perish was our father" (Jacob). For us the great lesson from the life of Jacob is recorded in verse 6 - read aloud, pause and ponder. Despite what Israel and Judah had done God would restore them in His loving kindness, as the remainder of the chapter indicated. Verse 13 indicated that Yahweh chose to work through those whom society sees as misfits- Moses was but a prophet. In Colossians 3 verses 1-4 tell us that since we have through the act of baptism been raised in him to a new life our thoughts and actions should be in harmony with this. And so, from verses 5-9 all those past behaviours are to find no place among believers. Our new self is being renewed every day through our growth in understanding what it means to be "in Christ". From verses 12-17 the focus of the believer's mind and actions is to centre on living with (and as) Christ. From verses 18 to the chapter's end, he addresses the different groups within Christian households and advises on proper behaviour. Chapter 4 continues with instructions for masters and servants - such an important topic as five sixths of the Roman world were slaves. Verses 2-4 is a request to those at Colossae to pray for Paul's preaching. Verse 5 tells that their speech and behaviour must be sincere at all times - "seasoned with salt". Verses 7-17 conclude with final greetings. Verse 18 tells us that the letter was written by Paul in his own handwriting.   Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

Sunday Morning

In Ezra 10 we read of the renewal of the covenant and a commitment to be faithful to the marriage covenant that Yahweh had made with Israel. The chapter speaks of Ezra and the exiles' acceptance of the covenant's solemnity was demonstrated by their declaring that they would only marry wives within the covenant bonds. After three days all the people assemble before the house of God trembling because of the solemnity of the occasion and the heavy rain. The rain meant that they needed delegated officials to stand for them in these matters. The assembly together with Ezra discussing this matter and determining to do what God had commanded. The Senior officials of the assembly are guilty of marrying out of the truth and they are named in the balance of the chapter. Those officials are required to put away their foreign wives in order to preserve the integrity of Israel's covenant with their God and maintain the truth faithfully.Hosea 11 tells of God's covenant love for His son Israel. Yahweh calls His son "out of Egypt", as the book of Exodus attests and at that time Yahweh gives to them His covenant name as evidence of His purpose with His people. Matthew 2verses15 cites Hosea 11verses1 and applies it to the Son of God - the Lord JesusChrist. The verses in chapter 11 which follow speak of the nation's resistance to their Father. As a Father the Almighty took Israel by the hand and trained them to walk in His covenant way. Despite their perverse heart in wanting to go back to Egypt Yahweh would not give up on them (verses 8-9); but in the time of their chastisement they would eventually again seek Him.Colossians 2 together with Romans 6 provides the most complete description of what baptism is and what it achieves. Verses 1-5 tell us that in Christ we find a complete embodiment of the wisdom of God in a single individual. So we, the body of believers need to model and pattern ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 9-10 tell us that all can know about the Almighty is to be found in Christ. Verses 11-15 describe what baptism is - it is like circumcision in that it tells us that "in the flesh" - that is within our nature (dwells nothing innately good). There is nothing in human nature that can do anything good for God. And so human nature is rightly related to death. In dying Christ destroyed a body identical to ours - in that every sin which has been done could have been done in Jesus' body. The Jews and Romans were driven by the lusts of their natures to try to destroy our Lord Jesus Christ. But by not yielding to the passions which controlled his enemies our Lord victoriously triumphed in his sinless death. That death on the stake was a demonstration of the truth that human nature is rightfully related to death. Only when the lifeless body of our Lord hung on the stake was sin conquered in him and in his resurrection the process of salvation completed for him - and by establishing a basis for our forgiveness and thereby the way for our salvation. Therefore, in crucifixion Jesus destroyed sin (called in Hebrews 2 "the devil"). So, from verses 16-21 Paul tells the Colossians to focus on the pivotal and central teachings of the truth, and not to be distracted by side issues.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Hosea 4:1-6 Continuing the series of ‘Minor Profits’ Sunday November 9, 2025 – By Bob Cote

In Ezra 10 we read of the renewal of the covenant and a commitment to be faithful to the marriage covenant that Yahweh had made with Israel. The chapter speaks of Ezra and the exiles' acceptance of the   covenant's solemnity was demonstrated by their declaring that they would only marry wives within the covenant bonds. After three days all the people assemble before the house of God trembling because of the solemnity of the occasion and the heavy rain. The rain meant that they needed delegated officials to stand for them in these matters. The assembly together with Ezra discussing this matter and determining to do what God had commanded. The Senior officials of the assembly are guilty of marrying out of the truth and they are named in the balance of the chapter. Those officials are required to put away their foreign wives in order to preserve the integrity of Israel's covenant with their God and maintain the truth faithfully. Hosea 11 tells of God's covenant love for His son Israel. Yahweh calls His son "out of Egypt", as the book of Exodus attests and at that time Yahweh gives to them His covenant name as evidence of His purpose with His people. Matthew 2verses15 cites Hosea 11verses1 and applies it to the Son of God - the Lord Jesus Christ. The verses in chapter 11 which follow speak of the nation's resistance to their Father. As a Father the Almighty took Israel by the hand and trained them to walk in His covenant way. Despite their perverse heart in wanting to go back to Egypt Yahweh would not give up on them (verses 8-9); but in the time of their chastisement they would eventually again seek Him. Colossians 2 together with Romans 6 provides the most complete description of what baptism is and what it achieves. Verses 1-5 tell us that in Christ we find a complete embodiment of the wisdom of God in a single individual. So we, the body of believers need to model and pattern ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 9-10 tell us that all can know about the Almighty is to be found in Christ. Verses 11-15 describe what baptism is - it is like circumcision in that it tells us that "in the flesh" - that is within our nature (dwells nothing innately good). There is nothing in human nature that can do anything good for God. And so human nature is rightly related to death. In dying Christ destroyed a body identical to ours - in that every sin which has been done could have been done in Jesus' body. The Jews and Romans were driven by the lusts of their natures to try to destroy our Lord Jesus Christ. But by not yielding to the passions which controlled his enemies our Lord victoriously triumphed in his sinless death. That death on the stake was a demonstration of the truth that human nature is rightfully related to death. Only when the lifeless body of our Lord hung on the stake was sin conquered in him and in his resurrection the process of salvation completed for him - and by establishing a basis for our forgiveness and thereby the way for our salvation. Therefore, in crucifixion Jesus destroyed sin (called in Hebrews 2 "the devil"). So, from verses 16-21 Paul tells the Colossians to focus on the pivotal and central teachings of the truth, and not to be distracted by side issues. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow 

