Podcasts about jesus christ

Fr. Mike continues to explain the parables Christ recites in Jerusalem, specifically focusing on the dangers of preaching God's Word without practicing it in our lives. Jesus goes on to speak against the Scribes and Pharisees, reminding us that he's not only the Prince of Peace, but the Way and the Truth. Today's readings are Matthew 22-24 and Proverbs 19:17-20. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We sometimes think becoming a Christian is something that has to take a lot of time and effort. As we consider what we believe, it can be easy to feel as if we're somewhere between “not a believer” and “someone saved by Christ.” But the Bible gives us a different interpretation: we are either strangers to this world and God's kingdom, or we are fully citizens of it. And when we profess faith in Christ, we undergo a wonderful, instant change in this identity that doesn't depend on how smart, experienced, or moral we are. Let's look at how 1) until we believe in Christ, we are alienated to God's world, and 2) becoming a Christian is a change in our citizenship. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 16, 1993. Series: Salvation From the Outside In. Scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Stef joins me again to talk about marriage, faith, family, community, and the season we're currently walking through. We unpack how following Christ has changed our relationship, what we're learning about love and respect, why we're craving deeper community, our desire to move back to Tennessee, and learning to fear God over people.CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro00:50 US Open Tennis Obsession04:10 Kids, Cookies & Family Routines06:56 The Sweet Treat Debate11:16 How Faith Changed Our Marriage17:51 Love Languages, Love & Respect24:49 Our Current Social Life in Texas30:19 Why We're Craving Real Community31:38 The Tradeoffs of This Season33:25 Brotherhood, Friendship & Accountability37:09 Why We're Moving Back to Tennessee40:09 Our Favorite Memories Together50:56 Our BPN Supplement Staples56:19 Fearing God Instead of People01:03:58 ClosingJOIN THE APP AND GET READY FOR UPDATEShttps://www.nickbarefitness.app/ORDER MY BOOK HERE: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Go-One-More-Intentional-Life-Changing/dp/1637746210FOLLOW:Become a BPN member FOR FREE - Unlock 25% off FOR LIFE ⁠https://www.bareperformancenutrition.com/collections/performance-nutritionIG: ⁠instagram.com/nickbarefitness/⁠YT: ⁠youtube.com/@nickbarefitnessThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal [health or profession] advice. Bare Performance Nutrition (BPN) is not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. This podcast is not intended to replace professional medical advice.This podcast may not be republished without the written consent of Bare Performance Nutrition (BPN)

Why are so many Christians afraid to share their faith—and have our churches softened the gospel in the process? Ray Comfort joins me to talk about evangelism, the reality of hell, spiritual warfare, the fear of the Lord, and why the good news only makes sense when we understand the seriousness of sin. We're also talking about Ray's new autobiography, Compelled, and his remarkable life of sharing Jesus with the lost.Sponsor: Thanks to today's sponsor, Angel Studios. Watch Bad Counselors at http://Angel.com/HSJ .Shop MyFreedomCart for trusted, American-made products that support your values.http://myfreedomcart.com/heidiShow mentions: http://heidistjohn.com/mentionsWebsite | http://heidistjohn.comSupport the show! | http://donorbox.org/donation-827Rumble | rumble.com/user/HeidiStJohnYoutube |    / @‌heidistjohnpodcast  Instagram | @‌heidistjohnFacebook | Heidi St. JohnX | @‌heidistjohnFaith That Speaks Online CommunitySubmit your questions for Fan Mail Friday | http://heidistjohn.com/fanmailfriday

