Podcasts about if jesus

The David Alliance  TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman Accuser     Do you inhale or exhale when you putt?      THE ACCUSER - THE RATT      START WITH A WARNING… **If you do not understand how the accuser works you will be used by him and for his purpose without even knowing it.       Here is how it works:  People play the VICTIM - Why me, me oh my, waaa waaa waaa, poor me.     Then they turn into the VILLIAN - They attack people who they feel have it made, had it easy, they think they are arrogant simply because they are successful in some area of life.   They they become Victors and they fight on behalf of the other “VICTIMS”… Jeff Karow “I shudder thinking about the 11 year old little girl who could not get an abortion after being brutally raped.        The worst thing about being deceived is you do not know you are deceived. You operate in the mindset of fact, but its not fact at all. Remember when cigarettes did not cause cancer.          John 8   Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”                   The historical background of this passage—traditionally known as the Pericope Adulterae—is shaped by a clever political trap, a clash between competing legal systems, and a fascinating journey through ancient manuscripts. [1, 2, 3, 4]    peh-RIK-oh-pee - It's from Greek, meaning "a cutting out" or "a selected passage,” Adulterae = ah-dul-TAIR-eye   1. The Legal Trap: Roman Law vs. Jewish Law The religious leaders weren't just asking Jesus for a theological opinion; they were trying to force Him into a dangerous political and legal corner: [3, 5]      The Roman Constraint: Under Roman occupation, the Jewish authorities (the Sanhedrin) were stripped of their power to officially execute anyone. If Jesus agreed that the woman should be stoned to death, He would be encouraging an illegal vigilante execution, breaking Roman law and setting Himself up as a rebel leader against Rome. The Mosaic Constraint: If Jesus said she should go free, He would appear to be breaking the Law of Moses(Leviticus 20:10), which prescribed the death penalty for adultery. This would instantly ruin His credibility as a Rabbi among the Jewish people.    What is really going on here? Judging Jesus response - while they themselves do not hold themselves accountable to the same standard.    *they are not willing to make a call on this - but judging Jesus on his response.   People will call you out - all the while never talk about their own lack of character in the same manner.       Where was the man? The Mosaic law explicitly stated that both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be put to death.   **Missing information: Accusers will never share the whole story.          OOOOO         2. The Location: The Temple Courts The text explicitly states this encounter took place in the Temple courts (John 8:2).     The sprawling courts of Herod's Temple were not dirt roads or sandy paths; they were grand, public plazas paved with massive, polished stone tiles. If there was loose dust blown onto the stones, Jesus could have been writing in the dirt. However, if He was pressing His finger directly against the smooth, hard flagstones of the Temple floor, a mere human finger would leave no mark. For Him to "engrave" or "write" a visible record there would require a miracle. [7, 8]    3. The Theological Parallel: The Finger of God By highlighting that Jesus wrote "with his finger," John uses a very rare phrasing that immediately points a Jewish reader back to the Old Testament. [7, 9]      In the entire Bible, there are only a few times where God is described as physically writing something. The most famous is Exodus 31:18: "He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God."     Jesus was silently saying: "You are trying to lecture Me on the Law? I am the one who carved it in stone in the first place." [1, 10]        OOOOOOO   The phrase "the finger of God" appears only a handful of times in the entire Bible. Each instance represents an irresistible, sovereign display of divine authority and judgment on those who try to play God.  When you connect these other passages to Jesus in the Temple courts, they paint a staggering picture of who He was claiming to be.     1. The Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 8:19)   The Context: During the ten plagues, Pharaoh's court sorcerers try to replicate the miracles Moses performs. When God turns the dust of the earth into swarms of gnats, the magicians fail to copy it. Terrified, they tell Pharaoh: "This is the finger of God."     2. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18 & Deuteronomy 9:10)   The Context: God delivers the moral law to humanity not by dictating it to Moses, but by physically carving it Himself. The text notes the tablets were "written with the finger of God" on stone.   3. The Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5:5)   The Context: King Belshazzar of Babylon throws a blasphemous feast, drinking out of the sacred gold cups stolen from God's Temple. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appear and scratch a mysterious message into the plaster of the wall (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin). Daniel interprets the writing: God has weighed the king's deeds, found him wanting, and his kingdom is finished.   4. Jesus Driving Out Demons (Luke 11:20)   The Context: Jesus is accused by His critics of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. He fires back: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."         This is a great teaching device — pastors use this "voice of the accuser" framing often to expose the enemy's tactics. Here's a biblically-grounded list, treating it as an exposé of strategy rather than actually voicing that persona.   9-16-26 Start here for TDA 10 Ways the Accuser Attacks Faith 1. Rehearsing Your Past He whispers your worst moment on repeat — the affair, the addiction, the abortion, the thing you did at 19 — long after God has already forgiven it, hoping shame will convince you that grace has an expiration date. (Revelation 12:10 — he accuses "day and night") 2. Redefining God's Character "Did God really say...?" He doesn't usually deny God exists — he reframes who God is: distant, disappointed, keeping score. (Genesis 3:1) 3. Comparison He points you at someone else's marriage, ministry, body, or blessing, and lets envy do the rest of the work — convincing you God has been unfair specifically to you. 4. Isolation Disguised as Privacy He convinces you that no one can know the real struggle — that if your small group or spouse knew, they'd walk away. Isolation is where accusation grows unchecked, because it's never tested against truth spoken by someone else. 5. Weaponizing Other Believers' Words He takes a real hurt — something someone at church actually said or did — and repeats it in your mind until it becomes "this is who the church really is" or "this is who God really is." 6. Delayed Answers as Proof of Abandonment When prayer isn't answered on your timeline, he suggests silence means absence — that unanswered prayer is proof you're not really heard, rather than proof you're being asked to trust. (Compare Job's friends' theology vs. God's actual response in Job 38-42) 7. Perfectionism Disguised as Conviction Real conviction from the Spirit is specific and leads to repentance and freedom (2 Corinthians 7:10). Accusation is vague, global, and leads to paralysis — "you'll never get this right," "you're always like this." One brings you to the cross; the other just buries you. 8. Identity Theft He tries to get you to answer to a label — addict, failure, fraud, unworthy — instead of the one Scripture actually gives you: forgiven, adopted, righteous in Christ (Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:5). Whoever answers the accusation has already accepted the label. 9. Success as a Trapdoor Ironically, he accuses through pride too — convincing gifted, "successful" believers (especially leaders) that their platform, growth, or following is proof of their own righteousness, setting up a fall through self-sufficiency rather than obvious sin. (1 Timothy 3:6 — the danger of being "puffed up with conceit") 10. Truth Without Grace This might be the subtlest one: he loves using real Scripture, real truth, real standards — just stripped of the gospel's grace and hope, so truth becomes crushing weight instead of a path to freedom. (This is actually what he tried on Jesus in the wilderness — quoting real Scripture, Matthew 4:6, but twisting its application.)   THREE  "Dirty Little Secrets" Worth Naming   1-  If there's one unifying tactic underneath all ten, it's this: the accuser rarely needs to invent new material — he just recycles truth without context, timing, or grace. Most of his accusations contain a kernel of something real (a real failure, a real hurt, a real Scripture) — which is exactly why they're so effective. Outright lies are easy to reject. Half-truths delivered at the right moment, with real pain attached, are much harder to resist.     2-  The second secret: he almost never announces himself. Nobody hears an accusing thought and thinks "that was Satan." It just feels like "being honest with myself," or "just being realistic," or "this is just how I am." The accusations feel like your own internal voice of reason — which is precisely what makes Revelation 12:11 significant: believers overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" — meaning the antidote isn't cleverness or willpower, it's actively speaking a different word over yourself than the one he's whispering.       3-  If a thought pushes you toward confession, prayer, and community — that's likely conviction. BUT WITH THAT - ACCUSATIONS MAKE YOU START TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THAT WHICH YOU ARE BEING ACCUSED OF… THEN HE MAKES YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR THE EXCUSES YOU MADE.      The weapon against accusation isn't willpower or cleverness — it's actively speaking a different word over yourself than the one being whispered. Silence lets the accusation stand unchallenged. Testimony — speaking truth out loud, even just to yourself — interrupts it.       OOOOOOOO   Discernment: Today we have more information and faster information as ever before.  Anyone on social media can be portrayed as an expert, and any information can be presented as fact… But even worse- the absence of clarity creates gossip and presumption that grows into ignorance as fact.        The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin; God knows your sin but calls you by your name     Point 1: The Accuser Has a Title, and a Strategy     Satan's biblical title here isn't "destroyer" or "tempter" — it's accuser. **And Scripture consistently shows this strategy doesn't stay confined to accusing us before God — it plays out horizontally, between people, through gossip, slander, and offense.   Insight: If the enemy's title is "accuser," we should expect his most effective tactic to look like ordinary WORDS     Accusation is not in the power of the words… but the seeds they plant and the doubt they grow. See it's like this: The seeds of innuendo, doubt and insinuation cause the Spiritually immature to feed and water those accusations. **When I was a frosh in HS. The rumor of “ sexually molesting” a child in a cornfield grew into a huge ordeal.  It was started by a teacher's wife - who her and her husband hated me and my family.        Insight: Slander's power has never been the volume of the lie — it's the seed of doubt it plants about someone's character   ITS NOT THE AMOUNT OF ACCUSATIONS - ITS THE SPACE IT CREATES FOR DOUBT = LACK OF FAITH     Why is The Tongue a Fire — it only takes a spark. **a forest fire does not start with a forest fire… it starts with a spark.        So that we don't fall into the role of the accuser we should know this:  Love Covers, Corrupt Talk Corrodes — Two Competing Modes of Speech   Text: Ephesians 4:29-32 PAUL SAYS SPEAK WORDS OF GRACE   1 Peter 4:8 PETER SAYS COVER A BROTHER… HELP BRING THEM INTO HEALING AND WHOLENESS.     ****A truth without grace or healing is still an accusation.     Closing Challenge   Today wether you have been the source of accusation, or the target of it. will you let your mouth be an instrument of the kind of love that actually covers, forgives, and builds up?”   And if I am on the receiving end - Take time to thank God that you are forgiven and accusations only stand as a strong reminder of how great Gods grace is. 

Today we’re living in the middle of a story that’s already promised an eternal ending, but we’re not there yet. We’re here – in the middle. In the middle of real life with real problems, real threats, real pain. Every day we are closer and closer to what is promised, but we’re not there yet. Within our Bibles is a story which so sweetly shows us our Jesus standing with us in our real life. He’s not just standing by in Heaven awaiting your arrival at the end of this life – no, he’s right here beside you, walking this out. Let’s read a familiar story with a new perspective. Jesus had a friend named Lazarus. Lazarus was sick, so his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent a message for Jesus to come. But, by the time Jesus gets there, Lazaraus is already dead. In fact, he had been in his grave for four days. Jesus meets with Lazarus’ sisters in their grief. John 11: 32-44, “When Mary saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. ‘Where have you put him?’ he asked them. They told him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ THEN JESUS WEPT. The people who were standing nearby said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But some said, ‘This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?’ Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. ‘Roll the stone aside,’ Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, ‘Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.’ Jesus respond, ‘Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?’ So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.’ Then Jesus shouted, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, ‘Unwrap him and let him go!'” Question – Did Jesus go there that day knowing Lazarus was dead? Yes. Did Jesus already plan to heal him, even in death? Absolutely. Did Jesus already know how he was going to turn their weeping into sheer joy when he brought life back to this dead body? Yes! So, why did he still weep? Answer – because Jesus was still walking through every moment with them. He allowed himself to feel the pain, to know the loss, even while fully knowing the way he was going to work it all out. He already had a plan, but in the ‘not yet’ of the plan, he wept too. And my friends, that’s where we are – We’re living in the ‘not yet’, but never forget there is a already a plan. A plan which God promises is good. A plan where God will take every intended harm and use it for good. A plan which ends with an eternal paradise spent with Jesus. Why do some prayers feel unanswered? Why do good things get taken away? Why do we go through loss? Jesus stood at Lazarus’ tomb, with tears running down his face. He KNEW death wasn’t the ending, but he still entered into the pain. He stood there with his friends as they ached, as they grieved. It was already done, already made good in the hands of the Father, already answered, already healed, already restored – BUT NOT YET. Your prayers have already been answered – but today you’re in the not yet. God already holds those answers for you and he’s so lovingly guiding your every step on the path to those answers. You’re simply on the journey there. The things that have been taken away, the losses you’ve experienced – God holds them so perfectly, not in punishment, but in His hands. He is not standing at a distance watching you suffer, waiting for you to finally make it to the other side. He is right here in the middle of it with you. He knows what you don’t know. He sees what you cannot see. He knows what is coming when all you can see is what has already happened. Every broken thing will be made whole again. The battle has already been won. Today, you hold on to the promise. Already … but not yet. And sometimes the miracle isn’t that God keeps us from the tomb. Sometimes, like Lazarus, we find ourselves standing in the middle of something that looks completely dead. We don’t understand why He didn’t come sooner. We don’t understand why He allowed it. We don’t understand why the stone is still there. But Jesus is there. And if Jesus is there, the story is not over. That’s the hope of the “already, but not yet.” We don’t have to pretend the pain isn’t painful. We don’t have to force ourselves to smile when we’re grieving. We don’t have to act like we understand what God is doing. If Jesus wept, so can you. But we also don’t have to believe that what we can see is all there is. Lazarus was dead, but death wasn’t the end. The tomb was sealed, but the story wasn’t finished. Mary was grieving, but joy was already on its way. Jesus was standing in the “not yet” with them, while already knowing exactly what the Father was about to do. And He still does that for us. Maybe today you’re standing in front of your own “tomb.” Maybe you’re waiting for healing, restoration, provision, reconciliation, direction, or an answer to a prayer you’ve prayed so many times you don’t even know what to pray anymore. Don’t confuse “not yet” with “no.” Don’t confuse silence with absence. Don’t confuse what you can see with all that God is doing. You may be standing in the middle of a story that God has already written the ending to. So we can grieve AND have hope. We can weep AND believe. We can hurt AND trust. Because Jesus doesn’t ask us to skip over the “not yet.” He meets us right there. And one day, there will be no more “not yet.” There will be no more death, no more crying, no more pain, no more loss. Everything Jesus has promised will finally be fully realized. Until then, we walk with Him. We trust Him. We keep believing. And when the road gets hard, we remember: Jesus is already holding the ending, even when we’re still living in the middle. Already promised. Already held. Already His. But not yet. I don’t understand the waiting I don’t understand the pain But You came into our suffering You wept You bled You stayed So until You make it right, Lord I’ll keep whispering through the ache: Already… Not yet… But soon Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Did you know in Jesus’ time of walking this earth and preparing his disciples to spread the gospel and reach the ends of the world with his offer of salvation, he never once taught them how to preach. He didn’t teach them how to organize a mission. He taught them this one thing … HOW TO PRAY. In teaching how to pray, we learn how to surrender to the Father, how to grow in trust, how to ask for his healing, seek his will, and follow his plan. All from the power of prayer. If Jesus puts this level of importance on prayer, we should too! He even gives us a way to pray – not a magic formula, but a guide for approaching our Holy God as our Father in Heaven. “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ‘ ” Immediately after Jesus shared this prayer example with his disciples, he followed it up with a parable showing HOW TO APPROACH GOD. As we now hear this story from Jesus, remember that’s what we’re learning. This is how we approach God in prayer. Luke 11: 5-10: Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.'” Again, what is Jesus teaching us through this story? HOW TO APPROACH GOD. This story can be confusing if you focus on the reluctant sleepy friend who doesn’t want to answer the door. That’s not the focus. The focus is on the man beating on the door at midnight asking. Asking is the point. The man knocking is not worried about being a nuisance. He’s not worried about being rejected. His need outweighs his embarrassment. Why do we hesitate to ask God, thinking he might be annoyed by us. We tell ourselves God has so many other more important things to deal with that he can’t possibly have time for our prayers too. Girl – God doesn’t fit in your little box! He’s not limited, he’s not overwhelmed, he’s not stressed, and he’s not annoyed. He created you to need him – Now admit that you do – CONSTANTLY! Do other people have bigger things they’re dealing with – Perhaps. But this isn’t a competition for the one with the most urgent crisis and the winner receives God’s help. This is an invitation to bring your needs to the Father and be personally attended to every single time. The man knocking on the door was asking for bread to share with his house guest – it wasn’t a life or death situation, yet he asked. And because he asked, he returned home with bread to share that night. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus would use an example like that? It wasn’t a mother beating on the door of a doctor begging for help for her dying child. It wasn’t a desperate plea for a bucket of water as their house was on fire. It wasn’t a midnight run for safety. It was a midnight run for bread to feed a guest – like a late night trip to the Walmart for a welcome snack to put on the table. THIS IS THE EXAMPLE JESUS USES FOR PRAYER. Yes, you should ask God for help with what you’re dealing with. Yes, you should ask God to provide for that. Yes, you should ask God to intervene when the situation feels impossible. But don’t wait until your life is falling apart to talk to God. Don’t wait until you’re starving to come knocking – Knock when you only need a little bread for a guest. That’s a little deal. But if you have a big deal, you can still come knocking! Just realize you didn’t have to wait until the need got so big – you could have asked all along. Ask him about the big things AND the little things. Ask him for wisdom about the decision you’re making. Ask him to help you know what to say in that conversation. Ask him to give you patience with that person who is driving you absolutely bananas. Ask him to provide what you need, even when what you need seems small and insignificant compared to someone else’s crisis. If it matters to you, it matters to your Father. You don’t have to rank your problems before you bring them to God. You don’t have to clean up your request, make it sound spiritual, or prove that your need is important enough to bother him with. Just ask. Remember this, we’re not dealing with a reluctant God. The friend in this story was reluctant. He was sleeping. He didn’t want to answer the door. He was bothered. THAT IS NOT OUR GOD. God is not reluctant – because he’s not sleepy – he’s not busy – he’s not annoyed. God says in Isaiah 65:24, “While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” Does that sound like a reluctant God? NO – not at all. So the man keeps knocking, keeps asking, and his persistence finally works – the reluctant, sleepy, annoyed friend finally opens the door and gives him the bread. And here’s the point: IF PERSISTENCE WORKS WITH A RELUCTANT HUMAN, HOW CERTAIN CAN WE BE OF A WILLING GOD? Jesus shares this story to encourage us to approach God with honest, unashamed persistence. Don’t be distant. Don’t be hesitant. Don’t be ashamed to ask. Don’t wait until you think the time is right. Go to God and ask – then ask again – and again – and again. Jesus uses the term, “shameless persistence” – girl get you some of that in your conversations with God. Be absolutely shameless in going to Him again and again. Stop worrying about being too much. Stop worrying about bothering God. You know he has what you need – ASK HIM! That’s how Jesus is teaching us to approach God. Not timidly. Not reluctantly. Not wondering if we’ve bothered him enough already. We come boldly, persistently, confidently—not because God is reluctant to help us, but because he is our Father and he has invited us to ask. Prayer isn’t about convincing God to care. Prayer is about trusting the God who already does. Now, let’s read the final 3 verses as Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer. Verses 11-13, “You fathers – if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” I’ve always focused on the snake and the scorpion here – completely overlooking what Jesus is telling me to ask the heavenly Father for. What does he say? “How much more will your heavenly Father give the HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask him.” Girl, ask God for his Holy Spirit! Ask him to fill you with his spirit. With his spirit, you begin to change from the inside out. You are filled with power and directed with purpose. You aren’t left trying to muster up the patience, the wisdom, or the strength on your own. He hands you the ultimate source of comfort and guidance. When you get the Holy Spirit, you don’t just get an answer to a prayer – you get the Answerer Himself living inside you!!!!! Think about it: Jesus shifted the whole conversation from a loaf of bread to the third person of the Trinity. He started with a guy asking for a midnight snack for a guest, and He ended with a Father overflowing with His very presence for you. Why? Because God knows that what we need most in this life isn’t just our physical requests met. What we need most is Him. When we ask for a little bit of bread to handle our immediate problems, God looks at us and says, “I will give you that, but I want to give you so much more. I want to give you My Spirit.” Do I need bread for today? YES, that would be great! Do I want the Holy Spirit for today? OH MY GOODNESS, YES!!!!!! I get God himself within me! I get supernatural peace, I get divine wisdom, I get the fruits of the Spirit growing within me, and I get this boldness to keep knocking on heaven’s door without an ounce of shame. So, stop overthinking your prayers. Stop holding back because you think your request is too small, or because you think you've asked too many times. Your Heavenly Father is sitting on the edge of His seat, waiting to hear your voice. He isn’t asleep, He isn’t annoyed, and He certainly isn’t going to hand you a scorpion. Go to Him today. Knock loudly. Ask boldly. And most of all, ask to be filled fresh with His Holy Spirit. He is ready and excited to open the floodgates. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