I'm using the 49 Week Bible Challenge for these blog posts. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today's readings are 1 Corinthians 15; Isaiah 22; Hosea 13; Ezekiel 45; 46.

The Interplay of Illiteracy, Theology, Cultural Literacy, and Media Arts © 2025 ISBN 978-976-97719-9-4 REFERENCESA case study on illiteracy. (n.d.). Aca Case Study. https://acasestudy.com/case-study-on-illiteracy/Bialostok & Whitman 2006; Street 1997(https://docs.ufpr.br/~clarissa/pdfs/NewInLiteracy_Street.pdf); Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Ecclesiastes 7:12. Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+7%3A12&version=KJVBible Gateway. (n.d.). Hosea 4:6. Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+4%3A6&version=KJVBible Gateway. (n.d.). Proverbs 18:15. Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+18%3A15&version=KJVdictionary.comhttps://www.dictionary.com Dr.William Anderson Gittens, D.D.Encyclopedia of Distance Learning. (2009). Illiteracy statistics and issues. IGI Global.EPALE. (n.d.). How to eradicate illiteracy. European Platform for Adult Learning in Europe. https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/how-eradicate-illiteracyFingeret, A. (n.d.). The illiterate underclass: Demythologizing an American stigma. Rowemingaround. https://rowemingaround.com/the-silent-crisis-the-impact-of-cultural-illiteracy-on-today-societyhttps://commons.und.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?articlehttps://education.umw.edu/tspot/files/2013/04/Literacy-Through-Photography.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_illiteracyhttps://gospelforasia.com/functional-illiteracy/what-is-illiteracyhttps://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ajer/article/view/55409 and http://www.sapub.org/journal/index.aspx https://junior.scholastic.com.)(https://www.csus.edu/indiv/o/obriene/art1b/amyhttps://lasu.edu.ng/publications/education/solomon_olanrewaju_makinde_ja_52.pdfhttps://link.springer.com/article/https://meridian.allenpress.com/her/article-https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3058423/ https://premierscience.comhttps://repositorio.ipv.pt/entities/publication/49b91fd0-c654-45a2-8193-95e6e4faeb00https://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/4.1/moore.htmlhttps://www.aep-arts.org/the-arts-and-literacieshttps://www.artsedsearch.org/study/media-arts-arts-education-for-a-digital-age https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/abs/being-muslim-islam-islamism-and-identity-politicshttps://www.cdc.gov/health-literacy/index.htmlhttps://www.degruyterbrill.com/https://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-through-photography-for-ells-tabitha-dellangelohttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2242617836056716/posts/3977520079233141/https://www.granthaalayahpublication.org/Arts-Journal/ShoSupport the showCultural Factors Influence Academic Achievements© 2024 ISBN978-976-97385-7-7 A_MEMOIR_OF_Dr_William_Anderson_Gittens_D_D_2024_ISBNISBN978_976_97385_0_8 Academic.edu. Chief of Audio Visual Aids Officer Mr. Michael Owen Chief of Audio Visual Aids Officer Mr. Selwyn Belle Commissioner of Police Mr. Orville Durant Dr. William Anderson Gittens, D.D En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning Hackett Philip Media Resource Development Officer Holder, B,Anthony Episcopal Priest, https://brainly.com/question/36353773 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning#cite_note-19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifelong_learning#cite_note-:2-18 https://independent.academia.edu/WilliamGittens/Books https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=william+anderson+gittens+barbados&oq=william+anderson+gittens https://www.academia.edu/123754463/ https://www.buzzsprout.com/429292/episodes. https://www.youtube.com/@williamandersongittens1714. Mr.Greene, Rupert