Dean and Jill Berg have spent years helping other couples build stronger marriages, but their own story was shaped by two very different pasts colliding. Now married for 37 years and working as marriage coaches, they open up about the struggles that forced them to confront what they had carried into their relationship and what was really underneath the conflicts they couldn't seem to resolve. Listener Question: There's one argument my wife and I have had at least a dozen times over the years and we still haven't cracked it. What's an argument that took you a while to resolve and how have did you learn to manage disagreements in a timely manner? Jill and Dean are in the Atlanta, Georgia area - https://deanandjillberg.com/ Marriage Academyhttps://www.daveandashley.com/the-marriage-coaching-academy Explore Free Marriage Courses: https://xomarriage.com/courses __________ Submit your questions to Dave & Ashley: http://nakedmarriagepodcast.com Download our FREE 31 Day Marriage Devotional: https://bit.ly/3ZxsLZd We want your marriage to thrive! Learn more at http://xomarriage.com Dave and Ashley Willis spent thirteen years in full-time church ministry before devoting their work entirely toward the global mission of building stronger, Christ-centered marriages. Their marriage-related books, blogs, podcast, speaking events and media resources have reached millions of couples around the world making Dave and Ashley one of the most recognized and trusted couples in marriage ministry. Dave and Ashley partnered with XO Marriage in 2018. XO Marriage is the nation's largest marriage-focused ministry. The Willis family includes four sons and a rescue dog named "Chi Chi." When Dave and Ashley aren't writing and speaking, they love hanging out with their family, watching movies and going on long walks which is also where they develop many of their marriage ministry content ideas. Learn more about Dave & Ashley at daveandashley.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for Week 2 of our Daniel study as Raechel and Amanda are joined by friend and Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie. Listen in and be encouraged as they point us to Daniel's faithfulness and the unmatched hope of Christ.Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 2 of She Reads Truth's Daniel reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our Daniel printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.In this Episode:Use code LUKE15 for 15% off the Luke collection at ShopSheReadsTruth.com.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on InstagramNancy Guthrie on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

What does “faith over fear” really mean—and who are we putting our faith in? In Episode 37 of the 9941 PODCAST, Granger and the guys explore biblical faith, the fear of God, and the difference between trusting Jesus Christ and simply believing everything will work out. From popular Christian slogans to sharing the gospel in everyday conversations, the guys discuss repentance, salvation, and how fear of what others think can keep us from speaking up. Granger shares an honest story about a missed opportunity to share his faith, while an encounter with a joyful delivery driver sparks a conversation about living for God’s glory wherever He has placed you. Drawing from Psalms, Proverbs, 1 Peter, and Galatians 5, this week’s conversation explores Christian joy, the fruit of the Spirit, and why our hope needs a foundation deeper than positive thinking. Listen in, open your Bible, and join the conversation: When you say “faith over fear,” what do you mean?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when the world around you seems to be spinning into chaos, noise, and spiritual deception? In Isaiah 13–35, the prophet looks past the rising superpowers of his day to deliver a sweeping message for our modern world: Babylon will fall, but Zion will stand! If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the weight of the last days, this masterclass reveals why you can hang every hope upon the Savior and know that He will hold. Summary: In this deep dive into Isaiah 13–35, we walk through the profound prophetic chapters that Nephi loved, lived, and quoted throughout the Book of Mormon. Moving from the tragic doom of ancient empires to the breathtaking promises of the Latter-day Restoration, these chapters demonstrate the stark contrast between worldly pride and covenant safety. The Fall of Babylon & Lucifer: In Isaiah 13–14, we analyze the prophetic "burdens" of ancient superpowers, tracing the pride cycle from premortality to the end of the world. We examine how Lucifer sought to exalt his throne above the stars, only to be cast down into the pit while the whole earth breaks forth into singing. The Nail in a Sure Place: In Isaiah 22, we compare the self-aggrandizing treasurer Shebna with the righteous servant Eliakim, discovering how Eliakim stands as an exquisite type of Jesus Christ—clothed with authority, carrying the key of the house of David, and fastened as a nail in a sure place upon which all our hopes can safely hang. The Feast of Fat Things: We explore the apocalyptic songs of Isaiah 24–26, looking at how worldly merriment turns hollow during apostasy, and how the Lord promises to swallow up death in victory, wipe away tears from every face, and keep those in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on Him. The Sure Foundation vs. The Short Bed: In Isaiah 28, we contrast the Lord's "tried stone" and sure foundation against the world's refuge of lies—a spiritual trap likened to sleeping on a bed too short to stretch out on and wrapping up in a blanket too narrow to cover you. A Marvelous Work and a Wonder: We unpack the restoration prophecy of Isaiah 29, exploring the voice whispering low out of the dust, the words of the sealed book delivered to the learned and unlearned, and the Lord's power to cause the deaf to hear and the blind to see out of obscurity. The Highway of Holiness: We conclude with the radiant hope of Isaiah 35, witnessing the solitary wilderness rejoice and blossom as the rose, where the ransomed of the Lord return to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads. Call-to-Action: In Isaiah 22:23, the Lord promises to fasten His servant as "a nail in a sure place," holding up all the vessels of His Father's house. What weight, sorrow, or trial are you ready to hand over to the Savior today, knowing that He has the strength to bear it? Share your insights and favorite verses in the comments below! To keep your testimony firmly anchored and "Unshaken" in turbulent times, please like, subscribe, and share this video! Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:13 Nephi's Use of Isaiah 14:13 The Fall of Babylon 31:15 Lucifer's Downfall 57:11 The Bird Cast Out of Its Nest 1:05:23 Reaping with the Arm 1:10:41 The Gift of Gathered Israel 1:28:03 A Highway Across the Middle East 1:44:03 Naked & Barefoot, Labor & Watching the Night 1:56:38 The Nail in a Sure Place 2:21:42 Worldliness & Materialism 2:30:57 Apostasy & Restoration 2:48:48 A Feast of Fat Things 2:58:38 Praise & Promise 3:12:58 Redeeming the Vineyard 3:20:41 Strong Drink, Short Beds, & Small Coverings 3:43:38 Planting & Harvesting Wisely 3:53:07 A Voice from the Dust 4:05:30 A Sealed Book & a Marvelous Work 4:23:50 Speaking Smooth Things 4:36:45 Lane Assist & Intensifying Light 4:50:32 Quietness & Assurance 4:56:28 Destruction & Deliverance 5:10:04 The Day of the Lord 5:16:37 The Latter-day Zion 5:23:38 Conclusion