If Jesus is truly God, how could He die on the cross? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists respond to major Islamic objections to the divinity, humanity, and crucifixion of Christ. They explain how Jesus could experience hunger, exhaustion, temptation, and limitations in knowledge while remaining fully divine, and address whether it was unjust for the innocent Christ to suffer for the sins of others. The discussion also examines the Islamic claim that Jesus was not actually crucified, whether the “prophet like Moses” in Deuteronomy 18 refers to Muhammad rather than Jesus, and whether Jesus' promise of the Paraclete predicts Muhammad. Finally, they address the claim that Muhammad could be identified as the Son of Man. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 05:39 – If Jesus is God, how could God die?  10:20 – If Jesus is God, how could he be hungry, tired, tempted, or not know certain things?  12:40 – Is it unjust for an innocent Jesus to suffer for the sins of others?  19:00 – Did Jesus really die on the cross, or was someone else crucified in his place?  29:08 – Does Deuteronomy 18's “prophet like Moses” refer to Muhammad rather than Jesus?  35:30 – Does Jesus' promise of the “Paraclete” actually predict Muhammad?  41:16 – Is Muhammad the son of Man? 

The David Alliance  TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman Accuser   Do you inhale or exhale when you putt?    THE ACCUSER - THE RATT  START WITH A WARNING… **If you do not understand how the accuser works you will be used by him and for his purpose without even knowing it.   Here is how it works:  People play the VICTIM - Why me, me oh my, waaa waaa waaa, poor me.   Then they turn into the VILLIAN - They attack people who they feel have it made, had it easy, they think they are arrogant simply because they are successful in some area of life.   They they become Victors and they fight on behalf of the other “VICTIMS”… Jeff Karow “I shudder thinking about the 11 year old little girl who could not get an abortion after being brutally raped.    The worst thing about being deceived is you do not know you are deceived. You operate in the mindset of fact, but its not fact at all. Remember when cigarettes did not cause cancer.    John 8 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”   The historical background of this passage—traditionally known as the Pericope Adulterae—is shaped by a clever political trap, a clash between competing legal systems, and a fascinating journey through ancient manuscripts. [1, 2, 3, 4]    peh-RIK-oh-pee - It's from Greek, meaning "a cutting out" or "a selected passage,” Adulterae = ah-dul-TAIR-eye   1. The Legal Trap: Roman Law vs. Jewish Law The religious leaders weren't just asking Jesus for a theological opinion; they were trying to force Him into a dangerous political and legal corner: [3, 5]    The Roman Constraint: Under Roman occupation, the Jewish authorities (the Sanhedrin) were stripped of their power to officially execute anyone. If Jesus agreed that the woman should be stoned to death, He would be encouraging an illegal vigilante execution, breaking Roman law and setting Himself up as a rebel leader against Rome. The Mosaic Constraint: If Jesus said she should go free, He would appear to be breaking the Law of Moses(Leviticus 20:10), which prescribed the death penalty for adultery. This would instantly ruin His credibility as a Rabbi among the Jewish people.    What is really going on here? Judging Jesus response - while they themselves do not hold themselves accountable to the same standard.    *they are not willing to make a call on this - but judging Jesus on his response.   People will call you out - all the while never talk about their own lack of character in the same manner.   Where was the man? The Mosaic law explicitly stated that both the man and the woman caught in adultery were to be put to death. **Missing information: Accusers will never share the whole story.    2. The Location: The Temple Courts The text explicitly states this encounter took place in the Temple courts (John 8:2).     The sprawling courts of Herod's Temple were not dirt roads or sandy paths; they were grand, public plazas paved with massive, polished stone tiles. If there was loose dust blown onto the stones, Jesus could have been writing in the dirt. However, if He was pressing His finger directly against the smooth, hard flagstones of the Temple floor, a mere human finger would leave no mark. For Him to "engrave" or "write" a visible record there would require a miracle. [7, 8]    3. The Theological Parallel: The Finger of God By highlighting that Jesus wrote "with his finger," John uses a very rare phrasing that immediately points a Jewish reader back to the Old Testament. [7, 9]      In the entire Bible, there are only a few times where God is described as physically writing something. The most famous is Exodus 31:18: "He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God."   Jesus was silently saying: "You are trying to lecture Me on the Law? I am the one who carved it in stone in the first place." [1, 10]    OOOOOOO   The phrase "the finger of God" appears only a handful of times in the entire Bible. Each instance represents an irresistible, sovereign display of divine authority and judgment on those who try to play God.  When you connect these other passages to Jesus in the Temple courts, they paint a staggering picture of who He was claiming to be.     1. The Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 8:19)   The Context: During the ten plagues, Pharaoh's court sorcerers try to replicate the miracles Moses performs. When God turns the dust of the earth into swarms of gnats, the magicians fail to copy it. Terrified, they tell Pharaoh: "This is the finger of God."   2. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18 & Deuteronomy 9:10)   The Context: God delivers the moral law to humanity not by dictating it to Moses, but by physically carving it Himself. The text notes the tablets were "written with the finger of God" on stone.   3. The Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5:5)   The Context: King Belshazzar of Babylon throws a blasphemous feast, drinking out of the sacred gold cups stolen from God's Temple. Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appear and scratch a mysterious message into the plaster of the wall (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin). Daniel interprets the writing: God has weighed the king's deeds, found him wanting, and his kingdom is finished.   4. Jesus Driving Out Demons (Luke 11:20)   The Context: Jesus is accused by His critics of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. He fires back: "But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."   This is a great teaching device — pastors use this "voice of the accuser" framing often to expose the enemy's tactics. Here's a biblically-grounded list, treating it as an exposé of strategy rather than actually voicing that persona.

In this episode of the Mark Thomas Podcast, Mark challenges every follower of Jesus to recognize that sharing the Gospel isn't just for pastors, missionaries, or evangelists—it's the calling of every believer.You don't need a theology degree, a microphone, or thousands of followers to make an eternal difference. If Jesus has changed your life, you already have something powerful to share: your testimony.Discover how God can use your personal story to reach friends, family members, coworkers, and others who need Jesus. You'll also learn a simple three-part approach to sharing your testimony: who you were before Jesus, how you encountered Jesus, and how Jesus has changed your life.Your story matters. Someone needs to hear it. And God can use you to point them to Jesus.Give financially to our mission of spreading the Gospel message: https://donate.markthomasministries.org/Join our Mark Thomas Ministries Community: https://portal.markthomasministries.org/communities/groups/Subscribe to our podcast today! You can find it on Apple podcast or wherever you get yours.Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkThomasMinistriesClick the link to join our Mark Thomas Ministries Facebook community today: https://www.facebook.com/groups/markthomasministries

What do Muslims believe about the Christian understanding of God, and how can Catholics respond to Islamic objections to the Trinity and the divinity of Christ? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists examine where Jesus reveals the Trinity in Scripture and why He never simply says, “I am God; worship me.” The discussion explores the “Islamic Dilemma,” including how biblical manuscripts that predate Islam challenge the claim that Christians corrupted Scripture. They also address difficult passages about Jesus' divinity, including His statement that “the Father is greater than I,” and explain how Jesus can be God while also referring to the Father as His God. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:00 – What do Muslims say about the Christian God?  13:32 – Where does Jesus teach the Trinity in the Bible?  19:40 – The Islamic Dilemma  29:40 – “What exactly is the Islamic Dilemma, and why does the manuscript evidence for the Bible before the rise of Islam create such a serious problem for the claim that Christians corrupted Scripture?”  35:22 – Why didn't Jesus simply say, “I am God; worship me”?  39:59 – If Jesus is God, why did he say, “The Father is greater than I”?  46:49 – If Jesus is God, how could he have a God? 

If Jesus reigns over all, why does the world still look like this? Scripture describes Him seated in heaven, waiting until His enemies become His footstool. In this message, Pastor Lutzer unfolds Christ's kingship and present rule of restraint. Whatever we face, it's all under His feet. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://offerrtw.com or call us at 1-800-215-5001. Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.   SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://www.moodymedia.org/donate/ Become an Endurance Partner: https://endurancepartners.org/   SUBSCRIBE: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoodyChurchMedia Daily Devotional and Weekly Digest: https://www.moodymedia.org/newsletters/subscription/

If Jesus holds everything together, what are you still trying to handle on your own?The Follow Up is back. Bill Van Kirk, Jack Guerra, and Adam Jackson open a new season with Hebrews 1:1–4 and Spring Lake Church's Greater Than series. They explore what the opening verses say about Jesus—and why those truths matter when life feels uncertain.The conversation moves from the historical setting of Hebrews to the difference between knowing the Jesus revealed in Scripture and imagining a Jesus who simply fits our preferences. The pastors also discuss Hebrews as a word of exhortation, why the book's opening reads like a powerful opening statement, and how the series can deepen our trust in Christ.In this season's first Deep Dive, Bill traces how God makes himself known through creation, the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets, culminating in Jesus. The conversation then turns practical: seeing creation as an invitation to worship, giving Jesus his proper place in our lives, and bringing him the struggles we tend to keep to ourselves.A question to carry into your week: What is one thing you need to trust Jesus with—and what would it look like to bring it to him consistently?Main passage: Hebrews 1:1–4Series: Hebrews — Greater Than | Week 1Sermon weekend: September 13, 2026CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome to a new season03:27 Why “Greater Than”?05:26 Hebrews' opening statement and historical setting07:34 Creator, Sustainer, and Savior09:04 More than an imaginary friend12:28 Who wrote Hebrews—and how should we read it?14:51 Deep Dive: How does God reveal himself?16:17 Creation, the prophets, and revelation through history19:21 God revealed in Jesus20:59 Hearing from God and knowing the real Jesus23:43 Seeing creation as an invitation to worship24:45 What should we do with Hebrews 1:1–4?26:33 What do you need to trust Jesus with?28:24 Closing thoughtsWatch Spring Lake's sermons:https://www.youtube.com/@SpringLakeChurchLearn more about Spring Lake Church:https://www.springlakechurch.orgShare this episode with your Life Group or someone who wants to dig deeper into Hebrews. Leave your questions in the comments, and subscribe for the next conversation.

If Jesus reigns over all, why does the world still look like this? Scripture describes Him seated in heaven, waiting until His enemies become His footstool. In this message, Pastor Lutzer unfolds Christ's kingship and present rule of restraint. Whatever we face, it's all under His feet. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1407/29?v=20251111

Jarrett Stephens teaches from John 17 in a message called "The Power of Intercessory Prayer." In this passage, Jesus prays out loud so his disciples can hear and learn. He prays for his own glorification through the cross, then for his disciples to be protected and sanctified in a hostile world. Finally, he prays for future believers, for unity around truth and for the day we will see his glory. Jarrett shows that Jesus is the answer to his own prayers. He goes to the cross to accomplish what he asks. And he does not stop praying. Hebrews 7:25 says he always lives to make intercession for his people. If Jesus prayed for others, we should too. Intercession is not informing God of what he does not know. It is reminding him of his promises and joining him in his work.

John 19:9 “And he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from?' But Jesus gave him no answer.” So it helps to see what's happening. It appears that Jesus was brought out of the Praetorium and presented to the Jews. Then upon hearing that He might be the Son of God, Pilate took Him back into the Praetorium to question Jesus along that line. He asks Jesus a great question, “Where are you from?” That is the right question when considering the claims of Christ. If He's from Nazareth, then no biggie. But maybe Pilate remembered that Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world and he thought he should double check. Fear of offending God should cause us to double check ourselves. In this verse we see that Jesus didn't immediately answer Pilate's inquiry, so we will wait for the rest of the story. But for now let us ask ourselves this same great question. If Jesus is from God, shouldn't it change everything in our lives? If Pilate could have this moment back to do over, I think we would see him fall on his face before Jesus and say, “Have mercy on me, the greatest sinner, dear Son of God. I'm so sorry for what I have done. Forgive me!” What about us? We have this moment. We are seeing that God is love, and that love is the sustained direction of the will toward our highest good no matter what the cost. Have we fallen prostrate before Him and confessed our sorrow for what we have done to Him? If not, do we really know where He is from? And if we do know that He is from God in heaven, shouldn't we trust Him who has sent and sacrificed His Son for us? Shouldn't we surrender all to Him who surrendered all for us? And shouldn't we understand that we are not of this world, but are sons and daughters of God, sent into this world by God to live to love with Jesus as He lived to love with His Father? Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Do people become angels when they die, or do human beings remain fundamentally different from angels for eternity? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists tackle some of the biggest questions about Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. They discuss whether we will eat, sleep, work, have hobbies, or experience romantic relationships in Heaven, what the beatific vision will be like, and whether there are different degrees of heavenly glory. The conversation also explores whether someone in Heaven could ever sin again, how a loving God can allow anyone to go to Hell, why Hell is eternal, and whether a single mortal sin can lead to damnation. Finally, they address predestination and explain why Purgatory is necessary if Jesus has already paid for our sins. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:22 – Do people become angels when they die?  03:20 – Will we eat, sleep, work, or have hobbies in Heaven?  08:50 – Will there be marriage or romantic relationships in Heaven?  17:17 – How will I have any mind left over for anything else when I have the beatific vision?  21:16 – Are there different levels or degrees of glory in Heaven?  28:57 – Could someone in Heaven ever sin again or choose to leave Heaven?  35:30 – How can a loving God send anyone to Hell?  39:10 – Why is Hell eternal? Why can’t someone repent after death?  42:59 – Can someone go to Hell simply for committing one mortal sin?  45:12 – Does God predestine anyone to Hell?  50:38 – If Jesus paid for our sins, why is Purgatory necessary? 