Jase and Al open the episode with a sheepish “my bad” after a producer fact-checks one of their rock-'n'-roll memories. What started as an innocent mix-up turns into a full-blown investigation involving parade floats, PETA, and a certain ‘80s icon who wasn't who they thought she was. The guys marvel at how a simple slip becomes “fake news.” The guys connect the crown on Jesus' brow back to Adam's curse, and examine how unbridled idolatry leads to the ruination of generations of lives.  In this episode: John 19, verse 5; Genesis 3, verses 17–18; 1 Corinthians 15, verses 42–57; Hosea 13, verse 14; 1 Peter 2, verses 13–25 “Unashamed” Episode 1207 is sponsored by: http://frontline21.com — Embrace biblical masculinity. Download the Frontline21 field guide for men and 21-day devotional at no cost to you Kimchi One from Brightcore – Improve your health, improve your life. 25% Off with code: UNASHAMED at https://mybrightcore.com/unashamed Or dial (888) 404-9677 for up to 50% OFF and Free Shipping – ONLY when you call! https://duckstamp.com/unashamed — Get your all-new digital duck stamp today. It's easier than ever! https://cozyearth.com/unashamed — Get up to 40% off when you use our link or code UNASHAMED! https://preborn.com/unashamed — Visit the PreBorn! website or dial #250 and use keyword BABY to donate today. http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters: 00:00-5:00 We're sorry, Pat Benatar! 05:01-9:08 The cost of unbridled sexual sin 9:09-20:04 Jesus was the “second Adam” 20:15-30:56 Idolatry is the ultimate sin 30:57-37:32 Adam is cursed with thorns  37:33-42:42 Faith & good works are inseparable 42:43-50:00 The least-preached verse in the Bible 50:01-56:38 Submission was the key to saving the world — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ezra 9 tells of the problems of those who had married nonbelievers. Verse 4 tells that the rulers and officials had been at the forefront of those who had disobeyed God's command about this. The reader should look at Malachi 2verses10-16 and Nehemiah 13verses23-27 to understand Yahweh's views on this subject; and why His prophets were so strong in denouncing this practice. From verse 10-15 Ezra seeks God's forgiveness of His people for their wrongful ways in marrying out of the Truth and counsels all of God's people to forsake that dangerous and evil course.Hosea 10 tells of a vine that produced no fruit for God. How often do the prophets and the Lord Jesus Christ take up this theme cp Isaiah 5 and consider the number of references in the last week of our Lord to the barrenness of the fruitless, but showy fig tree. Also see John 15 where our Lord comments on himself being the vine. Without fruit a vine is useless - its wood is poor fuel; its wood cannot be used to make anything. We are useless unless we are producing the fruit of the spirit for God in our lives (see Galatians 5verses22-25; and Ephesians 5verses8-16). But for Israel when the LORD looked at their actions, instead of fruit, He saw poisonous weeds. Instead of sincere worship of Yahweh He saw the idolatrous calf worship. Bethel (meaning "the house of God") becomes Bethaven ("the house of vanity" - or "nothingness"). The result of this would be the delivering up to captivity of Israel to nations who were themselves ruled by idolatry. Israel's sinfulness was evident from earliest times, even when the Tabernacle was at Gibeah. The Lord God would again bring them under the yoke, when they will finally learn righteousness and will open their hearts to God as the poetic symbol of breaking open the fallow ground of their hearts suggests. By doing this God would be able to rain blessings on them. But the coming judgment would be a necessary part of helping Israel to learn this.Paul sent the letter to the Colossians in about 62 AD. He never personally visited the region where there were two groups of believers - one in Colossae and the other in Laodicea. The one letter was read by both at this time and about 34 years' time when another letter was sent in 96 AD by the Lord Jesus Christ. The area was exceptionally fertile and lay in a very rich valley. The epistle commenced with the greeting "Grace ('charis' the Greek greeting) and peace ('shalom' the Jewish greeting) coming to the believers from God our Father. This is followed by thanksgiving and prayer for their faithfulness in the gospel as reported to the Apostle from Epaphras. The believers were increasing in knowledge and love. But the greatest of all thanks was to be expressed to God, our Father, who had "qualified us to share the inheritance of the saints in light ... and has transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son" (verses 12-13 ESV). Then from verses 14-23 Paul tells us of the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. Our Lord Jesus is the beginning (Gk 'archegos') and head of God's new creation and is the firstborn (Jesus firstborn by birth, death and resurrection) of that creation; the firstborn from the dead to be raised to eternal life. Verses 24-29 tell of Paul's suffering for all Gentile believers, that he might share and participate in the sufferings of Christ (as part of his body, which we, the ecclesia are). In verse 27 we have the key verse and theme of the book, "Christ in you (i.e. each of us) the hope of glory".Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

How do we work to stay devoted? How does it feel to know that God never abandons us? Join us for Village Midweek!