For a deeper study of God's Word, plus daily resources for your walk with Jesus, visit https://passionequip.com/.—With Passion City Online, you can join us every Sunday live at 9:30a and 11:45a, and our gatherings are available on-demand starting at 7p! Join us at https://passioncitychurch.com—Subscribe to our channel to see more messages from Passion City Church: https://www.youtube.com/passioncitychurch—Looking for content for your Kids? Subscribe to our Passion Kids Channel:https://passion.link/passionkidsonline —If you would like to give to our house, visit https://passioncitychurch.com/give/—Check out Passion's books, music, and more at https://passionresources.com/—At Passion City Church, we believe that because God has displayed the ultimate sacrifice in Jesus, our response to that in worship must be extravagant. It is our privilege and our created purpose to reflect God's Glory to Him through our praise, our sacrifice, and our song. —Follow Passion City Church: https://www.instagram.com/passioncity/ Follow Louie Giglio: https://www.instagram.com/louiegiglio Passion City Church is a Jesus church with locations in Atlanta and Washington D.C. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You haven't given up on it officially. But somewhere along the way, you quietly stopped expecting it to happen. Maybe it's been too long. Maybe you've been disappointed too many times. Maybe your biology or your bank account or your circumstances have told you that the window has closed, and it was just easier to make peace with that than to keep hoping. But Christine Caine has a word for you from one of the most staggering stories in all of Scripture: you have put an expiration date on something God never did. In episode seven of our series A Life Unleashed, Christine Caine opens Genesis 21:1–7 and takes us on the 25-year journey between God's promise and its fulfillment — between the moment Abraham heard it and the morning Sarah held it in her arms. ✨ If you've ever asked questions like… ✅ I've been waiting on God for something for years. How do I keep believing when nothing has changed? ✅ How do I know the difference between giving up prematurely and accepting that God's answer is no? ✅ Why does it feel like God came through for others but not for me? ✅ What do I do when I've tried to make something happen in my own strength and it made things worse? ✅ Is it okay to doubt — and what does faith actually look like when you're exhausted and discouraged? ✅ How do I stop placing expiration dates on what God has promised? ✅ Can God still fulfill something He promised even when it seems biologically, financially, or circumstantially impossible? …then this is your episode.