Luke 13: 6-9, “Then Jesus told this story: ‘A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.'” This is a story about grace. But this is also a story about final chances. My friend, don’t waste God’s grace – you do have a role in this. Your role is fruit. God expects fruit. Just as a fig tree is expected to produce figs, as daughters of a good good Father, we are expected to grow good things in our lives. As girls who have received mercy, we are expected to be merciful. As girls who have been blessed, we are expected to become a blessing. Fruit is evidence of who you are and what you carry. Who you are is a girl who has been chosen and set apart by God. As a follower of Jesus, what you carry is the Holy Spirit. Yes, the same power that created the entire universe now lives within you, prompting you and willing you to do good things. His Spirit inside of us naturally grows good fruit in our lives called the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If these fruits are not growing in your life, there’s a problem. Just as it would be a problem for a fig tree not to grow figs, there’s a problem when you’re not growing in these good things. So, what’s the problem here? God wants to give you time to help you grow. The owner is right to expect fruit. The whole purpose of having an orchard or a vineyard is for the fruit. He’s not ridiculous or demanding – he’s righteous. And he’ even patient. Notice Jesus tells the story and says the owner had waited three years, but there hadn’t been a single fig grow on this tree. Three years. Three full seasons with nothing growing. The owner had been patient, but there was still no fruit. And the owner notices. Think of the owner as God – think of that fig tree as you. God sees you. He knows precisely where you are – afterall honey, he planted you. He is the one who gave you life. He chose you. And it was all for a purpose. You are here in his garden for the purpose of growing and producing goodness. Peace should be growing in your life. Patience should be multiplying. Kindness should be increasing. Faithfulness should be seen in you. Gentleness should be covering you. And self-control should be growing more and more. But if you’re not – God is asking why? He’s been watching and waiting. Graciously giving you more time. Three years, Jesus says. Three full seasons with nothing growing. Why is that? So, the gardener gets involved personally. Who is this gardener? Think of him as Jesus. Jesus takes a personal interest in you. He says, “Give her another chance. I’ll give her special attention.” Imagine that for a moment – Jesus is personally involved in caring for you so that you grow and produce goodness in your life. Jesus interceeds for us – he speaks to the Father for us. He asks for more time to be allotted for us. Looking back, I see years I’ve wasted. Years I was self-absorbed in selfish pursuits and producing a whole lot of nothing good in my life. Years when my priorities were so out of alignment that the Holy Spirit had no space to grow anything in me. And yet, Jesus personally attended to me. He patiently worked with me. He gave me chance after chance, until finally I began to grow as I was created to. Can you see how patient God has been with you? Can you see the work Jesus has done for you personally? Can you see the seasons of stupidity Jesus has walked through with you, never giving up? Imagine the times Jesus must have interceeded for you – “Father, I know she doesn’t look like it right now, but with a little more time and care, she’s going to grow. Her fruit is coming. Let me work with her.” You and I have been covered in grace and mercy. For all the times we didn’t get it right, we were given another chance. For all the times we didn’t show up the way we were supposed to, we were given grace. For all the times we were trying to be something we were never created to be, we were gently reminded who we really are. But remember this, mercy doesn’t eliminate accountability. The gardener asks for more time for this struggling tree, but with time the tree is still expected to produce fruit. The tree isn’t offered this precious space forever. The gardener offers his extra effort, his personal care, his direct involvement – but it is limited. The final chance will come and then there will be accountability. But here’s where this gets real, girl what are you doing with your extra year? What are you doing with the grace you’ve been given? What are you doing with the second chances, the third chances, the fourth chances? What are you doing with all the times Jesus has stepped in and said, “Give her a little more time. Let Me work on her”? Don’t waste the grace. Don’t mistake God’s patience for permission to stay the same. If Jesus is tending to you, let Him tend to you. If He’s digging around some hard places in your heart, let Him dig. If He’s exposing something that needs to go, don’t cover it back up. If He’s pointing out an attitude, a habit, a wound, an offense, a selfish desire, or an area where you’ve been stubbornly doing things your own way – don’t argue with the Gardener. He really does know what’s good for you. Let Him work. Because here’s the thing about a gardener: he doesn’t just stare at the tree and hope it gets better. He gets his hands dirty. He digs around the roots. He breaks up the hard soil. He cuts away what is dead. He creates the conditions for life. And he adds fertilizer. Yes fertilizer. Do you know what fertilizer is? I grew up on a farm and I can tell you precisely what fertilizer is – it’s crap. Legit crap. When added to a field, the crops grow bigger, faster, stronger, and they produce more. Look around, Sis – are you dealing with some crap right now? Could it be fertilizer to help you grow? Could this be the gardener stepping in with his personal care to create an environment where you produce goodness? It’s so easy for us to assume the things that really stink in our life are punishment – but maybe they’re fertilizer. Looking back, I see nothing helped me grow more than those hard times. The times when we didn’t know how we were going to pay rent. The times when we had no answers, only prayer. The times when if God didn’t bring us through, we weren’t getting through. Those were some stinky, honestly pretty crappy times – but wow, did I ever grow. Okay, Jesus, was that my fertilizer? Was that you being patient with me? Was that actually helping me, not punishing me? And pruning – oh don’t even get me started. I bet he’s cut some things out of your life too, hasn’t he? Sometimes the uncomfortable thing He’s asking you to surrender is actually the very thing keeping you from becoming fruitful. Sometimes He has to disturb your comfortable little life so He can get down to the roots. Sometimes He has to expose what you’ve been hiding because He loves you too much to let it keep producing nothing. Don’t resist the Gardener. He’s not trying to hurt you. He’s trying to make you fruitful. And notice something else: the gardener doesn’t say, “Give her another year and I’ll make her look like a fig tree.” He says, essentially, I’ll give her what she needs to become what she was created to be. That’s the goal. God isn’t asking you to become someone else. He’s not asking you to manufacture a fake version of yourself that looks spiritual on the outside. He’s asking you to become the woman He created you to be—and to allow His Spirit to produce what only He can produce in you. You don’t have to force fruit. Let Jesus do his work in you. Let Him change the way you think. Let Him soften your heart. Let Him heal what has been wounded. Let Him confront what has been selfish. Let Him strengthen what has been weak. Let Him teach you patience when you’d rather lose your mind. Let Him grow kindness when somebody is being really, really annoying. Let Him develop self-control when everything in you wants to spin out of control. So maybe today you need to stop and ask the Gardener a question: “Jesus, what’s keeping me from being fruitful?” Not, “What’s wrong with everybody else?” Not, “Why is he so annoying?” Not, “Why can’t they just get their act together?” Nope. Start with you. “Jesus, what’s happening in my heart?” “Where have I become hard?” “Where am I resisting You?” “What needs to be dug up?” “What needs to be cut away?” “What are You trying to grow in me?” How do you want to use this fertilizer? And then—this is important—let Him answer. Because the beautiful thing about this parable is that the tree isn’t abandoned. The Gardener is still there. He’s still working. He’s still giving grace. He’s still tending. He’s still believing that something good can grow. But don’t waste the season. There is a point when the extra year is over. There is a point when grace gives way to accountability. There is a point when the question is no longer, “Will she produce fruit?” but “What did she do with everything she was given?” Girl, you have been given so much. You have been given grace upon grace. Mercy upon mercy. Another chance upon another chance. You have been planted intentionally, loved deeply, chosen completely, and given the very Spirit of God to live inside you. Don’t just take up space in the garden. Grow. Not so you can earn your place in His garden. You already belong there. Bear fruit because you are His girl. Bear fruit because you’ve been loved. Bear fruit because you’ve been forgiven. Bear fruit because you’ve been given another chance. Bear fruit because the Gardener didn’t give up on you. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

The crucifixion wasn't the end; these facts changed everything. Is there evidence for Jesus' resurrection? How can Christians answer skepticism without getting defensive or emotional?In this Popscast, Dr. Bob Martin shares several important historical facts about Jesus' death and resurrection. He uses insights from Dr. Gary Habermas' book, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ, to support the case for the resurrection.He starts by looking at Jesus' death by Roman crucifixion and burial. Next, he explores how the disciples went from despair after Jesus' death to boldly proclaiming that they had seen Him alive. And they preached this message in Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified and buried.Pops also talks about how the early church grew and highlights two remarkable conversions. James, Jesus' half-brother, did not believe in Him during His life, but later became a believer and a leader in the Jerusalem church. Paul went from opposing Christians to becoming one of Christianity's greatest missionaries.These facts offer strong historical evidence that is worth looking into.If Jesus really rose from the dead, then He is the risen Lord we can worship.If you have doubts today, remember this: Jesus is alive. His grace is stronger than your sin, and His resurrection gives your life hope and direction. Subscribe to Binmin for clear, biblical guidance as you take your next step with Jesus.Reference for this short: Habermas, Gary R. The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ. Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 1996.

Date: 9/6/26 Speaker: Pastor Will Broadus Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:1-12 Description: What is Jesus worth to you? In 1 Corinthians 16:1–12, Paul calls the church to support believers who are suffering and to give toward the spread of the gospel. But beneath these practical instructions is a deeper challenge: when we see Christians willing to suffer and sacrifice for Christ, we are reminded of just how worthy Jesus is. In this sermon, “All for Christ,” we look at the persecuted church, the cost of following Jesus, the importance of supporting missionaries and church planters, and the need to remain focused on the mission of the gospel rather than being distracted by petty disagreements. The witness of persecuted Christians challenges us to ask whether we see Jesus as worth sacrificing for. Their faith reminds us that following Christ may be costly—but Christ is worth it. We are called to support our persecuted brothers and sisters, participate in the spread of the gospel, embrace the open doors God gives us, and keep the mission of Jesus at the center of our lives and our church. Main Idea: We ought to support the persecuted church and the spread of the gospel because it reminds us of the worth of Christ. Key Takeaways: - Jesus is worth following even when following Him is costly. - The persecuted church reminds us of the worth of Christ. - We are called to support Christians who suffer for their faith. - An open door for ministry does not necessarily mean an easy ministry. - The church must remain focused on gospel clarity, caring for those in need, and missional urgency. - Petty disagreements should never distract us from the mission of the gospel. - The gospel has global implications—we are called to participate in taking it to people who have not heard. ——————————————— Chapters: 00:00 — Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:1–12 01:57 — Introduction: All for Christ 03:00 — Polycarp and the Cost of Following Jesus 06:20 — Supporting the Persecuted Church 10:35 — The Witness of Persecuted Christians 12:40 — Why Following Jesus Is Worth the Cost 17:00 — Supporting Christians Through Prayer, Giving & Service 20:00 — Supporting Missions and the Spread of the Gospel 23:01 — An Open Door Doesn't Mean an Easy Ministry 25:15 — Embracing the Open Doors God Gives Us 28:12 — Staying Focused on the Mission 29:15 — Don't Let Petty Things Distract You 31:26 — Gospel Clarity, Care & Missional Urgency 34:22 — The Gospel Has Global Implications 37:06 — What Are You Willing to Sacrifice for Jesus? 39:27 — Conclusion: Christ Is Worth It ——————————————— Reflection Questions: 1. Do I see Jesus as worthy of my whole life, or only the parts of my life that are comfortable? 2. What does the faithfulness of persecuted Christians reveal about the worth of Christ? 3. What am I currently unwilling to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus more faithfully? 4. Where might God have placed an “open door” for ministry in my life, even though walking through it may be difficult or uncomfortable? 5. Am I allowing fear, inconvenience, awkwardness, or opposition to keep me from sharing the gospel? 6. Are there petty disagreements or secondary issues distracting me from the things that matter most to Jesus? 7. How am I currently participating in the care of Christians who are suffering around the world? 8. How am I participating in the spread of the gospel—through prayer, giving, serving, going, or sharing? 9. Who is one person in my life who may not yet understand the biblical gospel, and how can I intentionally move toward them? 10. If Jesus is truly worth everything, what is one concrete step of obedience He may be calling me to take this week? Please visit our website at reconcilecc.org for any questions. Thank you for helping support our mission to Preach The Gospel. Produce Disciples. Pursue Justice.

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Godless Engineer, Jim Barrows, and Jamie The Blind Limey confront the uncomfortable truth about Jesus and Old Testament atrocities!Albert in MA argues the Bible should be read allegorically, not literally. The hosts challenge him on Old Testament violence and slavery laws, pointing to Matthew 5:18 where Jesus explicitly affirms all Old Testament law remains valid. If it's all allegory, why did Jesus say not one letter of the law would pass away? What moral lesson justifies selling your daughter?Emanuel in Sweden questions whether Jesus actually taught Mosaic law. The hosts walk through Matthew 5:17-18, Leviticus slavery laws, and dietary contradictions, demonstrating Jesus affirmed Old Testament law including morally problematic commands. If Jesus fulfilled the law, why does he say it all still applies? How do you reconcile loving Jesus with endorsing genocide?Jock from Earth claims the Bible has esoteric or inner spiritual value beyond the literal text. The hosts press him to provide biblical support for his mystical interpretations. He cannot cite chapter and verse, only vague spiritual concepts. If the Bible requires secret knowledge to understand, how is anyone supposed to know what it actually means?Quincy in TX accuses the hosts of sending themselves to hell. When confronted with God's command to beat children in 2 Samuel 7:14, he admits it's wrong but says he'd obey God anyway, then references The Chosen TV show as his Bible source. If you'd beat a child because God commanded it, what does that say about your morality?Milton from Earth argues the Orthodox Church, not the Bible itself, is the ultimate authority. The hosts point out this doesn't address biblical commands like selling daughters. Milton becomes circular and confrontational, unable to explain his position clearly. If the church is the authority, why appeal to the Bible at all?Parker in VA, an atheist, seeks advice on handling presuppositional apologists on campus who claim logic requires God. The hosts and Jamie suggest slowing the conversation, demanding definitions, and asking how God actually grounds logic rather than accepting assertions. What would a world without logic even look like?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

If faith comes through hearing the gospel and believing in Christ brings salvation, what does baptism actually add? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Brayden Cook responds to some of the strongest objections to the Catholic understanding of baptism. He addresses what happens to those who never hear the gospel, the biblical and historical evidence for infant baptism, and whether requiring baptism contradicts salvation by grace through faith apart from works. The discussion also examines whether baptism is merely an outward symbol or actually brings regeneration, what 1 Peter 3:21 means when it says “baptism now saves you,” whether being “born of water and the Spirit” in John 3 refers to baptism, and why Catholics baptize using the Trinitarian formula despite Acts describing baptism “in the name of Jesus.” Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:18 – Paul says that faith comes through hearing the gospel (Rom. 10:17). If hearing and believing bring salvation, what does baptism actually add?  11:30 – If baptism is necessary for salvation, what happens to people who never hear the gospel or are never taught that they must be baptized?  20:45 – If infant baptism is apostolic, why is there no unambiguous example of it in Scripture—and what is the earliest historical evidence that Christians actually practiced it?  29:10 – If we are justified by faith apart from works (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8–9), why does the Catholic Church insist that the work of baptism is necessary for salvation?  31:15 – Isn't baptism simply an outward sign that someone has already been saved, rather than a sacrament that actually causes regeneration?  36:00 – Doesn't 1 Peter 3:21 explicitly deny that physical washing saves and locate salvation instead in an appeal—or pledge—of a good conscience toward God?  46:50 – If Jesus meant baptism when he said we must be “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), why didn't he simply say “baptized”?  51:45 – Why does the Catholic Church use the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:19 when Acts repeatedly describes baptism “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5)? 

Jesus told His disciples, "Let us go across to the other side." And then a storm came.   They were in the boat fighting a stom, and Jesus was asleep. The waves were rising. The boat was filling with water. And the disciples asked the question we've all asked of Jesus: "Don't you care?"   In this REVING the Word workout, Alisa Keeton invites you into the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4. As you move and let the Word move in you, notice what happens in your body when you think about the storms you're going through. Let your movement become an opportunity to practice trusting faith.   We are all headed for a storm, in a storm, or coming out of one. The invitation isn't to avoid the storm. It's to discover who Jesus is in the middle of it, and learn to trust Him.   "If Jesus put you in it, He'll get you through it."   Anchor Scripture: Mark 4:35–41   Playlist for this REVING the Word: Show Me (Radio Edit) – Vumaala, Re Alissa Late Night – ODESZA Set My Heart On Fire (I'm Alive x And The Beat Goes On) – Majestic, The Jammin Kid, Celine Dion Jesus Is The King – Tiki Lau Silence (John Summit Remix) – Delirium, Sarah McLachlan, John Summit Welcome Resurrection (feat. Chris Brown) – Elevation Worship What Are We Waiting for (Reprise) – Nina Landis      This episode is dedicated to the "Commanders of Calm" A special shoutout to our next group of men and women going through Revelation Wellness Instructor Training! You are the Commanders of Calm, and this episode is dedicated to you. You're made for Him. You're made for faith. You're made for this! We're so excited to see how God uses you to lead others toward health and wholeness.    Learn more about becoming a Revelation Fitness Instructor or LiveWell Health Coach: https://www.revelationwellness.org/instructor-training/   Ready For More?