Acts 28 tells of the entire company of the ship arriving safely on Malta at a place today known as St Paul's Bay. Here the ship's company will remain over winter until Paul journeys to Rome. The night of their arrival is cold and wet. A fire is kindled to dry them and to provide warmth. As Paul assists with the gathering of wood for the fire a venomous viper comes out from the fire and sinks its fangs into Paul's hand. The superstitious locals think Paul must have been a murderer who having escaped the vengeance of the sea is now being punished by God. Paul shakes the snake into the fire. The locals watch Paul waiting for him to convulse, swell up and die an agonising death - none of these things happen. So, they change their minds into thinking that he must be a god. Paul now is lodged for three days with the chief man of the island named Publius. Publius' father is sick with dysentery; but is miraculously healed by the Apostle. After leaving Malta three months later Paul takes a ship to the mainland where the journey to Rome continues. Along the journey Paul is given the privileges not normally given to a prisoner. The Apostle stops and meets several groups of believers on his journey to Rome. In Rome he calls together the local Jewish leaders and explains why he is in Rome. These Jewish leaders had received no information from any other Jews concerning Paul. After discussing his case it is thought that he might be set at liberty. The Apostle says that he was left with no alternative than to put his case before Caesar when the Judean Jews objected to his being released. The Roman Jews reveal that they have heard that the Christian sect is everywhere spoken against. A large gathering of Jews comes to Paul's place of residence at an appointed time. The aged Apostle tells them from morning to evening the message of the prophets. Paul concludes his address with the words of Isaiah 6 in chapter 6 which prophesied Jewish opposition to the Gospel message. The great Apostle claims that the Gentiles will favourably respond to the teaching of Christ. The book of Acts commenced in chapter 1verses8 with the need for the gospel to be taken "to the uttermost parts of the earth" and concluded with that task being completedverses see Jesus great commission to the Apostles in Mark 16verses15-16. And also, after Paul's miraculous preservation after having been bitten by a venomous viper recorded in Acts 28verses3verses5 compare with Mark 16verses17-18. Two years expire and as no case is brought against Paul he is released to continue his preaching. All of these things occur before the fire in Rome and the intense persecution which came upon believers by the Emperor Nero from that time onwards. The 31st verses of Acts 28 is an epitome of the entire bookverses "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him."

On two occasions, Jesus responded to the Pharasaic oppostions He faced by quoting Hosea 6:6. On one occasion He instructed them to "go and learn what this means"(Matthew 9:13). After this, He exposed their negligence, saying, "if you had known what this means...you would not have condemned the guiltless" (Matthew 12:7). "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6) What does this mean?

To this point in Hosea, Jezreel has been primarily associated with the terrible day of judgment that would fall upon Israel through the Assyrian overthrow. In Hosea 2, however, God makes it clear that Jezreel will not always be associated with judgment: there is coming a day when Jezreel will be turned from sorrow into joy, and from scattering into regathering.

Join us as we continue our series through Hosea!

Today Tom referred to The Book of Hosea with Study Notes: A Preacher's Guide to the Book of Hosea. Here's a link to download a pdf of this book. To sign up for the GearTalk Bible Reading Plan go here. For additional resources connected to biblical theology go to handstotheplow.org and jasonderouchie.com. To support the work of Hands to the Plow, visit handstotheplow.org.

All throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we see a clear pattern of people in Scripture turning to prayer and fasting in times of uncertainty, brokenness, and need. And in those examples, we find that prayer and fasting are not just religious obligations but natural responses to desperation. And we find that moments of crisis can lead to spiritual renewal when approached with humility and dependence on God. And we find that whether you and I are facing the unknown road ahead or the ruins of life, the invitation is to pray and fast, recognizing that our deepest hunger can only be satisfied by God. SPEAKERS: Jay Kim (Saratoga), video (South Hills) Bible Passage(s): Ezra 8:21,23, Nehemiah 1:3-4

What does faithfulness look like in real life? Akash Ahuja (Lexington Director of High School Ministry) takes us from Acadia to the Grand Canyon—showing how a river's slow, steady flow carved something breathtaking—and how the Spirit forms the fruit of faithfulness in us the same way. We trace God's faithfulness through Scripture (Ex 34:6–7), see Jesus finish the work the Father gave Him (John 17; 19:30), explore the Bible's two meanings of “faithfulness” (trustworthy and full of trust), and watch Jesus restore Peter to faithful service. Practical next steps land close to home: 1-minute prayers, consistent serving, small gifts—ordinary acts that add up over time. Speaker: Akash Ahuja, Lexington Director of High School Ministry Series: Cultivate — The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) Key Texts: Galatians 5:22–23; Exodus 34:6–7; Hosea 6:3; John 17:1–5; John 21 Artwork Mentioned: Under His Wings by Laura Wallace (Psalm 57:1)

