Podcasts about in biblical

In this week's podcast, Michael Lane discusses the topic of genealogy in the Bible from the Florida Keys as he leads students on the 2025 Marine Biology trip! In Biblical times, genealogy was so important to show the lineage of families. To the Israelites it's still very important piece of their culture. Skeptics and critics will use these two genialities as evidence that the Bible cannot be trusted because they are different. Tune in and discover the reasoning why it's important that Jesus has two different genealogies.CREDITS: Developed & Hosted by Michael Lane. Produced & Edited by Isabel Kolste. Graphics & Publication by Isabel Kolste. Additional Art, Film, & Photography Credits: Stock media “Memories” provided by mv_production / Pond5 | Logo Stinger: Unsplash.com: Leinstravelier, Logan Moreno Gutierrez, Meggyn Pomerieau, Jaredd Craig, NASA, NOASS, USGS, Sam Carter, Junior REIS, Luka Vovk, Calvin Craig, Mario La Pergola, Timothy Eberly, Priscilla Du Preez, Ismael Paramo, Tingey Injury Law Firm, Dan Cristian Pădureț, Jakob Owens | Wikimedia: Darmouth University Public Domain, Kelvinsong CC0 | Stock media “A stately Story (Stiner02)” provided by lynnepublishing / Pond5-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DONATE: https://evidence4faith.org/give/ WEBSITE: https://evidence4faith.org/NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/hpazV5BOOKINGS: https://evidence4faith.org/bookings/CONTACT: Evidence 4 Faith, 349 Knights Ave Kewaskum WI 53040 , info@evidence4faith.orgMy goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians 2:2-3