If Jesus already did everything necessary to save you, why bother trying to be good anymore? Why fight sin so hard? Why forgive the person who hurt you? Why do the right thing when nobody's watching? Here's the beautiful answer. We don't obey God so that he will save us. We obey him because he already has. In this devotional I open up Romans 6, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the difference between Jesus dying for us and Jesus living for us, the perfect life you and I never could. Grace comes first, gratitude follows, and our good works are simply that gratitude made visible. To learn more about the sponsor of today's show and what our family currently uses for our healthcare check out Christian Healthcare Ministries by visiting https://hubs.ly/Q02vWQGy0  Alliance Defending Freedom: https://JoinADF.com/Kirk Check Your Registration - https://tools.vote.online/embeds/chec... Editing and production services provided by thepodcastupload.com #KirkCameron #TheKirkCameronShow #Grace #Romans6 #Gospel #ChristianLiving #Devotional #Faith #Salvation #GoodWorks #Gratitude #BibleStudy #Christianity #Jesus

Full Text of Readings Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Lectionary: 636 The Saint of the day is Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Story of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Church has celebrated Mary's birth since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. Scripture does not give an account of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James fills in the gap. This work has no historical value, but it does reflect the development of Christian piety. According to this account, Anna and Joachim are infertile but pray for a child. They receive the promise of a child who will advance God's plan of salvation for the world. Such a story, like many biblical counterparts, stresses the special presence of God in Mary's life from the beginning. Saint Augustine connects Mary's birth with Jesus' saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.” The opening prayer at Mass speaks of the birth of Mary's Son as the dawn of our salvation, and asks for an increase of peace. Reflection We can see every human birth as a call for new hope in the world. The love of two human beings has joined with God in his creative work. The loving parents have shown hope in a world filled with travail. The new child has the potential to be a channel of God's love and peace to the world. This is all true in a magnificent way in Mary. If Jesus is the perfect expression of God's love, Mary is the foreshadowing of that love. If Jesus has brought the fullness of salvation, Mary is its dawning. Birthday celebrations bring happiness to the celebrant as well as to family and friends. Next to the birth of Jesus, Mary's birth offers the greatest possible happiness to the world. Each time we celebrate her birth, we can confidently hope for an increase of peace in our hearts and in the world at large.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

If Jesus wrote a letter to the church today, what would He say? For the churches in Revelation, they did not have to wonder. They got mail, directly from the Son of God! In the letters to the churches, we discover more of the heart of Jesus as he commends, confronts, and corrects the 7 churches in Revelation. My hope is that as we read through these passages, we will have ears to hear and understand what the Holy Spirit is revealing to each of us through the Scriptures. The heartbeat of Church on the Rock is to help people discover how they can LOVE God and LOVE one another, LIVE with passion, purpose, and freedom, and LEAD others to this same experience in Jesus. We simply say, “helping others Love, Live, and Lead in Jesus". Commit to your "One More": https://onemoreak.com Let's Connect here: https://churchak.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/84/responses/new Learn more about us at https://churchak.org If you enjoyed our teaching and would like to donate to our ministries, go here: https://pushpay.com/g/churchak?src=hpp

Introduction: Why Jesus' Victory is the Greatest Victory (1 Corinthians 15:50-58): He won the greatest PRIZE . (1 Cor 15:50-53) 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. He defeated the greatest ENEMY . (1 Cor 15:54-57) He gives us the greatest PURPOSE . (1 Cor 15:58) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Unified and Purified: We Labor in Victory Jeff Miller Download Audio Transcript 00:05Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter 15.00:12While you're turning there, just take a moment please and pray for me to communicate God's Word clearly and accurately as I should and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is the Lord wants to teach us in His Word today. Do we have a deal?00:30One of you?00:32Alright, let's pray.00:35Father in Heaven, this church was built on the belief that Your Word does Your work. Your Son made it clear that when Your Word is sown and it falls on good soil, it reproduces. And I'm praying today, Father, that our hearts our good soil.01:06And that we would allow your word to take deep root and change us from the inside out.01:18Father, we thank you for your goodness.01:21We thank you for your promises.01:24Be glorified now through your word.01:26We pray in Jesus' name.01:29And all of God's people said, Amen.01:33Amen.01:34Sports fans, don't you just love the thrill of a really tight game? I know I do. But you know what I love even better than a really tight game? An absolute blowout. I mean, just a good old-fashioned curb stomping, rubbing your nose in it. Like, I love when it's your team that's doing The dominating. I love that. I like that even way better than a close game. But even better than that is when you're actually playing the game where you're doing the stomping. That is delicious. I've had that experience a few times in my life. One, many, many years ago, I used to be decent at tennis. I mean, I wasn't like, Andre Agassi or anything. But I was decent. And I could keep up. But I remember meeting this guy through a friend of a friend kind of thing. And he found out I played tennis. He goes, oh, I play tennis. I'd like to play you sometime. I'm like, great, let's play. But then he started all the smack talking. He's like, well, you know, I'm going to destroy you. I'm like, okay. He goes, yeah, I'm really going to, he goes, I'm really going to beat you.03:04I'm like, aren't we adults? Like, why are you talking like this? But he just like kept us smacked. Okay, so now he's like in my head a little bit. Like, okay, so I'm going to show up and play this guy, and he's going to embarrass me. And I'm like, so I was trying to get in that headspace. Like, how do you walk into that, right? Well, the day came for our big match. And I don't know.03:33I don't know how else to say it. He was horrible. I mean, the word is pathetic. It was at the point that I'm not sure he knew which end of the racket to hold. In fact, if he would have been swinging at it with just a handle, I think he might have done a better. He was horrible. Like, how bad was he? He was so bad that I started playing as if I would play against like a five-year-old.04:03Just like he would get it over the net and I would like rejoice that he even got it over the net and I would just well in that when you're playing it like 10% obviously you're going to make mistakes because that's not how you're supposed to play and I'd like hit it into the net by accident. He started the smack talk up again like yeah what's up now I'm like oh okay like all right. That's when I proceeded to completely the court with him. Unmercifully never saw him again. I think he moved to Nepal or something. But it was so just exhilarating being on the side of a complete, dominating, crushing, one-sided victory. Oh, and speaking of, today we are going to talk about the greatest, one-sided, overwhelming victory, that's ever happened.05:05And that was Jesus Christ defeating death.05:09And he did it by resurrecting.05:14And that's what 1 Corinthians 15 is all about.05:18This whole chapter is about resurrection.05:24And we talked about this through this series.05:26The whole idea of resurrecting from the dead was crazy.05:32to the Corinthians, the Greeks, and Corinth. They didn't believe in a bodily resurrection, so Paul was setting them straight. He goes, no, this is what God said, okay? And there's even people in churches today really don't think about the idea of resurrection, right? Even people in churches today are like, okay, I get like salvation, and I get like heaven, but like this idea that I'm going to bodily resurrect, Yes! According to the Bible, you are literally going to get a new, eternal, indestructible, glorified, resurrected body. You're going to get a brand new body. Some of you should be shouting Amen. I know I am. You know, this is a rental, and I've beat it up pretty bad. So, last week the question we examined was this one.06:32What's the resurrected body like? What's it like? And you can go back and listen to that message, or if you weren't here, it's on our website or the YouTubes. But today, we're going to answer this question. This is where the text takes us. When do I get this resurrected body? When does that happen? And the answer is when Jesus returns.07:03The dead receive theirs first, then the living receive theirs, and that is going to be the day, according to this passage we look at today, that's going to be the day that we celebrate the greatest one-sided victory of all time. All right, some of you might not be convinced, so if you have an outline, why Jesus' victory is the greatest victory. Why Jesus' victory?07:32He just claimed it was the greatest one-sided overwhelming victory of all time. Why? Why is it? Well, number one, He won the greatest prize. He won the greatest prize. Look at verse 50. He says, I tell you this, brothers, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.08:02designs special bodies that are suited for eternity, suited for heaven. We talked about that a little bit last week, right? This body that he gave us that we're living in now, this body is suited for earth, right? The way this body functions, it works perfectly in the earth environment, right? This is suited for here. But this body is not going to work in heaven.08:31There, we're going to need a new body. So we're going to have to be changed. We saw last week, the Bible says that this body is like a seed. And when we die, we are buried in the ground. And like the seed, our resurrection, we are raised up as something new.09:01All right, so here's the question. On the table. Okay, you're saying the people who die are put in the ground, raises something new. What about people that, like, aren't dead when Jesus returns? Like, what about those people? If you have to be buried to come up as a new body, like, what if you're one of the people alive, and it very well could be us, who are alive when Jesus returns? Does that mean that we have to die so that we can be buried so that we can get our resurrected body. Is that what has to happen? And the answer is no. If you're alive when Jesus returns, you do not die. What does happen? Well, he tells us, look at verse 51. He says, behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.10:01Now when he says mystery here he's not talking like you know Alfred Hitchcock or anything like that. He's the word mystery in the Bible just means something that God never said in past time but now he's revealing it for the first time. It's all through the Bible.10:18He says we will not all sleep. That's a nice way of saying die. We will not all die but he says we will all be changed.10:28So when Christ returns believers who are alive Christ comes, will not die, but are going to be transformed.10:38And do you know how long it's going to take?10:41If you're alive when Christ returns, do you know how long it's going to take for this body to be changed into the new body?10:50Do you know how long that takes?10:52He tells us, this is astounding.10:55Look at verses 52 and 53.10:57He says, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable. And this mortal body must put on immortality. It's going to be, your change is going to be instant.11:31Your body is going to change faster than you can even recognize that it was changing. This is so interesting to me. When he says in a moment, you see that in the text, in a moment, verse 52, that word for moment in the Greek refers to something that is so small that it can't be divided. What I mean is this, if your body transforms in two minutes, that's a period of time that can be divided, right? You can divide two minutes into two one-minute periods or four 30-second periods or whatever. He's saying the amount of time it's going to take your body to change, that amount of time is so small that you can't even divide it. It is that small. Like, well, what does that mean? He just means instantly. When Christ returns, if you're alive, instantly, boom, new body.12:31Awesome. He also talked about the trumpet. The last trumpet. Study your Bibles. Trumpets were used all through the Old Testament for what purpose? To call God's people to come and meet God. The day is going to come that God is going to blow that trumpet one more time. He just said, all my people gather together to meet your God. This is exactly what Paul was talking about in 1 Thessalonians.13:014. I encourage you to go home and read this whole chapter because it really complements what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 here.13:09But he says, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And here it is again, the dead in Christ will rise first. This event that he talks about in 1 Corinthians 4.13:30And this event that he talks about in 1 Corinthians 15, you read it in John chapter 14 as well, is called the rapture. What is the rapture? What is this event that happens where we get our resurrected bodies, where the dead come out of the grave and get their resurrected bodies? What is this event? It's when Jesus Christ descends from heaven to gather his people, those who died and those who are living to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air to receive the glorified bodies. Then it's off to heaven. Like, well, when does the rapture take place? Well, I know, you know, when you follow church trends and doctrinal changes and things like that, it's not cool in our day to believe in the rapture, but it's biblical.14:30And I'd be more concerned about being biblical than what's trending. So I believe biblically that this rapture takes place before the seven-year tribulation period as described in Revelation. Okay? I believe that Jesus comes to take His church out of the earth before the seven-year tribulation. Why do I believe that? I'm going to give you three reasons why I believe that.15:01Why do I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture? Why do I believe Jesus is going to take the church out before the judgment events of Revelation? Why do I believe that? Jot these three things down. The first reason I believe that is it's the most straightforward understanding of the biblical language. Read Revelation 3.10. Read 1 Thessalonians 5.9. Jesus promises to keep His church out of the future time of testing the on all unbelievers. That's just the most straightforward understanding of the language. Jesus says, I'm going to keep you from the hour of trial that's coming on the whole world. I'm going to keep you from that.15:45Study that out.15:47That's just the most straightforward language.15:52Number two, why do I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture?15:55The second reason is, speaking of revelation, You know you never see the church during the tribulation in the book of Revelation? I always found that so interesting. People that believe the church is going to be there. Have you read Revelation? Have you read this? Our youth group just went through that recently. Where was that last year? Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The church, the church, the church, the church, the church. And then after chapter 3 when the events of judgment are described, the 70 tribulation, The church isn't mentioned one time. Not one time. The church, interestingly, is mentioned 19 times in Revelation 1-3. Not mentioned at all during the tribulation. And then after chapter 3, the church's next mention in the book of Revelation is chapter 22. Why? I believe because the church isn't there. Here. The church isn't here during those events.16:58The third reason, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, because people push back on this, and they're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, why do you think the church is exempt from suffering? And I would say, well, open your eyes, I don't think the church is exempt from suffering. But, when it comes to judgment, number three, write this down, God has a track record of removing His people before He judges the wicked. Have you ever noticed that? I mean, God has this incredible track record. Study this out. When God judges wicked, rebellious sinners, when God's going to bring His judgment on wicked, rebellious sinners, the first thing that He does is remove His people. He always does that, right? Like, remember Genesis chapter 6? God was going to send a flood. What was the first thing He did?17:58provided a way to separate and protect his people. Go to Sodom and Gomorrah. When God was going to burn them from the map, what was the first thing he did? Lot, get out of there, right? What about Israel and Egypt during the plagues? God separating his people from his judgment. What about the Israelites from Korah and the other rebels in the wilderness? You see it over and over. God's going to judge people who are rejecting him.18:28The first thing he does is say, I've got to get my people out of there so they're not receiving any of the judgment I'm pouring on the earth. On the sinners, rather. So with the rapture, God will again separate his people from the judgment on sinners by removing the church before the tribulation so that the church will not be the object of his wrath. So when that trumpet blows, understand you're going to finally receive the fulfillment of everything Jesus Christ Forgiveness of sin, eternal life, the promise of heaven, and that glorified body, the things that Jesus Christ has promised and will ultimately deliver to those who love Him. Can you think of a greater prize? Jesus' victory is the greatest victory because He won the greatest prize. And secondly, He defeated the greatest enemy.19:30He defeated the greatest enemy.19:36You're like, what enemy?19:39Well, we studied this earlier, right?19:41Verse 26 says death is the enemy.19:46You get that, right?19:48You felt that, haven't you?19:50Death is the enemy.19:55By nature of my job, I've been to a lot of funerals. You don't have to sell me on what a monster death is. When you're standing beside the casket with friends and family who are just distraught, gone, life on earth will never be the same. This person is gone. Death is such a monster. It takes people from us.20:25a monster that we can't do a thing to stop, right? I mean, as much as we hate death, as much as we hate watching people die, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Realizing also that it's going to happen to me. It's going to happen to me. I'm going to die someday. And you're like, sorry about your luck. You're going to die someday.20:56Have you ever thought about how? Are you going to be advanced in years? Are you going to die over time? Are you going to die suddenly? You're going to die someday. Like when? Is it going to be soon? Is it going to be decades from now? Unless the rapture happens before, you're going to die. But you see, that's what we see in this passage when Jesus does come. And when the resurrection occurs, death, death itself is finally completely conquered for God's people.21:55Jesus defeats the greatest enemy. We can't gloss over that. Look at verses 54 and 55. Jesus wins the victory. You're like, well, to what degree did Jesus win? Well, Paul tells us that Isaiah tells us. He says, when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to the saying that is written. And here he quotes Isaiah 25. He says, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is your victory? Oh, death, where is your sting? I love this because death isn't just beaten. Death isn't just slapped around a bit. Do you see this? Your Bible says that death is consumed.22:55It's swallowed. Meaning gone. He says, death, where is your sting? Where is your sting? You know that word sting, that was a word they used in the Greek for the same purpose that we often use the word sting. It referred to bees. The sting of a bee. You know, death has a sting.23:26And when Jesus Christ comes back for us, that sting is going to be gone. In other words, using this word picture, he says death is sort of like the bee, right? Have you ever been stung by a bee? Have you ever been stung by 30 yellow jackets at one time? I have. Not fun. Because of Jesus' victory, Paul's saying, death is the bee. And when Jesus died on the cross, what Jesus did was remove the stinger from the bee. So yeah, death is still buzzing around, but it doesn't have a sting anymore. And then when Jesus returns, that whole bee itself is going to be swallowed. Like this thing is over and done. Do you see the word picture?24:26what all these things mean. Well, he does. Look at verse 56. He says, the sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law.24:41Okay, so death is like a bee. Sin is the stinger. Right? Sin is the thing that causes the damage.24:52And I'm here to tell you today, if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you have not received salvation in Him, death is something that you should be afraid of. You absolutely should be afraid to die and stand before a holy God with unforgiven sin on your record. Because if you do, death is eternally deadly.25:22He says the power of sin is the law. Like what does that mean? Just very simply what Paul said in Romans 7. The law defines sin. The law shows us that we're sinners. We can have some vague idea that maybe I don't always do the things that I should. But you see the law of God lays it out for us. You know what your problem is? Your problem is you have a sinful heart that results in doing these things. That's what the law has accomplished. Showing us that we're sinners.25:52This is the victory that he's talking about here. That the wages of sin is death and Jesus Christ paid that wage with his death. It should have been me. But Jesus stepped in and died on your behalf. He said, I'll pay. You owe and can't pay. I don't owe, but I will pay on your behalf.26:22You see when Jesus did that he satisfied the demands of the law. So when you receive Jesus Christ death to you is the bee without the stinger. Oh it's still around. And it's annoying. And we still might be a little afraid of it but we realize you know what?26:52can't do any damage because it doesn't have a stinger. Look at verse 57. He says, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You should underline that in your Bible. God gives us the victory.27:22He won the victory. What did He do with it? He goes, here, I'm going to give this to you. Now you are the winner. He defeated death by rising from the dead and gave the victory to us. And every time I read and think about this verse, I always think of the same thing. Jane Hour knows exactly what I'm going to say. I always think of the same thing. 1990, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan put up 69 points in one game.27:5269 points in one game. It's astounding, right? But on Jordan's team, there was a rookie teammate. And his name is Stacy King. Well, they left this rookie in late in the game. And he made one free throw. He made one free throw. Well, in the post-game press conference, obviously, the reporters were all like wanting to talk to Michael Jordan and they were all swarming him, wanting to hear from the goat, right? Let's hear from Michael Jordan. But Stacey King was able to get in a comment. One of my all-time favorite sports quotes, Stacey King said, I will always remember this as the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points.28:55And you realize, in a very real sense, that's exactly what Jesus has done for us. You see, Jesus won the victory. Jesus put up all the points. And He gives the victory to us, so we stand here on Sunday, and we're like, Jesus, we won! Jesus, the enemy is defeated! And it really had nothing to do with us.29:22But we get to celebrate the victory. That's why we can come to church and say, you know, I'm always going to remember Calvary as the day that Jesus and I gained victory over death. He defeated the greatest enemy. Jesus' victory is the greatest victory. Number three, because He gives us the greatest purpose.29:52us the greatest purpose. Last verse. He says, therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Therefore, because of everything that we've studied in 1 Corinthians 15, therefore, because we know Jesus was Therefore, because it motivates our conduct. Therefore, because of the promise that we will be resurrected. Therefore, because of what our resurrected bodies are going to be like. Therefore, because Jesus defeated death. He says, therefore, be steadfast. Steadfast, that word literally means sitting. It means sitting.30:52And people are like, you know, sitting is the new smoking. Have you heard that? Sitting is the new smoking. Sitting is my favorite thing. Okay? Don't ruin it for me. But that's what it means. It's being settled. It's not being distracted. Just like, look, I believe in Jesus. He died for me. He rose for me. He gave me these promises. I'm resting in that. I'm settled. I'm not chasing after.31:22anything else. I'm settled in Christ. He says, be immovable. You know what that word means in the Greek? Not moving. Bless you. It means being rooted. He's saying, hey, because of all of these glorious promises, hold your position. Don't waver. Keep God's promises on the forefronts of your mind as a motivator.31:53He says, always abounding in the work of the Lord, always abounding. Yes, yes, it's going to be difficult at times. Yes, hard times are going to come. Yes, our schedules are going to fill up. But Jesus gave us the greatest purpose in church. Listen, we've got limited time to do it. He says, knowing, knowing, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.32:22And church, this is a promise from God that we need to constantly be reminding ourselves of. Listen, everything that is done for the Lord, in the name of the Lord, empowered by the Lord, everything that is done for the kingdom of Jesus Christ, it all matters. It all matters. It says, your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I was thinking about that this week. That so much of life, is spending time doing things that end up being in vain, right? You know what I mean? We spend so much time on things that we're like, wow, that was a complete waste of time. Like, have you ever washed your car? And then, what happens? It rains, right? You're like, well, that was a waste of time. Or, have you ever, like, got this new recipe? You spend, like, all this time making this, making, oh, this is going to be fantastic, and then you, You put it in the oven and you get distracted with something else. You forget about it and you burn it. Have you ever done that? You're like, well, that was a waste. That was a waste. I spent all that time and it's in vain. You ever spend all day at work on a project and when you're just at the finish line, your boss says, oh, you know what? There have been some changes. I'm going to need you to all that and start over.33:56Has that ever happened to you?34:00It's in vain, right?34:02You're like, all that work meant nothing.34:09So much time is wasted because of extenuating circumstances, but the thing that really convicts me is when I think about how much time we choose to waste.34:25How much time do we choose to waste?34:32And I've got to tell you, church, it always astounds me when I talk to people who are like, well, I don't have time to serve in the church.34:40It doesn't matter that there's rotating teams for all the ministries, and usually service might be like once or twice a month.34:46I don't have time to serve.34:48I don't have time to help out in Harvest Academy.34:50I don't have time to join a small group. I don't have time to come to a prayer service. And then the thing that astounds me is in the same breath, you can like change the subject and talk about something else and find out that the person had plenty of time to doom scroll or to watch or attend sports all week or they'll say, oh yeah, you know, I love that show Stranger Things. You know, I binge watched that twice last week. And like, really?35:20to a prayer service had how many hours to sit and watch and re-watch a TV show? And you're like, hey man, I didn't come here for a guilt trip. Listen, please hear me. I'm not trying to give you a guilt trip. I just want to ask you and I want to ask myself, the stuff that we spend our time on, Can we really step back and say, yeah, yeah, that was worth it. That was worth it. I'm glad I spent all that time. Can we really, church, can we really be content to say, oh, I don't have time, Jesus. I don't have time for small group of prayer services. I don't have time, Jesus. And then fill up our calendars with these other things. Are we okay with that?36:22I was wondering, you know, would you be embarrassed if Jesus looked at your Google calendar? If Jesus showed up and he's like, hey, notice you were on a prayer service. Like, oh, I don't have time. Let me see your calendar. Let's see what you did have time for. And you thought your time this week was better spent doing this than assembling with the people of God and crying out.36:50out for me. Would you be embarrassed? I mean, church, at the end of the day, when you lie down, you put your head in the pillow, can you look back on your day and say, yeah, you know what? I invested my day in things that matter for eternity. Again, I'm not trying to beat anybody up. I'm just saying, when we say I don't have time to serve the Lord. I think we need to be really careful that the real truth of the matter isn't actually I just choose to spend my time doing other things. Because he says here in the Lord, Your labor's not in vain. Whatever's done for Jesus, it matters. It all matters. And some would say, well, wait, wait, wait, wait. You know, once upon a time, you know what? I did this thing for the Lord. It was a complete waste of time. You know, people didn't respond the way I think they should. Actually, nobody showed up. And it was a complete waste of time. I didn't see any results. Well, it doesn't really matter what you see, does it?38:20God has said it matters.38:24God says it matters.38:26So, so, we disciple our children.38:31Why?38:31Because it all matters.38:34We go to small groups to sharpen each other because it all matters.38:38We gather here to serve the Lord by serving people because it matters.38:43It all matters.38:44We witness at work because it all matters.38:47We get involved in LifeWise and Urban Impact and Vision Appalachia. Why do we do that? Because God says it all matters. Because we have the greatest purpose. If our worship team would make their way back up front, you know, we have the greatest prize. It's eternal life.39:17We have the greatest victory because the greatest enemy has been defeated. Death? Where's your sting, death? We have the greatest enemy defeated. We also have the greatest purpose. Because God promised that everything we do for the kingdom is from a position of victory. We've already won. In church, the trumpet is about to blow.39:47Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for that glorified body? Are you ready to be in the presence of your Lord forever? When that trumpet blows, may it be while we are laboring Let's pray. Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your glorious promises.40:32You have promised us a body like the body of the resurrected Christ.40:38You have promised us that someday death is going to be history.40:44And Father, today, today, you have promised that our labor in the Lord is never in vain. That Father, everything we do in the name of Jesus for the advancement of his kingdom, it all matters. So Father, I pray that you would reinvigorate all of us, each of us, collectively, individually, Father. Every home, you would just revive us to this idea that it all matters in your eyes.41:14So it should matter in ours. Father, we thank you that we're not scraping by hoping that someday you're going to win. Father, we are operating from a position of victory because Jesus Christ has already won. And his victory is so sure that we operate from the position of already having Having gotten the W. Father, thank you. Father, by your spirit and by your word, move us, motivate us to glorify your name. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 15:50-58What was your big take-away from this passage / message?The believer's resurrection happens at the Rapture (1 Cor 15:52). What reasons do we have to believe the Rapture will happen before the 7 Year Tribulation?Explain 1 Cor 15:56 in your own words.Where is the biggest temptation for you to waste time? Are you doing anything to redeem any time being wasted?BreakoutPray for one another.

