Podcasts about Jerusalem

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:22–35 - And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) [24] and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” [25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. [26] And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [27] And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, [28] he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, [29] “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; [30] for my eyes have seen your salvation [31] that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, [32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” [33] And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. [34] And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed [35] (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Send us a text!The preeminent leader of the First Crusade, Duke Godfrey of Bouillon perfectly encapsulated C.S. Lewis' chivalric ideal—he was both fierce and meek, the ideal picture of masculine knighthood. After Pope Urban's call to arms, Godfrey and many others would make the epic journey to the Holy Land, where they would attempt to capture Jerusalem. In this episode, we talk about Godfrey's leadership, epic victories, and the retaking of Jerusalem.Did you know supporters of the show get ad-free video and audio episodes delivered early and access to our patron exclusive show the After Hours and interactive live streams with Eric and Brian?      https://www.patreon.com/thekingshallThis episode is sponsored by: Lux Coffee Company; Caffeinating the New Christendom with artisan roast coffee. Get 15% off your coffee with code "NCP15". https://luxcoffee.co/Armored Republic: Making Tools of Liberty for the defense of every free man's God-given rights - Text JOIN to 88027 or visit: https://www.ar500armor.com/ Talk to Joe Garrisi about managing your wealth with Backwards Planning Financial.      https://backwardsplanningfinancial.com/Visit KeepwisePartners.com or call Derrick Taylor at 781-680-8000 to schedule a free consultation.      https://keepwise.partners/Small batch, hand-poured candles. Welcome to the resistance. https://resistancecandles.com/Visit Muzzle-Loaders.com and get 10% off your first order when you use the coupon code KINGSHALL at checkout.      https://muzzle-loaders.com/Go to Mt Athos for sustainably sourced goat dairy protein and other performance products. Listeners of the show get a 20% discount site-wide with code "NCP20".    https://athosperform.com/Join us at the New Christendom Press conference, The War for Normal, this June 11-14 in Ogden, Utah. https://www.newchristendompress.com/2026Our new books are now in stock and shipping. https://www.newchristendompress.com/bonifaceoption-revilingwives-15-offSupport the show:https://www.patreon.com/thekingshall

Today we are thrilled to feature an episode from Judaism Unbound's family of podcasts on our flagship podcast's feed. The podcast is The Oral Talmud, hosted by our founder Dan Libenson and Benay Lappe – founder of SVARA: a Traditionally Radical Yeshiva.Join Benay Lappe and Dan Libenson in their chevrutah, their partnered study and exploration of the Talmud through the “traditionally radical” lens pioneered by Benay Lappe. Together, we explore key stories and practices from the Talmud as a how-to manual for re-imagining Judaism after the previous version “crashes.” Whether you are a beginner or a longtime learner of Talmud, this podcast offers a framework to understand the Talmud more deeply from the perspective of contemporary academic study and creative re-interpretation.----------------------Episode 0: Learning Together“I am responsible for my chevruta's learning, and my chevruta is responsible for my learning. I am invested in you.” - Benay LappeJoin study partners (chevrutas) Benay Lappe & Dan Libenson as they reflect on five years of The Oral Talmud, and celebrate its transition from a video-series to a podcast! What do lasting study partners recognize in each other? How do they decide how and what to learn together? Find out what makes a learning journey exciting, possible, and loving! For full episode shownotes, click here.

Welcome to Day 2757 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2757 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 102:18-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2757 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2757 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: The God Who Changes His Clothes – The Immutability of the Creator. Today, we complete our journey through the "Prayer of the Destitute," Psalm One Hundred Two. We are covering the second half, verses eighteen through twenty-eight, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we sat in the ashes with the psalmist. We felt the heat of his fever, the loneliness of the "owl in the desert," and the pain of being "picked up and thrown down" by God. Yet, in the midst of the ruins of Jerusalem, we saw him pivot. He looked away from his withered heart to the Eternal Throne of Yahweh. He realized that the "set time" to favor Zion had come because God's servants had begun to "cherish the dust" of the ruined city. Now, as we move into the final section, the psalmist's vision expands even further. He stops looking merely at his own pain or even just the immediate restoration of Jerusalem. He looks forward to a future generation—a people not yet created. And then, he looks upward to the very fabric of the cosmos. He realizes that while his life is fleeting, and even the earth itself is wearing out like an old shirt, the God he serves is the Unchanging One. This section contains some of the most profound theology on the nature of God found anywhere in Scripture, passages that the New Testament authors (specifically in Hebrews Chapter One) would later apply directly to Jesus Christ. So, let us stand on this unshakable rock and look at the changing universe through the eyes of faith. The first segment is: The Written Record for the Unborn Generation. Psalm One Hundred Two: verses eighteen through twenty-two. Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord.  Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down from heaven to earth to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die.  And so the Lord's fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins with a command that explains why we are reading this psalm today: "Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord." He is conscious that his suffering—and God's eventual deliverance—is not just for him. It is a legacy. The phrase "people not yet born" is literally "a people to be created" (am nibra). This suggests a new creation, a revived community rising from the ashes of the exile. He wants the story written down so that this...

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, catch diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, we’re joined by Danielle Pletka, distinguished senior fellow in Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she focuses on US foreign policy, the Middle East, and terrorism. Pletka, speaking to Beman from her native Australia, blasts the Albanese government for its failure to confront antisemitism and for its entirely insufficient response to the deadly shooting at a Hanukkah party in Sydney on Sunday. Turning to US policy around the Gaza war, Pletka argues that then-US president Joe Biden was indeed a friend of Israel, but was already losing control over the White House to figures such as former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan when Hamas invaded southern Israel, killing some 1,200 and taking 251 hostage to Gaza, on October 7, 2023. She critiques elements of US President Donald Trump's foreign policy, including the lack of Middle East experts and the influence of countries such as Qatar over decision-making. Still, Pletka gives high marks to the Abraham Accords and Trump's aggressive policy against Iran. Pletka predicts, however, that the nascent International Security Force for Gaza will collapse on its own, allowing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say that he was willing to go along with Trump's plan before resuming his own tactics. In the wake of a social media bust-up this week, Pletka says that US Vice President JD Vance is not anti-Israel, but is instead willing to take whatever positions will help him advance politically -- even if it means befriending Tucker Carlson, who had a softball interview with Nick Fuentes after the antisemitic media personality used racist slurs against Vance's wife. Despite some warning signs, Pletka says that the evidence indicates that most Republicans -- and the "soul of the party" -- still support Israel and the continued alliance between Washington and Jerusalem. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Danielle Pletka (courtesy) / President Donald Trump and Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hold signed documents during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, October 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gemara raises two difficulties with the conclusion that earthenware vessels can be koshered by placing fire inside them. First, why does the Torah command that earthenware vessels in which sanctified meat was cooked must be broken, if they could simply be put into a kiln? The answer given is that kilns could not be used in Jerusalem, as they would blacken the walls and mar the beauty of the city. Second, why were the Temple ovens made of metal if earthenware ovens could have been used and koshered? The assumption behind this question is flawed, since the ovens needed to serve as a sanctified vessel in certain cases (such as the two loaves on Shavuot and the showbread), and sanctified vessels cannot be made of earthenware. Rav Yitzchak bar Yehuda left the study hall of Rami bar Hama and joined that of Rav Sheshet. Rami bar Hama was offended, assuming Rav Yitzchak sought greater honor. Rav Yitzchak explained that he had not received satisfactory answers from Rami bar Hama, who relied on logical reasoning rather than tannaitic sources. Rami bar Hama challenged Rav Yitzchak to send him a question, promising to answer with a tannaitic source. Rav Yitzchak asked about merika and shtifa (scouring and rinsing) of a vessel in which only part was used for cooking sacrificial items: does the entire vessel require cleansing, or only the part that was used? Rami bar Hama answered logically that only the part used requires cleansing, as in the case of blood on clothing. Rav Yitzchak rejected this reasoning and cited a braita proving the opposite, thereby refuting Rami bar Hama completely. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon disagree about whether the requirement of merika and shtifa applies to both kodshei kodashim and kodashim kalim, or only to kodshei kodashim. From where do they derive this distinction? They both agree that merika and shtifa do not apply to truma. The Gemara raises a challenge to this from a braita, and three answers are offered.