Ezra 7 tells of the personal qualities of Ezra the priest - verse 6 skilled in the Law of Moses that Yahweh had given Israel; verses 9-10 Ezra had set his heart to study God's Law and therefore the good hand of God was upon him (what a lesson to us); and Ezra graciously thanked the Almighty for His loving kindness ('chesed') shown to His people Israel (verse 27). The chapter tells of king Darius' generosity and material support for the work of building the temple; and the king's command to the Governors on the east of Jordan to materially support the project. King Darius warns of the serious consequences which would come to any who would not support the building.Hosea 8 tells that because Israel had failed to obey God's laws they would experience great punishment - "they had sown the wind, they would reap the whirlwind" - the teaching of the Bible is that whatever we do produces consequences and that we are responsible for our actions (read aloud Galatians 6verses7-10 pause and ponder). The idolatry of Israel would incur God's judging them by using another idolatrous nation. Rather than turning to God for help Israel hires foreign armies. This causes them greater problems. For the kingdom of Israel in the north the time of destruction was upon them.Acts 27 tells of Paul's journey to Rome for his case to be heard by the Emperor Nero. The ship sets sail in fine weather with only Luke accompanying the Apostle Paul on his voyage. The ship soon finds sailing difficult because of the opposing winds. When the ship reaches Crete it has now become too dangerous for sailing; and Paul advises that they should stay in Crete until the winter passes. But the owner of the ship was determined to reach Rome as quickly as possible to receive his profit. The Roman Centurion decides to accept the ship owners' position and to continue on their journey. The ship is now beset with a hurricane-like wind called Euroclydon. The crew takes many measures to try to save the ship and its precious cargo. Nothing works and their lives are entirely at the mercy of this horrible storm. All on board the ship become depressed and for fourteen days eat nothing. Then Paul, after receiving a vision from an angel of God, takes control and encourages everyone. The Apostle gives thanks to God and they all eat. After that the ship is lightened by throwing overboard the wheat from the hold. There are 276 people on the ship. Some of the sailors pretend to let down anchors under the ship, but their intentions are to flee in the lifeboats. Paul says to the Roman Centurion (Julius) that unless the sailors stay on the ship all lives are in danger. Julius stops the sailors from escaping. When daylight comes the crew run the ship into a creek which sees the rough sea smash the ship to pieces. All escape safely to shore - some swimming and others being carried by the current on planks of wood from the broken ship. Acts 27verses31 makes the nice point that unless we abide or remain in the Christ ship we cannot be savedverses compare John 15 our fruitfulness and salvation is dependent on us abiding in the Vine of God - His precious Son our Lord Jesus Christ.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Biblically, the sin of not resting is seen as disobedience to God's rhythm of creation and a rejection of trust in His provision. It leads to spiritual dryness, societal injustice, and even exile.   Here's how Scripture frames this:  

In week three of the Hosea series, Pastor Curt Taylor spoke about God's restoring love, a love that pursues us even when we've wandered far away. Drawing from the story of Hosea, he reminded us that God's heart is not to condemn but to restore His people to wholeness and relationship with Him. Through repentance and trust, we find the renewal and grace that only God can offer. Pastor Taylor encouraged us to open our hearts to that restoration and allow God to reshape our lives from the inside out. It was a powerful reminder that no amount of brokenness can stand against the restoring love of God.

Since it has been a couple of weeks, let me remind you . . .The book of Hosea is a love story – but not like a romance novel- it was never meant to entertain• God's message came to Israel in a graphic illustration,◦ played out in the life of his prophet• first, God told Hosea to marry a prostitute◦ the point was to give Israel a living re-enactment of◦ their history with God – deserting him for another god or other gods- Hosea and his wife had three children who were placed onto the stage with their parents• each of their names revealed an aspect of the unfolding crisis◦ Jezreel – a place where God would render a verdict, to bring closure◦ Lo-Ruhamah – No Mercy – God would leave them to their fate◦ Lo-Ami – Not Mine – God rejected them from being his people• so up till now, the unfolding drama has been harsh

Refresh!A Fresh Perspective: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25Sowing and reaping in the spiritual realm: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatian 6:7-10, NIV)Acts of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23, NIV)Watch out! Possible seed contamination!“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15, NIV) The Sower influences the size of the crop but God gives the growth and ultimately controls the size of the crop.Good news: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6, NIV)Bad news: “They sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind,” (Hosea 8:7, NIV)Where do I start? Visit the tables in the Great Room to learn more about current opportunities.Visit gatewayfranklin.com to learn about and sign up for information about upcoming events.Contact Georgetta at georgetta@gatewayfranklin.com. THE EXCEPTION:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23, NIV)23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, NIV) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV)