We just kicked off RAPHA, The God Who Heals! Pastor Nelson opened this new series showing that Jesus is the Healer, and faith holds firmly to what God has said even when our experience looks completely different.If Jesus died for our sin which is the fullness how much more the shadow which is sickness.Hit play and share with someone who needs to encounter the God who heals.

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we read the Beatitudes, it is easy to miss how radical Jesus' words really are. Many of us have heard them so often that they sound familiar, but to Jesus' first audience, they would have seemed completely upside down. In a world where power, strength, status, and success appeared to determine who won and who lost, Jesus declared that the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and even the persecuted were blessed. His vision of life stood in sharp contrast to both the values of the Roman Empire and the assumptions of everyday people. This week's sermon invites us to consider whether Jesus is actually the one who sees reality correctly. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, then his teachings are not simply good advice; they are the words of the one who understands life better than anyone else. What appears upside down to us may actually be right side up, while the values of the world may be the ones that are inverted. Jesus calls us to trust his authority even when his teachings challenge our instincts or seem impractical. Most importantly, Jesus did not merely teach this way of life; he embodied it. He lived out the Beatitudes through his humility, mercy, righteousness, peacemaking, suffering, death, and resurrection. Because Jesus lived the life he calls us to live, he invites us to follow him into the upside-down kingdom that may not always make sense to the world but ultimately bears the fruit of a more abundant life. As we grow in faith and trust that God is with us, we are invited to embrace his way and allow him to transform us from the inside out.

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we read the Beatitudes, it is easy to miss how radical Jesus' words really are. Many of us have heard them so often that they sound familiar, but to Jesus' first audience, they would have seemed completely upside down. In a world where power, strength, status, and success appeared to determine who won and who lost, Jesus declared that the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and even the persecuted were blessed. His vision of life stood in sharp contrast to both the values of the Roman Empire and the assumptions of everyday people. This week's sermon invites us to consider whether Jesus is actually the one who sees reality correctly. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, then his teachings are not simply good advice; they are the words of the one who understands life better than anyone else. What appears upside down to us may actually be right side up, while the values of the world may be the ones that are inverted. Jesus calls us to trust his authority even when his teachings challenge our instincts or seem impractical. Most importantly, Jesus did not merely teach this way of life; he embodied it. He lived out the Beatitudes through his humility, mercy, righteousness, peacemaking, suffering, death, and resurrection. Because Jesus lived the life he calls us to live, he invites us to follow him into the upside-down kingdom that may not always make sense to the world but ultimately bears the fruit of a more abundant life. As we grow in faith and trust that God is with us, we are invited to embrace his way and allow him to transform us from the inside out.

Are your experiences more important than God's word? If Jesus isn't the only path to God does it really matter?

Mark 11:12-21 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. 15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' " 18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 19 When evening came, they went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!" NIV 84 LESSON NOTES The Illusion of Distance: Both the fig tree and the Jerusalem Temple shared the same problem: they looked highly successful, healthy, and impressive from a distance, but yielded absolutely nothing upon closer inspection. True spiritual health is verified up close, not by the outward profile we project to others. Growth Without Fruit is Decay: The sermon highlights that "growth without fruit is always a sign of decay." In a faith community or individual life, being busy, large, or full of activity ("leaves") does not automatically equal spiritual vitality. The Markan Sandwich: The Gospel of Mark utilizes a distinct literary structure where one story frames another (Fig Tree → Temple → Fig Tree) so they interpret each other. We cannot fully understand Jesus cursing the fig tree without realizing he was actually passing a prophetic judgment on the broken Temple system. Missing the Main Mission: The Court of the Gentiles—the only space where foreigners, the marginalized, and the ritually impure could pray—had been completely overrun by livestock and money changers. The religious leaders had prioritized financial trading and religious market convenience over their actual mission to be a "house of prayer for all nations." Rejection, Not Just Renovation: Jesus wasn't merely trying to clean up or fix the Temple system; his actions signaled a radical rejection and replacement of it. He did not clear the Temple of the Gentiles as popular expectation dictated; he cleared it for the Gentiles to make a way for everyone. The Curse Transferred: The ultimate hope of this passage is found in the gospel overlay. Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree at the beginning of the week because he knew that by the end of the week, he would become a curse on a tree to redeem us and make us capable of bearing real fruit. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. The fig tree looked healthy from a distance but was fruitless up close. What are some outward signs that can make a person appear spiritually healthy even when genuine spiritual fruit may be missing? 2. The sermon asks us to lay the fig tree metaphor over our own lives. If Jesus were to closely inspect your daily schedule, thoughts, and relationships right now, would He find mostly "leaves" (appearances) or actual "fruit" (the fruit of the Spirit, repentance, love for others)? 3. When the chief priests heard Jesus' teaching and saw His actions, they reacted out of fear and immediately looked for a way to kill Him rather than evaluating their own hearts. Why is it so terrifyingly easy to protect a broken status quo in our lives instead of practicing the fruit of repentance? 4. Jesus became a curse on the tree so that fruit could be produced in us. How should the gospel—that Jesus took our curse and redeemed us—change the way we respond when God exposes fruitlessness in our lives?

The Holy Spirit's pursuit of the lost gives purpose to the found.In Acts 8:25–40, God interrupts Philip's plans and sends him down a desert road to reach one searching man. It's a powerful reminder that nobody is “just one” to Jesus—and what feels like an inconvenience to us may actually be a divine invitation to join God's rescue mission.If Jesus has changed your life, His story should come out of your mouth. Be interruptible. Follow the Spirit's prompting. Find the one. Share the Savior!

The good news of the Gospel always has a "therefore." It true, the Gospel has profound implications for how we should live. If Jesus made the final and ultimate sacrifice to wash us clean and reconcile us to God, then we must come close. If he's faithful at all times, then we must continue in confidence. If he's reconciled us to one another, then we must consider our community and deliberately exhort and encourage others to live the Jesus life.