When persecution scatters the church beyond Jerusalem, Philip takes the gospel to Samaria—a region synonymous with religious syncretism and idolatry for centuries. In this episode, David, Christine, and Josh explore how Philip's ministry mirrors Jesus' own work, bringing healing and freedom to a people long excluded from God's family.

Today's Scripture passages are Nehemiah 6:15 - 7:65 | 1 Corinthians 13 - 1 Corinthians 14:25.Read by Christina Edmondson.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPOD25 for 25% off any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeDisclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

JOHN 12:1-13 - WALKING WITH JESUS - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025JOHN 12:1 "Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”The Plot to Kill Lazarus9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.The Triumphal Entry12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:“Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'The King of Israel!”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’” (Luke 1:26–28 NLT) It’s difficult for us to understand, two thousand years after the events of Luke 1, the significance of the angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary in Nazareth. After all, the Lord could have found the future mother of the Messiah in Rome, the capital of the greatest power on earth at the time. He could have found her in Athens, the cultural center of the world. He could have found her in Jerusalem, the spiritual center of the world. But God chose Nazareth, an obscure city that was notorious for its sin. Years later, when Jesus’ future disciple Nathaniel heard that Jesus was from there, he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46 NLT). If Nathaniel had been present during the events recorded in Judges 6, he might have asked, “Can anything good come from the least important member of the least important clan of the tribe of Manasseh?” And he would have been stunned at what God accomplished through Gideon. If Nathaniel had been present when Samuel was anointing the king of Israel, he might have asked, “Can anything good come from the eighth son of Jesse, a shepherd who writes and sings psalms?” And he would have been stunned by what God accomplished through David. If it seems to us that God chooses unlikely people—or people from unlikely places—to accomplish His work on earth, it’s only because we have such a limited perspective on people’s potential. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NIV). God obviously saw something extraordinary in Mary’s heart. What’s amazing about Mary is that she lived a godly life in a godless place—and that she did so as a very young teenager. Many Bible scholars believe she may have been as young as twelve, but not much older than fourteen, when God chose her. Here she was, a nobody living in a nothing town in the middle of nowhere—precisely the kind of person that God goes out of His way to call. He chose an unknown girl in a relatively unknown city to bring about the most well-known event in human history, an event so significant that we divide human time by it. Maybe you’re trying to live out your faith in a godless place today, maybe at work or school or among unbelieving family members. You’re wondering if it can be done. It can. Mary stands as an example for us, proving that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world. Reflection question: What challenges do you face in trying to live a godly life in an ungodly world? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Bible Study (12/12/25) // Ezra 4 (ESV) // Adversaries Oppose the Rebuilding 4 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.The Letter to King Artaxerxes7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.[a] 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River. 11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace[b] and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.”Website: https://mbchicago.org FOLLOW US Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others TO SUPPORT US Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... #Ezra #DanielBatarseh #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #sermon #bibleexplained #bibleproject #bibleverse #bookbybook #oldtestament #explained

When traditions clash with truth, how should the church respond? In Acts 15, the apostles face a defining moment—will they add works to grace or stand firm in freedom through Christ? Join Jim Scudder on InGrace as he concludes this powerful look at the first great grace conference in Jerusalem.

Now that the work of rebuilding the temple and rebuilding the walls surrounding Jerusalem is complete, the exiles from Israel gather together to hear Ezra read from the book of the Law. The Levites explain the law to the people as it is being read, and when the congregation understands the extent to which they have broken the Law, they mourn over their actions. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encourage them to rejoice, for the people have not only returned to their land, but they have returned to their God. At the end of our reading, the Levites recite a confession they had written based on Israel's rebellious history, concluding with a documented vow to serve the Lord.Nehemiah 8 - 1:01 . Nehemiah 9 - 6:04 . Nehemiah 10 - 16:34 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Help Persecuted Christians TODAY: https://csi-usa.org/ Christian Solidarity International On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: Surprising and sobering abortion numbers are raising new concerns heading into 2026, as fresh data sheds light on post-Roe trends and the growing role of abortion pills and telehealth. FOCUS: We dig into alarming abortion data from the Society of Family Planning, what the numbers actually show, and why advocates on both sides are paying close attention. MAIN THING: A stunning archaeological discovery beneath Jerusalem—near the Temple Mount—is forcing historians to rethink what Jewish life looked like in ancient Zion. CBN's Raj Nair is joined by Israeli tour guide Yoav Rotem with the breaking details and why this find matters now. LAST THING: 1 Timothy 6:12 — “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” PRAY WITH US! Faithwire.substack.com SHOW LINKS Faith in Culture: https://cbn.com/news/faith-culture Heaven Meets Earth PODCAST: https://cbn.com/lp/heaven-meets-earth NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 Navigating Trump 2.0: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-trump-2-0/id1691121630

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou?Et hoc est testimonium Joannis, quando miserunt Judaei ab Jerosolymis sacerdotes et Levitas ad eum ut interrogarent eum : Tu quis es? 20 And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ.Et confessus est, et non negavit, et confessus est : Quia non sum ego Christus. 21 And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.Et interrogaverunt eum : Quid ergo? Elias es tu? Et dixit : Non sum. Propheta es tu? Et respondit : Non. 22 They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?Dixerunt ergo ei : Quis es ut responsum demus his qui miserunt nos? quid dicis de teipso? 23 He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.Ait : Ego vox clamantis in deserto : Dirigite viam Domini, sicut dixit Isaias propheta. 24 And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.Et qui missi fuerant, erant ex pharisaeis. 25 And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?Et interrogaverunt eum, et dixerunt ei : Quid ergo baptizas, si tu non es Christus, neque Elias, neque propheta? 26 John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.Respondit eis Joannes, dicens : Ego baptizo in aqua : medius autem vestrum stetit, quem vos nescitis. 27 The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.Ipse est qui post me venturus est, qui ante me factus est : cujus ego non sum dignus ut solvam ejus corrigiam calceamenti. 28 These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.Haec in Bethania facta sunt trans Jordanem, ubi erat Joannes baptizans.

What was it like to be a shepherd over 2000 years ago? Tending flocks, with agriculture, formed the basis of the Holy Land’s economy, and sheep raised on the hillsides around Bethlehem may well have been destined for temple sacrifices in Jerusalem, only six miles to the north. Let’s continue describing a shepherd's life. Ee48. Books by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson available at https://amzn.to/46ORT00 Gospel of Luke available at https://amzn.to/45vVii4 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio Credit: Shepherds in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8-20) by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson (JesusWalk Bible Study Series; Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nehemiah gets permission from the King of Persia to go back to Jerusalem. The troubles he encounters there do not dissuade him from building Jerusalem's wall. Nehemiah 1:8 -4:14

Chapter 15 of Heroes in the Bible: Jesus with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by the Gospels. Den of Thieves - Jesus has entered Jerusalem with a procession for praise. However his time will be short-lived as he continues to make enemies of the religious elite. Today's opening prayer is inspired by Mark 11:17, And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/  Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I speak with Fr. Deacon Ananias about Orthodox epistemology and the claim that true knowledge is not grounded in autonomous reason but in God's self-revelation. Contrasting Athens and Jerusalem, this conversation explores why Orthodoxy understands truth not as an idea, but as a Person: Jesus Christ. We discuss revelation as theophany, the limits of philosophy, the apophatic tradition, and how knowledge in the Church is personal, communal, and transformative, not merely intellectual. Topics include: - East vs. West on knowledge and reason - Revelation as encounter, not information - Apophatic knowing and humility - Philosophy: rejected, redeemed, or baptized? - Why truth is known in communion For more from Fr Deacon Ananias, go here: https://www.patristicfaith.com  ...and here: https://www.youtube.com/@esorem Sponsors: Fox n Sons Coffee: https://www.foxnsons.com  Code: BUCK15 Perfect Spiral Capital: https://PerfectSpiralCapital.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com  Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA  Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow  Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com  Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com  Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