Ezra 5 tells of the work of building the house of God recommencing with the prophets of Yahweh - Haggai and Zechariah - supporting and encouraging the work. Still the attempts to frustrate the building came from Tatnai, the Governor on the other side of the river (the Jordan). The faithful Jews continued building while Tatnai's letter was sent to Darius (the Persian king). The Jews faithfully answered as to why their realm had been overturned and to their obedience to the God of heaven and the decree that came from king Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. The Jews suggested that search be made in the Chronicles of the kings of Persia to prove their claim. Chapter 6 tells us that the search was made in the house of the scrolls in Ecbatana proving the accuracy of the Jews' claim. A letter came from king Darius asking Tatnai and his people to materially support the building of the temple. Verses 15-18 report the completion and dedication of the house of God. From verses 19-22 we read of the great joy as the new kingdom of Judah kept the Passover. Let us be daily builders of God's House and let those labours bring joy to our hearts.Chapter 7 of Hosea contains some very graphic Hebrew poetry. From the rulers of the nation to the common people they were so intent on sexual depravity that they are described by the figure of a baker with an overheated oven. They had no shame for what they were doing. Another of the figures sees them as a dove that cannot make up her mind on whom to dote - Egypt, or Assyria. God wanted it otherwise and even when judgment was brought on them they didn't repent. A soft and penitent heart is always to be found among the LORD's children.In Acts 25 we are told that, when Festus was determined to send Paul to Jerusalem, the Apostle had no alternative but to make his appeal to Caesar. After a short period of time Festus conducted another hearing of Paul's matters. Festus once again sought the favour of the Jews and at this time Paul announced that he would exercise his right as a Roman Citizen to be judged by Caesar. Herod Agrippa and his wife Bernice were visiting Caesarea and at this time Festus requested they hear Paul's case for Festus was struggling with the wording of the charge against Paul. Festus explained to Agrippa that to him there was no capital crime, but simply matters concerning Jewish law. With great pomp and ceremony Agrippa, Bernice and all the other dignitaries entered the judgment hall. Festus was seeking Agrippa's opinion on the nature of the charge to appear on the letter to be sent to Caesar. Chapter 26 records Paul's defence and appeal to Agrippa to embrace the Christian cause. Paul tells his audience of his fervour for the Jewish way and his concerted opposition to Christianity. But when he was confronted by the risen Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus everything changed. He told the audience of his great commission and then knowing king Agrippa to be a man who read the prophets he appealed to the king to adopt the Christian belief. Festus, being embarrassed by the situation, attempted to finish the hearing immediately by declaring Paul to be mad due to his great learning. Paul was not to be silenced so quickly and continued to ask Agrippa whether he believed the prophets. He stated plainly I know you believe them king Agrippa. At this point king Agrippa and all the dignitaries rose and left with the king stating Paul's innocence. Let us remember that we are bondslaves to our Lord Jesus Christ and as his prisoners let our testimony burn before all to whom we witness.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Jonah is both the title of this book and the author according to the best evidence. The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship, so we can't be dogmatic but that doesn't mean we aren't sure. Throughout the book Jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, which would be the case if someone else were writing about him. That, however, doesn't rule out Jonah as the author. The same thing is true of other books of the Bible. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Zechariah have similar formats. It's appropriate to make an observation about how the Bible treats its heroes. Unlike other religious books, the Bible is perfectly honest about the fallen humanity of the characters it portrays. Jesus is the perfectly holy One, and all others are sinful. Starting with Eve, the Bible includes the sins of all people. There was a murderer among the first children of Adam and Eve. Noah was a righteous man, but for all he did, he also sinned through drunkenness. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, but he was quick to lie about his wife when he thought he was in danger and he was quick to accept an ungodly and immoral way to try to do God's will. Peter had to be confronted by Paul when he stumbled into hypocrisy. The beat goes on and on, including Jonah. The events recorded in this book show us that the bad attitudes we have only cause us trouble. They do not cause God any kind of angst or prevent Him from accomplishing His will or disrupt His timing. Today we survey all of Chapter 1. 1 - Jonah Runs (1-3) 2 - Jonah Confesses (4-9) 3 - The Sailors Believe (10-16) 4 - The Fish Swallows Hard (17)

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/2Kings21;Hebrews3;Psalm139;Hosea14 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Acts 23 tells of Paul before the Sanhedrin. In a similar way to when our Lord Jesus Christ appears before them, the hearing commences with an illegality from the High Priest, Ananias. That corrupt priest commands that the Apostle be smitten on the cheek - this is contrary to the Law of Moses. Paul reacts to this violation by saying that God would in His time smite the high priest. For this answer Paul is rebuked by those of the Council. The Apostle says he had not recognised the high priest. This seems unusual as in Acts 9 this high priest had given letters to Paul authorising the persecution at Damascus. Some such as Ramsay have suggested Paul's eyesight was poor, due to malaria possibly contracted on his first missionary journey. Others suggest that this is in fact a rebuttal of the high priest's right to hold that office. Paul undoubtedly had poor eyesight as many of his letters attest e.g. Galatians 6verses11. The Apostle sees the impossibility of him getting a fair trial and so he divides the Council on the question of the teaching of the Scriptures regarding the raising of the dead. Verse 8 tells us of the difference in teaching between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Verse 10 informs us that the disagreement became violent. Paul is once again rescued. Paul's sister's son learns of a plot to assassinate Paul and informs the chief captain. The chief captain immediately responds by sending Paul to Felix the Roman Governor in Caesarea with a heavily armed escort - a journey of two days. This heavily armed company carry with them a letter explaining why the Chief Captain has taken these measures. Chapter 24 speaks of Paul before Felix and of the flattering orator the Jews hired to prosecute the Apostle. The Apostle defends each charge magnificently. Paul points out that he came to Jerusalem for worship and to bring charitable gifts for his nation. The aged Apostle also is a Pharisee. The Pharisaic teachings were an allowable teaching among the Jews. Felix finds himself in a difficult place having some understanding of the teachings of the Way (an early name for believers in Christ Jesus). Felix detains Paul not wanting to fall out of favour with the Jews. Paul is provided with protection and liberty. Having heard of Paul's bringing charity to his fellow Jews Felix hopes to secure a bribe. Felix becomes very disturbed knowing that since he understands the reality of the coming judgment and that he would be subject to the judgment of God. Felix's life makes it certain that he will be rejected when that judgment comes. After two years Rome replaces Governor Felix with Governor Festus. Festus maintains Paul's imprisonment to please the Jews.