Luke 18: 1-8 “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. ‘There was a judge in a certain city,’ he said, ‘who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don't fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!' Then the Lord said, ‘Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?’” What’s the meaning of this story? Thankfully Luke tells us completely in the first verse: “You should always pray and never give up.” Okay, so this circumstance you’re dealing with, this decision you have to make, the situation with this person – what should you do? You should PRAY ABOUT IT! Whatever it is, whoever it is, no matter what, you should always be praying about it. What exactly does that mean? Really, what would it look like to really pray about what you’re facing or what you’re going through? We can make prayer overly fussy and complicated. It is just conversation with our Father. It is a continual consideration of his input. It means you don’t just think about it – you talk to God about it. You have a decision to make? Talk to God about it. You’re frustrated with someone? Talk to God about it. You’re worried about what might happen? Talk to God about it. You don’t know what to do next? Talk to God about it. And then—and this is the part we sometimes miss—you listen. Prayer isn’t just presenting God with your list of requests and then going back to doing whatever you were going to do. Prayer is inviting God into the situation and then being willing to consider what He has to say about it. God, what do You want me to do? Is there something You’re asking me to see differently? Is there something I need to surrender? Is there something I need to do? Is there something I need to stop doing? How do You want me to respond? That is prayer. And sometimes the answer comes through Scripture. Sometimes it comes through wisdom. Sometimes through a sudden clarity or conviction in your spirit. Sometimes through circumstances. Sometimes through another person. And sometimes you simply don’t get an answer right away. But you keep the conversation open. Do you know what really happens in an open conversation with God? He goes to work on YOU! We pray asking God to change the situation. But while we’re talking to Him about the situation, He’s changing us. You’re coming to Him looking for solutions to a problem, a situation or a relationship, and while you’re talking to Him about it, He’s working on you in the process. Conversations with God give Him space to align your will with His. They give you a different perspective, a softened heart, a renewed mind and a clearer understanding of what really matters. You may come to God asking, “God, what are You going to do about them?” And somewhere in the conversation, you begin to realize He’s first doing something in you. You may come asking Him to change your circumstances, and He begins changing your attitude. You may ask Him to fix someone else, and He begins revealing something in you. You may ask Him to give you an answer, and He begins giving you wisdom. You may ask Him to take away the problem, and He begins giving you strength to walk through it. Prayer changes things. But sometimes the first thing prayer changes is YOU. That’s why we don’t give up praying when the answer doesn’t come quickly. We keep the conversation open because God is still working—even when we can’t see Him working on the situation. He’s working on your heart. He’s working on your perspective. He’s working on your faith. He’s working on your trust. He’s working on YOU. And sometimes, while you’re waiting for God to change what’s happening around you, God is doing something far more important within you. For seven years, I prayed over a situation that seemed to get worse before it got better. And now, seven years later, that prayer has been answered. Is it sweet? Ahhhh, yes it is! Has a burden been lifted? Absolutely. But let me tell you something: I’m not the same person I was when I started praying seven years ago. Those years of continual conversation with God changed me. Those moments on my knees changed me. Those tears on the days when things got worse instead of better changed me. The waiting changed me. The disappointment changed me. The desperate prayers changed me. God was doing something in me while I was asking Him to do something about my circumstances. And looking back now, I can honestly say this: I don’t wish I could have those seven years back. Not because they were easy. They weren’t. Not because I enjoyed the waiting. I didn’t. But because I can see now what God was doing in our lives during those years, and what He built in me through those years is far too valuable to trade away. I wanted an immediate answer. God was building something eternal. I wanted Him to change the situation. He was changing me. I wanted Him to restore what had been lost. He was preparing me to receive the restoration. And now I can look back and see that not one of those years was wasted. I cling to this promise found in Joel 2:25, “The Lord says, ‘I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.'” This promise from God comes after a historic and devastating plague of locusts and a with a severe drought that had completely stripped the land of Judah. All the crops had been destroyed. The vines and the trees were dead. The entire community was in deep famine and mourning. Through years, they had watched nothing but destruction. But then God says HE WILL GIVE THEM BACK WHAT THEY LOST. God sends rain to heal the soil, he provides an OVERWHELMING harvest that overflowed their barns, he restored them with MORE than enough. But God didn’t stop there, when God gave them back what they had lost, he also drove out the enemy that had threatened them and, most importantly, he poured out his spirit. After this time of hardship, this time of loss, this time of waiting, then God brought spiritual renewal. My sister, I may not know what you’ve been waiting for and what damage has been done, but I know our God is the God who can give you back what you lost and he can make it sweeter than you ever imagined. He can drive out the enemy, bring an overwhelming harvest, and start a spiritual renewal in your entire family. For 7 years the enemy divided my family, but nothing in that time was wasted! God was doing his work and he’s given us back everything we lost. And I assure you, God loves you just as much as he loves me, and he can do the same thing for you! The point of Jesus’ story of the persistent widow is not only that you should always pray, but that you should never give up. When is it time to give up? Never. I don’t know what you may be growing weary of, but God’s word says IT’S SIMPLY NOT TIME TO GIVE UP. I don’t know what seems hopeless in your life right now, BUT GIRL, DON’T YOU GIVE UP! Jesus says, “Don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!” YOU are God’s chosen people. There’s only one way you’ve come to this place of knowing him and believing in him – HE CHOSE YOU FIRST. That alone proves you are chosen. And because you are chosen, he hears you when you cry out to him day and night. HE HEARS YOU. Honey, he’s not ignoring you. Daniel 9:23, “The moment you began praying, a command was given.” Heaven moves when you pray. But you don’t always see that movement immediately. Why is that? If Jesus tells us God will grant justice quickly – why did I wait for 7 years – why are you still waiting? Well, quite simply, when God holds all eternity, his ‘quickly’ may not align with our ‘quickly’. He sees the bigger picture and he knows perfect timing over immediate timing. Left to myself, I would always choose immediate timing, but I’m grateful I don’t get to control that – perfect timing is always worth waiting for. And knowing that our God holds the ultimate power to restore everything that was lost during that time of wait means nothing is wasted! In the story Jesus tells of the persistent widow, she is dealing with an unfair judge who didn’t care. THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE DEALING WITH! Our God is not reluctant, he is sovereign. In this delay while you continue to ask and pray, you’re not changing God’s heart. Sometimes that’s what I think I’m doing. I think I’m somehow going to convince God to change his will to match mine. That’s embarrassingly foolish of me. I wonder if you do the same thing? When what’s really happening is in this delay, in this waiting, in this struggle, in the seasons where things just get worse, while we keep praying and fight to keep from giving up, the heart being changed is OURS. The will being changed is OURS. Persistent prayer isn’t about wearing God down until He finally gives you what you want. God isn’t the unjust judge who has to be convinced to care about you. He already cares. Persistent prayer is about refusing to disconnect from God simply because the answer hasn’t come yet. You keep talking to Him. You keep bringing it to Him. You keep asking. You keep listening. You keep trusting. You keep going back to Him instead of trying to carry it all yourself. Because sometimes the greatest answer to prayer isn’t that God immediately changes the circumstance. Sometimes He changes you in the middle of the circumstance. He gives you peace before the problem is solved. He gives you wisdom before you know what to do. He gives you strength when you don’t have any left. He changes your perspective. He changes your heart. He reminds you who He is. And sometimes, yes, He changes the situation. But whatever the outcome, prayer keeps you connected to the One who is with you in it. And that’s why Jesus ends this story with such an interesting question: “When the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” He starts with prayer and ends with faith. The real question here isn’t, “Will you get the answer you want?” The question is, “Will you keep trusting God while you’re waiting for the answer?” Prayer is how we keep bringing our circumstances back to God instead of allowing our circumstances to become bigger than God. Pray. And don’t give up. Not because God needs to be convinced to care. But because prayer keeps your heart connected to the God who already does. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Many people are uncertain whether we can know what is true. In the name of tolerance, many people are intolerant of the claims of Jesus to be the only way to the Father. In this message, Pastor Lutzer exposes five shifts that seek to make truth relative. If Jesus is not the truth for everyone, can He be the truth for you? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29?v=20251111

Many people are uncertain whether we can know what is true. In the name of tolerance, many people are intolerant of the claims of Jesus to be the only way to the Father. In this message, Pastor Lutzer exposes five shifts that seek to make truth relative. If Jesus is not the truth for everyone, can He be the truth for you? This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives. Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.   SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://www.moodymedia.org/donate/ Become an Endurance Partner: https://endurancepartners.org/   SUBSCRIBE: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoodyChurchMedia Daily Devotional and Weekly Digest: https://www.moodymedia.org/newsletters/subscription/

If Jesus came to dwell with us, the question isn't whether He's near. It's whether we've opened the door. In this episode of the Root Issues Podcast, we work through John 1:14-18 and four ways we actually welcome Jesus into our lives.John writes that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The word he chooses there is worth sitting with — it literally means to pitch a tent, and it's the same picture Israel knew from the wilderness, when God's presence settled in the tabernacle in the middle of the camp. John is saying that presence has moved in again, this time in a person.And then he adds something staggering: we have seen his glory. Moses once asked to see God's glory and was allowed only a glimpse. John says they watched it walk around, full of grace and truth.The four ways we welcome Him:Acknowledge Him — recognizing who has actually shown upMove toward Him — closing the distance rather than admiring from across the roomSee His Glory — learning to notice what's been in front of usDiscover new motivations — letting nearness change what drives us

If Jesus really is coming back, what should that change about the way we live today? In Luke 12, Jesus tells His followers to stay dressed for action and keep their lamps burning. Cole Ellerbrock explains how the certainty of Christ's return gives us both hope for the future and urgency to live faithfully, serve others, and share the good news of Jesus now.• Jesus' return is certain, even though we do not know when it will happen, so His followers are called to live ready • God's Kingdom gives us confidence and hope because Jesus has already secured the victory and will one day make all things right • Christ's patience gives us an opportunity to invest in people, share the gospel, and make disciples while there is still timeKey Scriptures: Luke 12:35-40 Luke 12:32 2 Peter 3:8-10 John 14:1-3 Revelation 22:20Consider what might change if the return of Jesus became a reality you lived with every day. Who could you invest in, serve, forgive, or talk with about Christ? Stay ready by knowing God through His Word and investing your life in people. Share this message with someone who could use the reminder to live with both hope and urgency.Bayou City Fellowship Tomball Campus | Cole Ellerbrock | August 30, 2026 https://linktr.ee/bayoucityfellowship

When the walls feel like rubble and the enemies are closing in from every direction — from the North, South, East, and West — it's easy to lose the strength to keep going. That's exactly where Nehemiah and the people found themselves in Nehemiah 4. Surrounded. Mocked. Exhausted. The text says it plainly: "The strength of the laborer is failing."But Nehemiah didn't give up. He looked up.He reminded the people of three things we can all hold onto when our strength runs out:Pray — Before responding to the obstacles, go to God first. Remember God is greater — The God beside us is always greater than the obstacles in front of us. Take action — Prayer and action are teammates, not competitors.The question isn't if we'll face obstacles greater than our strength can handle. The question is: what will we rely on for strength when that happens?If Jesus conquered our greatest obstacles — sin and death — on the cross, then he can carry us through any obstacle we face today. 

This week Derek Brown spoke on: If Jesus came to dwell with us, we must open the door wide and welcome him.  Today we will look at Four Ways we welcome Jesus into our lives.  