God's Will is Done (Audio) David Eells – 2/26/25 Do you know and understand that God is sovereign over the minds of all men? An angel recently told me that they could influence men's minds and they do. (Pro.21:1) The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will. It is amazing to me how many Christians today can be so ignorant of the sovereignty of God when there is so much of it in the Word, though so many, even in the Old Testament, understood this truth. We would get a good argument if we said some of these things in almost any church, but we should be able to say anything that the Scripture says and feel good about it. When we quote the Scriptures and we do not feel easy about it, it is because we are wrong in our thinking. In this way, we can know if we have false doctrine and our mind needs to be renewed. There are many verses ignored by the modern church because they are uncomfortable to the carnal mind. Here is one of those verses. (Dan.4:17) The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men. Why is it that people do not understand this today? There are so many Christians today that are so politically-minded they think that they have the ability by banding together to put somebody in office that God does not want. Be careful about matching numbers with the wicked. According to the truth of the broad road, there is no moral majority. It is not by might and not by power. Throughout history, God has set up over the kingdoms of men the lowest of men not the highest who are disciples of Christ and born of the Word. God has a good reason for doing this. It was the reason that the lowest of men judged Jesus, and it is the same reason that we need the lowest of men to rule over us now. Good people will not nail you to a cross, but without the cross, there is no crown. Even though at this time our Cyrus is overthrowing Babylonish Deep State kingdom to bring in one more favorable to conservative Christians, apostacy and corruption has not been corrected in the Church. This will give us a time of relative peace for the Man-child reformers to get the true Word out. Then that Word will be tested in them. In Biblical times, when God's people fell into apostasy, He raised up a beast kingdom to crucify them into repentance. Six world-ruling kingdoms – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome – were raised up to bring little Israel to their cross. Is it an accident that world kingdoms thought it important to subject the smallest of kingdoms? History and the Word of God are plain. (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. To bring to repentance a worldwide apostate (meaning: fallen away) Church, now God is raising up a seventh and eighth worldwide beast kingdom, which will incorporate the seed of all the previous kingdoms (Rev.17:11). We read about Nebuchadnezzar, a man who was so proud of the great kingdom that he thought he had built. (Dan.4:30) The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (31) While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee: (32) and thou shalt be driven from men; and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee; until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. This vessel of clay taking credit for God's work reminds me of the statement made by the Titanic's engineer, “We built a boat that God could not sink.” (Ecc.5:2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. This sovereignty of God instills respect. When King Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace bragging about his accomplishments, the Lord turned his mind over to the mind of a beast for seven times. This is a type of the last seven years of tribulation when God will turn the kingdoms of the world over to the dragon of Revelation 12 and then the beast of Revelation 13, giving them the mind of a beast in Revelation17. For seven seasons, that great boastful king ate the grass of the fields, symbolizing the flesh of men, until he came to the revelation in Dan.4:25 the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will. The first thing we should see here is that God made this arrogant man king and gave the rebellious people of God into his hand. God has repeated this habit throughout history. God through Daniel warned the king of his judgment ahead of time to make him responsible to repent. This is an example to us to fear God and not touch His glory. (Dan.4:35) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; (It is not the world that is important in God's plan but those who are born from above.) and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Nobody can push God's hand away and say, “What are you doing?” Nobody can stop Him from doing what God wants him to do. This should give us faith, rest, and the fear of God. Since God is doing exactly what He wants, why does He set up these evil men over the world? We thought God wanted to go the other way with the world. He, obviously, does not share the majority's opinion on that. God has no interest in saving the world through world politics; He has never done it before. This is the thinking of ignorant Christians who want to help God out. Their plan is to always put Christians at the head to make favorable laws and judgments for us so that we will never be under persecution, oppression, or on the cross. The problem with this is that deeply spiritual men have no desire to rule over men. They only desire to serve the kingdom in fulfilling the Great Commission. (Mar.10:42) And Jesus… saith unto them, Ye know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. (43) But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister (Greek: “servant”). Political Christians are left with those who desire power among men as their choice. These people and the world they rule over serve the larger plan of bringing sons to maturity. (2 Sam.7:14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. Political Christians would love to take away God's rod. If so many Christians did not have a name that lives while they are dead (Rev.3:1), there would be no need for the rod of men. When it comes to politics, I am totally neutral because I want to be on God's side not man's side. God does not always want to put in the good man we think He wants to put in. He did not do it with Clinton or Obama did He? Most Christians would agree with me there. God wanted to put a wicked man in office, because a wicked man is the only kind that would bring this wicked country into the chastening it needed. (Rom.13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God. God did not put these types in because they were our preference but because that was what we needed. No father prefers to chasten his child, but bless him. God put Bush in office because Christians asked Him to. Now, He can prove that we don't have discernment. He couldn't save nor keep us from chastening, either. You may ask, “Is it God's Will to use the true Christian vote to put in office someone like Clinton, Obama or Biden?” No, because if God uses a Christian, He wants to use a true Christian as a vessel of honor. Then would He have us not vote? When He desires to put someone like that in office, the answer is yes. When does He want us to vote? The short answer is when He tells us to. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. He wants us to vote when He wants to do something very unusual, like put a better man in office. We know that God has ordained that Cyrus/Trump be in office at this time. God wants to always use us as vessels of honor. God will use those who refuse to be used as vessels of honor as vessels of dishonor. God will use the wicked to put in a wicked man if He wants the wicked in there. If you disagree with me on that, at least agree with me on this. “There is no power but of God; and the [powers] that be are ordained of God.” This was written in the time of the Herods, Caesars and the Neros, and after that it was true of Hitler and Stalin. Listen, we cannot argue with the Scripture if we want the truth. According to the Word, if wicked men are in a position of power, God put them there. This gives me peace. I do not have to worry. I saw so many Christians worried that Clinton was going to get into office. They were erroneously thinking that it was their responsibility to make sure the right man went in, instead of just obeying God. I did not have to worry about that because my God reigns. I told many before Clinton's first term that God was going to put him into office. I was told that God would not do that. Well, He overruled them. God rules in the kingdom of men, and He rules in the heavens, and He never falls off the throne. Many are deceived into thinking that God's plan is to rule the world by democracy. In such a case, the broad road gang wins. He already rules through theocracy. Romans 9:21 clearly states that He has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. God has a good purpose for His vessels of dishonor, as we shall see. Who was it that killed Jesus? The Jews who were recognized as the people of God were the voters who cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Let me show you Who was behind the voters. Do you know what “Barabbas” means? “Barabbas” means “Son of the father.” Barabbas was the criminal who represented us. The voters set Barabbas free and demanded that Jesus be crucified. (Act.2:22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; (23) him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. God delivered up Jesus to lawless men including their religious leaders. God could not use men who would not slay the Lamb. God put the people in power that would carry out His “determinate counsel.” Who was it that delivered up and smote the shepherd? It was not just the voters of Judas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the Romans, and the Jews. We have to look behind all of them. (Mat.26:31) Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Even though all these vessels of dishonor are guilty, these are only secondary wills. We have to look behind the secondary wills and see the sovereign Will of God. God said, “I will smite the shepherd.” Thank God His plan was not to stop there because there is a lot more crucifying necessary. (Zech.13:7) Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. God is sovereign, and His plan is to crucify the sheep, the little ones. How else can we account for the persecution of Christians throughout history, throughout the world? Unless we take up our cross and follow Jesus, we cannot be His disciples. Of course, we would like to get rid of evil governments and be accepted by the world so that we could enjoy the good life, but all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim.3:12). If we are disciples of Christ, we will be persecuted. Jesus said, “I am the way.” The way to what? The way to heaven. How do you go? The same way Jesus went. If God were going to turn His hand upon the little ones in the way of crucifixion, would you take away His tools? How is God going to bring His plan to pass without the wicked being in rule? Can you see the earth, the dirt, and the plant? The dirt kills the seed coat, and the plant brings forth fruit. Sometimes God permits childlike thinking. If we understood some of these things without a good foundation, we might be tempted to charge God with doing evil and, of course, God never does evil. For this reason, God permits baby Christians to have this “God is in a war with the devil” concept. But when they mature and study the Scriptures, they should come into the knowledge and understanding that God is sovereign and does not make mistakes. He is creating sons. He created and is using the wicked for the day of evil, and they are necessary to crucify the sons. Prosperity and freedom have caused us to lose sight of this fact. (Mat.16:24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. We must lose our carnal life to have God's spiritual life. (Acts 4:27) For of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, (28) to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass. God foreordained these wicked men to crucify Jesus for our salvation and His plan for us to be crucified as well. Not always physically, but absolutely the old man must die to self that the new man may live. God uses people around us to bring us to our cross. If you have ever thought, “I don't need this person in my life,” then you need this person in order to bear the fruit of Jesus. Difficult people are used to bring out the worst in us so that we may choose to walk in the light of the Word and be cleansed of this corruption (1Jn.1:7), or disobey the Word and not bear fruit. This is the whole reason for the most hated command in the Scriptures: non-resistance to evil. We are commanded to be as sheep in the midst of wolves (Mat.10:16), to resist not evil and turn the other cheek (Mat.5:39), to love our enemies (Mat.5:44), to bless those who persecute us (Rom.12:14), and to avenge not ourselves (Rom.12:19) to list a few. These are the natural actions of the one who obeys Jesus and forgives from the heart. God will turn all others over to the tormentors or demons. (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. When we are faced with the wicked and we obey these commands of non-resistance, we can feel the fiery trial burning up the wood, hay, and stubble of our old life. Every time our flesh rises up on the inside and we deny it, it dies, and we get more of the gold, silver, and precious stones of the valuable life of Christ. We are to consider flesh, self or the old man, to be dead because it was crucified with Christ. Rom 6:6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; …11  Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. 12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof.  This is faith and the key to arriving at death to self. You can slap, insult, or rob a dead man and he will ignore you. Stop feeding the flesh and see how quickly it dies. We should see the crucifiers as God's gift to us, even if they are being used as vessels of dishonor. All these wicked people are gathered together to do whatsoever God's hand and God's counsel has foreordained to come to pass. In other words, God does not have any trouble out of any of them. They all do exactly what they are supposed to do. All these rebellious people fulfill the Will of God perfectly. Just as God works in us to will and do of His good pleasure, He also does in them. (Pro.16:9) A man's heart deviseth his way; But the Lord directeth his steps. Decide what you want to be, but no matter what you are, God will use you. Pity, forgive, and have mercy on those who are being used of God, through the devil, as vessels of dishonor. Some of them will repent through your prayers and faith and love. (Psa.75:5) Lift not up your horn on high (I.e. Let not your might, power, or voice be heard.); Speak not with a stiff neck. (6) For neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor yet from the south, [cometh] lifting up. (7) But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and liftest up another. Much has been said recently about the hidden powers that are manipulating the duped masses to get their man into office, and there is truth to this, but God is sovereignly behind it all to work His Will. Fleshly power, wisdom, manipulation, or money lifts up no one. The men of means do not rule this world by their own design; it only appears that way for God's purpose. Just as God sovereignly puts into office, He takes out of office. He also gives us signs of this control along the way. The president in office on every twentieth year died in office until Reagan. 1840: William Henry Harrison (Died in office) 1860: Abraham Lincoln (Assassinated) 1880: James A. Garfield (Assassinated) 1900: William McKinley (Assassinated) 1920: Warren G. Harding (Died in office) 1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt (Died in office) 1960: John F. Kennedy (Assassinated) 1980: Ronald Reagan (Survived assassination attempt). Why did this obvious pattern stop with Reagan and is he the last? God knows. I believe God used the faith and prayers of many Christians who knew about this cycle to bring it to an end. The millennial Sabbath or the actual year 6000 A.M. (September 2001 - 2002) may be the beginning of a new dealing with the sins of God's people. Spiritually, according to type, judgment comes on those who do not cease from their own works on the Sabbath. Two of the most famous of these Presidents who were 100 years apart had obviously God-ordained parallels. • Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. • Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. • Both were concerned with civil rights. Both their wives lost children while living in the White House. • Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both Presidents were shot in the head. • Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln. • Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. • Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908. • Both assassins were known by their three names. • Both names are composed of 15 letters. • Lincoln was shot at the theater named “Ford.” Kennedy was shot in a car called “Lincoln” made by Ford. • Booth and Oswald were killed before their trials. Coincidence? It takes less faith to believe in a sovereign God! These signs are to show us the sovereignty of God. (Psa.75:7) But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and liftest up another. You cannot always judge by looking at the circumstances whether one is being lifted up or put down. For instance, look at Job. Job's friends certainly thought that God was putting him down, but God was lifting him up to sanctify him and to double what he had before (Job 42:10). Joseph is another good example of this. He was sold into bondage by his brothers, falsely accused by his master's wife, and thrown into prison, all as a type of Jesus. Through all Joseph's tribulations, God was actually promoting him over all. Pharaoh then promoted him, making him second only to himself. Joseph confirmed that all of the evil his brothers had done against him was for his good. (Gen.50:20) And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. When God is through manifesting His sons, they will be promoted, and the usefulness of the vessels of wrath will come to an end. (Isa.10:24) Therefore thus saith the Lord, God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. (25) For yet a very little while, and the indignation [against thee] shall be accomplished, and mine anger [shall be directed] to his destruction. Then God's elect will rule by Him. (Psa.75:10) All the horns (power) of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. Someone recently made the following comment to me: “So raising all these millions of dollars to promote a candidate is not necessary.” God is behind that also, even to put the one He wants into office. Those who do not love God need a natural reason for why things happen. Have you ever watched an ant colony behind glass? They carry on through instinct their own purposes, not realizing that they are being watched, and in our case tried. As long as only the natural is seen, God's purpose of a trial environment is established. It is God's purpose that both He and the devil stay hidden until the end. God is looking for those who will overcome walking by sight and will mature to a higher order of living by faith. After the candidate gets into office, it makes no difference. You may think that if you vote for a good conservative, he will be God's servant. He will always make decisions and choices we can trust because he is “God's man.” Has not God shown us the fallacy of that? G.W. Bush has taken away more civil rights because of terrorism than Clinton ever did. We know of a Christian, voted into office by Christians because they believed he would further the Christian cause. He made some of the most ignorant mistakes and foolish decisions, accomplishing nearly nothing. God teaches us lessons, not by the might of the Republican Party, nor by power of the ballot. We are not to trust in men like Israel who ran to Egypt for help against Babylon But we are to walk and speak faith so God can use a monkey. The issue is not about God's Will being done, because whoever gets elected, what he does will be God's Will. It will not, however, always be His wish. Let me explain. (2Pe.3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. “Wishing” in this verse has been incorrectly translated “willing” in some versions. If God was not willing that any should perish, believe me, none would perish since He worketh all things after the counsel of His will (Eph.1:11). Every good parent does things they do not wish to do, but they will to do, in order to train children. In like manner, these world rulers will do the Will of God but not necessarily His wish. The real issue is who we put our faith and trust in. If we believe that we can blindly follow the good conservative we helped to elect instead of God, we will trip and fall on our misplaced trust. And this, too, is God's Will. (Pro.21:1) The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will. Just as a channel turns the water, the Lord turns the king's heart. If He rules the head, He rules the tail. If He rules the king, He rules the people. God does what He wants by turning hearts. Either He turns their hearts as vessels of dishonor for our sake or He turns their hearts to righteousness. He has given us a method by which we can be His vessels to do this. If we forsake His way for the world's ways, the country will crumble. If we think we are going to turn our country around through politics, we are deceived. We cannot politically force evil people to be good. Only the Gospel has the power to change the hearts of the wicked. It is the power of God to save the one that believes it (Rom.1:16). Therefore we should be focused on obeying the Lord and preaching the Gospel to change this nation. Jesus and the apostles are our examples. They focused on the spiritual war and were not deceived into wrestling with flesh and blood. If our country is turned around, it is because people repent; when people repent, God gives them a good government. Since God's people rarely repent without chastening, our nation will hate us. (Mat.24:9)… Ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. We must never fear the will or conspiracies of men or governments. They are all working for His Name's sake. God predestines and does according to His Will. (Psa.103:19) The Lord hath established his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all. (20) Bless the Lord, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word, (Angels fight for us and are unlimited when we agree with God's Word, as it was with the Prophets. For instance: We cannot kill but they can.)(21) Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. (22) Bless the Lord, all ye his works, In all places of his dominion: Bless the Lord, O my soul. God is doing everything that is being done. Through many vessels, He is bringing to pass His eternal creation through the last Adam, Jesus Christ. We need to differentiate between the kingdoms of the world and the kingdom of God. The devil offered Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the world (even your country!) as a temptation, but He turned the position down (Luk.4:5). Some Christians are not turning the devil down. They are being deceived into working in and for the wrong kingdom. Politics is the world's method for ruling the world. The Gospel is God's only method for building His kingdom. Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world (Joh.18:36). Although God has people everywhere, in order for them to obey the Great Commission, they are forbidden to entangle themselves with the affairs of this life (2 Tim.2:4). Jesus said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you (Luk.17:20-21). In other words, the kingdom of God is not to be seen or physical. It is within you; it is the spiritual or born-again man, the one who submits to Jesus as King. Many Christians are building a physical kingdom thinking it to be God's kingdom. Many are worshiping God and country, thinking their country to be God's kingdom. We are here to seek first the kingdom of God, but many are seeking and serving the world and the flesh, which are passing away. Have you ever noticed how the church usually aligns itself in any dispute according to its patriotic nationalism? For instance, during WWII the church in Germany for the most part aligned itself with Hitler while the church in the United States aligned itself patriotically with this country. Christians went out to kill Christians, members of their own kingdom! (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Our kingdom is one race in the midst of all races and one nation in the midst of all nations. Our brothers and sisters do not have national bounds or ethnic divisions as the world does. We are a spiritual race and nation sent to the fleshly races and nations to “show forth the excellencies of him.” Shall we show the world how to kill in the name of Christ? The lost, who are killed, will never have another opportunity to have eternal life. The following excerpts from God's Word should answer that question: “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword”; “Love your enemies”; “Resist not him that is evil”; “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves”; “Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not”; “Render to no man evil for evil”; “Avenge not yourselves”; “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink”; and “Overcome evil with good.” God's people are confused into being members of the wrong kingdom. If we align ourselves with the world, we are God's enemies! (Jas.4:1) Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your members? (2)… ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. (4) Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Religion or patriotism is the cause of most wars, sending multitudes to hell. We are forbidden to fight with people and only allowed to fight with evil spirits. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. In the days ahead, God will open our eyes to this adultery with the world. The whole world, including apostate (fallen away) Christianity, will unite against God's people. When this happens it will cause true Christians to unite behind Christ. (Mat.24:9) Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. The whole world will follow the beast to make war on the saints (Rev.13:7-8). To those same saints, God says, If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Rev.13:10). Many will disagree with me on the grounds of their own reasoning instead of God's Word. I have been asked, “If we do not fight for our country, who will?” Those who are on the broad road, who are not disciples, will, and God will use them as well if He wants to save their country that way. We can and should fight for our country God's way. (2Co.10:4) For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds.

