Podcasts about In Jesus

In Jesus' death and resurrection, we have a path to eternal life in heaven.

We each have ultimate control of our destiny. God has given us that gift through His son Jesus Christ. So how do we seize control and end up on the right path? Listen as Julie Jenkins unfolds this important teaching from Matthew 15:1-20 and Mark 7:1-23. ***** Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' podcast. I'm you host, Julie Jenkins. I'm so happy you have joined us today as we study scripture together. If you are new to our podcast, besides this, our Wednesday Bible teaching, we have two other weekly offerings for you. On Mondays, Kimberly Hobbs hosts Empowering Lives with Purpose – a 30-minute interview with a different woman of faith who boldly shares her story with the hope of empowering you to live as God has called you.  And on Fridays, we have a team of leaders who share their wisdom and joy from a life spent in pursuit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Celebrating God's Grace. If you are new to Women World Leaders' ministry, our podcast is just a small part of what we do. We also offer prayer for the ups and downs of life, support through social media, fellowship through events, growth through daily devotions, empowerment through leadership development, encouragement through Voice of Truth – our free quarterly magazine, and creative growth and healing through coaching and writing. At Women World Leaders we offer a place to be served and to serve others. We believe that all Christians make up the body of Christ, and together, we can do what God has called us to today. We walk in faith knowing that God will guide us into projects of His creating and bring us the people He has called to grow together as we take on those projects. If you would like to join us, we would love to have you – and we know that God has a place waiting just for you. We are a 501c3 ministry, and as such we are sustained by donations from all over the world. If you would like to find out more about Women World Leaders or to help support the ministry financially, please visit womenworldleaders.com But, before you do, you have something more important to do than going to a website. God has called you to this podcast for a purpose. There is something He wants to teach you – so please don't put Him off. Allow me to pray before we begin that He will guide our learning… Dear Most Holy God…we give you this time and we thank you for walking with us as we open the Bible together. Father, we know that every time we open the Bible you have something more to reveal to us, and today is no exception. You have called us together for this time because there is something you want us to know – so I ask that you allow our hearts to be teachable. Holy Spirit, cleanse us of any sin and of any strongholds or beliefs that are not from you, shine a light on YOUR meaning, and let us each leave this teaching with the clarity that we have heard directly from you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.   We are currently walking through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John chronologically. As we view Jesus' words, actions, and life, we are asking God to show us what He wants us to learn today. Today's teaching comes from Matthew chapter 15, verses 1-20 and Mark, chapter 7, verses 1-23. When we see Jesus in today's passage, He is in the throes of ministry. He has gathered His disciples, and as they travel together, He teaches the crowds, the twelve disciples themselves, and groups or individuals that He encounters. We've seen people amazed and awed by His teaching, and we've seen them turn away. In today's passage, we see the Pharisees and the teachers of the law band together to come against Jesus as they travel to Him from their home base in Jerusalem. They are on a mission to discredit Jesus. But what they accuse Him of this time, might make us scratch our heads. Let's begin with Matthew 15:1 from the New Living Translation. 15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” Unlike during covid times – the lack of handwashing that they were complaining about had nothing to do with hygiene. Mark chapter 7 verses 3 and 4 explains a little more in depth… 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. 4 Similarly, they don't eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands[b] in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.[c]) To give you some background, the Israelites were God's holy people, and were set apart for purity. The problem was, they couldn't be pure of their own volition any more than you and I can. So they set about making rules, or traditions, and these ideas became more and more entrenched in society. In Exodus, we can read God's law, which included water purification for the priests before they offered a sacrifice in the temple. It is VERY clearly laid out. But the religious rulers extended these teachings saying that any time any Jew ate, they needed to follow the ritualistic hand washing that was, by God's law, given for only the priest to follow. This was just one of MANY man-created rules that the religious leaders enforced, and, for the most part, the Jews followed without question. In that time, it was considered the teacher's responsibility to make sure his disciples were doing the right thing, so the Pharisees accused Jesus on account of the disciples' actions – or inactions in this case. They didn't pour water over their hands before they ate. But Jesus KNEW the law. And what's more, He knew the difference between God's law and man-made law, and He knew which one was more important. So He used this as a teaching moment for all those listening, saying in Matthew 15:3 “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the DIRECT commandments of GOD? That question must have caused a stir. Jesus called out the leaders for violating God's commandments. And before there was an uprising, He explained further…  4 For instance, GOD says, ‘Honor your father and mother,'[a] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.'[b] 5 But YOU say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.' 6 In this way, YOU say they don't NEED to honor their parents.[c] And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. Jesus was referring to a well-know practice of formally vowing one's wealth for spiritual purposes alone. When an individual made this vow, his money would be dedicated to the temple, and he would no longer be bound by the fifth commandment – Honor your father and mother – which carried with it the responsibility to care for one's aging parents. So the individual could neglect God's commandment in lieu of a man-made vow, and in fact, would be, according to the religious leaders, bound to that man-made vow OVER God's commandment. This is an example of living life by the standards of the world instead of by God's standards. Of mindlessly bowing to human authority over godly authority. Of crying innocence due to ignorance of the law. I can remember studying for my drivers test MANY years ago, and asking my mom, what if I get stopped for breaking a law and just say I didn't know it was a law? She quickly and forcefully responded that if I was going to drive, it was my responsibility to know the law. You cannot claim innocence due to ignorance of the law when it comes to driving, or when it comes to God's laws. It is OUR responsibility to know God's laws. We do that by reading the Bible for OURSELVES and asking God to reveal His teaching to us. Going to a Bible-teaching church is important, listening to sermons and podcasts is helpful, but we each must control our own destiny by going to God ourselves. By going to the Bible ourselves. And by not taking someone else's word about what God teaches. Our God is personal! He wants to speak directly to YOU. He made sure that the Bible was written in YOUR language. He gave you wisdom and the ability to think, reason, understand, and choose which path you will follow. God wants YOU to choose YOUR destiny. Oh, He has a path for you to follow. One that's better than you or I could dream up. But He wants us to choose the path that HE has for us, not the path that any pastor, teacher, mentor, or best-selling author tells you to take. Many of the Jews were obediently washing their hands, and many were obediently pledging their money to the temple while neglecting God's TRUE law of taking care of their parents. Our job is to know and follow God's true law. Jesus continues emphatically in verse 7, evoking the law and the prophets…  7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,     but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce,     for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'[d]”   Mark 7:8-9 puts it bluntly… 8 For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition.” …“You skillfully sidestep God's law in order to hold on to your own tradition.  This was such an important point, that Jesus moves from speaking to the pharisees and addresses the crowd, Matthew 15:10… 10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” Those man-made laws that required handwashing also regulated what could and could not be eaten. Jesus was teaching that God's ways overrule man's ways…and He was teaching the people to think for themselves. He wanted them to understand that what we say and how we act, the attitude of our hearts, is far more important than following the regulations of eating given to us by someone who is not even following God's leading. I think this was a pointed attack at the religious leaders as nothing but nonsense was coming out of their mouths and their allegiance was clearly to their own self-made rules and regulations and not to God. I'm thinking the Pharisees must have reacted visibly, because next we see the disciples caution Jesus. But Jesus was fully aware of the Pharisee's response, and He did not shy away from speaking truth to them…verse 12… 12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” 13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.” Jesus wants us to open our eyes, and to be careful to not allow ourselves to be led by those whose eyes are closed. Next, PETER asks for further explanation, and Jesus turns to Peter…to the one…because Jesus will ALWAYS answer every individual directly…and responds…  “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. This is about as direct as I've ever heard Jesus speak! Even so-called holy food becomes waste. God has more important fish to fry. He cares that our hearts are pure! Not that we follow some man-made law…especially not one that goes AGAINST God's own law and desire! …verse 18…  18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that's what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” First, the pharisees approached Jesus about hand washing. Jesus discussed honoring your parents, and now He is talking about what we eat verses what comes out of our heart. The common thread is that Jesus is extoling the fact that God's laws, God's desires, will always trump man-made laws. We, as Christians, are always to put God first. And to put God first, we have to know what He says. The Jewish leaders had made laws about washing, and working, and giving, and eating…there isn't much they didn't make laws about. They were trying to build their staircase to heaven – one law at a time. And should an individual miss a single step, they would fall headfirst into the abyss. But Jesus is teaching that ONLY God can show us the way to the kingdom. God's way is to have our hearts right. And how do we have our hearts right? By entering into a relationship with Jesus Himself. When we do, we will feel the pull of the Holy Spirit and we will understand where He is calling us to walk and what He is calling us to do. We CAN control our own destiny, by giving God the reins of our life instead of blindly following someone else, who may be leading us in the complete wrong direction. Dear Most Holy God – YOU know the way. Open our eyes that we might follow you. Give us a will to open your Word daily so that we will never be ignorant of what you want us to know. Give us the desire to meet with you individually. Give us the wisdom to listen for your voice in all that we do. Help us always remember that Your heart is for the one, and that you love us each as if no one else exists in the world. God, we claim control of our destiny by giving the reins of our life to only you, and never placing them in the hands of a someone who may be leading us blindly. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