A conversation with the Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti (“Ajami”). Copti’s new film “Happy Holidays” is currently having theatrical engagements in the U.S. including at Film Forum in NYC. From the Film Movement website: While celebrating Purim at her university in Jerusalem, Fifi, a young Palestinian woman is hospitalized following a car accident. Though her injuries are minor, she fears her newfound freedom at school will now come under the scrutiny of her conservative parents. Meanwhile, back in Haifa, Fifi's older brother Rami panics as he faces his own personal crisis – Shirley, his Jewish girlfriend, reveals she is pregnant and plans to carry the baby to term. Behind closed doors, the family’s deep financial troubles come into focus while Hanan, Fifi and Rami’s mother, plans her eldest daughter’s wedding. Led by an incredible cast of mostly non-professional actors, “Happy Holidays” is a dynamic, sociopolitical family saga which thoughtfully considers the myriad intricacies of Israeli Arab life. Directed by Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti (“Ajami”), the family's stories and everyday anxieties weave together a collective portrait of a pressurized society, and “speak to a larger culture of silence, shame, social pressure and rampant prejudice” (Variety). https://youtu.be/cyBoBQHiXEI

What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime! No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction. It does not trust in the Lord or draw near to its God. Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey. Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God's instructions. But the Lord is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day he hands down justice, and he does not fail. - Zephaniah 3:1-5The book of Zephaniah, while being another in the line of prophets sharing God's message of judgment and repentance, deserves more time and attention than what we tend to give it. Only three chapters long, God's message through Zephaniah is a direct yet beautiful encapsulation of the themes we've seen so often in the prophets. It's a book about humility and unity. It's a book about repentance and turning hearts towards God. It's a book about God's judgment against oppressors, poor leaders, and idolatry. It's a book about the coming of the Lord and the God who not only saves, but will live among his people. To help us navigate the book of Zephaniah is Taylor Turkington, director of BibleEquipping, author of the book Trembling Faith on Habakkuk and has a commentary on Zephaniah being released next year. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Habakkuk - https://youtu.be/89l0HUQceIwNavigating the Bible: Nahum - https://youtu.be/USg64a6Kk8wNavigating the Bible: Micah - https://youtu.be/Tcm3HykhkS8Navigating the Bible: Jonah - https://youtu.be/PxhIyhLSgJQNavigating the Bible: Obadiah - https://youtu.be/jB6W-TM5Y-oNavigating the Bible: Amos - https://youtu.be/8DqVHu7leDUNavigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4UNavigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQNavigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfgNavigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsgNavigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXENavigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRkNavigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgsNavigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Romans had dealt with uprisings before; it was the cost of having an empire. But there was something different about 70 AD. The Jews had challenged the Romans too many times, and now the Roman legions, led by the future emperors Vespasian and Titus, surrounded the city. The story is one of heroism, intrigue, personality, and tragedy. Joining Cole on this episode is Dr. Barry Strauss, a Roman historian, a professor, and Corliss Page Dean Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. They discuss his new book, Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World's Mightiest Empire and the Destruction of Jerusalem. 

Today is the last solo show of 2025. We examine something you may not want to look at: being too sensitive to criticism and ultimately letting other people decide who you are rather than be who you were meant to be. We will also do a final run through our usual Tuesday segments.Featured Event: Combat Midwife Class. March 7 at the Basecamp Lodge. Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com LFTN UPDATE: Tonight at 6pm is the last Tour Livestream on Youtube with all the festival crews. Nicole is closed BUT - The Night Before Christmas Series starts soon and will run every night ending on Christmas Eve. My3Things Series after Christmas. See you January 2, 2026 I did a thing…. Tales From The Prepper Pantry Beef Math 715 hanging weight Cow 1: 370 pounds: $285 + $2307. $7 a pound 750 hanging weight Cow 2: 325 pounds: $376 + $2420. $8.60 a pound Getting ready to put out pickled things from this year at the Christmas event – we will see what ends up on the table.  Pre-making burger patties, breakfast sausage and meatloafs for convenience Next year I hope to have more cured meats! Frugality Tip The day after Christmas is coming. Need I say more? Featured Forage We had a deep freeze and nothing is left, right? WRONG! Now is a time to look at things below ground. One of my favorites at this time of year requires that you look for the plant in the fall, mark where it is, then dig: Jerusalem Artichoke.  Cleaning Favorite recipe: Steamed into a mash with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Complements a steak beautifully without the glycemic impact of mashed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke for a picture. These grow themselves and a little care will allow you to have many - but be careful about that many! Operation Independence PickTN store at the Dickens of a Christmas last weekend - SOLD OUT of tins! But you can still order them online: https://www.picktnstore.com/ The Exhausting Game No One Wins - Letting Other People Live Your Life For you GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.  Community Follow me on Nostr: npub1u2vu695j5wfnxsxpwpth2jnzwxx5fat7vc63eth07dez9arnrezsdeafsv Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Original broadcast 12/25/2024... In the dark days of the reign of Herod, the descendants of King David lived under the radar in humility even as they awaited the imminent arrival of the Messiah. A (probably young) man named Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth and would become the earthly father of Jesus - the child of Mary & the Holy Spirit. Mike Aquilina has written a book that places us in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and the region to see what day-to-day life was life among David's descendants. Mike and Bishop Caggiano talk about St Joseph and His World on Let Me Be Frank… detailing Joseph's four interactions with angels, his silence, the 1000-mile flight to Egypt, his life as a carpenter in Nazareth, and much more. Check out the Veritas mobile app

2537 - In the conclusion of Conquest of Canaan, Joshua and Caleb delve deep into the remains of ancient Tel Samaria. Following the trail of Satan's conquest of Israel through the ages, they look at the prophetic finality of the last battle for Jerusalem, and the rise of the Beast. Thankfully, Yeshua has the final say of ownership for Kingdom of Israel.