JONAH was the most ancient of all the prophets whose writings have come down to us. He is supposed to have prophesied in the latter end of Jehu's or the beginning of Jehoahaz's reignThe author of the book is Jonah. His name (הָונֹי Yonah) means “dove.” Yahshua Messiah mentions Jonah, and the account of this book, as true history (Mat 12:39-41).The book of Jonah was written to Israel to show that Yahweh's grace and mercy extends to Gentiles, even those whom Israel regards as their evil enemies.In this study we will begin in Chapter 3. In the last chapter we saw Jonah being spit or vomited up onto dry land by the great fish. In this Chapter 3 we are going to see that the people of Nineveh instantly accept Jonah. This would certainly seem odd for a heathen Pagan city, if we did not understand that the Ninevites worshiped a fish-headed god name 'Dagon'. Side note if you look and the headdress of the Catholic Pope and bishops you will notice the Dagon fish like hat that they wear! So to the Ninevites this man Jonah, who claimed to speak for Yahweh, and whom was delivered unto them by an immense fish, must be a Divine sign. The Ninevites took to Jonah and his message like a fish takes to water. But seriously, if they worshiped a fish god, and this man was delivered (sent) to them by a fish, they would almost worship him, and would most certainly heed any warning he delivered. Perhaps this was Almighty Yahweh's plan all along.2    great city = Not good, but this word 'great' in the Hebrew is 'gadowl'; Hebrew word #1419, and it means: massive, proud, disrespectful, and of old.3   great city of three days' journey = Not three days from where Jonah was, but this was a form of measure in those days. What this is saying is that the city was so large that it was three days walk to go around its outer walls. Three day's journey was approximately sixty miles around. Quite a large city for those days and in [4:11] we see that Nineveh had six score thousand inhabitants (120,000).4   began to enter into the city a day's journey = Jonah walked 20 miles into the heart of the city. cried = Proclaimed (same word used for 'preach' in verse 2).  forty = In Biblical numeric's, the number forty represents probation, and Nineveh had just about exhausted Yahweh's patience, their probation from destruction was ending in forty days. overthrown = Destroyed. This is Hebrew word #2015: 'haphak', and it is the identical word used of Yahweh's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah [Gen 19:24-25]. The Ninevites may have been aware of the 'legend' of Yahweh's judgment and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah5    believed = Believed the proclamation of their impending doom, and sought to atone to Yahweh wherein they might be spared.  proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth = A sign of mourning and repentance from the greatest. . . = Everyone in Nineveh heeded Yahweh's words through Jonah, and they all participated in the offering of repentance to the Lord.Jonah's message had an extraordinary effect upon the people in Nineveh. They understood that Yahweh had sent Jonah to declare this message on Yahweh's behalf. So they gave careful attention to what Jonah was saying. They believed that Yahweh had made his judgment against them. They had just 40 days until the time when they, and their great city, would suffer a terrible punishment. In that punishment, they would lose their lives and everything that they possessed.Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com 

There are few topics more personal to us than our identity. How do we define ourselves? Does anyone have the right to tell us who we are? In Biblical times, names had important meanings and your name was often part of your identity. We may think there are things about us that will never change...but with God it is possible, even if He must give us a new name!

In Biblical uses, the shofar was used to call people together, to announce an important occasion or the arrival of someone important, or as a battle cry. The shofar calls us to pay attention. What is God calling us to hear today?

In Biblical terms, what does the concept of "submission" entail for a wife in marriage? What should submission NOT look like in marriage? Here, in Ephesians 5, Paul gives us wisdom in knowing what God-honoring relationships should look like in the context of marriage and how husbands and wives should relate to one another in the love of Christ.

Racial animosity is all too common today. In Biblical times, the Samaritans were viewed as half bred, religiously compromised traitors. Here Christ speaks and acts in such a way as to include those who have been excluded. He builds bridges between people and unites them to God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1417/29

The concept of Armageddon is related to military struggles, to the place of the great battle and wickedness, and is mentioned in the book of Revelation. This passage has its final fulfillment not in physical terms, but in the spiritual era when the true believers stand in their positions. This publication deals with the concept of Armageddon and is summarized in three headings, which indicate where, how, and when Armageddon takes place and what its consequences will be. The three aspects are deeply intertwined with each other. It is the site, the manner, and the period in which this event takes place that the author intends to provide material for analysis.   The word "Armageddon" is derived from Hebrew, and the original Greek script has the term "Harmagedon." The word has given origin to the mystique with which countries of the world always use terms like the "Third World War" and portray their physical-political viewpoints about last world events. Palestine (Israel) is the place where the Valley of Armageddon is located. Brother Branham indicated that it is about a 14-hour walk and a day's journey from Jerusalem to this Valley. Its first mention is in the passage of Judges 5:19. This text is related to the victory of Barak and Deborah over King Jabin of Canaan and his general Sisera.   The Hebrew term, Har Megiddô, denotes the towering hill about fifty miles north of Jerusalem upon which the fortress of Megiddo was built. There, toward the end of the second millennium, Thutmoses III won a major victory which climaxed his campaign against Palestinian Amorites. Fifteen centuries later, in 609 B.C., Pharaoh Necho II, returning to Egypt after assisting Syria in repelling aggressive Babylon, pursued some remnant of Judah's force under King Josiah which sought refuge behind these walls. According to the account in Second Chronicles, the king was slain, and his body was transported back to Jerusalem for burial.   It is first of all important to understand just what Armageddon is. The term "Armageddon" comes to us from the Book of Revelation, itself at the end of the New Testament. It is presented in descriptive purport as a prelude to that supreme finale in which God's righteous rule is asserted upon the earth as it is in Heaven and an eternity is ushered in of happiness and peace for the remaining ones of mankind.   However, anybody who reflects on our world as an enduring totality of time and space is now increasingly faced with the thought that the destiny of that world is evil. More prosaically, we are all agreed, including the secular humanists, that we have to do something about it, but the fact that the problem is now perceived in a secularized manner does not make it any more tractable. The earlier belief that the notion of a beneficent God, who will ultimately bring about the final victory of His will, could give a total and an acceptable answer and provoke a total and unambiguous belief, has disappeared. It is a question of very fundamental importance to note that this traditional belief, in the clarification of which an understanding of the notion of Armageddon is crucial, will continue to lose ground.   In terms of cultural and historical significance, the notion of Armageddon is of a very different order from the more or less forgotten notions of devil and hell. Today we are seldom, if ever, agitated by the thought that at our death - and as far as life's duration goes, we are already amidst the children of eternity - one of us might go to hell. In fact, the concept of the omnipowerful, omniscient, all-knowing, and therefore necessarily benevolent God who might sentence some of his creatures to unremitting punishment for eternity seems now utterly alien to us.   The name "Armageddon" is not difficult to explain. The concluding verses of the 16th chapter give us a description of the Kingdom of the Beast and of the circumstances that lead it to provoke the intervention of Christ Jesus. Three unclean spirits, it would seem to be, two Beasts and a False Prophet, work miracles, induce the kings of the earth to assemble at a place with a Hebrew name, Har-Megiddon, after which they go forth to gather the kings of the whole world for the final battle. The name this refers to, as most Biblical commentators insist, is the plain of Esdraelon, which has formed throughout the course of the Iron Age the easiest communications route from north to south, and is thus of direct concern to the inheritors of the ancient Empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, of each of which Megiddo was at times the key fortress. It was a suitable location, in other words, for all the varied and Leviathanic opponents of the Israel of God, as it will be for all the varied and Leviathanic enemies of the Church. Other explanations are merely ingenious and unrelated to the events that serve as the background of the final apocalyptic catastrophe.   The first mention of Armageddon in the Bible is in the 16th chapter of the Apocalypse or Revelation. The last of the series of seven Vial-plagues that bring to an end the reign of the Antichrist, who has shown himself both as against and in place of Christ Jesus, is poured on the air by an Angel, and a Voice from the Temple in Heaven proclaims: "It is done." In Biblical language, there is no hint of resignation or despair in such a declaration, but rather of achievement, with possibly overtones of relief. The Vial-plagues have brought to an end the trials and persecutions of the Faithful. The reign of the counter-Christ has been terminated, and in the brief but horrifying description that follows, we learn how the final defeat of the powers of darkness is accomplished.   It may indeed be concluded that the notion of an 'end of the age' was central to the anonymity of the apostolic teaching preached during the A.D. in a church which seemed to be already convinced that it was living in 'the Last Time'. In 2 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul justified his own unwarranted zeal (genuine enthusiasm, as Blaise Pascal was to say) on the grounds that the end of time was a phenomenon yet to make its initial appearance.   What this means is that he alone perfectly embodies the complex notion and the rigorous accompanying demands of divine love, and thereby fulfills the pledge of everlasting divine rule (victory for God's righteousness) by the fostering of peace which he alone can establish between God and his creation. When it comes to the manner of this realization, not all of the New Testament books offer a perspective which is exactly at one. Harnack observed that the apostle Paul, in common with all of his listeners, expected the literal earlier end of the world.   Revelation is the twenty-seventh book in the New Testament, although not the final one in the sequence of its date of origin. (2 Peter officially occupies that position.) As far as 'authorship' is concerned, it is to be included among the books in the New Testament about which there may be a query, if only because on both the Hebrew and the Christian models of prophecy, nearly everything found in it is just not to be discovered elsewhere throughout the rest of the book. "To Christ Jesus alone belong all splendor and power. May it be to him for all time," we are told in the closing verses of the twenty-seventh chapter of Revelations, and this glorious refrain seems to me to summarize the matter to the satisfaction of all.   At times, the prophets are given personal experiences that illustrate this final victory of righteousness over evil. Other times, the prophets or the psalmists use a myriad of expressive and compelling literary forms to present this deep-felt belief in the ultimate triumph. These writers give various prophecies to portray this incredible victory. The writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Zechariah, Malachi, and the Psalms are spiritual dynamite. Their prophecies of things to come are profound. They minister to the deep, hidden psychic needs of men across the ages yet to come. Even Jesus was not exempt from quoting from many of these Old Testament prophecies. We are told He made reference not only to individuals but also to the great and dramatic events that were yet to come. With only a partial fulfillment, we would do well to carefully note these prophecies contained in both the Old and the New Testaments.   Beginning in the Old Testament, a rich vein of scripture exists that refers to the concept of Armageddon. This scripture portrays a time of final destruction of the forces of evil the world over - righteousness in the final battle between good and evil. The ultimate victory of God's righteousness seems to have always been an integral part of the Judaic teachings, just as it is part of the Christian faith today. From the earliest writings, this concept is put forward, passed on to sons and daughters across centuries, and thoughtfully expounded.   Turning to Islam, it is plain from the Qur'an that close affinities, and, to some extent, an overlapping of ideas exist with both Christianity and Judaism, but if one considers the concept of Armageddon specifically, it is observable that in the Muslim Rashidun and Umayyad rents eschatological speculation was unimportant due to conquests of territory, and that Muhammad's teachings, insofar as their details can still be ascertained, contained relatively little about a great end-time battle at all.   Although this book is concerned with the term "Armageddon" in the Christian tradition alone, it might be enriching to cast a brief eye across the beliefs of other religions and to determine if a process of heterogenization in the interpretation of that term was to be witnessed. Christianity, just one religion among numerous others capable of having differing eschatologies, roots itself first in Judaism whose eschatological literature covers virtually the whole period of its writing. Cognate concepts can be seen adumbrated in Isaiah and taken up into the Christian tradition: within the Jewish tradition we can note once again that, at the same time, differences thrived, for example between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

In Biblical times, people would pray blessings over each other in the letters they sent. This Mother's Day, we want to pray a special blessing over you and your families. We pray that you may experience the fullness of God and all of His blessings in your life. On Sunday, May 12, 2024, Pastor Chad Gilligan gives us Three Things I Pray for You.