By Adhering to Jesus' “Great Commission” -- “go . . . and make disciples”, You Are Following Jesus MESSAGE SUMMARY: God said told all Jesus Followers to “go and make disciples” not to “make decisions”. In other words, we are to bring the Gospel to others with whom we have or with whom we develop a personal relationship. Therefore, we are to leave the “conversion” or the “decision” of others to become a Christian up to the Holy Spirit. Our job, as Jesus Followers, is to “go and make disciples”. In Jesus' last instructions to His Apostles and to you, before His Ascension to Heaven from Earth, is in Mathew 28:16-20 -- Jesus' Great Commission: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”. A disciple is a student, a follower, a learner. Making a disciple is not about classes. Making a disciple it about investing yourself in the life of another person – discipling is having a personal relationship with another person so that they see the life of Christ in you. Have you been discipled, or have you made a disciple? Not “going and making disciples” is your “great omission” as a Christian.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, in order to be with you, I need you to show me how to “create a desert” in the midst of my full, active life. Cleanse me from the pressures, illusions, and pretenses that confront me today so that my life may serve as a gift to those around me. Amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 26). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, My life is about Christ. (Philippians 1:21). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Mathew 28:16-20; Mathew 9:36-38; Mathew 10:16-33; Psalms 115:1-18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Resurrection Part 3: Jesus Gives Us His Great Commission Just Before His Ascension”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

God Sees a Jesus Follower as Being “In Christ”; Therefore, God Sees a Jesus Follower as His Son or Daughter MESSAGE SUMMARY: As Followers of Jesus, you are "In Christ" -- God looks at you, as a Jesus Follower, and He sees Jesus in you. Throughout the Epistles we find: "In Christ" or "In Him". In Galatians 3:14, Paul tells you that your faith in Jesus makes you “In Christ” and a recipient of God's Covenant with Abraham: “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.". Also, Paul goes even further, in Galatians 3:25-28, to tell you that, through your faith in Jesus, you no longer need any kind of intermediary because you are “In Christ” and you have a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe: “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”. When God sees you, “In Christ" as a Jesus Follower, He sees Jesus, the Son. Therefore, God sees you as His son or daughter.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Anxiety. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Peace. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:5-11; Romans 6:22-23; Psalms 63:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Come Holy Spirit MESSAGE SUMMARY: Special Introduction – The Spiritual Discipline of Giving: We are challenged by God to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse (church) because God tells us that we cannot out give Him. After all, everything we have is from God. Our gifts to God should be from our first fruits and not our last fruits. Developing the discipline of returning our first fruits to God breaks the hold of materialism on our lives. Today's Message – Come Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God Himself. The Holy Spirit is a presence of God in the Trinity of one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us, as our counselor, always pointing to Jesus in truth. People are not convicted and converted in their hearts and minds to become followers of Jesus without the Holy Spirit. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches, not much will be accomplished. It is impossible to be a Christian and to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit. The character of Jesus' followers is manifested through their lives bringing forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as presented in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control . . .”. Otherwise, our lives will only reflect the fruit of the flesh as presented in Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these . . .". The Holy Spirit seeks to work through us in a way that those around us see the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of the flesh. What do people see when they look at Your life? As followers of Jesus, we need to live through God's gift to us of the power inherent in the Holy Spirit.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 23:5; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 1:39; Acts 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16; Acts 2:42; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:6-7; John 3:4-8; John 14:16; John 16:7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “When Jesus Asked You: “Whom do you say that I am?”, Did You Answer Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”?”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Are You Ready for Your Earthly Death? Is Your Salvation Sure? If Not, Make Yourself Ready Now Through God's Grace and the Gospel MESSAGE SUMMARY: Be ready for the end of your earthly life and the return of the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, Paul writes to the Christians at the church in Thessalonica: “Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So, then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”. Are you ready? Are you sure in your Salvation? If not, make yourself ready and keep ready! God's Grace and the Gospel of Jesus prepare you for your earthly death while providing the means for your Eternal Life!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 10:37-39; 1 Corinthians 9:12-23; James 3:13-18; Hebrews 4:15-16; Psalms 65:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Resurrection Part 3: Jesus Gives Us His Great Commission Just Before His Ascension”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

This Bible study devotional covers Joel 2:18-3:21. In this passage, God responds to Israel's repentance with promises of mercy and restoration. As always, we are committed to showing you how Jesus fulfills these specific passages. In Joel 2:18-3:21, we show Jesus and his Spirit fulfill each of God's prophecies to Israel and Joel. In Jesus, the Spirit comes, our enemies will be defeated, and the garden of Eden will return. For more information about Spoken Gospel visit: https://www.spokengospel.com We believe the only path to transformative Bible engagement is to see Jesus and his gospel wherever you are in the story. Jesus taught that he can be seen on every page of the Bible. Only by seeing the light of the Gospel in the face of Jesus can we be transformed into his image (2 Cor. 3:18, 4:6). We want to help people engage with every corner of the Bible in a transformative way. To that end, we are making Christ-centered, devotional podcasts that cover every chapter of the Bible. They are brief field guides through every passage of scripture that explain each chapter within its context and how it reveals more about the good news of Jesus. The Gospel changes things. Through our resources, we hope to create growing, deepening, and transforming Bible engagement that reshapes individuals, churches, and cultures with the Gospel. And we hope that you will join us in that mission.