Amy King hosts your Wednesday Wake Up Call. ABC News correspondent Jordana Miller joins the show live from Jerusalem to discuss Israeli Prime Minister visiting the hospitalized man who disarmed alleged Bondi shooter. KFI Tech Reporter Rich DeMuro joins Wake Up Call for ‘Wired Wednesday’! Rich talks about Instagram and Fire TV, Netflix and iHeart Media deal, and Meta’s AI smart glasses. On this week’s edition of ‘Amy’s on It’ she reviews A Very Jonas Christmas now streaming on Hulu. Denise Pellegrini from Bloomberg Media joins the show to give a business and stock market update. The show closes with Amy talking with ABC News national correspondent Jim Ryan speaking on more Americans staying put for the holidays.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we began to see our last episode, the governors who oversee region west of the Euphrates, which includes Judah and Jerusalem, are unhappy that Nehemiah has been sent to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Feeling threatened, Sanballat and other officials create false rumors and even bribe others to attempt to deceive Nehemiah. They make every attempt to stop or delay the work, but in just 52 days' time, Nehemiah and the diligent remnant Israel rebuild the wall and restore the gates. Once the gates are up and guards are established, Nehemiah begins to sort out families so that they can build houses and settle in the land.Nehemiah 5 - 1:01 . Nehemiah 6 - 5:23 . Nehemiah 7 - 10:28 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Love and Light: A Hanukkah Journey Through Jerusalem Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2025-12-17-23-34-02-he Story Transcript:He: הרחובות הצרים בעיר העתיקה של ירושלים היו מלאים באור נרות החנוכה.En: The narrow streets of the Old City of Jerusalem were filled with the light of Hanukkah candles.He: ריח הסופגניות והלביבות התפשט בכל פינה ומילא את האוויר בניחוחות של חג.En: The scent of sufganiyot and latkes spread to every corner, filling the air with the aromas of the holiday.He: עונת החורף הוסיפה לקסם, עם קור נעים שמלטף את הפנים.En: The winter season added to the magic, with a pleasant cold gently caressing the face.He: עבור עזרא, זו הייתה הפעם הראשונה שהוא יצא לדייט עם מיה.En: For Ezra, this was the first time he went on a date with Mia.He: לבו היה מלא התרגשות וחרדה.En: His heart was full of excitement and anxiety.He: הוא היה סטודנט באוניברסיטה, ראש מלא בכל מחשבה על איך להרשים את מיה.En: He was a university student, his mind consumed with thoughts of how to impress Mia.He: מיה, לעומת זאת, הייתה נערה בטוחה בעצמה, חובבת היסטוריה שאהבה לגלות פינות נסתרות בעיר הקדומה.En: Mia, on the other hand, was a confident girl, a history enthusiast who loved discovering hidden corners in the ancient city.He: "כאן," אמרה מיה בחיוך קורן, כשהובילה את עזרא לסמטה קטנה.En: "Here," said Mia with a radiant smile as she led Ezra to a small alley.He: "זה המקום האהוב עלי.En: "This is my favorite place.He: יש פה חנות קטנה של ספרים ישנים.En: There's a small shop here for old books."He: "עזרא הסתכל מסביב בעיניים מרובן, מנסה להירגע.En: Ezra looked around with wide eyes, trying to calm down.He: הוא הבחין כיצד מיה מלהיבה ושמחה בכל פניה.En: He noticed how Mia was enthusiastic and joyful at every turn.He: האווירה הייתה חגיגית, והמוני תיירים ומקומיים זרמו מכל רחבי העיר לחגוג את החנוכה.En: The atmosphere was festive, with crowds of tourists and locals converging from all over the city to celebrate Hanukkah.He: "כמה אנשים," לחש עזרא כשהוא מנסה להסתיר את תחושות החרדה.En: "So many people," whispered Ezra, trying to hide his feelings of anxiety.He: "אני מקווה שלא אגרום לפשלה.En: "I hope I don't mess up."He: ""עזרא," ענתה מיה בעדינות.En: "Ezra," Mia replied gently.He: "פשוט תהנה מהרגע.En: "Just enjoy the moment.He: אנחנו כאן בשביל לגלות יחד.En: We're here to discover together."He: "הם המשיכו במסעם, עוברים דרך שער יפו אל רחבת הכותל.En: They continued on their journey, passing through Jaffa Gate to the plaza near the Western Wall.He: תחושותיו התחילו להירגע כאשר הוא ראה את הנרות הדולקים על המנורה הגדולה.En: His feelings started to calm when he saw the candles burning on the large menorah.He: מיה הציעה שיידליקו יחד נר.En: Mia suggested they light a candle together.He: בעודם עומדים מול החנוכייה, עזרא חש בפרץ של שלווה.En: As they stood before the Hanukkiah, Ezra felt a surge of peace.He: למראה האור המרצד והרגע הקדוש, הוא שכח מהלחצים והפחדים.En: At the sight of the flickering light and the sacred moment, he forgot about his stresses and fears.He: שניהם פלטו צחוק כאשר הנר הראשון ניצב והתלקח.En: They both burst into laughter when the first candle stood and ignited.He: "האור הזה מופלא," אמר עזרא.En: "This light is wonderful," said Ezra.He: "זה באמת מרגש.En: "It's truly exciting."He: "מיה חייכה אליו, ידיה אוחזות בעדינות בידו.En: Mia smiled at him, her hands gently holding his.He: "תודה שאתה כאן איתי," ענתה.En: "Thank you for being here with me," she replied.He: כשהלילה סגר על העיר העתיקה, שניהם הלכו יחדיו עד לשער העיר.En: As night descended upon the Old City, they walked together to the city gate.He: עזרא כבר לא הרגיש אותו הצורך להצטיין.En: Ezra no longer felt the need to excel.He: הזמן שבילה עם מיה היה מיוחד, וההנאה הייתה אמתית ופשוטה.En: The time he spent with Mia was special, and the enjoyment was genuine and simple.He: "נלך לאכול משהו בפעם הבאה?En: "Shall we go eat something next time?"He: " שאלה מיה בקריצה.En: asked Mia with a wink.He: "בהחלט," ענה עזרא בביטחון חדש.En: "Absolutely," replied Ezra with newfound confidence.He: הם נפרדו עם הבטחה לפגוש שוב, בעוד העיר העתיקה מוקפת באורות חג החנוכה.En: They parted with a promise to meet again, while the Old City was surrounded by the lights of Hanukkah.He: ואז, עזרא הבין שאם הוא רק יישאר נאמן לעצמו, כל פגישה תהיה מושלמת.En: Then, Ezra realized that if he only stayed true to himself, every meeting would be perfect.He: חנוכה בעיר הזאת תמיד תהיה בלתי נשכחת בזכות התחושות שהוא למד לשחרר ולחוות.En: Hanukkah in this city would always be unforgettable thanks to the feelings he learned to release and experience. Vocabulary Words:narrow: צריםscent: ריחcaressing: מלטףanxiety: חרדהenthusiast: חובבתalley: סמטהradiant: קורןgently: בעדינותconverging: זורמיםfestive: חגיגיתwhispered: לחשsurge: פרץflickering: מרצדsacred: קדושignited: התלקחgenuine: אמתיתsimple: פשוטהdescended: סגרplaza: רחבתpromise: הבטחהunforgettable: בלתי נשכחתrelease: לשחררexperience: לחוותcorners: פינותconsumed: מלאimpress: להרשיםenjoyment: הנאהcalm: להירגעfears: פחדיםconfidence: ביטחוןBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Rabbi Natan reflects on Sinai's synagogue journey to Israel undertaken not as tourists, but as members of a people bound by shared history, responsibility, and hope. Through encounters in the south, the north, and Jerusalem, we witnessed resilience, complexity and connection, and the quiet ways Israelis continue to build a future amid uncertainty. Along the way, we were reminded that Jewish peoplehood is not rooted in agreement or distance, but in presence and relationship. What we carry home is not answers, but a deeper commitment to one another and to Israel.

Send us a textA righteous man begs, “Why do you not pardon my transgression?” and the room goes quiet. We open Job 7 and follow his cry through Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 to a hill outside Jerusalem, where the greater innocent suffers and the questions finally meet their answer. Job feels the cup; Christ drinks it. That single contrast reshapes how we think about guilt, affliction, and assurance.We wrestle with a tender claim: only a believer asks for pardon from the Preserver of Men. Doubt, then, can signal life rather than loss. From there, we challenge the counsel Job's friends offered and model what faithful presence looks like—mourning, praying, waiting, and appealing to God's character instead of forcing tidy blame. Along the way, we explore two classic views of Gethsemane's “cup,” why Jesus's prayer strengthens rather than weakens confidence in the cross, and how the suffering servant reframes our darkest nights.This conversation stays practical. Settle accounts now, not at the edge of the grave. Practice self-examination without self-condemnation. Lean on the Mediator you already have, not the one you fear you lack. We end by holding fast to the perseverance of the saints—he who promised is faithful—and by rallying prayer for a sister facing surgery, trusting God to carry her through. If you've ever confused pain with punishment or felt abandoned while clinging to faith, this one will steady your steps.If the episode moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend who's struggling, and leave a review with your take on where you see Christ in Job. Your words may be the lifeline someone needs.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Growing In God Podcast Program Number: GIG #280 Categories: Biblical Feasts   Web Description: In Romans 12, Paul exhorts us not to be conformed to this world. That is what Hanukkah is all about. It expresses the refusal of the Jewish people to be converted into something that was against the will of God and against the teachings of God. We as believers in Yeshua (Jesus) should have the same resistance to the culture that is set to move us away from the Scriptures, away from our Christian values, and convert us to a different way of life. Hanukkah is not a substitute for Christmas. It is an observance very applicable to Christianity today.   Show Notes: Many people think that Hanukkah is just a celebration for Jewish people to compete with Christmas during December. That is not true. Hanukkah existed before the celebration of Christmas and was observed by Yeshua (Jesus). Called the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean Revolt when the Jews recaptured Jerusalem, recaptured the Temple, and purified it from its defilement.   At a time when Israel was under the suppression of the Seleucid Empire, Antiochus IV (known as Epiphanes) determined to wipe out all the practices and beliefs of the Jewish people and replace them with Greek paganism. A small band of Jewish men and women who refused to be Hellenized and converted into pagans rose up and fought against the armies of the Greeks and won, taking Jerusalem and cleansing and rededicating the Temple. This spirit is what Hanukkah celebrates.   To celebrate Hanukkah is to follow after those who refused to be converted to the paganism of the Greek culture. As Christians we likewise should refuse the demands of today's culture and the pressures of society that would force us to deny our faith and convert us to the paganism of today's world, which is quickly abandoning the Scriptures, abandoning morals, abandoning pure thought, and the right ways of life. We, as believers in Christ, along with the Jewish people, should shine as a light on a hill as those who hold forth the Word of God, the promises of God, and the prophecies to come.   Key Verses:   •       John 10:22–23. "At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple." •       Romans 12:1–2. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." •       Matthew 5:11–16. "You are the light of the world. … Let your light shine before men." •       Matthew 24:22. "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved."   Quotes:   •       "We are the salt of the earth. We are to be the light. And that is what you can say about those who participated in the Maccabean Revolt that refused to be removed off of their faith." •       "We are believers, and we are not to be conformed to this world. We are not to be conformed to its cultures, its beliefs, and its ways of life when they are contrary to God and to His Word." •       "Let us rededicate and purify everything that has been touched and destroyed during these days under the attempts of satan to bring about his purpose."   Takeaways:   1.    Hanukkah reminds us that as believers, we are not to be conformed to this world. We are not to be conformed to its cultures, its beliefs, and its ways of life when they are contrary to God and to His Word. 2.    Hanukkah reminds us that we are to be a light to this world—we should shine brightly as a light on a hill. We cannot let our light go out, and we certainly cannot live in fear and intimidation and hide our light under a bushel basket. 3.    Hanukkah reminds us that we are the salt of the earth. What we are to do today is to preserve the culture of the Kingdom of God. We are to preserve the ways of God. We are to preserve the love and the Word of God in this day and age. 4.    Hanukkah reminds us that we must put our faith into service. Like the ancient Maccabees, we must go in and cleanse the Temple—to rededicate and purify everything that has been touched and destroyed as satan has attempted to bring about his purposes in our world.