Hosea 10:12 Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Esther 4:14 And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?Thanks for joining us for this inspiring message from the Connection Women's Fall Conference as Missionary Evangelist Sister Connie Planck proclaims the Word of God into the lives of women, to be the powerful women of God that He created them to be, especially in this day and hour  Support the showGrowing our inner man as we connect with God's Word

TOPIC Four Forces That Oppose the Dominion Mandate PREACHER Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Okronipa SCRIPTURES Genesis 2:17 Genesis 3:1–6 Revelation 12:9 Ephesians 6:12–14 Hosea 4:6 John 1:14–18 2 Corinthians 4:6 1 Corinthians 15:31 KEY POINTS Introduction From the beginning, God gave man dominion—the authority to rule and represent Him on earth. However, this dominion faces strong opposition from spiritual, mental, and fleshly forces that seek to weaken man's authority. To maintain dominion, the believer must identify and overcome these opposing forces through truth, knowledge, and the Spirit. 1. Satan and the Forces of Darkness

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/2Kings20;Hebrews2;Psalms137–138;Hosea13 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Amos and Hosea (Episode 1/1) by The Lumen Christi Institute

After 70 years of exile in Babylon Cyrus, the king of Persia, who had recently conquered the city of Babylon, decreed that the exiled Jews be allowed to return to Judea and to rebuild Jerusalem. The decree was made in BC 537. Read it aloud in verses 2-4 of Ezra 1. Two thousand five hundred and twenty years later the Embassy of the USA is relocated from Tel Aviv of Jerusalem and a coin is minted showing Cyrus on one side and the then American president, Donald Trump. The uncirculated coin - meaning the coin is not legal tender - is inscribed with the words from Ezra 1verses2. The gold and silver vessels of the former temple at Jerusalem which had been stored in the treasure house in Babylon are returned to the new temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. Chapter 2 of Ezra gives us an inventory of the vessels and speaks the faithful remnant who with Ezra the scribe. King Cyrus makes a generous donation towards the cost of rebuilding Jerusalem. The vessels represent the saintsverses Isaiah 22verses24; 2 Timothy 2verses20-21.Hosea 5 deals with the judgment to come upon faithless Israel and Judah. Yahweh would, like a lion, tear His people because of their rebellious ways firstly through the Assyrian lion who would carry Israel captive; and then Judah would experience a similar fate 120 years later at the hands of the Babylonians.Acts 21 records Paul's journey to Jerusalem. The Apostle comforts and encourages many groups of disciples as he heads to Jerusalem. An old prophet, named Agabus, attempts to persuade Paul to go no further. Paul will not, like his lord, be dissuaded from going. The first thing Paul does on his arrival is to see James who advises him of the best course of action to be taken so as to avoid trouble. The Apostle is advised to complete his Nazarite vow and to cover the expenses of four other brothers who are completing their vows. James reiterates to Paul that the only binding requirements on Gentile believers are the keeping of the four matters agreed upon at the Jerusalem Conference. However, Paul cannot peacefully complete his vow since he is arrested in the temple by Asian Jews. These hostile Jews mistakenly believe that Paul has profaned the temple by bringing Trophimus, a Gentile Ephesian into the temple. A Tribune from the Roman fort of Antonia rescues Paul and commands that he be chained. The crowd clamours for the Apostle's blood, just as they had for his Lord's some three and a half decades earlier. In the barracks Paul speaks with the Tribune dismissing many of the fanciful thoughts as to who Paul might be. Paul asks for permission to address the crowd from the steps of the fort and his speech is recorded in chapter 22. Paul gives his defence in Hebrew and initially the crowd pays close attention. The aged Apostle describes his own education in the Pharisaic tradition under Gamaliel and his zeal for the Law. After this he tells of his experiences on the Damascus road, his conversion to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says that he is warned by Jesus his Lord to immediately leave Jerusalem since his testimony will not be accepted. The Jews attentively listen until Paul speaks of being sent to the Gentiles. Once again uproar follows and the Tribune commands that Paul be scourged that the Tribune might understand why the multitude were so angry with the Apostle. Paul, on this occasion, uses his Roman citizenship to avoid a pointless flogging. The chapter concludes with the Tribune intending to have Paul examined by the Jewish Sanhedrin on the next day.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

“Did papal documents teach Protestants go to hell?” This episode delves into the complexities of Vatican teachings and their implications for Protestant believers. Additionally, we explore the latest Vatican document and its significance, as well as the biblical meaning of Israel in Hosea 3:4-5, providing a comprehensive look at these important topics. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 06:45 – Did papal documents like Unam Sanctam teach holy protestant men go to hell? 16:43 – Can you clarify what the new Vatican document says? 33:38 – What does the bible mean when it mentions Israel in Hosea 3:4-5

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/2Kings19;Hebrews1;Psalms135–136;Hosea12 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