For a Jesus Follower in Difficult Circumstances, God: “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” MESSAGE SUMMARY:  God wants to make you and your life into a “pearl of great value”. However, some of us are upset about our life difficulties or issues in our relationships. You need to allow God to use your life circumstances. If you are obedient and submissive to God, He will turn your situations into a life of beauty. Alternatively, when you encounter these negative situations in your life, often, you can become bitter. On the other hand, you can submit and obey the Lord, thereby, permitting the Lord to turn your life and life situations into pearls of beauty and into a life of great value. Also, you will have more of Jesus' presence in your life. As Paul tells us in Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.". Remember, the Prophet Joel tells us, in Joel 2:13b, about the character of God: “he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 2:12-13; James 4:4-10; Isaiah 1:18-20; Psalms 61:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Resurrection -- Part 3: Jesus Gives Us His Great Commission Just Before His Ascension MESSAGE SUMMARY: Introduction from “The Resurrection -- Part 3: Jesus Gives Us His Great Commission Just Before His Ascension: At Jesus last appearance to His Eleven Disciples as a group and just before His Ascension, Jesus gives His Great Commission to us and to His Disciples. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus commissions or, indeed, commands us: “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”. Jesus, in Matthew 28:16-20, has commissioned us and commanded us to: Go, Make Disciples, Baptize, and to Teach everything that he has taught us (e.g., the Bible, our walk with the Holy Spirit) to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Remember again, that this commission and commandment (i.e. “as you go”) was the last thing that Jesus, as the Incarnate God-Man, told His Disciples and, therefore, us before His Ascension into Heaven to become solely God again. Because of the Resurrection and God's Grace, we have the opportunity for Salvation and Eternal Life; and God has given this opportunity to others next door and around the world, through us, if we Go, Make Disciples, Baptize, and Teach! Today' Message – Hearing God's Voice: In John 10:1-18, Jesus presents the picture of the Shephard and the Shepherd's relationship to His flock. Shepherding, in the First Century, was an intense and demanding occupation with the need for the Shepherd to lead and communicate with His sheep and to prevent “false shepherds” from stealing sheep. In communicating with His sheep, the sheep learn and listen for the Shepherd's voice which protects the sheep from “false shepherds”. Jesus tells us, in John 10:7-11, that He is the Shepherd and only through and with Jesus can we enter into the Gate, which is our Salvation and Eternal Life:' So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.'”. Jesus tells us that the sheep will hear His voice; therefore, if we are followers of Jesus, we should hear Jesus voice – we are all called to be Jesus' sheep. How do we know the voice of Jesus our Good Shepherd? To hear and know Jesus' voice, we need to consider: 1) we must “enter through the Gate” – the “Gate” is only Jesus; 2) we must be a sheep (i.e. must be saved and have a personal relationship with Jesus) of the Good Shepherd to hear and distinguish His voice from the “false shepherds”; 3) we must learn to listen – God's voice can present to us in many ways, especially through the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit gives us an insight into the mind of God and puts our mind in sync with God; 4) the voice of Satan is discernable from the voice and message of Jesus; and 5) we must obey the Lord as we listen – in the New Testament, the words “hear” and “obey” are the same; and God wants to guide and direct us. Ultimately, God tells us: “Be still and know that I am God.”. He is Risen, and He is alive today!   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:16-20; John 21:1-14; Acts 1:8; John 3:3-8; John 10:1-27 ; Ezekiel 34:22-24,31; Psalms 23:1-6; John 5:25; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 43:2; 1 Kings 19:12; Isiah 30:21; Ephesians 1:17-18; Hebrews 3:7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “For a Jesus Follower in Difficult Circumstances, God: “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Today's Uncertainty, “Know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men {earthly governance} and gives it to whom he {God} will” MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Our country is NOT about “freedom from religion”. America has “freedom of religion”. Sadly, because of our abandoning God's Laws, all of us in this country are affected – Jesus Followers and non-Christians; atheists; and followers of other religious faiths. As Jesus says in Mathew 5:45: “. . . For He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and send the rain on the just and the unjust.”. What can we do? The first thing we can do is pray and to fast – pray and ask God to turn our country around. We do want God involved, and God is involved.  In Daniel 4:24-25, God told King Nebuchadnezzar, through Daniel's interpretation of the King's dream, that God is always in control and sovereign; and that God determines those who govern us because God is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe: “this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will.". God, the Creator of the Universe, responds to our prayers in all issues impacting our lives today – pray for God's will respond, especially in these times of uncertainty.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be ashamed of the Gospel. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (including me). From Romans 1:16 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Leviticus 26:3-12; Leviticus 26:14-29; Daniel 4:24-25; Psalms 60:1-12 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Jesus Followers, Are Given the Holy Spirit as “Counselor and “Helper”, and the Spirit Is, Also, a “Caller; but are you “Listening” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Jesus, in Matthew 28:18-19, has called you along with all Jesus Followers to: 1) “make disciples” and 2) “Go”: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,'". Even though you may not be called to be a missionary or a minister, Jesus calls all His followers in this “Great Commission”. However, Jesus does not call you without providing you the tools or gifts, through the Holy Spirit, to be successful. Paul, in Ephesians 4:11-13, tells us about God's focus and reasons for His gifts to us through the Holy Spirit: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints {that is all Jesus Followers} for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . .". Again Paul, in Romans 11:29, gives us further information about God's fantastic gifts of the Holy Spirit that are the enablers for you as you answer God's call – as a Jesus Follower, you are called and given gifts; but not all have answered His call: “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.". In summary, God, in His call to you, has given you the gifts of the Holy Spirit to perform His call to you.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Evil Ways. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Goodness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:10-14; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:7-11; Psalms 111:1-10. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The crowds had gathered - because the show that Jesus offered was exciting! But with the explanation, the crowd began to thin. You, too, have a choice. How will you respond? (John 6:60-71, Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21) ****** Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' Podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins, and I'm thrilled that you have joined me for our systematic walk through the Bible. If you are signed up to receive our Voice of Truth magazine, you should have received the 2nd quarter edition this past week! Although I work on the magazine nearly every day, it is always such a sweet surprise to open my mailbox and see it! A Voice of Truth subscription is free within the continental United States…and we also offer a free digital version for those of you who are not in the United States of for those who prefer to read on your digital device. If you don't yet receive the magazine, visit our website at womenworldleaders.com where you can subscribe and download this issue or any back issues. There are so many articles I love in Voice of Truth, but one that is near and dear to my heart is Holy Hush by Deborah Watson. Holy Hush is an allegorical story that actually began in the January 2021 edition of Voice of Truth. There are only 3 more installments of this story of young Rebeka…and let me tell you, it is hitting the good part! If you need to catch up, you can “binge read” the story by downloading each edition of the magazine. Trust me, it will be worth it. And as the managing editor of Voice of Truth, I already know the end of the story…and I can tell you that you won't want to miss it! Well…back to the podcast! On this, our Wednesday edition of the Women World Leaders Podcast, we are currently walking through the gospels chronologically as we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us what He wants us to know today. Today we will be looking at John 6:60-71, Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, and Luke 9:18-21. Before we begin, let's pray… Dear Most Holy God…we thank you as always for meeting us where we are. God, we know that you see each of us and you love each of us with a pure love that we can't begin to comprehend. But God…we are here to say that we love you back, and we want to grow and learn from you. Please open our minds and hearts today that we can understand what you have to teach us. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.   When we left off with our last teaching from the gospels, Jesus taught the difficult to understand truth that He is the Bread of Life – sent from heaven. You may recall that the crowds gathering around Jesus had been growing bigger and bigger – that was primarily because of what Jesus did – He healed the sick and He fed the masses. He drove out demons. But now He has begun to not just do, but to tell who He is – and His revelation, as we will see, begins to drive people away. Suddenly being a follower of Jesus is not just all fun and games, but it requires something. If you are familiar with the Christian faith, you know that what Jesus offers us – life eternal with God – is a FREE gift. That is, it is not something we can earn. But eternal life with God doesn't just float down on us like rain in a storm. To receive our free gift, we are required to choose to receive it. Jesus said He was the Bread of Life – but that bread must be chosen from the world's smorgasbord that is on laid out in front of us. We must choose the Bread of Life and ingest it into our lives in order to reap its benefits. That seems simple. It seems like we would be ridiculous to not accept the stipulation that God requires. Here…you can have this house…but you need to take these keys and unlock the door…oh gosh, no, that's too much work. Here…you can have this car…but you have to get in and drive it. … oh, I don't think so, my foot kind of hurts. HERE is your perfect husband…but you have to show up at the altar. … You know…I have something more important to do today. I think I need to clean my house. Jesus has done all the hard work and He is offering us all the rewards. Jesus came down from heaven to live with us – but we have to listen to His teaching. Jesus gave Himself up that we might live, but we have to choose to believe. Jesus promises to guide and lead and love us – but we have to let Him. We have to choose Jesus as Lord to receive the gift of eternal life. The people had flocked to Jesus, to receive what He had to offer, but when it came to them trusting that He was the bread from heaven, following His teaching, and relying on Him for their very eternity – they were out. John 6:60 begins… 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can't come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[a]” Many say that Peter was impetuous – he acted without thought or care. But I would argue that Peter was true to himself. Peter had a heart that was as deep as a well – he loved, he cared, and he strived to do right, but one thing was sure, he was always true to himself. He said what was on his mind and he learned and he grew. Peter answered Jesus' question of whether they were going to leave by saying “Lord, to whom would we go?” Have you ever felt like that? I have had ups and downs in life, like we all have. There are times I've felt so beat up by life that I just drive or walk, simply not knowing what else to do. Without fail, God reminds me that He is there. I think of the words of Psalm 139:7-12, which say… I can never escape from your Spirit!     I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;     if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning,     if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me,     and your strength will support me. 11 I could ask the darkness to hide me     and the light around me to become night— 12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. The truth is, that Jesus' teachings CAN be difficult. His is a free gift, for certain, but it is still a gift we must choose. We must choose to believe that Jesus is Lord, we must put our own selves aside as we surrender to His glory, we must fall with trust into His arms. And if we let the world and the devil's thoughts infiltrate our minds, we will allow those simple choices to morph into what looks like an insurmountable mountain. But it is an illusion! What looks like an insurmountable mountain is really a mirage that, by simply holding Jesus' hand, we can walk right through. In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asks the disciples…  “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[b] the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,[c] because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.  God the Father has YOU in His sights – He is waiting to reveal Himself to you. He has something to teach you that no human being could ever teach you. Jesus continued speaking to Peter… 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock'),[d] and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell[e] will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid[f] on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit[g] on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Jesus continued speaking to Peter…and Peter CHOSE to listen! Jesus called Peter the rock…and gave him a mission to build the church. But Peter had to follow in faith. Jesus offers Himself to each of us. And He offers each of us a mission on earth. And WE have the choice – to turn away, like the crowd, or to listen and obey in faith. Jesus isn't a rainstorm – His blessings don't automatically soak whoever happens to be around. We, even as God's children, have to choose to hold out our hands and catch the raindrops. Jesus drew the crowd in…but when it came their turn hold their hands out to receive the Bread of Life, they turned and walked away. Perhaps they figured that ANY price was too high of a price to pay. Perhaps they were blinded by the mirage of the seemingly insurmountable mountain ahead of them. Or perhaps they just didn't' want to be bothered. Only the twelve stuck around…and Jesus then warns that even one of them, Judas, would betray Jesus…choosing the world and himself over the God who created him, pursued him, and would die in order to spend eternity with him. If you are having trouble choosing God today, ask yourself the question, where else could I possibly go? Who else could ever love you as much as Jesus? Who else has the power to give you eternal life and to lead you, guide you, strengthen you, and protect you today? Who else can bring you unbridled joy? Who else will hold you as you weep and then promises to dry your tears? Who else has a mission for your life and will walk with you through any mountain as you fulfill that mission? Jesus Himself is our gift. But we must choose that gift and give up ourselves to follow Him. Trust me. Every step is worth it! Dear Most Holy God…we cannot run from your presence…and for that we thank you! Thank you for pursuing us to the ends of the earth. And for goodness sake, help us stop running! God, you yearn to hold our hands and walk with us, to guide us, to lead us, giving us your wisdom, protection, strength, and joy. Today we look to you. We trust you. And we give you our lives. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Pride Is a Barrier Between You and God, but the Holy Spirit Cleans Your Mind and Heart by Providing “a no-pride solution” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Pride takes many forms, but pride always puts a barrier between you and God – especially in your prayer life. We are all sinners, and we only are only able to be saved from eternal death by God's mercy and Grace. Your prideful self-sufficiency will prevent you from entering God's throne room (The place of God's presence for His prayerful communion with you). You can come to God because of His mercy and gift of the Holy Spirit. As Paul tells us in Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Also, in Mark 7:20-23, Jesus provides His perspective regarding pride: “And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.'”. It is so easy to begin a prayer when both your heart and your mind are cluttered with your life's stresses and the sinful thoughts and desires which you have permitted the enemy to leak into your being. Stop a moment and call upon the Holy Spirit (God's helping gift to Jesus Followers) to clean your mind and heart while walking with you and your prayer into the presence of God – a no-pride solution to your prayers.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Abba Father, I admit that I am often afraid and embarrassed to openly tell you all that is going on inside me — even though I know you know it all anyway. Teach me what boldness in prayer looks like as I draw near your throne of grace. In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 112). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will proclaim him. (Philippians 1:15f). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 8:26-28; Mark 7:20-23; 1 John 2:15-17; Psalms 58:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