In Biblical times, a steward was a faithful and trusted servant who would run his master's household. The Apostle Peter tells us that we are stewards of God's grace, entrusted with bringing the good news of the Gospel of grace to our unbelieving neighbor, loving our brothers and sisters and witnessing to God's faithfulness, even in our suffering. Join Pastor Matt as he leads us through 1 Peter chapter 4 and teaches us about being a steward of God's grace.

In Biblical times, a steward was a faithful and trusted servant who would run his master's household. The Apostle Peter tells us that we are stewards of God's grace, entrusted with bringing the good news of the Gospel of grace to our unbelieving neighbor, loving our brothers and sisters and witnessing to God's faithfulness, even in our suffering. Join Pastor Matt as he leads us through 1 Peter chapter 4 and teaches us about being a steward of God's grace.

The Bible talks about a 7-year period of time that will be the climactic era of history - when the church will be raptured, God's final judgments will be poured out, and Jesus will come again.This 7-year period will be kicked off by the arrival on the world scene of a key figure: the Antichrist.In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul reassures these young believers that despite the rampant rumors and false teaching, they had NOT missed the coming of Christ. The reason they should know that, Paul says, is because “that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” (2 Thess. 2:3) This and other texts all seem to agree that before Jesus returns and before we're raptured, there will appear on earth a human being who will be the ultimate false messiah - a satanic duplicate of Christ.  The prefix “anti” not only means “against” but “in place of.” That is, he will not only be against Christ, but he will seek to take the place of Christ in the hearts of men and women.We learn more about the Antichrist in Revelation 13. He is described as “a beast coming out of the sea.” The sea symbolizes the chaos of the nations. This figure arises out of the chaos and confusion of the world. What can we learn about The Antichrist?1.     He will be a world-class political and military dictator. (v. 1)This Beast is described as having 10 horns with 10 crowns and 7 heads. In Biblical imagery, horns have to do with military power and crowns with political power. The Antichrist will be a leader with unmatched clout and charisma. 2.     He will be extraordinarily powerful. (v. 2a)The imagery seems to mean that this leader will have the stealth of a leopard, the brute strength of a bear, and the intimidating power of a lion. The point is that this ruler will be incredibly powerful, and that's because…3.     He will be energized by Satan. (v. 2b)The dragon will both empower and enable this beastly leader.4.     He will gain an audience by recovering from a fatal wound. (v. 3)Some scholars take this literally, while others interpret it symbolically. In any event, the world will be taken with the newly recovered life of this Beast and will see him as someone worth following.5.     He will seek to be worshiped and blaspheme God. (vs. 5-6)At first, the Antichrist will win the world's respect and admiration for solving the Middle East crisis and making a covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27), even creating a way for them to rebuild the Temple. But halfway through these 7 years, there will be a shift. The Antichrist will demand more than respect. He will demand worship. He will break his covenant with Israel, set up an idol in the Temple, and demand the world to worship him.6.     He will persecute the people of God. (v.7)This is the Great Tribulation. What should we take away from all this?The deception will be powerful; don't be fooled. (v.8)The challenge will be great; don't be naïve. (vs. 7, 10a)The victory will be sure; don't be intimidated. (v. 10b) Text: Revelation 13Originally recorded on March 26, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN. 

In Biblical times the first commandment carried a different connotation than it does today. In their time most religions were multi-theistic in nature, where today almost all the world prescribes to a monotheistic belief. But we face the same root problems today that they did then. In 2 Kings 17 we dive into warnings against false Gods and Idols, today those things can look like entertainment, comfort, politics, fear, social media, and more. In this sermon from Pastor Aaron, learn to lay down your former practices to honor God and never bow to another again. Because that is truly living in freedom.  Join us for service live every Sunday at 10am at 1852 95th St, Naperville, IL 60564 (The education-wing entrance of Wheatland Salem Church)Connect with us at our website www.revivechicago.church

Do you recall the rules of the church from your childhood? In Biblical times, there were detailed regulations concerning the construction of synagogues and who could occupy specific areas. At the core of these structures was the "Holy of Holies," a space accessed only once a year on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) by the high priest, acting as an intermediary for the people. This access was conditional and required specific sacrifices. Why? Because this sacred space housed not only the Ark of the Covenant—containing the laws given by God through Moses but also the very presence of God. The Holy of Holies was separated by a meticulously crafted veil. Although God draws near to his people, the veil symbolizes the need for protection from the overwhelming magnitude of his presence and glory. In the presence of a great and holy God, we, as sinners, require this safeguard. Despite our shortcomings, God desires a relationship with us and comes as close as possible, setting the veil to ensure our safety.

Jesus heals. In the miracle stories healing is a prevalent theme with many people who are in need healed by Jesus. In these stories we get a clue about Jesus. He has a heart for those caught in this dilemma of being less than whole and stuck with no apparent way to get better. Jesus was their only hope, and when we make a similar ask the promise Jesus makes is that He will be there. The Extra Mile: When Jesus heals, it is always a person who the culture of Jesus's day would consider ‘unclean'. In Biblical times, if one was sick, injured, or deformed in some way it was believed to be because of a sin the person or a family member committed. In other words, illness was seen as punishment. Jesus breaks this idea. For Jesus, our weakness is a chance for God's power to come forward. The healing miracles bring this idea to light - it is by helping us overcome our weakness that we experience the power of God. Scripture: Matthew 8:1-4 Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Jesus heals. In the miracle stories healing is a prevalent theme with many people who are in need healed by Jesus. In these stories we get a clue about Jesus. He has a heart for those caught in this dilemma of being less than whole and stuck with no apparent way to get better. Jesus was their only hope, and when we make a similar ask the promise Jesus makes is that He will be there. The Extra Mile: When Jesus heals, it is always a person who the culture of Jesus's day would consider ‘unclean'. In Biblical times, if one was sick, injured, or deformed in some way it was believed to be because of a sin the person or a family member committed. In other words, illness was seen as punishment. Jesus breaks this idea. For Jesus, our weakness is a chance for God's power to come forward. The healing miracles bring this idea to light - it is by helping us overcome our weakness that we experience the power of God. Scripture: Matthew 8:1-4 Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Jesus loved a party and his miracle at the wedding Cana reveals some of who Jesus is. Jesus is a celebration and wants the joy of the Lord to be part of our lives. Faith always should lead us to joy and it is toward joy that Jesus wants to lead us. The Extra Mile: Water and wine are highly symbolic in the Bible. Go online and search ‘water' in the Bible and then do the same with ‘wine'. In Biblical cultures both are metaphors for what God is able to do in our lives. For example, God's forgiveness is like the cleansing power of water. Take a look at other passages in Scripture with these words and see what they come to represent in the Bible. Scripture: John 2:1-10 Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Jesus loved a party and his miracle at the wedding Cana reveals some of who Jesus is. Jesus is a celebration and wants the joy of the Lord to be part of our lives. Faith always should lead us to joy and it is toward joy that Jesus wants to lead us. The Extra Mile: Water and wine are highly symbolic in the Bible. Go online and search ‘water' in the Bible and then do the same with ‘wine'. In Biblical cultures both are metaphors for what God is able to do in our lives. For example, God's forgiveness is like the cleansing power of water. Take a look at other passages in Scripture with these words and see what they come to represent in the Bible. Scripture: John 2:1-10 Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