On the Road to Damascus Acts 9:1-31 by William Klock When I was a sophomore in University I took the first of several art history courses, where I discovered—I should say it was more like I was confronted by—Caravaggio's famous painting of the conversion of St. Paul: Paul fallen from his horse, hands covering his face, his servants scrambling to figure out what's going on and to help him, everything in darkness—except Paul, bathed in heavenly light.  I'd read Act 9 who knows how many times before then.  But seeing Caravaggio's interpretation of that scene suddenly piqued my curiosity—made me wonder what really happened to Paul that day, what did he actually see, and why did it make such a powerful change in him.  Paul, that day, became for me—I suppose after Jesus—the most intriguing character in the Bible and I wanted to figure him out, to understand him—I think, because I wanted a faith of my own like Paul's, because I wanted to know the same kind of transformation, the same kind of passion, that Paul had after meeting the risen Messiah. And one of the things I came to realise is that Paul's passion, his zeal didn't start when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Actually, let's call him “Saul” for now, because that's where he's at in Acts 9.  Saul's zeal was already there: for the God of Israel, for righteousness and justice, for the world to be set to rights.  He truly hoped in the God of Israel, whom he knew to be good, and just, and faithful to the promises he'd made to his people.  That was what it meant to be a Pharisee.  Paul knew that his people had sinned, they had been unfaithful, they had engaged in idolatry.  They had ceased to be a holy people, so the Lord departed from them.  His presence—the cloud of glory—departed from the temple and then the people were conquered and exiled to Babylon.  “You want to worship pagan gods,” the Lord was basically saying, “Fine, you can spend a few decades in Babylon living with the pagans and their gods and see how it works out for you.”  And the people of Judah learned the lesson.  They set aside their idols, they embraced the torah, and they longed for an end to their exile—they longed for the return of God's presence.  And they became a people of hopeful longing.  It's funny how experiencing God's discipline so often gives us more hope, because it just underscores all the more his faithfulness—to do what he said, even if it's making good on his promise of judgement.  They knew his promises of restoration if they repented were just as true. And in the meantime, with no temple and with no visible manifestation of the presence of God, they did the best they could.  They devoted themselves—the Pharisees more than others—but they devoted themselves to torah, to holiness.  If they couldn't go to the temple, they would become like the temple themselves—a holy people waiting for God to return to them.  And when they returned to Judaea and rebuilt the temple and the Lord still did not return, the empty temple—all the more—became the symbol for their longing.  And missing his presence, they would meditate on the very idea of the Lord's presence.  If they dared—and at least the later rabbis urged caution, based on the Lord's warning to Moses that “no one may see my face and live”—but if they dared, some would meditate on Ezekiel's weird and mysterious vision of the Lord in his heavenly chariot—not looking for some personal mystical experience, but out of a hope and a longing for the day when the Lord would return, when heaven earth, so long sundered by our sin, would be brought back together, for the day when the Lord's people would once again live in his glorious presence.  It was a longing borne of the absence of the temple and of God's presence there. It was this passionate longing for the Lord's return that fuelled the zeal of men like Saul of Tarsus.  This zealous young Pharisee, steeped in Israel's scriptures and Israel's story, with a passion for the Lord and a longing to see his return.  And in his mind, if anything was going to hinder the Lord's return to his people, it was the new Jesus movement, these people who blasphemously believed in a crucified Messiah.  It had to be stamped out.  And so Saul supervised the stoning of Stephen.  And now, as we get into Acts 9 [page 1090 in the pew Bibles) we find that he's one of the chief orchestrators of the persecution of the early church.  Luke writes: “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out threats and murder on the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and requested from him letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he could find people who belonged to the Way, men and women alike, tie them up, and bring them back to Jerusalem.” And along the way, I think that Paul was probably meditating.  Luke doesn't fill in these kinds of details, but between his telling of the story here and Paul's telling it later in his epistles, there are parallels with the accounts we have of Jews engaging in this practise of meditating on Ezekiel's vision.  Paul was a man of faith, a man of hope, a man who knew that the Lord is faithful to his promises.  And so he knew the Lord would return to his people and I think Paul lived out that hope in the present by just this sort of meditation on scripture.  Up and down with the rhythmic movement of what was probably a donkey—there are some stunning parallels here with Balaam even if this donkey never says a word—the hot sun beating down on him.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Recall Ezekiel.  Eyes closed, Paul pictures as best he could the four bizarre living creates, all wings and eyes, and the chariot wheels, somehow wheels within wheel all going different directions.  He concentrated and mentally looked upward from the wheels to the crystal chariot itself, and then to the throne where Ezekial wrote that he had seen a figure not unlike a human, but gleaming with holy fire.  I expect Paul had meditated like this before.  Maybe it had never come to much.  Just try it yourself.  Try to visualise what Ezekiel describes.  Good luck making sense of it.  Or maybe Paul had done this many times before and had really been met by the Lord, the God of Israel through this kind of meditation.  But this time was different.  Luke goes on: “While he was on the journey, and was getting near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  He fell on the ground and heard a voice speaking to him.  “Saul, Saul!” said the voice.  “Why are you persecuting me?”  “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.  “I am Jesus,” he said, “and you are persecuting me.  But get up and go into the city, and it will be told you what you have to do.” Saul, in his mind's eye looks up: angels, wheels, chariot, throne—and then the figure on the throne—to his shock—is Jesus, the crucified Messiah, now risen from the dead and here.  And Paul tries to tear himself away.  No!  He tries to open his eyes to escape the vision and realises that his eyes are already open.  This isn't a vision.  It's not in his head.  It's real.  It's really Jesus.  And the sight is too much to bear—in so many ways.  He throws up his hands as Caravaggio imagined him doing, as—stunned—he loses his balance and topples off his donkey.  And the vision of glory is still there.  Where Paul expected to see the God of Israel, there was Jesus and Jesus was asking, “Why are you persecuting me?”  And Paul's thinking that this just can't be.  “Who are you?” he asks, even though he already knows.  And the figure of glory confirms it, “I'm Jesus.”  And he might as well have said at the same time, “I'm the God of Israel, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”  And again, “Why are you persecuting me?”  And Paul, stunned, his whole world being rearranged and reinterpreted faster than he can take it in, he says nothing as Jesus tells him simply to go to Damascus and to wait. Luke says in verse 7: “The men who were traveling with Saul stood speechless.  They heard the voice but couldn't see anybody.  And Saul, he been struck absolutely blind by the vision.  So they led him by the hand and took him to Damascus.  He went for three days, being unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.” I expect the gears in Saul's mind were spinning away like never before during those three days.  This man of prayer was suddenly praying like never before.  If Jesus was alive, it meant he really was Israel's Messiah.  It meant that the Lord, in him, had fulfilled already the very promises that Saul so longed to see fulfilled.  It meant that the Lord, in Jesus, had returned to his people.  It meant that God's new world had already begun.  Paul, intelligent and deeply steeped in Israel's scriptures, began the long, slow process of rethinking everything he knew in light of Jesus.  Paul knew—really knew the story, the scriptures.  I try to steep myself in those same scriptures and I'm like a watered down Americano compared to Saul.  Saul was a dark, black, espresso—the kind your spoon will stand up in.  That's how steeped he was in God's word.  It wasn't so much a “conversion” he experienced as it was a reorientation.  The temple, the presence of the Lord, the place where heaven and earth meet, had finally come to Saul.  And, too, those words of Jesus: “You're persecuting me.”  It meant that these people he'd been dragging off to prison, they were Jesus' people, his covenant family, even in some way an extension of himself.  God's promises to Abraham and to Moses and to David, the words of the Prophets, it all spent three days spinning through Saul's mind as he reevaluated everything in light of Jesus. Now, verse 10: “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision.  “Ananias!” he said.  “Here I am, Lord,” he replied.  “Get up,” said the Lord to him, “and go to the street called Straight.  Inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.  Look, he's praying!  And he has seen, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming and laying his hands on him so that he can see again.” You can go to Straight Street today—even on Google Earth.  It runs from the last remaining Roman gate, through the Christian Quarter of the old city.  Imagine the shock of Ananias.  He may have been in Damascus having fled from Saul already.  And now he has a vision and the Lord tells him he needs to go to Saul.  You can almost hear his “Ummmm…”  Was this vision for real?  Had he heard right?  “Lord,” replied Ananias, “I've heard about this man from several people…all about how he's done wicked things to your holy people in Jerusalem…and now he's come here with authority from the chief priests to tie up everybody who calls on your name!”  Ananias is worried. “Just go,” replied the Lord. “He is a chosen vessel for me, to carry my name before nations and kings—and the children of Israel, too.  I am going to show him how many things he is going to have to suffer for the sake of my name.”  So Ananias set off, went into the house, and laid his hands on him.  “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—yes, Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—so that you may be able to see again, and receive the holy spirit.” Worried, hesitant at first, Ananias' faith got the better of him.  Maybe on the way.  Maybe when he met Saul and there was so clearly something different about him.  “Brother Saul,” he called him.  As Jews, yes, they were brothers, but Ananias somehow recognised in Saul the same faith, the same Jesus, the same Spirit.  I don't think Ananias ever expected to be in a situation like this.  What do you do?  Jesus said that Saul had already had vision of Ananias laying hands on him, so that's what Ananias does.  He lays his hands on Saul and he prays, and Luke writes (verse 18): “At once something like scales fell off his eyes, and he was able to see.  He got up and was baptized.  He had something to eat and regained his strength.  Ananias and Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for a few days.” I wonder what happened when Ananias took Saul back to meet the other Christians in Damascus.  I expect there were some skeptics.  Was this just a fake-out by Saul to get in amongst them.  And I bet, when Ananias showed up to say, “You'll never guess what's happened!” there was someone else there, older, wise, steeped in the scriptures who wasn't surprised at all.  “Brother Ananias, why would you have expected otherwise?  This is how our God does things.”  God dealt with the persecution of his people by making their persecutor one of them.  And Saul?  Well, he's as zealous for God as ever; Jesus has just given him new direction.  While the rest of the saints in Damascus were hiding, now that he can see again, Saul marches straight to the local synagogue to proclaim Jesus, risen and Lord.  Luke goes on: “At once he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This really is the son of God!”  Everyone was astonished, and said, “Isn't this the man who caused havoc to those in Jerusalem who call on this name?  And here he is, coming to tie them up and take them off to the high priests!”  But Saul grew all the stronger, and threw the Jews in Damascus into confusion by demonstrating that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.” I bet.  Saul was one of the best of them.  He knew the scriptures and the promises of God inside out and upside down.  He was brilliant.  And he was passionately zealous for God.  And I expect—you know how when you figure something out that you've been wrestling with for a long time and it lights a fire under you and you get really excited to tell other people?—well, meeting Jesus lit that kind of fire under Saul.  It would take him a long time to really work it all through—he would go off to Arabia by himself to work it all through—but already he's been rethinking what meeting Jesus means about the God of Israel and about what it means to be Israel.  Even what it means that Jesus is the God of Israel.  And so he went to his fellow Jews to proclaim this good news.  To tell them that Jesus is the son of God.  This is, by the way, the first time in Acts we hear Jesus called “son of God”.  It was a big deal.  And then Luke says that the other thing Saul was eager to do was to explain to his fellow Jews that Jesus was the Messiah—or maybe it would better to say that the Messiah was Jesus.  Because given the context here in Acts and what we know of Paul later from his epistles and how he roots everything so deeply and richly in the Old Testament, I expect he was in the synagogue in Damascus reminding the people there of the scriptures and especially of these two ideas, these two characters: the son of God and the Messiah.  “Son of God” isn't used much in the Old Testament, but when it is, it refers to Israel.  God said to Pharaoh, “Israel is my firstborn son”.  But Jesus is also the son of David, the Messiah.  And God had promised that David would have a son who would build the temple.  God would raise him up and he would sit on David's throne.  “I will be a father to him,” God had declared in 2 Samuel 7, “and he will be my son.”  All this is swirling madly in Saul's mind and starting to take shape, to make sense.  And then there was Psalm 2, invoked by the first Christians as they faced persecution.  God confronts the wicked rulers of the world and declares that he has set up his King in Zion and that the nations will tremble before him.  He's the one to whom the Lord has made his firm decree, “You are my son, this day I have begotten you.”  Luke doesn't tell us exactly what Paul preached or even if he preached.  Maybe he just hung out at the synagogue and proclaimed the good news to whomever would listen.  But knowing Paul, I have to think he did some preaching.  And he reminded his people of God and of his promises and he appealed to their hope: God's promise to return to his people.  God's promise to set the world to rights.  God's promise to bring the nations under his sovereign rule.  And how all this is now coming true, how it's being fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.  Through him God will reach out to the gentiles and bring them under his sovereign rule and make them his inheritance.  How the Messiah will rule them with wisdom and justice just as God promised.  This would be the heart of Paul's preaching: The risen Messiah is God's anointed King.  He's God's son, he shed his blood to purify us from our sins that he might bring us back from our long exile.  He's God's son who has built a new temple, a house for his Holy Spirit.  In him God's promises are being fulfilled.  2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, Psalms 72 and 89 and 26 and 27.  God's promises.  Psalm about Israel's hope.  Psalms about the Messiah.  We know from the scrolls we've found at Qumran that how Paul was handling these scriptures was exactly the way other Jewish groups in his day were handling these scriptures and asking the same questions.  And struggling to find an answer.  Because no one ever dreamed that a man who was crucified could be the Messiah.  But Paul had met him, risen from the dead.  And the dots began to connect.  The royal psalms began to connect with the psalms of lament.  The great king who would rule Israel and the nations began to connect with the suffering servant who represented Israel.  And then it gelled: The king represents his people so that he can stand in for them.  So that what happens to him, happens to them—and what happens to them, happens to him.  And so the king died.  And then the king rose from the dead.  And in that great act, God had declared: “See!  This really is my son.  And with him I am well-pleased!”  Pleased with his beloved son—and through him, pleased with his beloved sons and daughters. And surely some believed.  But others were angry.  Verse 23: “After some days, the Jews made a plot to kill him, but Saul got wind of their plan.  They were watching the city gates day and night so that they could do away with him.  But the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. When he got back to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.  But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and explained to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.  He was with them in Jerusalem, coming and going and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.  He spoke, as well, to the Hellenists, who tried to kill him.  But the brothers heard of it and took him down to Caesarea. There they sent him off to Tarsus.  So the church in all Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria found itself at peace.  It was built up and gained in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” And Paul knew, this too is how God works.  He saved the brothers and sisters in Damascus from their persecutor.  But Saul, well, God humbles him.  He has to be lowered over the wall in a basket so he can run.  Sometimes that's also how God works.  He was preparing Saul for his missionary task and the struggles and dangers and humiliations that would come with it.  Even returning to Jerusalem, he is initially rejected by the apostles.  God bless Barnabas—the “son of comfort”—he vouched for Saul and told him that he really had met Jesus on the road to Damascus and that all the rest was, in fact, true, no matter how impossible it seemed.  And Saul then proved himself in Jerusalem, preaching to the Hellenists who promptly set about to kill him. And so Peter and the others packed him off.  Luke doesn't say exactly why.  Maybe the trouble his zeal for Jesus stirred up in Jerusalem was just too much right then.  Maybe they knew that Saul needed to go home to Tarsus, to begin his preaching with the people who knew him.  So—and not for the last time—Saul boarded a ship and set sail.  This would be the pattern for the rest of his life. Brothers and Sisters, Saul of Tarsus—Paul—knew better than anyone that Jesus changes everything.  That Jesus is the embodiment of God's goodness, his mercy, his love, and maybe most importantly his faithfulness.  Remember that last week we looked at that bit of Paul's writing in 2 Corinthians where he talks about the glory of God that was on display in the Exodus: at the burning bush, in the plagues, at the Red Sea, at Mount Sinai, in the cloud of glory that descended on the tabernacle.  And he wrote that Jesus upstaged it all.  The Messiah he met on the road to Damascus revealed the glory of God in a way Paul had never imagined possible.  Brothers and Sisters, may we encounter that same glory ourselves. I think for most—probably all of us—our experience of God's glory is far more hum-drum and ordinary and unsensational.  Maybe that's because, as far as being steeped in scripture and knowing the glory of God revealed there, we're a watered down Americano.  We're like those can of LaCroix that say they're orange flavoured, but the flavour is so weak—well—you wonder if it's just carbonated water that was bottled in a plant where there was a solitary orange sitting in the corner to imparts the tiniest hint of its essence.  Paul was the opposite.  And we need to aspire to be like him.  Pray that God will give us a hunger for his word and a desire to know him and to know the story.  My observation has always been that the better people know the story, the more saintly and the more passionate they are, the more zealous they are for the Lord and for his good news.  Steep yourselves in the scripture.  And meditate on your baptism and how Jesus has brought you through the water into life with him.  How he's plunged us into God's Spirit and given us new life.  And come to his Table.  Eat the bread, drink the wine, and recall what God has done for us in Jesus, in his incarnation, in his death, and in his resurrection.  Experience here the fulfilment of all God's promises that you might see his glory.  Then be the people who—like Saul who just couldn't stay quiet—make that glory known in the world.   Let's pray: Almighty and merciful God, by whose gift alone your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; that we might truly see and know your glory along the way; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

What if the things costing you nothing are actually costing you everything?In Matthew 16:24–25, Jesus presents one of the most profound paradoxes of discipleship: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” The life we spend trying to preserve through comfort, self-protection, distraction, control, and pleasure may actually be keeping us from the life Jesus wants to give us.In this message, “Expensive Nothingness,” we explore why self-preservation can become self-destruction, why the easy road can lead away from life, and why following Jesus requires us to choose our hard.Jesus isn't calling us to an exchange of nothing for nothing. He invites us to trade our lesser desires for something of infinitely greater worth: the Kingdom of God and the surpassing worth of Christ.Through the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price in Matthew 13, we see that when we truly recognize the value of God's Kingdom, surrender stops looking like loss and starts looking like the greatest exchange imaginable.In this sermon, we explore:Why self-preservation can become self-destructionThe paradox of losing your life to find itWhy discipleship is hard—but refusing discipleship is harderThe hidden treasure and pearl of great priceWhy grace is free but never cheapThe things we cling to that can keep us from GodWhat it means to surrender our desires to JesusThe connection between comfort, distraction, and spiritual formationHow Jesus gives us significance in exchange for our brokenness“Something that costs you nothing will cost you everything.”The question isn't whether you will surrender something. The question is what you will surrender to.If Jesus is worth everything, then nothing is too costly to give up for Him.Visit https://www.theclearing.net/ to learn more about our ministry and find ways to support what God is doing through The Clearing.#ExpensiveNothingness #EthanBricker #ChristianSermon #Jesus #Discipleship #Matthew16 #Matthew13 #KingdomOfGod #PearlOfGreatPrice #HiddenTreasure #Christianity #Faith #FollowingJesus #Surrender #BiblicalTeaching #SermonFor more information regarding The Clearing Church, visit our website by clicking hereFollow us on Instagram today by clicking hereWatch the message on our YouTube channel here

If Jesus is real and His Word is true, everything about life changes.Today, we continue our sermon series from the archives on Hebrews 11, the Bible's great “Hall of Faith.” In this message, Paul shows how faith in God transforms four things - vision, identity, desire, and relationship.To hear more sermons from Paul, visit PaulTripp.com/Sermons.

Before we read this story Jesus told, I want you to do something. I want you to see it. Don’t just read the words on the page. Step into the story. Picture the wedding. Picture the bride. Picture the bridesmaids. Picture the anticipation of the groom’s arrival. To really understand what Jesus is saying, we need to understand a little about Jewish weddings in His day. There were several important stages in the Jewish wedding process. First came the arrangement. The families were involved in establishing the marriage, and there were formal agreements and financial arrangements that made the commitment serious and binding. Then came the betrothal. This was far more significant than what we think of as an engagement today. The couple was legally committed to one another. Promises were made. A covenant was established. And then came the waiting. This is where I want you to really picture the scene. The groom would leave and return to his father’s household because he had work to do. He was preparing a place for his bride. He was getting everything ready for the day they would finally be together. But the bride wasn’t sitting around doing nothing. She had work to do, too. She was preparing herself. Preparing her clothing. Preparing for the celebration. Preparing for her new life as a wife. And here’s the part that makes this story so beautiful: She didn’t know exactly when he was coming back. She knew he was coming. She just didn’t know when. So imagine waking up every morning thinking, Could it be today? Imagine hearing a noise outside and wondering, Is that him? Imagine living in a constant state of anticipation because you know the one you’ve been promised to is coming for you—but you don’t know the day or the hour. And then, one night… The announcement comes. The groom is coming! The bridesmaids grab their lamps and rush out to meet him. Their job is to join the procession, light the way, and lead the groom back to the wedding celebration where the bride is waiting. This wasn’t a quiet little ceremony. It was a celebration. A procession. A moment everyone had been waiting for. And Jesus begins His story with ten bridesmaids who are all waiting for the exact same thing: The groom is coming. But here’s the problem… Not all ten of them are ready. And that’s where Jesus wants us to lean in. Matthew 25: 1-14: (A few terms to know – bridesmaids are as they are today, the bride’s attendants. The bridedroom is the groom, the man getting married.) Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' But the others replied, ‘We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!' But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don't know you!' So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Oh dang. What happened here? What is this warning for us today? The bridesmaids had a job to do. They were supposed to be ready for the groom. But half of them weren’t prepared. And here’s what gets me: they were all there. They were in the right place. They were waiting for the right person. They knew the groom was coming. They even had lamps. But half of them didn’t have what they needed when the moment came. And when the groom finally arrived, there was no time left to get ready. The moment they had been preparing for this entire time was suddenly here—and they weren’t ready for it. Because they weren’t prepared, they missed the celebration. They weren’t rejected because they didn’t know about the groom. They weren’t left out because they weren’t invited. They were left out because they weren’t ready. PEOPLE, GET READY! So who is Jesus talking about? Who is the groom? Who is the bride? Who are the bridesmaids? And what is this wedding feast? The groom is Jesus. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus refers to Himself as the bridegroom. When people ask Jesus why His disciples aren’t fasting, Jesus answers: “Can the wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom?” (9:15) Jesus is telling them, The Groom is here. But He also tells them that there will be a time when the groom will be taken away. He will leave. And that’s exactly what happens. Jesus is crucified, resurrected, and then ascends to the Father. The Groom leaves—but He has promised to come back. And that puts us right into the story. The bride is the Church—the people who belong to Jesus. Jesus is preparing a place. Jesus will return. And Scripture ultimately describes His return as a wedding celebration—the great wedding feast of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7, “Let us be glad and rejoice… for the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.” So where does that leave the bridesmaids? That’s us. In this story Jesus is telling, ten bridesmaids represent people who are waiting for Jesus. And notice something important: All ten were waiting. All ten had lamps. All ten knew the groom was coming. All ten expected to be part of the celebration. But only five were prepared. That’s the warning Jesus is giving us. You can be around the things of God and still not be ready for God. You can know the stories. You can go to church. You can carry a Bible. You can sing the songs. You can call yourself a Christian. You can even be waiting for Jesus. But Jesus isn’t asking, “Are you around Me?” He’s asking, “Are you ready for Me?” Because eventually, the waiting will end. The Groom is coming. And when He comes, there will be no more time to prepare. So Jesus says: “Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” People, get ready. The question wasn’t “Do you believe in the one who is coming?” The question was, “Are you ready for him when he comes?” Jesus wants us to LIVE READY FOR HIM! Here’s what this is really about – THE OIL. The 5 bridesmaids without oil weren’t invited to the wedding feast. The 5 bridesmaids with oil couldn’t give them their own oil, each had to have oil for themselves. You need your own oil. What is this oil – this is your relationship with Jesus. Others can do many things for you, but no one can have your relationship with Jesus for you. You can’t live on someone else’s faith. When it’s wedding time, your own faith will be required. This faith relationship will be required when Jesus returns for us – and you simply don’t know when that day will be. It could be today! So how do we live ready? Because Jesus isn’t telling us this story so we can become obsessed with predicting when He’s coming. He’s telling us so that we’ll be ready whenever He comes. And that’s a very different thing. Living ready doesn’t mean living scared. It means living surrendered. It means waking up every morning and saying, “Jesus, if You have something for me today, I’m available.” If You say go, I’ll go. If You say stay, I’ll stay. If You say forgive, I’ll forgive. If You say surrender, I’ll surrender. If You say speak, I’ll speak. If You say be quiet, I’ll be quiet. Readiness isn’t perfection. Readiness is responsiveness. The wise bridesmaids prepared before they needed to be prepared. They didn’t wait until midnight to go looking for oil. They had been preparing while they were waiting. And that’s what our relationship with Jesus is supposed to look like. You don’t wait for the crisis to learn how to trust Him. You don’t wait for the heartbreak to learn how to surrender. You don’t wait for the temptation to decide what you believe. You don’t wait until you’re desperate to start praying. You fill your lamp while there’s still daylight. You spend time with Jesus now. You learn His Word now. You practice obedience now. You surrender the little things now. You deal with the unforgiveness now. You say yes to His invitations now. Because you don’t know when Jesus is returning – but you need to be ready. And here’s the beautiful thing: The wise bridesmaids weren’t ready because they were afraid the groom might come. They were ready because they were excited that he might come. That’s how I want to live. Not terrified that Jesus might return. Thrilled that He will. I don’t want to spend my life hoping Jesus doesn’t come back until I’ve had a chance to do everything I want to do. I want to live so close to Jesus that when I hear the announcement: “The groom is here!”, I don’t want to run and hide. I want to run toward Him. The question for God’s girls today is, “Am I living like someone who expects Jesus?” If Jesus walked through that door today, would you be excited to see Him? Or would you immediately think of the things you’d wish you had made right? Why are you waiting? The goal isn’t to spend your whole life trying to figure out when Jesus is coming. The goal is to live every day as though you would be thrilled if He came today. PEOPLE, GET READY. Keep your lamp burning. Keep your heart soft. Keep saying yes. Keep walking with Jesus. Keep your relationship with Him alive and growing. Because the groom is coming. And when He comes, I don’t want to be scrambling to get ready. I want to already be ready. I want to be able to lift my head, see Jesus, and say: “I’ve been waiting for You.” Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