By a Mocking of God and His Institutions, Threats to Our Churches, Country, and Jesus Followers Are Exacerbated MESSAGE SUMMARY: Our way of life is slipping quickly away from us, but our way of life is not just about elections and politics. This risk arises from direct threats to both our Christian faith-based institutions and our country's related founding principles. The news, 24/7, confirms that this risk is to our churches, to our country, and to our way of life. This threat is coming from a constant state of conflict among institutions, cultures, and individuals. The Bible provides examples of similar institutionalized conflicts throughout the ages. However, today's conflicts, in and among organized religion, are over the basic principles of Biblical teachings and Jesus' Gospel; and these conflicts make one wonder where the path for a way out of this descension and conflict will emerge.  From Clergy, Politicians, and the men and women in the street, God is mocked daily along with His institutions. Paul tells us, in Galatians 6:7, that: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." Some ask, in a mocking fashion, “Where is Jesus; He is supposed to be the Peacemaker?”. Jesus answers this question in Matthew 10:34-35, 38-39: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law . . . And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."    The risks from this conflict, arising from the mocking of God and the large numbers of institutions walking away from the Christian principles upon which America was founded, will only be addressed by a change in our hearts. The hearts of the people will not change until we have a true “spiritual awakening”. As Jesus tells us in John 14:1: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”. Additionally, Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 35:4: “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”. A spiritual awakening is needed not only to save souls from eternal damnation but to save our way of life. This “Spiritual Awakening” begins by proclaiming Christ faithfully to the nations.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 20:19-25; John 16:33; John 14:27; John 1:14; 1 John 1:9; Luke 24:46; John 3:16; John 5:24; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:10; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39; John 1:12; Psalms 52:1-9. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Some Turn Away from God in Political and Heath Uncertainties at Just the Moment they Most Need Him MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Lord wants to bring His Grace and His peace into our lives. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and God's "New Covenant" Grace for us, God can make us whole again. Jesus can bring His peace and His joy into our lives. Why will some, who have separated themselves from the Lord, not seek Him and return to God? Jesus tells us that if we return to Him that He will return to us – no matter where we are. Also, the Lord tells us in Isaiah 44:22: “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Joel 2:12-13; Psalms 51:12-15; 1 Thessalonians 3:7-10; Psalms 48:1-14. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Jesus, we have access to the Father's presence and confidence that He hears our prayers.

If you've ever equated meekness with weakness, check out Sunday's message and shift your thinking. In Jesus' kingdom, meekness is anything but weak. Meekness is what gains you the whole world.

In Jesus' kingdom, it's the last, the least, and the looked over who become the first, the favored, and the focus of attention! (See Matthew 20:16) Mary, among other daughters of God, is a picture of the overwhelming grace of God being extended to the unworthy, the broken, and the forgotten.

Jesus Followers Are Given the Incredible Gift of the Holy Spirit - “your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way'” MESSAGE SUMMARY:  In Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah tells us: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.". We know from the New Testament that Christians are given the Holy Spirit to walk with them -- "a word {voice} behind you". As a Jesus Follower, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in you; and the way the Lord speaks to you is through the inward witness of the Holy Spirit -- the Spirit will speak, and you will know that it is the Lord. As God told His people in Exodus 19:5-6: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, fill me with the simple trust that even out of the most awful evil around me, you are able to bring great good — for me, for others, and for your great glory. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 91). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 14:23-27; Acts 2:1-4; Exodus 19:1-6; Psalms 55b:13-23. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL)” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Marriage – A Current Assessment (Christ the King Anglican Church; Birmingham, AL) MESSAGE SUMMARY: Marriage and the family, in current decades, have been under attack to the degree that marriage is now losing its value in our culture. In Mark 10:6-9, Jesus speaks to God's plan for marriage: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.' ‘Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.'” In our culture's attacks on marriage and the family, we see ten ways in which marriage and the family have been and are being perverted: 1) US Supreme Court's decision on same sex marriage – as followers of Jesus, we don't believe the courts have the right to define/redefine marriage as established by God; 2) sex before marriage is becoming the norm; 3) sex outside of marriage has become acceptable; 4) the prevalence of divorce; 5) acceptance of cohabitation; 6) birth of children out of wedlock; 7) multi-spouse marriage; 8) escalation and the acceptance of pornography; 9) the acceptance and practice of abortion on demand; and 10) the acceptable “choosing” one's own gender by some people. These perversions of marriage and the family are chiping away at the value and importance of marriage and the family in the US – even among Christians. Too many of our Christian young people don't know why they should get married -- this diminution of marriage's value is a failure, mostly, of the Christian Church. Many Christians, today, are being deceived and led away from God's Word by the Evil One (e.g., John 10:10). Therefore, we need to read and understand God's Word, especially as it relates to His plan for marriage that Jesus posits in His quote from Genesis in Mark 10:6. Throughout history humans have corrupted God's beautiful plan for His Creation. In Mark 10:7, we see God's pattern for marriage. In Mark 10:8, we are provided with God's purpose for marriage; and the product of this “one flesh” is children. By becoming “one flesh” in marriage, the man and women become a “new trinity” – husband, wife, and the Lord. In this “marriage trinitarian relationship”, each child is brought into this family relationship in the same way that we, as followers of Jesus, are brought into our personal relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through the Gospel. In Mark 10:9 we see God's expressed permeance of marriage. God's design and plan for marriage, as presented by Jesus in Mark 10, is ideal for us as humans, our nation and our culture; but His plan is being increasingly perverted. Therefore, what should we do, as followers of Jesus, about these “attacks on marriage”? We can: 1) stand up, speak up and speak God's truth – Christians need to stop be trampled upon by this divergent culture; 2) model good and Godly marriage and family life to the culture; 3) you teach your children, you not the church/school/government, about God and His plan for marriage and the family; and 4) pray and ask God to intervene in these attacks and to support our seeking to achieve His plan for our own marriage and the family – prayer does change things, and it brings the power of God. We are blessed to live in an incredible time in history, but the plan and fabric that God designed to keep us together and thriving – marriage and the family – is being perverted. However, we, as followers of Jesus, hold the key to stopping this perversion though getting our own family and marriage in line with God's plan and then witnessing and voting to stop this perversion – the time is now.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 10:6-9; John 10:10; Genesis 2:21-25. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Are Given the Incredible Gift of the Holy Spirit - “your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