I'm so glad you're here today because it could mean we are a lot alike in that we struggle with letting go of guilt and shame. It does the heart good, or at least it does my heart good to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this. I wanted to share this sweet reminder, that the Lord gave me. I love when the truth of what I know about God sinks in a little bit deeper into my heart. In this case it broke off some pride I had about forgiveness and not the forgiveness we typically think of first, that of forgiving others. This was about forgiving myself. I almost want to ask you to listen to this episode at a time when things are quiet and you're in a personal space so that you can actively respond to what a share but I know that everyone has a very busy life and therefore that's a hard request. Whether you listen now or whether you use my suggestion later to process with God, I'm hoping to create an opportunity for you to hear God's voice because I'm thinking you're like me in that you already know the truth of God's forgiveness and yet we still beat ourself up with guilt and shame. This proves there is some value in digging a little deeper, or simply lingering a little longer with focused concentration to discover freedom when it comes to forgiving ourself. Again, the quiet space is not mandatory because I was driving down the road when God spoke into my spirit. The sweetness of the Lord had me in tears. I don't want anything to happen to you should you be driving. Maybe pull over if the love of the Lord comes over you like it did me. What I have to share today will keep pointing us back to the cross, something you may feel is a bit overdone. Not overdone with the reverence we have for the cross but possibly overdone with regard to how familiar you are with the message of the cross. Stay with me please because I can't get to where I want to take us without going to the cross. And to be honest, as Christians it is always about the cross. It is the core of our faith. It's what makes our faith different. The fact that we have a relationship with the Living God. An alive, active, engaged relationship. We can know our God and hear His voice. There is the potential that some parts of what I'm going to delve into might feel a little abrasive because when God revealed my pride to me in the context of forgiving myself I hadn't thought of it as pride. Additionally, I'm well aware that when people get too close to the things that we are sensitive about it feels judgmental but when God exposes us He does it in love and He's inviting us into deeper relationship, where trust (in Him) is matured. I want this message to be done in love so that is why I'll be pointing you to God to have your conversation with Him. I want Him to reveal what He wants to set you free from. My goal is not to add condemnation to this conversation. That is satan's speciality. God convicts but He never condemns, two different things. I want this conversation to be done in the same gentle, kind way that God did it for me. He didn't call me out to embarrass me. He gently exposed my pride in order to set me free from it. It's times like that when He takes us back to the cross, not to harm us, but to heal us. I'm going to prompt you with an exercise and it's based on the times when the devil tries to drag us back to a place that reminds us of our shame, guilt and regret. I've worked through a lot of childhood trauma. I think everybody's pretty clear on the fact that our family of origin sets the pace for our adult life and so it impacts our decisions. Those experiences help craft the lens through which we see people and the world. We make a lot of assumptions because our experiences do not have a full understanding so now we're dealing with lies we believe, and it all creates the value system we live by. Because no family, no person, no relationship is perfect and sinless, this gives satan plenty of opportunity to try and take us back to painful memories or experiences. We can all find ourselves in these familiar places of thinking defeating thoughts because satan has his successful patterns that he runs on us. It will always be his goal to to steal the truth of God's word, because in truth there is freedom. Satan wants to kill our hope, faith, love, our relationships and at the very least destroy us from the inside out. In times when a situation activates one of our coping skills or in any way that we've created a self protection method, let it be an instant signal for us that God wants to engage our heart about what we're feeling. He'd love to hear your heart and be given the opportunity to speak His truth into whatever it is we're believing to be true. In moments like that, meet Him at the cross. The place where He won the full victory over all of life's failures and brokenness. The things that primarily cause us guilt and shame are structured around something that we've done, that we're responsible for. Our actions, our decisions, and our choices have brought us shame and regret. If we've repented for our sins then we can have assurance that we're forgiven (because of the cross) and yet we play the shameful memory of our actions over and over in our mind and in our heart. It's in this context of forgiven yet unable to let go that I want to create an opportunity for you to take a fresh look at the cross and reconsider something about God's heart for you. And real quick allow me to take a detour because I don't want to overlook this aspect of guilt and shame. With regard to feeling shame or guilt, I'm not referring to times when someone has violated/victimized you. If you're living with guilt and shame because you feel that what happened to you is somehow your fault, this message does not apply to your situation. I'll be talking about choices that we make and are solely responsible. If you find yourself dealing with guilt and shame over something someone did to you, there is a measure of trauma healing that needs to take place because you're not responsible for the actions of another person. In short, you can't own another person's choices. While you are not responsible for what happened to you, if there is any responsibility to be had on your part it would taking responsibility to flip the script on satan. Make every effort to find the healing you need. Make life giving decisions to get what you need and don't stop until you are free. Just so I don't drop you off cold in the middle of this episode, if you have a few minutes, disengage from your immediate To Do List and recline in the Lord, rest with Him. Just receive from Him. If you want to engage God, ask Him, Lord what step do you want me to take next so that I can process the guilt and shame I feel? Who do I need to talk to in order to find healing from these thoughts that are eating away at me on the inside. Also, I will put links in the show notes for a few past episodes and in a couple of weeks there is another one coming out on October 20th. These episodes all take a look at the various healing ministries available to believers. My guest Eileen Love and I talked about Emotion Code Healing - it was broken into 2 parts (Part 1 & Part 2). There's an episode on the Deliverance Ministry Healing with Karen King. Additionally, the episode on October 20th is on the Healing Prayer ministry with Frank Meadows. So remember to come back on or after the 20th to find that one. Coming back to our topic at hand, overcoming the guilt and shame that is based on our decisions and choices. Specifically the situation where we've repented for our sins but we are not able to forgive ourselves. Here's a suggestion, my intended exercise on how to engage the Lord: Find a place where you can be real with God. Intentionally invite him into your space, ask him to protect the conversation that you'll be having with him. He'll command His army to position themselves in the atmosphere so that you can say whatever is on your heart. God is going to protect your vulnerability. He never asks for a perfect conversation, He asks for a genuine one. Once you've intentionally invited God into your space and He has secured the atmosphere I want you to bring to the forefront of your mind the thing that taunts you with guilt and shame. Expose it by speaking it out loud to the Lord. Father, every time this thing (tell him what the thing is not because He doesn't know but He will only work on what you're willing to give Him. He will not force anything from you or on you). Father, every time this comes to mind I block it out. I feel disgusted…whatever it is you feel, think, believe etc., talk to God. Today could possibly be the first time that you've actually verbalized it. Maybe your shame and regret keeps you from talking about that thing that has left your heart battered and ragged, and exhausted. But you think about it. Your internal dialog beats you up over it when it surfaces. Maybe you've been talking with God about it but you keep returning to it, like you're still chained to it. Feeling like you have no control over it, no voice about it, no freedom from it? You just feel helpless to change it or make a difference. You did what you did or maybe you didn't do what you should have done. You said what you said or maybe you said nothing and you feel that you should have said something. Now you're left with the emotional baggage, potentially physical ailments not to mention the mental battle. The good news? All that has the potential to change if you're willing to be transparent with the Lord in the safety of the space He's protecting you in. Remember in Genesis 32 when God asked Jacob, “What is your name?” It was not that God didn't know Jacob's name but Jacob had a lot of trauma attached to his name. In Biblical times, a person's name was part of their identity. Jacob's name means deceiver and Jacob lived up to that. As a matter of fact, the reason Jacob is struggling with God in this verse is because he was getting ready to cross paths with his twin brother Esau and Jacob was responsible for not only stealing Esau's birth right but Jacob also stole the final blessing from their father that rightfully belonged to Esau. Jacob initially reaches out to Esau in an attempt to make peace with his brother. In response, he receives word that Esau is headed his way with 400 hundred of his men in tow. So now Jacob has come to God scared to death for his life and God asks Him, What is your name? It might seem like a strange question in such a desperate situation. God wasn't trying to shame Jacob. God was inviting Jacob into transparency, to be truthful with him. But why, you might ask? Because change only happens when we expose our fear, guilt, and shame. But not to just anyone but rather expose it to the One who defeated it. The One who can make a difference, the One who can turn it of your good. Guilt and shame left in the dark, bouncing off our heart and our mind, it only becomes bigger and bigger in our mind and emotions. I can't say this enough, when God calls us out of the dark places of our mind, he's not trying to expose us for the purpose of embarrassment or to beat us down reminding us who the Almighty God is. Without authentic transparency we can't connect to people. We'll have a surface relationship at best. And let me just say here, not everyone is trustworthy with our pain so you should guard you heart in this area. But the God of the Holy Bible wants real, life giving, life breathing relationship with us. We can't change what we don't acknowledge. Change only happens when we expose our fears to the origin of truth, the fountain head of truth. Nothing stands against God's truth. Because God will not push Himself on us, He was inviting Jacob into deeper relationship. He was saying, son, will you get real with me about what you're feeling/experiencing? Will you have the courage to expose your fear to me so that the thing you keep struggling with, that thing you keep running from, we can put on the table and we can talk about it and we can work through it together? And Jesus says to us, my precious daughter, will you give that thing to me? Will you trust me with your pain? Daughter, do you believe that I love you and I have good things to give you in exchange for your nightmares? When we take our pain to God and struggle well to discover His truths in the context of our deep questions He gives us the beauty of His presence and we are transformed by the revelation that accompanies His presence. Truth shows up every time God shows up and we don't have to wait for the spirit to move we can invite Him in and initiate an intimate exchange. God honors our authentic struggle because He knows that it takes courage to be transparent with Him, to step beyond our human understanding and experiences and accept His invitation into intimacy. So you've invited God into your space, and He has taken authority over the atmosphere, you've brought that thing into the Light of His presence and you're letting anxiety flow out of your mouth. As you verbally process this brings a measure of release to your mind and body. The next thing I want you to do is picture God with you. See His kind and caring manner. Maybe He's holding your hands, looking into your eyes with gentle affection. Maybe He's sitting at the table with you. I can guarantee you this, if he's sitting at the table with you He's sitting next to you and He's got His arm around you. In the safety and security of God, continue to purge your pain as long as you need to. Let Him know how you feel. What is your worst fear, your worst nightmare about that thing? Tell Him why you feel guilt and shame, or whatever emotion you feel. If you want, ask Him to show you where He was when this or that happened? He's never left you so He was present. He's not afraid of anything you share. You won't scare Him off. He won't reject you. This space of transparency and pain all tangled together in what can feel like a terrifying mess, this is His speciality and I'll tell you why. He doesn't extravagantly attend to us knowing that He WILL heal us, He's drawing us into the healing He's ALREADY provided. When we expose our fear and pain to him, healing and restoration begins not because a spontaneous healing happened in that He's decided to now alleviate your guilt in that moment. But because you pursued Him in this context, it was engaged and therefore applied in that moment. It was already purchased on the cross you just hadn't made it personal yet. Whatever you admit, confess or reveal, all the emotion, regret, shame, it doesn't have to be pretty, or nice or even godly. Real pain, deep pain is messy. After you've poured it all out and you've come to the end of yourself, I want you to hear your Father God's voice. He's calm, soft spoken, loving. He's saying, my precious precious daughter, I'll take that, and I'll take that, and that too and give me that one. Give it all to me. Let it go. I've already settled these things. Let me show you. Let Jesus lead you to the cross. Envision Christ scooping up all the emotion that you've been willing to expose and I want you to watch him lay your actions, choices, sins, onto His heart and then willingly lay on the wooden beams fashioned into a cross. Bear with me, this is the familiar part that may feel a little overdone. But this time, make it personal by seeing it through the eyes of knowing Jesus is taking your place. See the roman soldiers drive an iron peg through his left hand, and an iron peg his right hand, then another iron peg through his feet. Watch as they hoist the pole into the air and drop the foot of the cross down into the hole in the ground. It hits hard and the iron pegs tear His flesh. They'll pierce his side with a spear and the final drops of His atoning blood along with water, the living water of life, will spill onto the ground. I'm not reminding you of this historical account because I want you to feel sorry for Him. This is not about pity. Jesus was not victimized in the manner of the Romans taking his life, He willingly laid down His life. I'm not telling you this to compound any guilt or shame because the truth is, we have no authority, no input, and no point of reference with regard to God's plan on what the payment for sin will be and Jesus' agreement on how it will be settled. I'm reminding you of the cross because it's always about the cross. It's the intersection where God's truth and provision meets man's sin and human will. This question may still be be lingering in the air, How do we move from the knowledge of forgiveness to embracing this as truth in our life? How do we make this our core belief and understanding so that we operate and do life from the place of being forgiven? How do we make the leap from knowing in our head that we're forgiven to actually forgiving ourselves? Maybe our inability to forgive ourselves is twisted up with the cross. And it's the reason why we won't let ourselves off the hook. Because the truth is, it should have been me. It should have been you. Paying for what we've done. That was our debt. Our burden, our guilt, our shame, our choices, our actions. When it comes to realistically applying forgiveness, there is a portion of the process when we apply God's truth every time guilt and shame comes up in our mind. We interrupt the thought with truth, not allowing our mind to start running wild. While that can seem robotic, God's truth overwhelms every lie and is very effective. The point of forgiveness that I'm trying to examine are the times where we're checking all the Christian boxes of what makes a good Christian so that our good outweighs our bad. We're doing all the right things. We're praying, we're fasting, we're in church every Sunday all with the hope that we'll get God's approval and then He will supernaturally change the way we feel. I don't want to deny the practical part of applying God's word to our life, but what I want to dig down into is the pride part. Could it be that we've put ourself on the cross? Let's say we have. And yet we're STILL struggling to extend forgiveness to ourselves. On the one hand, we can't deny the truth of our guilt and on the other hand, somewhere down to the core of our DNA we also acknowledge that we are grossly under qualified (and that is putting it lightly) to carry the weight of the cross. Whatever the reason is, I do know that pride can blind us. It did me. If we don't humble our hearts we will find ourselves on the hamster wheel of guilt, shame, forgiveness, guilt, shame, forgiveness. It feels like a rat race but that's simply the world's value system. In God's value system, it's the intersection where God's truth and provision meets man's sin and human will. I'm reminded of a story that's been around as long as I can remember, I feel sure you've heard it. It's about the man who worked at a bridge with railroad tracks. He was responsible for opening and shutting the bridge for both the boats and the train. He'd taken his little boy to work one day and the youngster was playing on the tracks. To the father's surprise a train was approaching faster than he could get to his son but if he closed the bridge lowering the train track his son would be crushed. Not sure if it's a true story or not but it goes on to say that the man made the excruciatingly heart shattering decision to save all the people and their families that were on the train and he lowered the tracks crushing his little boy. The people on that train would go on living their life, never knowing what the father sacrificed nor what the precious son had afforded them. I often overlay that onto God's Fatherly heart because some believers will never grasp the fullness of freedom that has been paid for them. Surely God's heart must have broken because in the sin payment transaction God turned His face away from His beloved Son. Full payment for sin, the kind that saves us, translates to God the Father, being separated from His Son, Jesus. Some believers will go on living their life, entangled in shame, regret, never embracing what God ordained and what the blood of the Son afforded them. They'll maintain a distance between their head knowledge that God had a plan to pay their debt of sin and yet never embrace it in their heart what the precious son afforded them with His blood. This whole message, this episode started when I was in my car, driving down the road, talking with God, the image of Christ on the cross making the just and final payment for my sin came to my mind. I've seen this picture countless times in books, and all kinds of preaching material but this time, my heart responded to the immense sacrifice, I made it personal. I saw the intimacy of what Jesus was doing for me and it softened my heart in a different way. The kindness of Jesus overwhelmed me. Kindness can seem like such a weak word in the scale of this particular context. Romans 2:4 says, Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? What had me weeping was being overwhelmed with the goodness and kindness of God even though I was in a place of pride, despising the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience. I wasn't letting the work of the cross, His Son's blood be enough. I was making it about me. I would not have made a direct connection with that way of thinking, none-the-less, it was playing out in my life, in my thought life. And when I saw how precious the Lord is to me even though I looked upon the cross with contempt/pride my heart become overwhelmed. If Jesus' blood satisfied my sovereign, holy God, why was I being prideful still making it about me? God hasn't abandoned us at Friday on the Cross. He gave us the Sunday resurrection. Our God is alive. Jesus is alive. Living breathing, fresh perspectives, new beginnings, the God of do overs. That's the power of the blood. I've said a lot to bring us to this one point. It's time to change our vision of the cross, our self imposed definition of what pays our debt. If you're still in a strangle hold by your past I want to know, when you look up at the cross do you see Jesus on it or is it empty? Do you see Jesus' work finished or unfinished? If we haven't allowed the blood to pay our debt we're as good as a dead (wo)man. We're physically alive but we're mentally/emotionally 6 feet under. And we'll stay stuck in that type of mental grave until we soften our hearts, humbly admit that we're not capable of paying our debt. Not now, not at our last breath, not at any time in between. Let's take ourself off the cross. It's not about us. Face it, we cannot pay for what we've have done or not done. We cannot fix what we said or did not say. If you agree with the atoning blood of Jesus and His finished work on the cross, you have been acquitted. The final words of Christ on the cross apply to us. It. Is. Finished. Tell your mind, YOU'RE FREE! Tell your heart, YOU'RE FREE! Tell your body, YOU'RE FREE! We don't have to wait for heaven to live in peace, joy, and freedom. Give God, give Jesus, your praise and gratitude. Take a moment to let Him embrace you with His presence. Soften your heart toward His love, make Him personal in your heart and mind. And then do Him the best honor of all, let the world see God in you! Get out there and... Live Loved and Thrive! Get Rid of Guilt and Shame: Invite God into a conversation. Ask Him to take control of the atmosphere. Bring to the forefront of your mind the thing that still causes you guilt and shame. Talk with God about how you feel. Give him all of your pain and questions - Purge all your beliefs that surround the pain. Picture God with you, listening in a loving way. Ask Him, who do you want to be for me in this? What do you want me to know about You in this context of my guilt and shame? Trust God with your pain. Tell God you do not despise His Son Jesus and the work of the cross. Lay your guilt and shame at the foot of the cross. Break any agreement you have made with the lies you have believed about your guilt and shame. Give God your praise and thanksgiving. It can be in tears, laughter, songs of worship, outright words of praise etc. in whatever way you want to worship Him and give Him His due honor. RESOURCES: Past Podcast Episodes: Emotion Code with Eileen Love: Part 1 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/07/emotion-code-therapy-part-1-with-eileen-love/ Part 2 - https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/06/22/emotion-code-therapy-with-eileen-love-part-2/ Deliverance Ministry with Karen King: https://alifeofthrive.com/2023/09/13/finding-freedom-through-the-deliverance-ministry/ October 20, 2023 - I'll add the link for the podcast on Healing Prayer Ministry with Frank Meadows. In the meantime you can check out his website: https://www.meadowshealingprayercenter.com/