Reading Luke 24:17-23 where the risen Jesus walks with two disciples who don't recognize Him, and they explain to Him everything that's happened recently in Jerusalem. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

He was born in Babylon, of the priestly tribe of Levi, during the captivity of the Jews. After their return to Jerusalem, the Jews began to rebuild the Temple and to worship there according to the Law, but were discouraged by opposition from the local population (many of them Jews who had not gone into captivity). So God raised up the holy Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (February 8) to stir the people to complete their sacred work. Haggai's prophecies reveal that the drought that the Hebrews were suffering was brought about by their failure to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and would only end when they rededicated themselves to their work. He is ranked tenth among the minor Prophets.

In this final episode of 2025, Meghan reflects on her four-year journey through second coming prophecy, symbolism, and the rediscovery of the Divine Feminine. What began as a study of last-days events has evolved into a deeper realization: Zion's redemption and the rise of the Divine Feminine are inseparable.Drawing from LDS canon, apocryphal texts like The Gospel of the Beloved Companion, ancient traditions, temple symbolism, and universal archetypes, Meghan shows how the feminine principles of intuition, relationship, heart-centered wisdom, and spiritual authority have always been woven into prophecy.She explores Mary Magdalene as “the tower,” Zion as the bride, the birthing symbolism of the new heaven and new earth, and the ways masculine and feminine partnership create the spiritual maturity required for Christ's return.This episode dives deep into: • the parable of the tower • the true meaning of Magdalene • the feminine role in death, rebirth, and the millennium • Zion as a feminine state of being • the partnership of masculine and feminine energies • global prophetic traditions pointing to feminine renewalA powerful close to the year and an invitation to reclaim the feminine in your own spiritual path.Timestamps00:00–02:00 | Closing the year and reflecting on the podcast journey 02:00–05:00 | Moving from prophecy study into the Divine Feminine 05:00–07:00 | Asking deep spiritual questions before you're ready 07:00–12:00 | Parable of the Tower and its prophetic meaning 12:00–15:00 | Magdalene as “the tower” and her true identity 15:00–18:30 | The tower as feminine presence and spiritual being 18:30–23:00 | Two feminine archetypes: virgin and fallen daughter 23:00–25:00 | Feminine principles as prerequisites for Zion 25:00–30:00 | Zion, Jerusalem, and the Bride symbolism 30:00–33:00 | Birthing the new heaven and new earth 33:00–39:00 | Isaiah's five birth metaphors 39:00–43:00 | Zion as unified heart and mind 43:00–50:00 | Global traditions confirming the feminine archetype 50:00–56:00 | How to rebuild the tower within ourselves 56:00–60:00 | Zion as a state of being and the return of Enoch 60:00–End | Closing reflection and blessing for the new year Thank you for listening to Hidden Wisdom! For free resources, courses, programs, and upcoming events, visit meghanfarner.com. ✨ New Class Now Open: The Language of Heaven: Basic Symbols Discover the foundational symbols of divine communication and deepen your spiritual understanding for FREE! Register here! If this episode brought value to your life, please consider: Donating through Venmo: @Meghan-Farner Subscribing to stay updated Sharing it with someone who would love it Leaving a comment or review to help others find the show Connecting and exploring more resources at meghanfarner.com Thank you for being a part of the Hidden Wisdom community!

Advent // Joy The word for Joy is the Greek word “Chara - Khar-ah,” meaning calm delight or cheerfulness, or “Chairo - Khah-ee-ro,” meaning to be calmly happy or well-off. Philippians 4:4 (KJV)"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice." Matthew 2:1-18 (NLT)“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.' King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, ‘Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?' ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,' they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, ‘Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!' After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,' the angel said. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.' That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘I called my Son out of Egypt.' Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men's report of the star's first appearance. Herod's brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: a cry was heard in Ramah—weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”      On a day when we announce good news of great joy. It doesn't sound very joyful…It is because of the Nature of this Joy.This is a Joy that is Stronger and Deeper than our Sorrows; A Joy that Cannot be Quenched by the Tragedies of Life; A Joy that can Sustain those who Suffer Great Loss.A Joy that Shines in the Darkness... Whatever the circumstances of our world and our lives, the message given to Joseph by the angel is true, and it's a message of joy—“Give him the name Jesus, because He will save His People from Their sins.” The Joy of Christmas is not just the Joy of personal salvation; it's the Joy of being part of something bigger, grander, and greater—it's the Joy of being able to participate in and cooperate with Christ in the coming and establishing of God's kingdom. It's in our coming together, it's in our unity of heart and purpose, it's in our giving and serving, it's in our intentionality in the midst of our community.It's the Joy of living out of all that we are blessed with to be a blessing to others.It's the Joy of being a participant in the message of salvation to the world. Joy to the World

In this special Chanukah edition we delve into antisemitism of today, the tragedy that befell our people in Australia and our ultimate hope and how seeing love in each other and increasing Bitachon in Hashem is connected to what we think about when we look at the Chanukah Lights this year. I introduce and gift a special little sefer to the women shiur as we delve into the Bitachon it offers us.

Life often forces us to climb mountains we never expected to face. King David's journey up the Mount of Olives teaches us powerful lessons about persevering through difficult circumstances. When David fled Jerusalem after his son Absalom's revolt, he climbed barefoot with a broken heart, but he didn't climb alone. Every summit requires a climb, and God places people in our lives to make the journey with us. The higher we climb, the better our perspective becomes, allowing us to see God's faithfulness in ways we couldn't understand while in the valley. When clouds get thick near the summit, we must trust God's perfect timing and provision, knowing He's working behind the scenes while we climb.