There is no life for the believer outside of Christ! In Jesus, we live and move and have our being for we are also His offspring.  Find out more about Church Of God Mission Int'l - Common Impact Centre at https://www.commonimpactcentre.church 

God's Grace Allows Jesus Followers to Know God Personally, Like a Father Knows His Son MESSAGE SUMMARY:  There is a difference in knowing about someone and really knowing them. Jesus' New Covenant permits you to know God in a personal way and not just to know about God. This means to know the Lord God was fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. In Romans 8:26, Paul tells us that the pathway for knowing God, personally, is through our prayers; and the Holy Spirit is with you to help you with your prayers: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.". There is a great deal of difference in knowing about God through study and knowing God by developing a personal relationship with Him through your prayers and the New Covenant that is in Jesus. The Apostle John, in John 1:1-5, clearly identifies that Jesus is the “Word” {Jesus} who is the Creator of the Universe: “In the beginning was the Word {Jesus}, and the Word {Jesus} was with God, and the Word {Jesus} was God. He {Jesus} was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.". Therefore, God's Grace, through Jesus, has given you the opportunity to have a personal relationship with our Triune God (i.e. God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). Jesus provides this opportunity for you to have a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe, who can become the cornerstone of your life. Have you established your personal relationship with God? If not, why not?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  In all my ways I will seek to know Him, and He will make my pathways straight.   From Proverbs 3:5f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 12:44-50; Luke 12:4-12; John 15:12-17; Psalms 55a:1-12. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Fasting and Prayer Release Your Spiritual Power by Making God Strong in Your Life Through Your Weakness from Fasting MESSAGE SUMMARY:  There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from the Lord about the specific issues that you are facing. The Lord will speak to you, but sometimes it takes your listening AND fasting to hear Him. For example, when Joel received a Word when the land was to be destroyed, he called a fast (i.e. Joel 1:14): “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”. Some things you are facing in your life must be dealt with by both prayer and fasting. Fasting releases a spiritual power – in your weakness, God is made strong in your life. Daniel's prayer, from Daniel 9:3-5, provides a context for asking direction from God: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'". Also, Daniel provides a great context for your prayers – Praise, Thanksgiving; and Confession before you ask for God's intervention into your life and personal needs.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I know how often I am carried away by too many concerns and demands and projects. I have felt the violence to my soul. Deliver me from this whirlwind around me and in me. Heal my tired and weary spirit, allowing the wisdom that comes from rest in you to flow deep within me. In Jesus' name, amen.       Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 124). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Heartlessness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Kindness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16; Daniel 9:3-7; Psalms 54:1-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

May 05 2022 Thursday Week 06 A Study In Romans We Are Righteous Also In Jesus Christ Our Lord And Savior Ephesians 1:15-23 NLT  'Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.'  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT 'When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.' This In Him Scripture Study Started On June 21 2021 Go Back And Listen From The Beginning…  The Study In Romans Started on March 30 2022 Go Back And Listen To This Study From The Beginning… Matthew 11:28  Find Rest In Jesus Christ Your Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return…  Romans 8:6  To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace… Millions of people live in chains not knowing that they have the key to break those chains… Biblical Hope Is A Confident Expectation… Romans 10:17  Faith Comes By Hearing The Word Of God Romans 4:23-24 KJV/NLT/AMPC It wasn't Just For Abraham… Galatians 3:29  We can stand in promises of God through Faith in Him… John 3:16  God Loves the World ( every person )… John 8:36  In Jesus your Lord and Savior you are free indeed. John 16:33  Be A Overcomer in Him… Romans 10:9-10 KJV/NLT/AMPC  Salvation… Romans 10:13  Call On The Name Of Jesus And Make Him Lord today… The Biblical Definition Of Grace Is God's Unmerited Favor… Matthew 18:19-20  I will agree with you about your prayer request… Acts 10:34  God is not a respecter of persons. He loves and cares for us all the same… Romans 12:3  God has given us His Faith… Biblical Hope Is A Confident Expectation… Romans 5:5  God has given us His Love… 2 Corinthians 5:17  We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21  We are the Righteousness of God in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… God's Word Is True Above All Opinions…  Romans 12:2  Renew your mind to what God's Word says… Believe God's Word Above All Opinion… Philippians 4:13  We can do all things through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Philippians 4:19  God will provide all your needs… Romans 10:13  Call on Jesus' Name and be Saved… 1 John 1:9  Confess your sins God Will Cleanse You…  John 3:3  You Must Be Born Again… Luke 15:10  Heaven Rejoices Over One Person That Repents And Is Born Again… John 3:16  Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ Your Lord And Savior… 1 Peter 2:24  Healing… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Luke 6:38  Give and it will be given unto you… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media Website https://the-prodigalson.com What God's Word Can Do In Your Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJWTZG_x2vE&t=3s Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App  https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” — Matthew 7:11 When my children were small, they looked up to me because I was such a big person in their lives. As they grew older and bigger, though, they realized that I have imperfections and limitations. I am painfully aware that I sometimes let them down, as all fathers have done at times to their children. But although our fathers may let us down, we can always depend on our heavenly Father. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel called God their “Father.” They also used many other titles and descriptions to identify God. For example, they called God their “rock,” their “fortress,” and their “shield.” In many passages he is also called “God Almighty” (­El-Shaddai) in recognition of his awesome power and dependability. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes his relationship with God as his Father, and he teaches us to trust God as our Father in heaven. With the Apostles' Creed, we rightly call God our “Father almighty.” Unlike our earthly fathers, our heavenly Father is perfect and unlimited in his power. Our earthly fathers may sometimes make promises they can't keep. Our heaven­ly Father not only makes promises but also keeps them all—because of his almighty power and enduring love and ­faithfulness. God also hears and answers our prayers. Knowing what's best for us, our Father will always provide what we need. Father almighty, we rely on your love and faithfulness, trusting that you will never let us down. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus' Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God's Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God's model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus' Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Compassion. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

A very good morning to you! It is Thursday morning the 5th May, the year 2022. And this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.If we go to the Old Testament to Micah 7:8:Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;When I fall, I will arise;When I sit in darkness,The Lord will be a light to me. Maybe we are sitting in a dark place this morning. Maybe our enemy is laughing at us. Well, the Bible says that weeping may last for a night but joy comes in the morning. We may be knocked down but we are by no means knocked out of the fight. “Why?” we might well ask - Because Jesus Christ is on our side! So, no matter how dark the situation may be, He is with us in our time of extreme testing. You see, He has been through that night of extreme darkness and He knows what we are experiencing right at this very moment.“…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”1 Peter 5:7You see, Jesus has been there... He was in the Garden of Gethsemane - He was left all alone, His disciples were asleep. Jesus was in absolute darkness and despair. The Bible tells us that He was sweating blood. He was taken to the High Priest's house and was put into a pit. I have been there, I have seen that hole in the bottom of the High Priest's home where He was left there until morning. He knew what was coming - death on a cross! Oh yes, He has been through what you and I are feeling right at this very moment. But I want to say to you, my dear friend, Jesus says in Psalm 34:19:“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”Yesterday I met a gentleman who has just lost his wife. His wife for over 40 years and I could see the pain in the old man's eyes. Tears welled up, He said, “Angus, I have had to sell my house and have now moved to an Old Age Home. I said, “Can I pray for you?” He said, “Yes, please.” I put my arm around his shoulder in the middle of a carwash business. They were washing our cars and I prayed for him. I prayed: “Lord, please be to him a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.”I got a message yesterday of a mother who was absolutely distraught. She has lost her young son, he was killed in a car crash and she just needs help... I want to say to say to you: “Mother, stand, for the battle is the Lord's” Ephesians 6:14.I want to pray for you:Lord, I pray for that mother. I pray for that old gentleman...And not only that distraught mother and that old man, but every person who is listening to this message who is going through a time of darkness.Stand with them, please Jesus.I pray, Lord, that they will see that weeping lasts for the nightbut joy comes in the morning.Father, be a comfort to them today.In Jesus's Name,Amen.God bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