2 Chronicles 36 tells of the rapid disintegration of Judah after the death of Josiah. Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah becomes king at the age of 23 and rules for 3 months until he is deposed and taken to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco. Pharaoh Neco takes Jehoiakim (Jehoahaz's brother) and makes him king and changes his name to Eliakim. Eliakim is 25 years old when he becomes king and he reigns for 11 evil years practising wickedness in defiance of his God. The year is now about BC 607 and Nebuchadnezzar has just come to the throne of Babylon. The Babylonian king makes an incursion into Judah taking Jerusalem and carrying away many captives and several of Judah's princes including Daniel and his three friends. Additionally, the Chaldeans take away the vessels of the temple. Nebuchadnezzar has three further incursions into Judah until the final overthrow of Jerusalem in BC 587. Jehoiachin the son of Eliakim is placed upon the vassal throne. He is 18 years of age and rules for only three months and ten days until he, too, is taken to Babylon with the most precious vessels from the temple. And on this occasion another evil king is deposed. Zedekiah, the brother of Jehoahaz ascends the throne at the age of 21 and rules for 11 evil years. This last king of Judah is a vacillating, covenant breaking king who earns the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel 21verses25-27 spoke of this final overthrowing of Judah's kingdom and saying that the throne would remain vacant until "he comes whose right it is" - because he is God's Son and David's righteous heir - and God will then establish Christ's throne forever. The book concludes with two significant events - one negative, one positive - the burning and destruction of Jerusalem; and the decree of Cyrus in BC 537 that sees the return of the exiles.Acts 20 records that after the riot Paul calls for and encourages the ecclesia before departing into Macedonian. Six brethren accompany him as the representatives of their ecclesias. These delegates are carrying relief funds for the poor believers in Judea who are suffering the effects of a great famine. The chapter says Paul stops at Miletus and asks the elders of Ephesus join him there where Paul gives the ecclesia final encouraging words and warning them of dangers which would arise after his demise. The Apostle gives a very long talk, and because of the poor ventilation in the room a young man named Eutychus falls asleep in the window and he falls three storeys to the ground and is pronounced dead.Paul miraculously raises Eutychus and continues preaching until sunrise. Paul's intentions of departing into Macedonia appear not to have been achieved and he is now hurrying to Jerusalem to arrive before the feast of Pentecost. The Apostle's speech to the Ephesian elders is recorded from verses 18-35. In summary he tells them of their solemn responsibilities, warning them of a decline due to those who would seek leadership for their own advantage. On the positive side, Paul, in verse 32, commends them to God and the Word of His grace - read aloud, pause and ponder. The Apostle also quotes some unrecorded words of our Lord Jesus Christ - "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (v35). The assembled group pray together on the beach and then an old prophet warns Paul of what would comeupon him from the time of his arriving in Jerusalem. They greatly sorrow that they will see his face no more, but they respect Paul's resolute courage.

Guest Minister:  Lola Salvador   Daily Study: Lola draws on her upcoming Christian fiction novel, exploring the real and often painful journey of forgiveness within marriage. Through the story of a celebrated athlete whose private heartbreak becomes painfully public, we're invited to confront the deeper question every couple must face: How do you forgive when trust has been broken? Grounded in Scripture and word study, this message reveals the biblical depth of forgiveness—not just as letting go of offense, but as extending grace that mirrors God's own mercy. It's a redemptive reflection on love, healing, and the transforming presence of Jesus, who meets us in our brokenness and makes restoration possible. Scriptures: Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) - Establishes forgiveness as a divine command tied to spiritual freedom. Colossians 3:13 (NIV) - Defines forgiveness as imitation of God's mercy, not emotion. Hosea 3:1 (NIV) - A vivid image of covenant love that endures betrayal Psalm 34:18 (NLT) - Brings tenderness and comfort   Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com                    

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/2Kings17;Titus3;Psalms129–131;Hosea10 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Hello Friends! I love to hear from you! Please send me a text message by clicking on this link! Blessings to You!In this episode, Dr. Jori discusses with her listeners Yahweh's word to Hosea about how HE cared for Israel even though they were at times unfaithful. Scripture References: Hosea 11:4; Hebrews 1:1-2; Hosea 1:1-11; Isaiah 1:1; 1 John 1:9; Hosea 10:1-11:4 Scripture translation used is the Legacy Standard Bible.  “Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.comFIND DR. JORI ON OTHER PLATFORMS https://linktr.ee/drjorishafferCHECK OUT THE DWELL AUDIO BIBLE APP:Click this link for my unique referral code.  I use this frequently. Such a wonderful audio bible app. https://dwellapp.io/aff?ref=jorishafferBIBLE STUDY TOOLS DR. JORI USES:Note: These contain  Amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission, at no extra cost to you,  if you decide to make a purchase through my links.Here is a link to some of my favorite bible study tools on Amazon:https://geni.us/cHtrfEMr. Pen Bible Journaling Kitshttps://lvnta.com/lv_PTrHSCogbRim4yhEDnhttps://lvnta.com/lv_mkaMOuGe6m4oHR88uqhttps://lvnta.com/lv_dgvsxOc99t663A628z  JOIN DR. JORI IN DEVOTIONAL JOURNALING IN 2025Check out this 9 min YouTube Video outlining her journaling strategy! Don't Forget to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/lqe9TO7RSz4 BOOKS OF BIBLE COLOR CHARTI made this chart as a helpful tool for grouping the collections of books or letters  in the Holy Bible.  The colors in the different sections are the ones that I use in my journals.  Books of Bible Chart (color) (4).pdf - Google Drive    LOOKING TO RETAIN MORE OF WHAT YOUR PASTOR IS TEACHING?              CHECK OUT DR. JORI'S SERMON REFLECTION JOURNALS! Sermon Notes, Reflections and Applications Journal/Notebooks by Dr. Jori. Click the links below to be directed to amazon.com for purchase. Or search “Dr. Jori Shaffer” on Amazon to bring these up.  https://amzn.to/418LfRshttps://amzn.to/41862EyHere is a brief YouTube video that tells about the Journal/Notebooks as well:https://youtu.be/aXpQNYUEzds   Email: awordforthisday@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://awordforthisday.buzzsprout.com  Support the show

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/2Kings16;Titus2;Psalms126–128;Hosea9 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org