What does the return of Jesus mean for us today? In this message from The King Is Coming, Pastor Stephen Mizell teaches that the second coming of Christ isn't something we should approach with fear, anxiety, or endless speculation. It is the ultimate anchor of our Christian hope. We may not know when Jesus is coming back, but we know who is coming back. Jesus is coming, the dead in Christ will be raised, God's people will be gathered to Him, and we will be with the Lord forever. Through Acts 1 and 1 Thessalonians 4, Pastor Stephen challenges us to stop focusing on the things God hasn't told us and start faithfully living out the mission He has given us. The question isn't simply, "When is Jesus coming?" The better question is: "If Jesus came today, what would He find me doing?" This message is a reminder that the return of Christ should produce hope, courage, and urgency. There are people who need Jesus, prodigals who need to come home, hurting people who need hope, and communities that need the Church to be the Church. And for those who have experienced loss, there is a promise: we grieve, but we grieve with hope. Jesus is coming back. And that changes everything. Scripture References: • Acts 1:6–11 • Matthew 24:36 • 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 • John 14:1–3 • Titus 2:13 • 1 Corinthians 15 • Revelation 20–21 Open Door Church Lead Pastor: Stephen Mizell Edenton, NC

Looking the part isn't enough. Jesus is looking for fruit. In this message, Pastor Chris continues from last week's call to fully commit your life to Jesus and digs into what real fruitfulness looks like. Drawing from the barren fig tree in Mark 11 and Jesus' words in John 15, he challenges us: if people (and Jesus) got close to your life, what would they find—leaves, or actual fruit?Key points:The difference between the culture of Christianity and the character of ChristWhy “trying harder” never produces the fruit of the SpiritWhat it really means to abide in the vineHow daily personal encounters with God—not just Sunday moments—change everythingGalatians 5:22-23 and the fruit that only comes from remaining in HimThis isn't about looking more spiritual. It's about a heart that actually stays connected to Jesus so the real fruit starts showing up at home, at work, and with the people closest to you.If this message challenged or encouraged you, take a moment this week to honestly ask: “If Jesus examined my life closely, what would He find?” Then take one simple step toward abiding—more time in the Word, in prayer, or in worship. Support the show

If Jesus never actually said, “I am God,” why was He accused of blasphemy? To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/701/29?v=20251111

The book of Zechariah points us toward one incredible truth: the King is coming. Pastor Landon walks through Zechariah's prophetic message—from Israel's restoration and the call to “return to Me,” to remarkably specific prophecies about Jesus Christ. Zechariah foretells the King riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, thirty pieces of silver, the pierced Messiah, the struck Shepherd, and ultimately the return of Jesus to the Mount of Olives. The same God who perfectly fulfilled His promises concerning Christ's first coming will be faithful to every promise concerning His return. Prophecy isn't given simply to fill our heads with knowledge. It should change the way we live. If Jesus is coming, we should live ready, hold this world loosely, turn from sin, share the Gospel, and faithfully finish the work He has given us. Return to the King, because the King is returning. Lift up your heads. Hold the line. Preach the Gospel. Finish well. Maranatha — come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Before Abraham was born, I am. Three simple words that shook the religious elite of Jerusalem to their core and changed everything. This week we explored one of the lesser-known but deeply powerful "I Am" statements of Jesus in John 8:48-59, where Jesus claims the very name God gave Moses in Exodus 3 as his own.If Jesus is the great I Am, that changes the question we ask. It is no longer "who does he think he is?" but "who do I think I am?" Pride puts us in the center where only God belongs. Humility, confession, and worship are what bring us back to our source.Join us as we dig into what it means to submit to the one who was, who is, and who always will be. He is not just a teacher or a good man. He is I Am.

Does the strongest argument against Jesus being God come from Jesus Himself?In Mark 13 and Matthew 24, Jesus says that no one knows the day or hour—not the angels, nor the Son, but only the Father.So here's the obvious question:If Jesus is God, and God knows everything, how could Jesus genuinely say, "I don't know"?In this episode of The Caffeinated Christian, we work through one of the most difficult objections to the Christian doctrine of the incarnation. Did Jesus surrender His omniscience when He became human?Was Jesus simply ignorant according to His human nature?Does the incarnation mean Jesus had two minds?What does Paul actually mean when he says Jesus "emptied Himself" in Philippians 2?And can Jesus genuinely say that He doesn't know something while the eternal Son remains omniscient?We're going to take the objection seriously rather than giving a quick Christian cliché. We'll look at Mark 13:32, Philippians 2, the historic Christian understanding of Christ's two natures, and the philosophical question of whether omniscience is something God could surrender and still remain God.This isn't about finding an easy answer.It's about asking whether the Christian doctrine of the incarnation is actually coherent.The bigger question isn't simply, "Did Jesus know everything?" It's “Who is Jesus?”CHAPTERS:00:00:02 - Welcome to the Caffeinated Christian Podcast00:02:12 - Coffee Machine Disaster and Pumpkin Spice Season00:03:58 - Jesus Not Knowing the End Times00:10:49 - Jesus' Divine and Human Nature Explained00:13:18 - Jesus' Omniscience and Human Nature Problem00:19:55 - Jesus: One Person, Two Natures Explained00:22:39 - Jesus's Omniscience as a Necessary Divine Attribute00:29:15 - Understanding Jesus' Emptying in Philippians 200:31:46 - Morphe in Greek Literature: Outward Appearance Not Nature00:35:18 - Jesus Didn't Surrender Divine Attributes00:36:51 - Jesus: Fully Divine and Fully Human00:39:24 - Jesus' Knowledge and Human Consciousness Levels00:45:26 - Jesus' Levels of Awareness and Divine Attributes00:48:37 - Jesus' Genuine Dependence on the Father00:51:07 - Jesus' Human Nature and Divine LimitationsJesus & Omniscience Teaching Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most foundational doctrine of Christianity is that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the son of God and the son of man. He was virgin born, conceived by the Holy Spirit. This does not mean God came down and was sexually intimate with Mary. It means it is a miraculous conception.Main Points:1. The virgin birth reveals the deity of Jesus. If Jesus is not God, then he could not save us. And if Jesus did not save you, you are still lost in your sins.2. Jesus was born as a man because he had to be a man to be our true representative on the cross. He had to be God because He is the only one capable of saving us.3. Do not let anyone tell you the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ is not an essential belief. It is absolutely essential. The virgin birth of Jesus fulfills the prophecy and promise of God and it reveals the deity of our Savior.Today's Scripture Verses:John 1:14 - “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”Isaiah 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Welcome to episode 259 of Grasp the Bible. In this episode, we will examine the blessing of boundaries — why healthy relationships require appropriate limits, and why setting and respecting boundaries is an act of love, not a failure of it.  Key takeaways:   Boundaries feel wrong to many Christians because we have been taught that love means always being available, always saying yes, always accommodating others' needs. But Proverbs 25:17 teaches that even good relationships need limits. Constant presence breeds contempt; appropriate limits protect connection. The Hebrew word translated “seldom” in this proverb actually means “precious” or “rare.” The instruction is not to avoid people but to make your presence valuable rather than presumptuous. Scarcity produces appreciation; saturation produces aversion. Even the Trinity models boundaries. The persons of the Godhead are not merged or confused — they remain distinct while perfectly unified. Intimacy does not require the erasure of limits. Deep connection and appropriate separateness are not opposites. Presumption violates the voluntary nature of relationship. When you treat someone's hospitality as obligation rather than gift, you transform a freely chosen relationship into something coercive. Most people will not confront the boundary-crosser — they will quietly resent them until the relationship ruptures. Jesus regularly withdrew from crowds, limited access even to His disciples, and maintained limits with His own family. If Jesus — perfect in love — needed boundaries, how much more do we? Boundaries are not a failure of devotion; they are a mark of wisdom. You cannot love your neighbor well if you are completely depleted from over-extending. The person who sets no boundaries eventually burns out or grows bitter — neither of which serves relationship. Sustainable love requires limits. “No” to one thing allows “yes” to the right things. Respecting someone's limits communicates that their time, space, and energy are valuable. That is love in action.  Quotable:   Boundaries are not barriers to relationship — they are the framework that makes sustainable, loving connection possible. You are not being selfish when you set limits. You are being a good steward of what God has given you so that you can keep giving it.  Application:    Examine whether you are smothering people with your presence or demands. Are you the person who calls multiple times daily, drops by unannounced, monopolizes people's time, or expects immediate responses? The fact that someone is gracious does not mean they are available. The fact that they are friendly does not mean they are free. Love does not presume — it honors limits even when the other person is too kind to enforce them.  Stop interpreting other people's limits as rejection. When someone says “I can't right now,” believe them. When they need space, give it. When they ask you to call first, honor it. A person setting a boundary is not telling you they don't care about you — they are being honest about their capacity so they can love you sustainably rather than resentfully. Receiving a “no” graciously is itself an act of love.  If you need to set boundaries, stop feeling guilty for it. You are not being selfish or un-Christlike. You are stewarding finite resources. Identify one relationship where you have been depleted because you kept saying yes when you meant no. What would one honest, kind limit look like in that relationship? You do not owe anyone unlimited access to your time, energy, or emotional bandwidth — and pretending you do will eventually produce resentment, not love.  Make your presence valuable, not presumptuous. Relationships have a rhythm — together and apart, access and space, availability and autonomy. Consider how you show up in your closest relationships. Are you contributing to that rhythm or disrupting it? Presence that is chosen freely is a gift. Presence that is demanded or presumed becomes a burden. Aim to be the kind of person whose company is looked forward to, not dreaded.  Connect with us:    Web site:  https://springbaptist.org Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/SBCKleinCampus (Klein Campus) https://www.facebook.com/SpringBaptist (Spring Campus)  Need us to pray for you? Submit your prayer request to https://springbaptist.org/prayer/  If you haven't already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Matthew 13: 47-51, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. that is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?” So, Jesus is saying in the end there will only be 2 categories of people and they will be separated out by the angels. There will be the wicked and the righteous. The wicked’s fate is the fiery furnace of misery. The righteous will be kept and carried off. We know from earlier parables in this chapter that the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. So, it’s clear who we don’t want to be – we don’t want to be the wicked. And it’s clear who we do want to be – we want to be the righteous. Now, how can we be sure because this is eternity we’re talking about. There will be no undoing this. After sharing this story, Jesus says, “Do you understand all these things?” No – I honestly don’t at this point, Jesus, help me understand. Explain this to us. He wants us to understand this, so let’s dig deeper here for understanding. When I’m trying to understand scripture, I do a few things: 1. I look at different translations for clearer wording. 2. I look up the original Greek or Hebrew words and their definitions. 3. I read commentary to get additional understanding. Looking at other translations of this parable, they all say it in the same words – there are the good and the bad – the righteous and the wicked, and in the end they are getting separated. Until then, they will be in the same waters living together. God doesn’t separate us now, but the day will come when he does. Now, let’s look at the original text. These spoken words of Jesus were recorded by the disciple Matthew after he personally heard them. The language was Greek. In Greek, the two groups people will be separated into are the ponēros and the dikaious. The ponēros are the wicked ones. The word means evil, bad, harmful, morally corrupt. It describes one who is not only bad in character, but produces bad effects. This isn’t the person who messes up in their life and fails – this is the person who is truly bad. This isn’t about just doing bad things – this is about BEING bad. It’s a moral corruption from within. It’s a genuinely rotten, poisonous fruit. Religion has warped this word to make us think we’re going to Hell if we sin. Well, here’s the really bad news about that teaching – WE ALL SIN. Every single one of us. There has only been one without sin and that was Jesus. The rest of us aren’t good enough – but that doesn’t mean we are wicked. This word ponēros is used when Jesus teaches us how to pray in Matthew 6. Verse 13, “deliver us from the evil one.” That’s the ponēros one. Satan. So his people, his followers, his devoted workers are the ones who Jesus tells us are wicked. They are the ones who will meet the fate of the fiery furnace. These are NOT the ones who have made wrong choices and wandered off the path occasionally. These are the ones who are inherently evil. —— Then there are the dikaious. Here’s what that word means – those who are in right standing with God. Here’s what that word doesn’t necessarily mean – a good person. We try to make this all about us, about our acts, our deeds, and our track record. And if we do, we always fall short. We simply are not righteous. No matter how good you are, it hasn’t made you right with God. There is one thing and one thing only that has made you right with God – that’s the man on the middle cross. Jesus gives us right standing with a Holy and perfect God. JUST JESUS. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be MADE RIGHT WITH GOD through Christ.” This is how we are the diakious – the righteous – the ones who will get to shine bright in the Kingdom of God forever! Jesus did that for us. Romans 5:17, “God’s wonderful grace and his GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” Righteousness is a gift of God’s grace. No, we don’t deserve it, but he gives it to us anyway. You can stop thinking you have to make yourself good enough and receive the grace that completely covers you. Romans 3:22, “We are made RIGHT WITH GOD by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. yet God, in his grace, freely makes US RIGHT in his sight. People are made RIGHT WITH GOD when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” It just couldn’t be any clearer than that. We are made right with God through one thing and one thing alone – BELIEVING IN JESUS! And no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’ve come from or how wrong you’ve been, this is true for YOU. YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS THROUGH JESUS. So my friend, your destiny is sealed. If you believe in Jesus, you are in the diakious, the righteous, the ones in right standing with God. And your future is secure in Jesus – you get to shine in God’s Kingdom forever! So let’s go back to Jesus’ question: “Do you understand all these things?” I think I finally understand what He’s trying to show us. One day, the net is going to come ashore. One day, there will be a separation. One day, this life will be over, and eternity will begin. And on that day, the question won’t be, “Were you perfect?” Because none of us were. It won’t be, “Did you make good choices every day?” Because none of us did. It won’t even be, “Were you good enough?” Because none of us are. The question is: What did you do with Jesus? Because there are only two categories in the end: the wicked and the righteous. And here’s the incredible news for every person who has put their faith in Jesus: Jesus makes you righteous. Not your performance. Not your religious résumé. Not how many Bible verses you know. Not how many times you’ve gotten it right. Jesus. The man on the middle cross took what belonged to you so that you could receive what belonged to Him. He took your sin. He gave you His righteousness. He took your shame. He gave you His grace. He took your condemnation. He gave you right standing with God. So stop trying to earn what Jesus already died to give you. You don’t have to spend the rest of your life wondering, “Am I good enough?” You aren’t. Jesus is. And that’s the whole point. The Gospel isn’t that you finally became good enough for God. The Gospel is that Jesus was good enough for you. So when the net comes ashore, I don’t want to be standing there hoping my good outweighs my bad. I want to be standing there covered by Jesus. I want to be found in Christ. I want His righteousness to be my righteousness. And then—because I have received His life—I want that life to change the way I live here and now. Because this isn’t just about where we go when we die. It’s about who we become while we’re alive. If Jesus has truly gotten into your life, He should eventually begin getting into everything. Your thoughts. Your words. Your relationships. Your decisions. Your money. Your marriage. Your work. Your habits. Your reactions. Your dreams. Your disappointments. Everything. He becomes the center. And when Jesus becomes the center, He begins changing what your life produces. So don’t spend your life trying to prove you’re good enough. Receive the righteousness Jesus freely gives you. And then spend the rest of your life letting Him transform you from the inside out. Because someday the net will come ashore. And when that day comes, I want to hear Jesus say: “You are Mine.” And I want to shine like the sun in my Father’s Kingdom. Not because I was good enough. Because Jesus was. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com