In this episode of 'Road to Bethlehem,' we journey with Mary and Joseph as they leave Nazareth, facing the challenges of travel while Mary is in her third trimester. The episode captures the emotional farewells, the physical hardships of the journey, and the spiritual significance of their path. As they travel, they encounter windstorms, wolves, and the weight of their divine mission, all while moving towards Jerusalem and ultimately Bethlehem, where the Messiah is to be born.Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph, Nativity, Journey, Messiah, Jerusalem, Travel, Faith, Divine Mission, WolvesMary and Joseph's journey was filled with emotional farewells and physical challenges.The couple faced windstorms and wolves, highlighting the dangers of their path.Mary's pregnancy added complexity to their travel, requiring careful planning.Joseph's protective nature was evident as he ensured Mary's safety.The journey was not just physical but deeply spiritual, with divine significance.The episode captures the essence of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity.Jerusalem's sight brought a sense of awe and purpose to Mary and Joseph.The narrative emphasizes the importance of trust in God's plan.The couple's journey symbolizes the intersection of human struggle and divine purpose.The episode sets the stage for the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem.KeywordsTakeaways

The manger sits inside a story older and bigger than a single night in Bethlehem. When we remember that Jesus was born a Jew—son of David, heir to the covenants—we recover the full weight of Advent and see how God kept precise promises to bless the whole world through Israel. That memory does more than enrich Christmas; it clarifies our mission and confronts the casual prejudices shaping today's conversations.We walk through Scripture's insistence on Jesus' lineage and why it mattered for every prophecy, festival, and symbol culminating in the cross and empty tomb. From there, we trace the historical turn: a church that began as a Jewish movement, a devastated Jerusalem, a rapid Gentile majority, and the sad rise of anti‑Jewish attitudes in Europe. Along the way, we examine how bad teaching, selective preaching, and cultural fear fueled scapegoating, and how law‑and‑gospel preaching resists that drift. You'll hear practical tests to separate political critique from hidden bias and a simple question that exposes team‑sports thinking masquerading as moral clarity.Most of all, we center the Christian posture Paul modeled—sorrow for unbelief, honor for Israel's gifts, and love that longs for salvation. That means real friendships, not isolation; bridges, not walls; and a mission mindset that treats every headline as a reminder of souls Christ died to save. Let this conversation upgrade your Advent: the Jewishness of Jesus is not trivia, it's the thread that ties promise to fulfillment and invites us to carry good news to both Jew and Gentile.If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show. Then tell us: where will you start building a bridge this week?Support the showThe ministry of Christian Life Resources promotes the sanctity of life and reaches hearts with the Gospel. We invite you to learn more about the work we're doing: https://christianliferesources.com/

Interview recorded - 10th of December, 2025On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming on Daniel Lacalle. On this episode I have the pleasure of welcoming on Daniel Lacalle. Daniel is a PhD Economist and Fund Manager.During our conversation we spoke about his outlook on the economy, major drivers of weak economy, Europe vs China, whether the economy can be resolved, outlook for 2026 and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction1:45 - Global economy outlook3:53 - Major driver of weak economy7:36 - Institution issues10:19 - Europe vs China centralised economy16:51 - Intellectual trends23:14 - Can economy be resolved?25:34 - Outlook for 2026?31:11 - One message to takeaway?Daniel Lacalle has a PhD in Economy and is a fund manager. He holds the CIIA financial analyst title, with a post graduate degree in IESE and a master's degree in economic investigation (UCV).On January 30th, Mr. Lacalle was mentioned in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Mr. Joe Wilson from South Carolina, citing his article Do Not Forget About Cuba.Mr. Lacalle has presented and given keynote speeches at the most prestigious forums globally, including the Federal Reserve in Houston, the Heritage Foundation in Washington, London School of Economics, Funds Society Forum in Miami, World Economic Forum, Forecast Summit in Peru, Mining Show in Dubai, Our Crowd in Jerusalem, Nordea Investor Summit in Oslo, and many others.Mr Lacalle has more than 24 years of experience in the energy and finance sectors, including experience in North Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. He is currently a fund manager overseeing equities, bonds and commodities. He was voted Top 3 Generalist and Number 1 Pan-European Buyside Individual in Oil & Gas in Thomson Reuters' Extel Survey in 2011, the leading survey among companies and financial institutions.Daniel Lacalle - Website - https://www.dlacalle.com/en/YouTube -  @DanielLacalleOfficial  X - https://x.com/dlacalle_IAWTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

As mentioned previously, Nehemiah is a continuation of the Ezra, recorded the history of Israel and their return from exile. Nehemiah, an exile who lived in Persia's capital and served King Artaxerxes as his royal cupbearer, hears news that Jerusalem has been laid waste. The wall surrounding the city had been greatly compromised and the gates that would have maintained a secure entrance had been burned down. In great dismay, Nehemiah asks the king if he can return to help restore the city. With the king's approval and with papers in hand, Nehemiah goes back to Jerusalem, but the local governors are not happy that he has come. Nehemiah surveys the damage under cover of night, then urges Israel to join him in the work of rebuilding the wall and gates.Nehemiah 1 - 1:02 . Nehemiah 2 - 3:44 . Nehemiah 3 - 9:24 . Nehemiah 4 - 15:42 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Last week we ended our study time looking at a great king of Judah, Hezekiah. Today we start with one of the worst kings of Judah, Manasseh, Hezekiah's son. Manasseh reigned from 697-642 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. Manasseh reigned 55 years. He reigned longer than any other king and did more damage than any other king.  He did evil in God's eyes. It is a disgusting and tragic story.  He destroys everything good his father had done. King Manasseh     ⁃    Apostasy and Idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:33     ⁃    Sacrificed his children  - 2 Chronicles 33:6     ⁃    Innocent blood shed including the blood of prophets -  2 Kings 21:16. (Hebrews 11:37 - ancient Jewish tradition that says it was during Manasseh's reign that Isaiah was sawn in half by Manasseh)     ⁃    Captivity in Babylon - Manasseh was taken prisoner by Assyria and taken to Babylon  - 2 Chronicles 33:11     ⁃    Repentance and return to Judah- while in prison Manasseh had a change of heart, humbling himself greatly before God and praying. The Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so God brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom, proving to Manasseh that He is the true God - 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 What we learn: God is a gracious God and hears the cries of those who humble themselves before Him.  He responds to a repentant heart.  In the final years of his life, Manasseh worked to redo things but to no avail as his son, King Amon takes the throne. Amon reigned from 642-640 B.C. and his story is found in 2 Kings 21:19-26 and 2 Chronicles 33:21-25. Amon did evil in the eyes of the Lord. King Amon     ⁃    Return to idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:22-23     ⁃    Conspiracy and Assassination - 2 Chronicles 33:24-25 - Josiah, Amon's son was then made king. King Josiah Josiah is just a boy when he begins his 31 year reign and in Pastor's opinion, the greatest king of Judah. Josiah reigned from 640-609 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 and 2 Chronicles 34-35. During his reign there were many prophets: Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Huldah.  God is working to bring the nation back to Himself. During King Josiah's reign, Judah experienced three of its happiest decades: peace, prosperity and revival.  King Josiah     ⁃    Young King seeks the God of David - he followed in the ways of David - 2 Kings 22:1-2 and 2 Chronicles 34:3      ⁃    Spiritual cleansing of Jerusalem - 2 Chronicles 34:4-5     ⁃    Book of the Law of God written by Moses (possibly the original Torah) is discovered  - 2 Chronicles 34:8, 2 Chronicles 34:14, 2 Chronicles 34:19, 2 Chronicles 34:22.  In 2 Chronicles 34:27 we read of Huldah who tells the king that God says that judgment is coming, but because he (Josiah) had humbled himself before God, wept and torn his robes, that Josiah will not live to see the destruction. Josiah recognizes the Lord's graciousness and he sets forth to bring revival.      ⁃    Revival happens 2 Kings 23:2-3 - God's people pledge themselves to the covenant of God.     ⁃    Revival and reform go beyond Judah - 2 Kings 23:15, 17 Josiah was a bright, brilliant, incredible and godly leader, a man bold in his faith and one who trusted God.  May we learn from his example. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