In Jesus, what if an invitation we have extended to us as humans is to increase in awareness so that we may consciously respond well to life instead of unconsciously react? In this episode Craig unpacks the meaning of this incredible invitation that we can easily forget to accept. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/craig-westhoff/support

You were dead in your sins, but God has raised you up to life! Let's celebrate our new life together as we revisit Ephesians 2:1-10. (Originally aired in 2020) ***** Most holy God – we come to you today seeking your wisdom, your guidance, and your blessing on our lives. Father, I pray that as we open your Word together, that you would pour out understanding and enlightenment on each of us. Open our eyes to see what you would have us see today – allow us to be teachable – allow us to grow closer to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.   Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 1-10 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. In this passage we see our own transition, as children of God, from defeat, to victory, to exaltation. Have you ever had one of those days when it just feels like you can't get anything right? Even though you try desperately to ‘right the ship' so-to-speak? One day I was running a mom-errand - driving 40 minutes off my usual route to pick up a special-ordered, dearly desired items for one of my young children. A noble cause – I was being a good mom. As I drove with my three young children, it began pouring down rain – one of those relentless Florida afternoon downpours. All of the sudden, as I was driving, one of my windshield wipers stuck straight up in the air – I've never seen anything like it. The kids thought it was hysterical. I pulled over, got out on the side of road, in the pouring down rain, and fixed the wiper. We eventually got to where we were going – I got all three kids in through the rain (which is no small feat in and of itself – still being the good mom), only to find out that our special-ordered, very expensive, HAD-to-have TODAY purchase – wasn't going to be ready until the following week. I know that you have your own version of what seemed at the time to be my ‘Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day' … because the fact of the matter is – due to our sinful nature, our disobedience, and the devil's constant battle against our hearts -  in THIS world we WILL have trouble. We will feel defeat in many ways. The first 4 words Paul writes in this chapter are “Once, you were dead.” That's not a phrase we hear every day – the regular connotation of death indicates an ending – finality. Once we are dead, there is NOTHING we can do of our own accord to wake up. A deaf person cannot hear a beautiful symphony, no matter how hard he tries. A blind person cannot see the majestic view from a mountaintop, no matter how wide she opens her eyes … a dead person, simply can't get up… And a spiritually dead person cannot see the glory of God's goodness and love no matter how she tries to look on the bright side. See Paul isn't talking about death as we normally think of it – the death of flesh, but he is talking about the death of the spirit. He says, at one time, you were spiritually dead. Imagine – a world without hope. Darkness without any pinprick of light. Misery without comfort. Because of our sin … THAT is the world that we were born into. We as, humans, drove our holy and perfect God away with our propensity to sin – causing us to be in a spiritual state of death – separated from all that is good and right. Separated from God. And there was nothing we could do of our own accord to bring Him back, or to make things better. Then the transition. Verse 4 begins ‘BUT GOD.” As you read carefully through the Bible, you will begin to notice that the Biblical writers never shy away from teaching about our Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad existence. However, the two words that often follow these descriptions can change our very life trajectory, taking us from defeat to victory. BUT…GOD! The verse continues… “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.” Our God is merciful. Mercy is that quality that only comes from God and means compassion, kindness, pity. Because of God's mercy, and through His power, He took what once was dead and without hope – our very spiritual lives – and gave us life in Him. God did this amazing act in tandem with another amazing act – He resurrected Jesus Christ from physical death so that we could be resurrected from our spiritual death. Only God's mercy, and His power enacted through that mercy, could allow us as the deaf to hear that beautiful symphony, could open our blind eyes to see the majestic view, and could enable us, the dead, to get up. But as the infomercial says…But wait…there's more! God loves us so much that taking us from defeat to victory wasn't enough. No – as only God can, He takes it a step further, and exalts us! In verse 6, we are reminded “For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms!” We've all likely seen video of a survivor pulled from the rubble of an earthquake, carried on a stretcher through a crowd of cheering first responders. WE are the survivors! GOD is our first rescuer! And all the saints and angels are cheering YOUR revival. God is SO EXCITED by YOUR spiritual awakening that it is no longer enough to return you to the Garden of Paradise – no, He is going to keep His eye on you by exalting you and keeping you RIGHT BESIDE HIM in the heavenly realms! Our merciful God has taken us from defeat, to victory, to exaltation! Verse 8 gives us a bit of the background – first telling us WHEN this transition occurred in the life of the Christian: “God saved you by his grace WHEN you believed.” This is a WHEN statement, not a BECAUSE statement – Paul quickly underlines this fact by stating “YOU can't take credit for this; it is a GIFT from God…not a REWARD…therefore, you can't BOAST!” Like the survivor pulled from the rubble, we are completely dependent on our rescuer – all glory to our merciful God! And finally, verse 10 – one of my favorites – gives us the why: “For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” You are God's MASTERPIECE!! His treasured possession. His work of art! Throughout the years, I have received many homemade gifts that I treasure. My mom made me a quilt when I left for college. That quilt was made for a purpose - to keep me warm, to help me rest, to comfort me, and to remind me of home when I was navigating the world on my own. That quilt was my mom's work of art – and while it brightened my college dorm room, it still had a practical purpose. Ladies – you are beautiful! And what's more, you were created ON purpose FOR a purpose. The devil had his way and left us for dead because of our sin. But God, in His mercy, pulled you from the rubble, seated you in the heavenly realms, and all creation cheered! So now you can live like the masterpiece that you were created to be! Not to be set aside in a museum, shielded from the light or from handprints; but you are a GIFT that has been given to the world, from God. Like my mom gave me my quilt, God has shared you, His masterpiece, with a world that He loves – to brighten their day by your beauty, to comfort and protect others, and to remind others of THEIR rightful home in heaven! When others see you, do they see God? Do they see THEIR Creator and THEIR first responder as a light in you? Are you reaching into the rubble with God to help the helpless out of their darkness? You were created anew in Christ Jesus, in order to do the good things GOD planned for you long ago. So no matter how Terrible, Horrible, No Good, and Very Bad today may feel, know that God has reached through the rubble to save you, has exalted you in the heavenly realms, and He wants you to LIVE LIKE THE MASTERPIECE THAT HE CREATED YOU TO BE! Dear Heavenly Father – thank you for your mercy, for reaching down into the rubble of our lives and for saving us. Thank you for bringing us from defeat to victory to exaltation. Empower us today to live like the masterpiece that you created us to be – to live life ON PURPOSE. Open our ears to hear what you want us to know, our eyes to see where you want us to go, and our hearts to respond to others with the power that only you can provide. We claim our place in the heavenly realms today, and we praise you for counting us worthy as your children. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

“Life Situations” May Cause a Focus on Yourself; but a Prayer Focused on Yourself and Not Considering Others' Needs Constrains Your Prayer Relationship with God MESSAGE SUMMARY: When you are experiencing a "life situation" AND you stop just focusing on yourself and your situation, then you can enter prayerful communion with God. In your personal relationship with God and your communion with God, He will tell you how to pray for your "situation". As James tells us in James 1:5-6: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.". Pray always; be consistent in your prayers. Do not give up on God; do not doubt the power of your prayer; and pray in faith.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I thank you that you are working even when I am sleeping. Teach me to respect the built-in rhythms of life, and to live from a place of deep rest in you. In Jesus' name, amen.       Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 127). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, God is not finished with me yet (Philippians 1:6). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 5:20-21; Romans 1:16-17; James 1:5-6; Psalms 109b:16-31. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Today is National Teachers Appreciation Day and I want to take a second to celebrate the teachers in our lives. Think about it, no matter where we are in life, a teacher influenced us. When we meet new employees with a wealth of skills and abilities, a teacher helped shaped them. Every new business owner, doctor, engineer, or nurse can name a teacher who inspired them. Every one of us has at least one teacher in mind who encouraged and motivated us during our education and beyond, and if you have the chance, say thank you!I'd like to say a special shout out to my favorite teacher, and my baby-girl Simone who teaches Pre-K, and my in-laws Jeff and Angela who are also educators here in DFW!Lord, protect them, give them Your patience, give them Your heart to care, and encourage them to know how important their profession is! In Jesus name! Amen! ✏️