The discovery of the ancient ruined city of Sodom proves that the Biblical account of this city is no fairy tale, and shows us a picture of the final judgment. In Biblical times, people did not understand what was coming nor heed the warnings, but these stories are real and they have a lot to teach us!  Jesus pointed to the destruction of Sodom and the devastation of the Great Flood to warn His people of the coming final judgment and to call them to repentance and eternal life in Him. We, too, need to know not only WHAT the future holds, but WHO holds the future. Matthew 24:37-39.

In Biblical times, as it is today, it was vitally important who had control of a given piece of ground. There was much territory belonging to the children of Israel that was being occupied by enemy peoples. It was through the tribe of Judah, meaning "praise," that these territories were reclaimed.09/10/2023 - Sunday NightScriptures Used (In Order of Occurrence):I Samuel 17:1-3, 12-13Genesis 49:8-10Deuteronomy 33:7Joshua 14:6-10Joshua 15:20-47Judges 20:18Judges 1:10, 16-19I Samuel 17:2, 11, 19, 24, 50, 52

The importance of last week's opening comments merit repeating as the Bible is our fully sufficient source for every question and from which every answer must derive. The pivotal verses in this discussion are---2 Peter 1-3- . . . seeing that His divine power has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.-2 Timothy 3-16-17- All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness- so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for EVERY good work.--Today's questions---1 - In Biblical marriage the man is to be the spiritual leader of the family and head of the wife. Does this disqualify a -younger- -in terms of time since being saved- Christian man from marrying an -older- Christian woman-- What should a woman look for as indicators of a man READY to take on the mantle of leader and head of a marriage----2 - The Prodigal Son's father -Luke 15-11-32-, assuming he met all the other qualifications of elder -Titus 1-5-9-, is he unqualified because of his rebellious son-- If so, would he -re-qualify- once his son returns and asks for forgiveness----3 - I hear a lot in our church about what women should not be doing -pastors, teachers, etc.-. My question is what should godly women be doing in the church-- How are women called to serve-- I think it would be helpful for young Christian women, all Christian women to know what their calling is.--4 - We have a question related to women being deacons in church based on 1 Timothy 3. Some say Phoebe in Romans 16 justifies the role. What say ye--

Esther opened some 60 years after the first return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and after the Temple was rebuilt. In Biblical chronology, Esther's events occur between Ezra 1-6 and Ezra 7-10, a book that chronicles the first and second return of the Jews from Babylonian exile.God's favor will prevail.God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results!God is moving.  Are we looking for His activity in the world?Let's go through EstherEsther #1 - Heroes & VillainsEsther #2 - Everybody has a MigbeeEsther #3 - PurEsther #4 - XEsther #5 - Wrap Up!Check us out at Casperchurch.com

As we look toward Easter, don't miss the significance of Palm Sunday, a foundational day in the history of the Church and God's people. This is a celebration of victory just as much as Easter! In Biblical times, Roman generals would ride through the street on a donkey after the war was won to commemorate their victory. On Palm Sunday, Jesus did things differently! He announced His victory before He was ever nailed to the cross. He had already won the war against death, sin, and condemnation! Today, we can celebrate the victory Jesus has already given us which makes us more than conquerors over sin's shame and condemnation. He invites you into this victory, and an invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation to live victoriously!

Esther opened some 60 years after the first return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and after the Temple was rebuilt. In Biblical chronology, Esther's events occur between Ezra 1-6 and Ezra 7-10, a book that chronicles the first and second return of the Jews from Babylonian exile.God's favor will prevail.God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results!God is moving.  Are we looking for His activity in the world?Let's go through EstherEsther #1 - Heroes & VillainsEsther #2 - Everybody has a MigbeeEsther #3 - The PurCheck us out at Casperchurch.com

Esther opened some 60 years after the first return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and after the Temple was rebuilt. In Biblical chronology, Esther's events occur between Ezra 1-6 and Ezra 7-10, a book that chronicles the first and second return of the Jews from Babylonian exile.God's favor will prevail.God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results!God is moving.  Are we looking for His activity in the world?Let's go through EstherEsther #1 - Heroes & VillainsEsther #2 - Everybody has a MigbeeEsther #3 - PurEsther #4 - XCheck us out at Casperchurch.com

Esther opened some 60 years after the first return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and after the Temple was rebuilt. In Biblical chronology, Esther's events occur between Ezra 1-6 and Ezra 7-10, a book that chronicles the first and second return of the Jews from Babylonian exile.God's favor will prevail.God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results!God is moving.  Are we looking for His activity in the world?Let's go through EstherEsther #1 - Heroes & VillainsCheck us out at Casperchurch.com

Esther opened some 60 years after the first return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem and after the Temple was rebuilt. In Biblical chronology, Esther's events occur between Ezra 1-6 and Ezra 7-10, a book that chronicles the first and second return of the Jews from Babylonian exile.God's favor will prevail.God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results!God is moving.  Are we looking for His activity in the world?Let's go through EstherEsther #1 - Heroes & VillainsEsther #2 - Everybody has a MigbeeCheck us out at Casperchurch.com

Do we value our young people? Do we understand that they have a ministry from a young age? In Biblical times, children did incredible things from a young age. Teenagers are still teenagers and they still do incredible things.