  December 7, 2025: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard.  Amen. You'all know I love Hallmark Christmas movies.  However, there is nothing quite like the ultimate story we hear at this time of year – A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.  And as much as I love Hallmark, they just do not compare in their remakes of that classic, to the ones that star Alister Sims or Sir Patrick Stewart.  Now, we are in Advent, not Christmas, so why do I bring this classic tale of Christmas up?  For the same reason I did many years ago when I was preaching on the texts for this Sunday – especially the one from Isaiah, because Dickens knew how to create a setting.  And, the truth is, while the movie adaptations are good, nothing is better than the actual book in telling that important part of the story.  I mean, isn't that nearly always the case – Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dune, the Chronicles of Narnia – I know, I am showing my fantasy/scifi side. Even the Harry Potter movies, while really good, were not as good as the books.  The same is very true for A Christmas Carol. The opening paragraph of this Dicken's seasonal classic makes one thing absolutely clear.  It reads, “Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.  Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.” So, I guess Marley, old Scrooge's business partner, was very much dead?  Or, as we get from the coronor in The Wizard of Oz – Marley is “…not only merely dead, [he's] really most sincerely dead.” Clearly we do not need to ask, in our best Monty Python voice, “Is he dead yet?”  Marley is dead.  Got it.  But why all the fuss – why all the repetition? Well, as we continue in the story we realize that if we weren't quite sure about Marley being dead, than it throws off the basis for the very strange set of Christmas Eve visitations that result in a miracle of new life for Scrooge.  And it is this new life that is an important part of our Advent journey.  The life that grows out of death.  Now you might be thinking, isn't that Easter, not Advent?  Well, it is both, as will see in the passage from Isaiah, and also from St. Paul in his letter to the Romans (who quotes the very scripture in Isaiah we heard today).  The passage begins with this: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”  That branch, the passage continues, is the birth of a new leader – one who is righteous and faithful, who has compassion for the poor and the meek. Oh, how we yearn even today, for that. Now we often hear these words and think of Jesus, but Jews then and to today know these words as applying to King Hezekiah of Judah.  Still, everyone all over the world yearn for this type of leader – one who has compassion for her people, and knows they are not God, but are there to serve God's people.  The prophet's words remind all of us what is expected of those that lead the people of God.  And it is a proper metaphor for the incarnation too. So, let's get back to that stump, that leftover remains of a very dead tree.  A tree that, as Dickins would likely say, is as dead as a door nail.  Why is this imagery so important to the people then, or us now? Well, remember last week? The prophet was speaking of a vision of a new world where swords would be turned into plowshares?  Well, that hasn't come about yet.  The Assyrians were still a threat to Jerusalem, and had destroyed many a city in Judah and Israel.  In fact, in the chapter before the one we read from today, we hear about those rulers who oppress the people, turning aside the needy from justice, and robbing the poor and vulnerable.  It was a time of darkness for the people, where hope was far gone and everyone seemed like the walking dead.  The stump is a metaphor for the people who felt dead inside.  The shoot is the birth of a new leader who is righteous, faithful, and good.  That would be a miracle to those so worn down by the reality in which they lived. But the passage doesn't stop there.  This new life is beyond anything anyone has ever experienced – beyond even swords being made into plowshares.  It is what we have come to call the peaceable kingdom…where “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid…” Of course, this image has been depicted in religious art, and is the stuff of poets.  But given the circumstances then and today, many of us might say, “The wolf might lie down with the lamb. But the lamb won't get much sleep!”  We greet these words with a big “Bah Humbug!' Not because we don't want it – oh we so dream it could be true.  No, we are skeptical because we have become so used to the very unpeaceable kingdom – war, violence, human trafficking, hate crimes, cyberbullying, and leaders who attack the people they are meant to serve, not to mention difficult times in our own lives. We can feel devoid of dreams like this because it can all seem too big to imagine – this time of peace and love for all.  It seems like a pipe dream. We can be so very weary from what life throws at us that we become like those people long ago – the walking dead.  Our faith withered so much that we keep a watchful eye, a bit like a lamb near a lion, for what might next prey upon us, and not for miracles of new life.  And so this prophetic witness of Isaiah is not only meant for those long ago, but for us too.  Maybe that is why St. Paul quotes the prophet in his letter to the Romans we heard a part of today.  He writes “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope….and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.”” St. Paul is reminding the people in Rome, and now us, of the promise of Isaiah – that new life grows out of what seems to be very much dead, bringing hope to all.  And folks, as I said last week, hope is a most powerful force amidst the darkness of the world.  It is the stuff of transformation, and the heart of Advent.  Hope is the spark in the soul that can defeat the darkness, can overcome the strongest enemies, can make dreams – God's or our own – possible.  And hope is the root of joy. Now, to be clear, joy is not happiness.  Joy is not connected to external events.  Joy is the inner peace we carry knowing that no matter what life throws at us, God loves us – loves us enough to break into the darkness of our lives with the birth of Christ Jesus. But here's the thing.  This new vision of the world – this peaceable kingdom and life out of death – this hope and joy – well, we have a role to play in bringing it all about. St. Paul adds this instruction we heard today “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you.”  This welcome isn't a polite greeting like we do at the peace, or we might when being introduced at a party.  That is far too tame.  The Greek used here is more on the lines of “fully embrace.”  And it isn't meant just for people we know well, or even like.  It is to fully embrace like Christ!  Or to put it in Christ's own words “love one another as I loved you.”  We are to be the counter-cultural witness to the goodness of God in how we treat one another, how we treat those who are different than ourselves, how we treat all of creation.  When we love as Christ loved us, we become the very sprouts of new life for a world that feels dead as a stump.  That is how we, by his incarnation in our heart, give birth to God's vision of love and peace. It happens one welcome – one full embrace – one moment of unconditional love at a time.  It is the hope of nations, and the promise of the child we await.  Think about the story of old Scrooge for a moment.  His transformation didn't come about because he got frightened out of his wits by a bunch of ghosts.  It started with a warning from Marley, to be sure, but what exactly was Marley telling him?  First, he told Scrooge that the chain he was wearing he forged in life, and that Scrooge's was just as long and growing ever still.  And when Scrooge said, “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” Marley shouted back – “Business!” “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!…At this time of the rolling year, I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?” Then the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future arrive one by one. What did they show Scrooge?  Images of hell to scare him?  No.  They showed him love – love he once had for another person, love of the Cratchit family even amidst all their lot, love his nephew showed to him despite Scrooge's nasty clapbacks at him.  And the reader or viewer sees how the absence of love from others can deaden many a child of God. That is what the Spirits showed to Scrooge – love.  Love not based on being treated well, love not based on the circumstances of life.  Just love – that full embrace St. Paul implores us to give – that commandment of Jesus to us all.  It is the very thing that will bring forth the shoot of hope and joy from even the deadest of souls, including our own. So next time you are watching your favorite version of A Christmas Carol, remember this passage from Isaiah and the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. Remember and see that even a soul as dead as Dickin's Mr. Scrooge may be given new life through the power of love. Remember too that this miracle of redemptive grace is for everyone – for you and for me.  It is the hope that will heal the world and bring about the beloved kingdom for us all, so long as we do our part to bring it about. And so I leave you with this, the two benedictions St. Paul includes in this part of his epistle.  Maybe they be something you can say each morning as you start the day – a reminder of Advent and what is possible by God's grace, when we share with others our hope and joy in love.  “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Rec-001-Sermon-December_7_2025.m4a   The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge December 7, 2025 Advent 4 – Year A 1st Reading – Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 2nd Reading – Romans 15:4-13 Gospel – Matthew 3:1-12 The post “The Power Of Love” appeared first on Christ Episcopal Church.

A Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach became the site of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the diaspora in decades. Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy, who grew up in Sydney and now lives in Jerusalem, joins Noam and Mijal to explain what happened, why many in the community say it was “horrifying but not shocking,” and what this moment demands next. Here's a link to donate to the Bondi terror attack response:  https://donate.thedorfoundation.org.au/bondi-beach-terror-attack-response/donate Help us take Unpacked podcasts further by supporting our crowdfunding campaign: ⁠https://unpacked.bio/podgift2025 Get in touch at WonderingJews@unpacked.media. Follow @unpackedmedia on Instagram and check out Unpacked on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ------------ This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Unpacking Israeli History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jerusalemite designer Lameice Abu Aker creates at the intersection of emotional resonance and cultural memory, exploring how form, color, and material embody the poetry of domestic rituals. Now based between Jerusalem and Milan, where she earned her Master's in Furniture Design from Politecnico di Milano, her work fuses Mediterranean nostalgia with sculptural whimsy.In 2021, she founded Ornamental by Lameice, a studio dedicated to glassware that blurs the line between sculpture and tableware. Collaborating closely with a family of artisans in the Palestinian village of Jaba', where glassblowing is a centuries-old tradition, Lameice introduced an unprecedented palette of pastel hues and whimsical designs as an entirely new chromatic language within their heritage of earth and fire.Each piece is shaped without molds or mechanical constraint, allowing the molten glass to reveal its own peculiar grace. The artisan's breath lingers in every curve; light, once captured, seems reluctant to leave.Drawn to the table as a stage for life's theatre, Lameice designs vessels that hold moments of dates, spirited debates, and family stories in awkward elegance, unexpected colors, and playful forms that carry optimism, intimacy, and the sense that the object might be a character of its own.Her collections Dreamlike, Eye Candy, and Teta Edition have been exhibited internationally from Paris and London to New York, Singapore and Monaco, each piece a small ambassador of whimsy, heritage, and light.Support the showThank you for listening! Follow us through our website or social media!https://www.thecolorauthority.com/podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_color_authority_/https://www.linkedin.com/company/78120219/admin/