For Jesus Followers, God Has Compassion on Them, His Children, as they Praise and Fear Him MESSAGE SUMMARY: As a Jesus Follower, then you believe that God is the Creator of the Universe and that God is the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. Therefore, as Sovereign Lod, God merits your fear, respect, praise, and awe for the Grace, love, and mercy He has given to you. Proverbs 1:7 tells you that the “Fear of the Lord”, while bringing the Lord's “Compassion” and “Blessings”, also, brings you “Knowledge”: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.". David models again and again, as in Psalms 117:1-2, how we should praise God: "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". In Psalms 112:1-2, David again admonishes you to praise and to fear the Lord: “Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Therefore, God, as our Father, has compassion on us His children as we praise and fear Him.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, when I read even part of the story of Job, I too am overwhelmed by your “wildness.” Your ways and timing are beyond me. Job moved from hearing about you to having “seen you.” Lead me, Lord, on a pathway so that I too can pray as Job prayed: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 89). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Self-Centeredness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 112:1-2; Psalms 51:1-19.  A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Jesus' most famous sermon, he begins with what looks like a list of ideals that his followers must live up to in order to be happy. Yet what appears like a “to do” list is actually quite the opposite. Jesus is revealing just what kind of people are included in his kingdom. In this upside down thinking, is the secret to the good life of Jesus. Watch Week Two Now!

In Jesus, God rose with wounds that would have impaired his mobility and fine motor skills. In John 20, Jesus allows his disciples to gaze at his impaired body, and even lets Thomas touch his wounds. Let's explore how this story connects to the complications of marginalized bodies being put on display for public consumption — of being made into a spectacle. Is it possible for marginalized persons to have any agency in how our bodies are viewed and interpreted? How does Jesus model possibility for his disciples, similar to what Laverne Cox calls trans possibility models? How have marginalized persons identified with the wounded Christ across the centuries? Content Warning: brief, undetailed mentions of hate crimes, transphobia, ableism, antiblackness, fatphobia ___ Part of this episode explores an art piece by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin — a photograph of Jesus with top surgery scars — that you can view here. Or view it and other images, with image descriptions, in the episode transcript. The episode also draws from S. Bear Bergman's 2021 article "Please Come and Be Fat." The episode ends with Rebekah Anderson's meditation "The Body of God." A previous episode of this podcast also delves into the John 20 story of Jesus and Thomas through a trans and disabled lens — episode 40, "Goodness Embodied: An Intersex, Nonbinary First Human and a Disabled Risen Christ." If you want to watch the sermon that this ep is based off of, visit here. ___ TALKING POINTS: (0:00 - 3:36) - Introducing the topic: based off a sermon; Jesus's disabling wounds & marginalized bodies as spectacle (3:37 - 6:30) - Affirmation of Faith in God the seamstress, the wounded Christ (6:31 - 9:59) Introducing & reading John 20:19-29 (10:00 - 15:59) Identifying our experiences with Christ's — medieval labor pains; Jesus with top surgery scars (16:00 - 21:52) - Possibility models: proving it's possible to be trans and successful & happy; Jesus proving there is life after suffering & death (21:53 - 23:51) - Jesus on the cross was forced to be a spectacle; the resurrected Jesus has regained his agency, chooses to share his wounds (23:52 - 26:10) - "Blessed are those who haven't seen and believe" — parallel with a friend's chronic illness & being believed (26:11 - 29:18) - risking vulnerability — visibility politics in trans & disabled communities (29:19 - 33:48) - The risen wounded Christ proves once and for all that what the world calls shameful & broken is not incompatible with the divine (33:49 - end) - "Imagine the body of God...God has every ability, and every disability in the world" ___ Blessed Are the Binary Breakers is part of the Rock Candy Podcast Network. Find more shows, such as Magnified Pod, at www.rockcandyrecordings.com. This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode includes clips from “Dreamer,” “Theme 9,” and “Mod 5,” by Jeremy SH Griffith; as well as "Can't Find" by Mother Hood.

Few Are Promulgating Peace in Today's Health Care, Race, Religion, or Politics; but Are Jesus Followers Doing God's Will as His Peacemakers? MESSAGE SUMMARY: God, through Jesus the Christ, gave us the ministry of Reconciliation. In Jesus, God was Reconciling the world to Himself and not counting their trespasses or sins against them, as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”. God entrusted us with the message of reconciliation; therefore, we are “ambassadors for Christ”. We are implored, on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled with God and to live a life like someone who has been given the opportunity to reflect Jesus in their life and to be at peace with God. Blessed are the peacemakers – ambassadors of God's peace – Jesus Followers are intended, by God, to be His Peacemakers for the World.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Anger. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Forgiveness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 5:11; Mathew 5:12; Luke 1:30-35; Psalms 108:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “ The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN) MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN) In John:14, Jesus is on His way to the cross, and He is arrested – it is the night of the first Holy Communion and the washing of feet. Jesus and the Apostilles are in Jerusalem, and their activities begin in the “Upper Room” and move to the Garden of Gethsemane. In this text, Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit; and He tells how the Holy Spirit will work in our lives. Also, Jesus reminded the Apostilles of His prior teachings and that they should “let not your heart be troubled”. In John 14:23, 26: Jesus is telling the Apostilles about the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit's role: “Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him . . . But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.'". Subsequently, Jesus tells the Apostilles that they “must be born again” of the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. After twenty-one centuries, how should we consider the Holy Spirit as followers of Jesus? We should consider that: 1) the Holy Spirit is very important for us as we follow Jesus because, like God, we are triune beings – body, soul, and spirit -- with our worship and communication with God conducted through our spirit enabling us to be “filled with the Holy Spirit”; 2) the Holy Spirit brings the presence of the Father and the Son to be both with us and in us; 3) the Holy Spirit helps us to live our Christian life – our “helper”; 4) the Holy Spirit is our teacher to teach us to understand the Bible, how to pray and to acquire the other knowledge that we need to follow Jesus; and 5) while we may want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and our “pilot light is lit”, our “furnace is not engaged” to bring the Holy Spirit into our lives. It is one thing to know Jesus in our lives, but it is another thing to love and obey Jesus in our lives. In other words, are you willing to let go of controlling your life and turn your life's control over to the Holy Spirit – God's will not your will be done? God does not force His will on you. You must seek Jesus to follow Him, and you must follow Jesus “in truth and in {Holy}Spirit”. Therefore, the question becomes not “do you have the Holy Spirit”, but “does the Holy Spirit have you”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 14:23, 26; John 3:3-8; John 4:24; John 7:37-39; John 14:15-17; John 15:26; Jon 16:4-14; Ephesians 2:1; John 14:16-17; Genesis 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 5:18. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Are the Enemy's {devil's} Target to Mess You Up and To Destroy Your Relationship with God”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Jesus Followers Are the Enemy's {devil's} Target to Mess You Up and To Destroy Your Relationship with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  The enemy {the evil one, the devil} is always at work seeking to destroy the fruit of the Lord's field and your life. In John10:10, Jesus tells us: “The thief {enemy} comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter tells you more about your enemy who is always with you: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil {enemy} prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”. Continue to remember that the enemy is always attempting to mess you up and to destroy your witness. Also, the enemy is always attempting to destroy your relationship with God and to get you to reject God. The enemy does his evil in subtle ways, but his purpose is clear -- the enemy wants you off the right path. The enemy is always at work, and he never sleeps.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.   Scazzero, Peter, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John10:10-18;1 Peter 5:8-11; Ephesians 4:26-32; Psalms 50b:13-23. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Upper Room Part 1: The Promise of the Spirit (Apostles Anglican Church; Knoxville, TN)” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Jesus Followers Have Much for which to Thank God - His Grace for Our Salvation and Our Freedom to Serve Him MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name. Our government has set aside an annual national holiday of Thanksgiving for all Americans to offer prayers for our country; our many blessings; and our special blessings for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, thanksgiving to God, for Christians, should be a lifestyle; and Jesus Followers should not need a special day to give thanks to the Lord. As Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.”. Do you, as a Christian, need a special day to give thanks God because you get so immersed in your life outside of your relationship with God? Do you stop to give God thanks for His grace for you and His blessings to you in your prayer life's personal relationship with God? Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, after his loss, you gave Job prosperity, blessing him with twice as much as he had before, but that has not always felt like my experience. Grant me patience. Help me to trust and wait on you, especially in those areas of my life where I have no idea what you are doing, when my hardship will end, or where you are taking me. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 115). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.  From 2 Timothy 1:12 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Chronicles 16:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; Psalms 50a:1-12. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Jesus Appears Again”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/   DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB  