Trumpets are meant to be loud. And for good reason. They are an instrument that is designed to announce and communicate. When you hear a trumpet, you pay attention. Growing up on military bases I remember the fast-paced morning reveille as the flag was raised and the low sonorous evening taps as the flag was lowered. The trumpet would announce when the day began and when it was over. In Biblical times the trumpet was used in a similar fashion. It was used to announce, communicate, and call for people's attention. Trumpets were used during battles for issuing signals and for making or breaking camp. The prophet Ezekiel tells us that a watchman would blow the trumpet to warn the people of a coming invasion. In Joshua, we read that on the seventh day of marching around the city of Jericho the priests blew the trumpets the people shouted and the walls came tumbling down. And we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that when the Lord Jesus returns he will, descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) When the trumpet sounds, the people are called to listen and respond to what is being announced. In our text for this Sunday God's Word acts as the trumpet. Like a trumpet call, the Word of God is an announcement to which we must pay attention. It is a proclamation that we must understand. The Word of God is a declaration that we must respond to in faith and obedience. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Nehemiah 8, Luke 24:44-45, Romans 6:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 2:5, and Westminster Shorter Catechism #90.

Trumpets are meant to be loud. And for good reason. They are an instrument that is designed to announce and communicate. When you hear a trumpet, you pay attention. Growing up on military bases I remember the fast-paced morning reveille as the flag was raised and the low sonorous evening taps as the flag was lowered. The trumpet would announce when the day began and when it was over. In Biblical times the trumpet was used in a similar fashion. It was used to announce, communicate, and call for people's attention. Trumpets were used during battles for issuing signals and for making or breaking camp. The prophet Ezekiel tells us that a watchman would blow the trumpet to warn the people of a coming invasion. In Joshua, we read that on the seventh day of marching around the city of Jericho the priests blew the trumpets the people shouted and the walls came tumbling down. And we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that when the Lord Jesus returns he will, descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) When the trumpet sounds, the people are called to listen and respond to what is being announced. In our text for this Sunday God's Word acts as the trumpet. Like a trumpet call, the Word of God is an announcement to which we must pay attention. It is a proclamation that we must understand. The Word of God is a declaration that we must respond to in faith and obedience. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Nehemiah 8, Luke 24:44-45, Romans 6:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 2:5, and Westminster Shorter Catechism #90.

Welcome to a Wesley Wednesday devotion for the third week of Advent with Linda and David Drinkard. One of the messages of Christmas is Peace. Luke 2:13-14 in the King James reads: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men The prophet Isaiah describes the Messiah as: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. In Biblical times the people watched and waited for the gift of God's everlasting peace to come upon the earth. Charles Wesley captures the essence of this message in Hymn #9 of Hymns for the Nativity of Christ. Charles did not give a title to any of the 18 hymns in this collection, so I will refer to it as a Hymn for Christmas. It includes five stanzas. Although not in our United Methodist Hymnal, I'm told the hymn can be sung to the tune used for Crown Him with Many Crowns.

Today's lesson examines the concept of an ancient Near Eastern Covenant. In Biblical times covenants were everywhere. God uses the idea of a covenant to help the Israelites understand the type of God he is and the nature of the relationship they are entering. Simply put, God is a god who covenants and wants to covenant with us. But what does that mean? What is the nature of an ancient Covenant that can help us understand our relationship with God? To begin, our Bible is comprised of a series of covenants. From Adam to Noah, Abraham to Moses, to David, and finally, the latest covenant through Jesus. Even though we refer to the two sections of the Bible as "Testaments," they are, in fact, Covenants - the Old Covenant (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David) and the New Covenant (Jesus). When we understand the nature of a covenant relationship and the significance of Jesus' death, we begin to see deeper into our amazing relationship with God. ---------------------------------------------- Support Fig Tree Ministries: https://donorbox.org/support-figtree-ministries Shopping on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/83-0587741 www.figtreeteaching.com Blog Post: https://www.figtreeteaching.com/faith-lessons/covenant-relationship-with-god#/ Class handout (1): https://www.figtreeteaching.com/uploads/1/1/9/7/119763168/fig_tree_exodus_study_pt_25_covenant_relationship.pdf Ancient Near East Covenant: https://www.figtreeteaching.com/uploads/1/1/9/7/119763168/fig_tree_ane_covenant_with_biblical_passages.pdf Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7mh4v8e7FDwOoPhQd7bz7Y YouTube: https://youtu.be/1tX2ZqJRWSM References: Richter, Sandra - The Epic of Eden - https://smile.amazon.com/Epic-Eden-Christian-Entry-Testament-ebook/dp/B0035RP56O/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OIGVLY91QNVR&keywords=the+epic+of+eden+by+sandra+l.+richter&qid=1667059068&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjAxIiwicXNhIjoiMS40MSIsInFzcCI6IjEuNTMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=the+epic+of+eden%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1

Australian Man Films Strange "Wheels Within Wheels" In the Sky The Big Bang Theory Has Been Debunked? Is the Pentagon keeping real evidence of UFOs a secret? In the book of Ezekiel in the Bible, the prophet describes seeing something he describes as “wheels within wheels” covered in “eyes” that move without turning. In Biblical and angelic studies, these objects or beings are called Ophanim, and are classified as a type of heavenly creature or angel. But the descriptions have long been of interest to UFO enthusiasts who wonder if this ancient priest was seeing the same kind of things that many people note today. Perhaps these wheels within wheels were the workings of a flying saucers, with the eyes all around being what we would consider lights along their edges. It's an interesting theory, although Biblical scholars have many other, more metaphorical explanations for Ezekiel's visions. But then again, many people have reported seeing similar things in the sky, such as this Australian man. But how would a Bible Believing follower of Christ view this UFO theory of the world? The world is entering into a "Spiritual Awakening" but it's not the good kind. Dr Andy Woods said: "He believes we're in a spiritual awakening a great Spiritual Awakening we're in the middle of it right now and he said however it's not the good kind it's the bad kind it's very dark" I believe what we are seeing unfold right now is a spiritual awakening of great deception. We are going to see a greater push toward believing in UFO's More so called “evidence” of these other world beings will continue to come to light I would not be surprised if in the very near future someone makes “contact with an enlightened being from a parallel universe” This will not be some other world being with enlightenment. This will be demons looking to deceive the world in one more con This is why we are seeing a rise in earth worship Why we see the worship of a bull (Baal) being portrayed at the Commonwealth Games. This is just my opinion. PS: If you enjoy my content, I will think of you while drinking my coffee. – Buy Me a Coffee The Slippery Slope Spotify J Fallon Apple Music J Fallon Spotify J Fallon YouTube The Slippery Slope Apple Podcasts The Slippery Slope YouTube The Slippery Slope Stitcher --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jason-fallon/message

In Biblical times, folks with leprosy were often ostracized and marginalized, forced to life an isolated life all alone. But Jesus reached out to such people, and calls us to do the same. Maybe you don't know anybody with leprosy, but you know someone who needs that same kind of compassion

Biblical fiction can be a sticky wicket, but one beautiful thing it has going is providing cultural context to familiar stories. It can also offer reasons that people may have acted as they did. Its very strength in making us familiar with things its original audience already understood can also be a means to blurring the lines between fact and fiction. Great authors know how to throw a "what if" scenario into the mix and leave us digging deeper into Scripture to understand what the Lord is teaching us in His Word, and isn't that the main point? Listen in as Mesu Andrews and I tackle my issues with Biblical fiction and see why it is such an important genre in Christian fiction. Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. What Happens When a Woman's Passion for the Word Meets Her Love of Story? I've always been honest about my concerns with Biblical fiction, but as I chatted with Mesu (we didn't have time to discuss it), I realized it really is the same issue as with all Christian fiction--allowing creativity and recognizing the ways different people understand the same passages while holding fast to Biblical truth. In Biblical fiction, it's more overt. If an author tries to say that David was a twelve-year-old girl, we're going to have problems. If another book shows the possibility of Paul having been married as M.D. House talked about in Episode 133, well that's something we don't actually know. How that's done makes all the difference. Mesu Andrews has a deep love and passion for the Word that shines whenever you talk to her, and this interview was no exception. She lets us peek into her writing process that starts pretty generically (Hello, Google!) before digging deep into more academic sources. She made it very clear that every Biblical fact mentioned in the Bible never changes in her stories. However, she does look at cultural and traditional aspects of life at the time and asks those wonderful "what if?" questions. Why write about someone like Potiphar's wife? Because women often prefer reading about women, Mesu looks at familiar stories like that of Joseph and Potiphar's wife from an unfamiliar angle. Of course, you can read all the spoilers by going straight to the Bible, but I have to admit that I'm fascinated to see where this book takes us. Finally, we discussed a few authors and the kinds of Biblical fiction they write. From concepts to deep dives, Old Testament to New, these authors have carved out niches for themselves. I know you'll find something you need to check out. Me, I'm going to be reading Potiphar's Wife soon and seeing what Mesu Andrews has for us. Potiphar's Wife by Mesu Andrews One of the Bible's most notorious women longs for a love she cannot have in this captivating novel from the award-winning author of Isaiah's Legacy. “Mesu Andrews yet again proves her mastery of weaving a rich and powerful biblical story!”—Roseanna M. White, author of A Portrait of Loyalty Before she is Potiphar's wife, Zuleika is the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. She rules the isle of Crete alongside her mother in the absence of their seafaring husbands. But when tragedy nearly destroys Crete, Zuleika must sacrifice her future to save the Minoan people she loves. Zuleika's father believes his robust trade with Egypt will ensure Pharaoh's obligation to marry his daughter, including a bride price hefty enough to save Crete. But Pharaoh refuses and gives her instead to Potiphar, the captain of his bodyguards: a crusty bachelor twice her age, who would rather have a new horse than a Minoan wife. Abandoned by her father, rejected by Pharaoh, and humiliated by Potiphar's indifference, Zuleika yearns for the homeland she adores. In the political hotbed of Egypt's foreign dynasty, her obsession to return to Crete spirals into deception. When she betrays Joseph—her Hebrew servant with the face and body of the gods—she discovers only one love is worth risking everything. You can find out more about Mesu Andrews on her WEBSITE. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple  Castbox  Google Play Libsyn  RSS Spotify Stitcher Amazon and more!