A special episode from "On The Ground" with Samaritan's Purse As believers, we trust in God—we don’t trust in ourselves or in our own understanding. Franklin Graham joins his daughter-in-law in the studio this week to share updates from across the ministry and how he stays grounded leading Samaritan’s Purse. In a world where it is easy to get bogged down by trials and uncertainty, we are to focus on what is eternal, depending fully on the Lord for strength and direction. In this week’s episode, Franklin Graham shares where Samaritan’s Purse is currently serving around the world—from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Venezuela and Alaska. The focus of Samaritan’s Purse has always been—and will always be—sharing the Gospel with all people. “If we lose sight of our purpose, you get discouraged. And what I mean by purpose is tohelp people, but to do it in Jesus' Name. We want people to know about God's Son, Jesus Christ. So that's our focus, and if one person gets saved, if we're able to help one family, if we can help one group of people, then it's worth it.” – Franklin Graham In reflecting on how Samaritan’s Purse has grown over the past several decades, Graham is continually in awe of God. Graham relies on the Lord for wisdom and discernment—not in his own strength. Kristy asks her father-in-law how he has remained grounded, and he points to familiar verses in Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV Graham talks about the incredible people God has brought to the ministry over the years. As a leader, Graham prays that staff never lose the heart behind the mission and that the Lord would bring in a new generation of men and women that can receive the baton. It is important to pray for our political leaders, whether we voted for them or not. Graham implores listeners to put allegiances to political parties aside and choose to pray for these leaders. “We're commanded by God to pray for those that are leadership. It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican or Democrat, you pray.” – Franklin Graham If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visitSamaritansPurse.org. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What does a life well lived actually look like?We spend much of our lives chasing the things we think will make them meaningful—success, security, relationships, influence, experiences. But what if a life well lived is measured by something entirely different?In Acts 20–21, Paul is moving toward a future filled with uncertainty and suffering, yet he refuses to shrink back from where God is leading him. In this message, Pastor Ben Stuart shows us what Paul's journey reveals about the kind of life worth giving ourselves to and challenges us to consider whether we're simply building a good life or spending it on the things that matters most.Key Verses // Acts 20-21— With Passion City Online you can join us live every Sunday at 9:30a and 11:30a! Join us at https://passioncitychurchdc.com—Give towards what God is doing through Passion City Church: https://passioncitychurchdc.com/give—Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see more messages https://www.youtube.com/passioncitychurchdc—Follow along with Passion City Church DC: https://www.instagram.com/passioncitydc—Follow along with Pastor Ben Stuart: https://www.instagram.com/ben_stuart_—Passion City Church is a Jesus church with locations in Atlanta and Washington D.C. For more info on Passion, visit https://passioncitychurch.com

It's dangerous when you're trying to give birth when the wrong voice is in your ear. Even Jesus, The King Of Glory, was intentional with who was around Him during moments of vulnerability.