In this episode, you'll also hear:What deposits and withdrawals have to do with marketing, sales, and even personal relationshipsWhat it means to have a credit in your audience's accountHow to add value so people can't help but buy from youExamples from Coach Tam's own experience of what does – and doesn't – work to convince people to buyBe sure to read all the way to the end for the link to the FREE training!Chances are you're reading this because you're looking for ways to sell more books. If so, here's some good news: there is a simple way to do just that, without having to resort to salesy, sleazy gimmicks or tactics. The key is embracing a foundational principle that is both spiritual and practical. And when you lead with this strategy, you position yourself as an authority in your field – meaning people are more likely to trust you and to buy from you. Ready to add value and boost your book sales? Here's your next step!Make More Deposits than WithdrawalsThe simple strategy that gets people wanting to buy from you is to add value, and you do that by making more deposits than withdrawals. Now, if you're thinking that means this strategy is about money, you're partly right – but it doesn't have to do with money in quite the way you might be thinking. But before we get into the specifics of what that means, let's start by talking about this in terms we can all relate to. We all have a bank account, right? And with that bank account, we can either deposit money in, or we can withdraw. So, for example, if I put $1,000 into my bank account, I can withdraw up to $1,000. Very simple. Very straightforward. But what if I were to deposit $1,000 and then try to withdraw $1,500? Not so easy, right? And the same goes if I don't make any deposits at all and still try to take money out – it just doesn't work, because the math doesn't add up. Now, we know and understand this thinking very clearly when it comes to our money in our bank accounts, but what about our relationships? What if we apply that same principle of making a deposit before we make a withdrawal when it comes to our relationships? How different do you think the world would be? Let's be real: we're all guilty of it. We get focused on what we want, and it can overshadow the deposit part of the equation. And it can even be coming from a good place – a place of wanting to spread God's message and serve more people – but the fact remains, if you don't first take care of others, then they can't take care of you. We're taught this throughout the Bible. In Jesus's ministry, He consistently poured Himself into those around Him, and then those people poured into others. If He had gone in demanding for people to see Him for who He really was and to acknowledge him as the Savior, it probably would not have gone so well. That's just not the image that we see of Christ in Scripture. Now, it was clear that He knew who He was and what his assignment was. But He always showed up in a giving capacity first. When You Add Value First, People Want To BuyNow let's apply that same principle to books and business. Really take time to think about this: are you asking to make a withdrawal before you have made a deposit? In other words, are you asking people to buy something from you by throwing out your link or posting about an upcoming event, and are you thinking that will be enough to get the outcome you want, just because you put your ask out there? Have you forgotten to add value first, before expecting a sale?It's time to take a step back. Why should that, in isolation as your sole strategy, work? Why would anyone want to buy from you if they haven't been given a good reason to do so? Just like in our earlier examples, that math simply doesn't work. And the truth is, if the roles were reversed, you wouldn't buy from that type of person either, would you? Why not? Because you'd be asking, “What has that person done for me? How has that person added value to my life?” And if you're struggling to come up with what that is, then you're probably going to pass on buying from that person. If we want people to buy our books or use our businesses, then we have to add value to their lives. We need to show potential customers that we are worth their time and money first, before they will make a purchase. And one of the best ways to do this is providing valuable content that they can use, whether it's a helpful blog post, an informative video, or detailed product descriptions that really speak to them. Potential customers need to see that you are an expert in your field, and that you're offering something that is worth their hard-earned cash. Then, and only then, will they be interested in doing business with you. Make Sure There's a Credit in Your AccountThis principle is foundational to success, and I can personally attest to that. I was the person that was throwing my link out there, posting this and that, and wondering why people were not responding to what I was putting out there. I didn't connect the dots that I needed to add value first and give customers a reason to buy from me. But once I began to embrace the concept of making deposits first, things began to turn around. When you think about it, this ties perfectly into the principle of strategic messenger multiplication from Books Sales Secret #3. People are willing to refer people to you, to talk about how amazing you are, when you are putting more deposits in their life than you are withdrawals. The key is always having a credit in your account when it comes to your audience. That means you have to be proactive. It has to be on your mind constantly, always looking for ways to show up and add value that tips the scales. The goal is to give out so much value that your audience thinks, “Wow, this person is showing up for me! They're helping me solve my problems. It's a no-brainer to buy from them!” You want it to be a no-brainer, where you've given them so many reasons to want to buy from you that they just can't help but say yes. There should be no second-guessing on their part, no wondering if your book, product, or program is going to help them. That should be obvious because of how you have already shown up for them. Free Training: Then vs. NowNow, if this principle makes sense to you, but you're not 100% sure how to make it happen, don't worry! I've put together a case study to show you exactly what my content used to look like back in the day and what it looks like now. I believe in leading with transparency, and I also believe that one of the reasons God allowed me to take that journey is so I can pay it forward now and help you. So I'm going to throw myself under the bus, so to speak. You'll be able to see what my content used to look like versus what it looks like now, and I'll break down all the mistakes I made. Then I'll share what you need to be doing instead to draw people in and convert them into actual raving fans. And the good news is that it's all accessible for FREE in the Christian Authors Network Facebook group. (Access the training by clicking HERE!) When you watch that training, be sure to drop your questions and your comments below the video, so I can jump in and help you in your journey. Not only will this be a fun exercise in marketing, but it's also an opportunity for me to lead by example and demonstrate what I mean by “add value first.” But please don't just watch and comment. Take the time to do an audit of yourself: have you been expecting others to give more than you have given to the relationship? And not just in reference to your book or your business, either – this also applies to your personal life. Once you really start to embrace this principle, you'll see that not only do your book sales increase, but your overall perspective about your business, how people respond to you, and the results that you're able to achieve will blow your mind. So go take advantage of that free training, put it into practice, and then come back next week for Book Sales Success Secret #5! BIO:My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.   GET CONNECTED:Access the FREE training: https://265point.com/SalesSecretCaseStudyConnect with fellow Christian Authors: http://christianauthors.net/fbgroupDownload the Free Christian Author Marketing EBook: https://265point.com/secretsbook1Get Booked as a Guest Speaker for Free: http://christianauthors.netFollow Tam on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamaraJacksonTransformationExpert/Interact with Tam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitnesstamara265/Learn more about 265 Point: http://www.265point.com

Today, we wrap up our series on finding contentment by discussing the source of true peace and happiness.    John MacArthur once wrote a book called “Our Sufficiency in Christ.” In it, he revealed the path to finding true peace and contentment. And he says, "There's a single word that encompasses all the riches we find in Christ — grace." What a magnificent word it is. It's used more than 150 times in the New Testament to speak of divine favor, bestowed on undeserving people. It is the means by which we receive every physical and spiritual benefit.    People the world over search all their lives for peace. And who doesn't want to be truly content? But we look for it everywhere but where it is. Chasing adventure or money or career success will leave you empty. Maybe you've been running hard for a long time so that you can advance in a career that you find meaningful. There's nothing wrong with that. So long as there's balance, and your life can remain focused on Jesus.   The Bible tells us very bluntly that anything else will leave us unsatisfied. And at the very least, you can start by finding even one or two minutes in your day before sun up or late in the evening, and just pray. Tell God that climbing the ladder at work is leaving you strangely empty.    The Bible isn't some interesting old book. It's not just some historical treasure. It is life itself. Why? Because from beginning t