It's all about a war of ideas between Greece and Jerusalem.  How important is the past and the future, compared to the present?  Should a man and woman commit to share a life or should they train themselves to enjoy temporary hookups? Should we use energy enthusiastically or shun it? Enjoy this explanation: https://rabbidaniellapin.com/product/festival-of-lights-instant-download/ Is it right that some people own a lot while others have little? Shouldn't all property be owned by all the people? These are the ideas that have to be agreed upon when you start a society or a country. America used to but no longer.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 15, 2025 is: dreidel • DRAY-dul • noun A dreidel is a 4-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance. The game, played by children especially at Hanukkah, is also called dreidel. // All the kids in the family look forward to playing dreidel together during Hanukkah. See the entry > Examples: “The Jewish tradition has always been syncretic, adapting and responding to the culture around it, he [Rabbi Steven Philp] said. Hanukkah is ‘a great example of this,' Philp said, noting that the holiday's traditions—like spinning the dreidel, eating latkes or potato pancakes, and munching on ... jelly-filled doughnuts—are customs that were borrowed from neighboring cultures over time.” — Kate Heather, The Chicago Sun-Times, 25 Dec. 2024 Did you know? If your dreidel is spinning beneath the glow of the menorah, it's probably the Jewish festival of lights known as Hanukkah. The holiday celebrates the miracle of a small amount of oil—enough for one day—burning for eight days in the Temple of Jerusalem. And though it's a toy, the dreidel's design is very much an homage: on each of its four sides is inscribed a Hebrew letter—nun, gimel, he, and shin—which together stand for Nes gadol haya sham, meaning “A great miracle happened there.” (In Israel, the letter pe, short for po, “here,” is often used instead of shin). In the game of dreidel, each letter bears its own significance: the dreidel is spun and depending on which letter is on top when it lands, the player's currency, or gelt, is added to or taken from the pot. Nun means the player does nothing; gimel means the player gets everything; he means the player gets half; and shin means the player adds to the pot. Wherever you land on holiday traditions, we wish you words of gimel: gratitude, grub, and, of course, gaiety.

Am I Helping People Who Are Suicidal? Should I Worry about My Daughter's Anxiety? Disarming Yourself The answers to today's questions are brief and were written prior to the show. Listen to the podcast for a more in-depth discussion of each question. Here are the questions for today's podcast. George asks: Would my approach help someone who is suicidal? No Name asks: Do I need to worry about my daughter's anxiety? Jeffrey asks: Can you disarm yourself?   George asks: Would my approach help someone who is suicidal? Dear David, Please tell me if this is too close to medical or other protected advice, but I had a question about something I tell people who are sometimes struggling with suicidal ideation. Throughout my life, I have had the thought "I don't want to be alive anymore" more times than I can count. But what I have come to realize over time is that this is just something my brain says when I'm upset; it doesn't really mean anything other than that. It's just a reaction to being very upset and that reframing helps me feel better about it, knowing that it's not a conviction but rather just how my brain expresses negative distress. Multiple people have found this helpful, but I wonder if telling certain people this would be dismissive/triggering/etc. In a dangerous way? Do you think I should stop sharing this experience? George David's reply: Hi George, Thanks for asking. I will make this an Ask David question, if okay with you, using your first name or some other name if you prefer. Short answer: to me, this is like giving advice, to my way of thinking, and I have spent the last 40 – 50 years indicating that this is NOT an approach that's ever worked for me. Can say more on the podcast. Thanks! Warmly, david   No Name asks: Do I need to worry about my daughter's anxiety? Dear Dr. Burns, I am not very skilled at expressing how much you, Rhonda, the others and your work mean to me. So, I will just ask a question. My daughter, who has a lot of anxiety issues told me that when she has a problem, she will purposely stew over it when trying to fall asleep so that she will wake up with an answer to the problem the next morning. I cringed. Is there any way that this is a safe or helpful paradoxical technique? No name David's reply Thanks, I'll copy Rhonda. We are both grateful for your loving comments! Rhonda, we can make this an ask David if you like for a podcast. But short answer, at least, in my opinion, is that this is a cool way to use your brain. It is a skill. For example, I often get confused by a difficult statistics problem when analyzing data, and go to sleep confused. Nearly all the time, my brain wakes me up in the middle of the night with a brilliant answer. So, if she perceived is in a positive way, and isn't disturbed, you could try nourishing it, as opposed to worrying about it! We'll see what Rhonda thinks. Rhonda, I'll add this great brief question to our list for Tuesday. I am reluctant to postpone the Ask David as when we've done this in the past, we've ended up never answer at least 20 to 30 questions which are now too old to put on a podcast. Those who asked may no longer even be alive it's been so long! Warmly, david Rhonda's reply Thank you for this lovely feedback. It really means a lot to us. Your daughter is going through something so many of us experience. I am excited we can respond to your question on an Ask David podcast. Warmly, Rhonda Jeffrey asks: Can you disarm yourself? Subject: Question about using disarming technique on oneself, and also it being used against you. Endless gratitude to all of you for the pipeline of clarity and hope. I was wondering if one can use disarming on oneself. Much of the focus in feeling good seems focused on looking for and challenging our distortions, which seems the opposite of disarming. Maybe the reversal of agendas emphasized in feeling great is essentially putting the disarming back into the process in regards to ourselves. I would like to hear your thoughts on this. On a side note, if one is in a legal contention or divorce, I could see how disarming could be effective and pacifying, yet what if those admissions could be used against you. David's reply I would like to include this in an Ask David podcast, with our first name or a fake name. Please advise if okay. Short answer: the ideas and tools to treat individual mood problems, like depression, are the complete opposite of the ideas and tools to treat relationship problems. This is like matter and anti-matter. However, the Disarming Technique and the Acceptance Paradox connect these two opposed and radically different worlds. So, in a sense, you are right. The Acceptance Paradox is a lot like disarming yourself! Best, david Jeffry's reply to david Thank you for the succinct response, and I look forward to hearing it fleshed out in the podcast. I would be honored for you to mention my name: Jeffrey - from the outskirts of Jerusalem in Israel And thank you to the whole team for keeping the best things in life for free (although I do hope everyone receives the funds they need). Yet I feel converse maxim - "there's no free lunch" remains standing, app://resources/notifications.html And that is, because, as you state over and over - anybody serious in improvement must pay the price; whether in completing the daily logs, or Burns assessment quizzes, or facing your fears, challenging your assumptions or fine-tuning one's communication skills, one interaction at a time. The danger of apps, and screens in general, are the inherent passivity and superficiality they engender, so I am looking forward to seeing how this app overcomes that. Lastly, you had sought feedback as to audience preferences for podcasts: I think by now I and most regular listeners are clear in the general approaches of Team CBT, and how it differs from other schools and their adherents, so now I benefit most from the role playing to crystallize and internalize its application. I would also be willing to forego multiple scenarios in each session in order to spend more time reiterating and clarifying individual scenarios - assuming that David, Rhonda, Matt, etc, have the willingness to keep going. Keep on keeping us learning and laughing. Jeffrey David's reply Thanks for the kindly and thoughtful note. We'll certainly try, but as you say, there's no free lunch and no guarantees! We are sometimes just hanging on! I like your recommendation for podcasts: more role playing I think to bring techniques and ideas to life. Warmly, david Thanks, for listening! David and Rhonda

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 122:1-2"I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.' And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.”REFLECTION- Sr. KathleenMUSIC- "On Jordan's Bank" from The Hymn Channel- "Gather Us In" by Marty Haugen ADVENT WORD OF THE DAY - Share - Gather stuff from your closet(s) that are never worn and share them with those in need by dropping them off at the Society of SVDP Thrift Shop or Goodwill.NOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.