In Biblical times, it was customary in the East to send a party of men before a king or prince to prepare the way before him. Judy and Lee have a conversation about being a forerunner. Visit http://www.epicwin4u.com for links and show notes and join in on the conversation @EpicConqerors on Facebook. If you enjoy our bi-weekly podcasts and videocasts then simply buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KingJesus

Rev. Debbie Garrett says"In the reading from 2 Kings Elijah is preparing Elisha for his death.  Elisha reiterates several times that he will never leave Elijah when Elijah is suddenly carried by a whirlwind into heaven.  In the reading from Luke 9 Jesus is preparing his disciples for his death and ascension as he resolutely sets out for Jerusalem.  On the journey three of his companions agree to follow him wherever he goes. The first one is put off when Jesus says, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”  The other two lay down conditions that prevent them following him at that time.  They must return home to bury a father or say goodbye to their family.  In Biblical times family was all important in people's lives for that was all they had.  Jesus, whose face was set on fulfilling God's will by going to Jerusalem to die, wants disciples whose faces are set on obedience to God's call.  Luke in this reading is making it clear following Jesus is not easy and for some may well mean sacrificing aspects of family life. "

The Cup of Praise or The Wedding Cup is the fourth and final cup of Passover. Exodus 6:7 “I will take them as my own people, and I will be their God” sounds very much like the verse in Song of Solomon 6:3 “I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.” “I will take” in Hebrew means “to marry.” These verses are not just promises, they are a marriage proposal. God is asking the Hebrews: These are my promises and terms, will you marry me? Betrothal, called the kiddushin, is the Jewish ritual that takes place when making a covenant marriage. In Biblical times, the kiddushin was taken very seriously. The written words of the covenant are called the: Ketubah (ke-tu-bah). Once conditions of the covenant are discussed and agreed upon, the agreement is put in writing. The Ketubah or Word became the property of the bride. She would hold on to this document to protect her rights, and to be sure the groom kept his word. Once the Ketubah is signed by two witnesses, the couple would be legally married. The Old Testament is the first Kiddushin and the Ketubah is between God and Israel. The first Ketubah was based on the law and it turned into a one-way love affair. The Hebrews essentially said, “I will marry you and be faithful out of duty”. The New Testament is the second Kiddushin and the Ketubah is between Jesus and any who will receive Him. This second Ketubah (new covenant) was not based on duty, but on love. Jesus is saying to us: “Will you marry me and be faithful out of love?” SERMON NOTES: https://theroads.church/wp-content/uploads/The-Four-Cups-Will-You-Marry-Me-Nathan-Coston.pdf We invite you to explore our Podcast for more teachings, visit our website and come join us for one of our services. Subscribe to our Roads Church YouTube Channel for live stream notifications of our services every Sunday morning at 8 :30 & 10 :30 a.m. CT. If you would like to give to the ministry of The Roads Church visit: https://theroads.church/giving/ Or text: Amount NC or Amount MTC or Amount CVILLE to 84321 (ex. 50 NC) Follow The Roads on social media: Roads App: https://subsplash.com/theroadschurch/app Website: https://theroads.church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroadschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroadschurch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theroadschurch

April 24, 2022 Morning Service. In Biblical times, a trip to the well was a common thing to do in order to obtain water for their everyday needs. But when the Samaritan woman in the Bible left for the well that day, she had no way of knowing she'd leave with so much more. In this week's sermon, Pastor John Friederich peels back the layers of Jesus%u2019 actions that day and what it means for us. (John 4:1-26)

In Biblical times, the size of your flock was an indication of your wealth.  In Proverbs 27:23, God tells us to pay careful attention to our herds.  How careful are you watching your money?  All we have is not ours, it is ours to manage.  How well are you managing your gifts? Your time? Your talent? Your treasure?  When we show God that we can manage His gifts well, He will shower us with abundance.   In this episode, I give you one easy task to get you started on managing your money according to God's plan.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tightshipmama YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyBOLMzUaXPRTy59xCxr76g Email: tightshipmama@gmail.com      

It starts in the heart: craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God. That is an idol. - John Piper. Idolatry is anything that we put above God or prioritize more than God. In Biblical times this would be like worshiping a physical idol or image of a god. But what are some modern-day idols? In today's episode, I cover 6 modern-day common idols that we may not be aware of. We are told to flee from idolatry due to the possible consequences on our faith and our walk with the Lord. Show notes: https://joyfullheartt.com/6-common-idols-in-the-modern-age/ Website: https://joyfullheartt.com    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyfullheartt/    Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/crysstalc21/

Call on the Name of the LORD Romans 10:9-15 (NIV) - [9] That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. [11] As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” [12] For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, [13] for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [14] How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? [15] And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 1. When we call on the Name of the LORD, we must confess. “Self-Talk [is] the way we talk to ourselves [and it] sets the tone for how we’ll engage with the world and the types of interactions we’ll come to expect with others… I’ll be the first to admit that positive thoughts are powerful, and I’ve written at length about healthy self-talk in this book and elsewhere. In fact, studies continue to document the power of our thoughts and our beliefs to shape our experiences and choices.” (“The Anxiety Reset” by Gregory L. Jantz) “Anyone can say he or she believes something, but God knows each person’s heart. In this confession, it is not enough to merely utter the words; they must be declared, professed, proclaimed from the heart, expressing our full conviction.” (Life Application NT Commentary) 1 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV) – [16] “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) – [8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. [9] “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Psalms 119:66 (NIV) – [66] Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands. [67] Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. [68] You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. John 8:44 (NIV) – [44] You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “In the early church, the phrase ‘Jesus is Lord’ was one of the most common and simple expressions by which believers confessed their faith in Christ. It is a confession parallel and very similar to Israel’s basic confession of faith in Yahweh: ‘Yahweh our God is one Lord’ (Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema). In the Roman world, faithful citizens were increasingly being expected to acknowledge that Caesar was Lord (divine). So the original recipients of this epistle, especially, had to face the issue of who really is divine, Jesus or Caesar.” (Thomas Constable’s Notes) “When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we are acknowledging his rank or supreme place. We are pledging our obedience and worship; we are placing our life under his protection for safekeeping. We are pledging ourselves and our resources to his control for direction and service.” (Life Application NT Commentary) 2. When we call on the Name of the LORD, we must believe. “In Biblical terms the heart is not merely the seat of the emotions and affections, but also of the intellect and will… Christians believe not only that Jesus lived but also that he still lives… Salvation involves inward belief (‘with your heart’) as well as outward confession (‘with your mouth’).” (NIV Study Bible) 1 Corinthians 15:13-20 (NIV) – [13] If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. [14] And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. [15] More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. [16] For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. [17] And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. [18] Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. [19] If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. [20] But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Romans 10:10 (NLT) – [10] For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Welcome to Day 1828 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Productive Coaching – Daily Wisdom Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1828 of our Trek, and it's time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today's trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. So we are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today's trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16&version=NLT (Proverbs 16:16)  How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver!    If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let's jump right in with today's nugget: Today's quote is from James A. Belasco, and it is: A productive coaching relationship begins with two people with fires in their bellies: one who wants desperately to move forward and another who yearns to help that person make the journey. Productive Coaching [caption id="attachment_30623" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Source: Trueffelpix / shutterstock[/caption] Effective coaching requires a willing and qualified person to coach and another person who strongly desires to receive the instruction from the coach. Effective coaching will not happen if you are missing either of those elements. Intense desire must burn within the soul of both persons. We all need coaching in life. It may be formal coaching, such as on a sports team or a business situation, or a relaxed position where a parent teaches their children appropriate behavior or practical skills. If you are the coach, you need to have a passion for assisting others in growing and flourishing. If you are being coached, you need a desire to learn, improve, and excel. When this combination matches up, there is no limit to what can be accomplished. In Biblical terms, this same process is called discipleship. Jesus Christ was a master coach to those who followed Him. Those being disciples had a burning desire to be taught. We are also called to spread the Good News by making disciples through the great commission. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%3A32&version=NLT (Luke 24:32) They said to each other, “Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1827 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day's trek will be downloaded automatically. If you would also like to receive our weekly newsletter called ‘Wisdom Notes,' please email me at guthrie@wisdom-trek.com. Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek together, let us always: Live Abundantly (Fully) Love Unconditionally Listen Intentionally Learn Continuously Lend to others Generously Lead with Integrity Leave a Living Legacy Each Day I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to 'Keep Moving Forward,' ‘Enjoy your Journey,' and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday'! See you Tomorrow for more daily wisdom!  

from Luke 5:1-11 In Biblical writings, the heart is not understood as something that is connected to emotion in the way that we think of the heart. Rather the heart is the driving force behind our hopes and dreams; behind our drive and determination. Where the heart is bent, so goes one's life. For these 6 weeks we are … Continue reading (November 14, 2021) “Treasure and Heart: A Surrendered Heart” →

from 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 In Biblical writings, the heart is not understood as something that is connected to emotion in the way that we think of the heart. Rather the heart is the driving force behind our hopes and dreams; behind our drive and determination. Where the heart is bent, so goes one's life. For these 6 weeks we … Continue reading (November 7, 2021) “Treasure and Heart: A Joyous Heart” →

In Biblical days, the shepherds anointed the sheep with oil before they led them out to pasture. The oil was soothing, healing, and comforting to the sheep. The Lord Jesus, our Great Shepherd, anoints those who belong to Him with the Holy Spirit to bring peace at all times, even in times of trouble.

Baptism is a special proclamation! As you listen to today's message from Pastor Bill, he teaches you that John the Baptist baptized to prepare people for the coming Christ. Today, you get baptized because Christ has already come. In Biblical times they did it to get ready for salvation. Today, you do it because you are saved. Pastor Bill explains that no matter what, baptism is a declaration unto the Lord that you belong to Him. Jesus is your mighty Savior and deliverer and you do the act of baptism unto Him.

Sermon by Jon Eerkes. Sermon Notes One way you can tell that a home was decorated in the 1970's or early 80's was the use of wood paneling. Most of the homes we have lived in have had some of this stuff covering the walls, including the home we live in now. While the 1970's stuff wasn't real wood, it came into existence because real wood paneling was seen as luxurious.  In Biblical times, wood paneling was the height of […]

Since I can remember, the Evangelical church in America has been interested in revival. There has been a steady drum beat for a widespread move of God in our land for sometime. Revival speaks to a calling back to life that which has grown cold, stagnated, corrupted, or died. In Biblical contexts revival is a reordering of lives and affections according to the terms of covenant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Revival movements through the centuries have come in and out of style in the Christian community. It seems that methods employed to call back to life the lethargic church often assume that we must do something extraordinary if we have any hope for extraordinary results. This approach can lead to dangerous spiritual hysteria and unbiblical means endorsed and practiced. Psalm 85 calls us to a Biblical approach to seeking the advent of revival among the people of God. The desperation is apparent in the context and attitude of the psalmist's plea while the steps he promotes toward his cause are according to the sovereign direction of the only one who can ultimately effect revival – namely the Lord Himself. The passage of scripture available to the author at the time and most likely in view is Exodus 34:5-11. Here the original promises and conditions of Spiritual vitality are clearly revealed. According to this standard, our author makes his case for revival...