Join Bill Federer, Bob McEwen, and Chad Connelly as they explore America's Christian heritage and the history you may not have learned in public school. Hosea 4:6 warns that God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. When we don't know the true history of our nation, we can be deceived by lies that lead us into bondage. Learn how God's Word and faith in Jesus Christ helped shape America as the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Dinesh D'Souza Discusses His New Book ‘The Stones Cry Out' With Eric Metaxas Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Dinesh D'Souza joins Eric to discuss his new book The Stones Cry Out and the archaeological evidence he believes supports the historical reliability of the Bible. Dinesh and Eric discuss discoveries connected to King David, the Exodus, Balaam, Belshazzar, Jericho, Caiaphas, and the world of Jesus. They also explore why Dinesh believes biblical archaeology has increasingly forced skeptics to retreat from claims that major biblical people and events were simply invented, and why he sees the growing number of discoveries as especially significant in a secular age.Later, Grace Precious Metals CEO Bill Armor joins Eric to discuss the “Everything Bubble,” stock-market valuations, and precious metals.⭐ ORDER NOW:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ isTUVU CommunitiesCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Who is Jesus—and why does the answer matter more than any other question we will ever face?In this episode of Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, T. S. Wright welcomes back Rev. Stu Woods from Australia for a powerful teaching from John 1:1–14.Rev. Woods walks through one of Scripture's clearest declarations concerning the identity of Jesus Christ: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”Throughout this message, Rev. Woods explains that Jesus is not merely a prophet, moral teacher, religious figure, or created being. Jesus is the eternal Word of God, the Creator of all things, the source of life, and the Light that darkness cannot overcome.In this episode, you will discover:• Why Jesus is called “the Word” in John 1• Why Jesus existed before creation and is Himself uncreated• How Jesus participated in the creation of all things• Why Jesus is the source of life and the Light of mankind• How the Light of Christ overcomes spiritual darkness• The prophetic ministry of John the Baptist• Why many failed to recognize Jesus when He came into the world• What it means to receive Jesus and become a child of God• Why salvation cannot be inherited through family or religion• The importance of receiving Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior• A clear invitation to repentance, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal lifeRev. Woods also challenges listeners to examine one of the most important questions anyone can answer:Who do you say Jesus is?If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, this episode includes a prayer inviting you to turn from sin, receive His forgiveness, and follow Him as Lord and Savior.And if you already belong to Christ, you are challenged to share the truth of Jesus with others so that more people may hear the Gospel, believe, and be saved.Scripture Focus: John 1:1–14Go forth in total surrender to the One who owns and reigns over all creation—and let the Great Harvest begin.Keywords / TagsJesus Christ, Who Is Jesus, John 1, John 1:1-14, Jesus Is God, Word of God, The Word Became Flesh, Divinity of Jesus, Deity of Christ, Jesus Creator, Creator God, Light of the World, Eternal Life, Salvation Through Jesus, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Born Again, Christian Salvation, Son of God, Christian Podcast, Bible Teaching, Biblical Christianity, Christian Apologetics, Christian Discipleship, Gospel Message, Sinners Prayer, Rev Stu Woods, Stu Woods, TS Wright, Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, Great Harvest, Great Harvest Network, Christian Evangelism, Jesus Lord and SaviorCall to ActionIf this message helped you understand more clearly who Jesus is, share this episode with someone who needs to hear the Gospel. Subscribe to Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and help us spread the message of Jesus Christ around the world. If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, go back to the prayer in this episode, call upon Jesus as Lord and Savior, and begin your journey of following Him today. Then go forth, share the Good News, and let the Great Harvest begin.

Recording from Campus Days 2026:Did you know everyone has to answer the question, “Who am I?” This goes beyond a natural description of your height, hair color, and job. It's about knowing who God created you to be—and it starts by discovering who God is. Join Andrew as he explores how you can come to know who you are in Christ.

The book of Philippians is a letter written by Paul to the Church in Philippi. And there’s a few important things to know about that – this church was the very first church in Europe. It was started by Paul about 20 years after Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected. The church all started when Paul was traveling through the city of Phiippi and came across some women praying on a riverbank. They were praying to God, but didn’t know about Jesus. Then Paul tells this group of women about Jesus and one woman named Lydia listened. The Lord opened her heart and she accepted everything Paul was saying about Jesus. She and her household were baptized, and they became the beginning of the first church in Europe. The other key player in the start of this church was a prison guard in Philippi. This prison guard encounter Paul in one way – when Paul was thrown into prison. Why was Paul in prison? Because he cam across a girl who had a spirit enabling her to tell the future. She was enslaved by her owners making them money by telling the future. Paul commanded the demon to flee from her, and with that she was no longer able to be a fortune teller. The people who had been making money off her were so enraged now that there hopes of wealth were shattered and had Paul thrown into prison there. AND THAT’S HOW PAUL MEETS THE PRISON GUARD who would be a key player in the first church in Phiippi. While in prison Paul and his buddy Silas were singing praises to God at midnight and suddenly there was a massive earthquake and the prison was shaken. The doors flew open and the chains of every prisoner just fell off! When the jailer found all the prisoners had escaped, he grabs his sword and decides to kill himself. But that’s when Paul stops him, tells him about Jesus, and the prison guard and his entire family accept Jesus and are baptized. So, we have Lydia and her family, plus the prison guard and his family in the city of Philippi who are the beginning of the first church in Europe. That’s how God started the spread of his message across the entire country. One woman who was praying on a riverbank, and one man who had a really bad day at work. Funny how God works! So now the church has been going for about 10 years and Paul writes this letter to them. That letter is now our book of Philippians in our Bible. And … Paul is writing this letter from Rome while arrested AGAIN! With only 4 chapters, this is one of the shortest books in the Bible, and I believe one of the most powerful! If you’re looking for a place to start studying your Bible, may I suggest you start right there. Philippians – it’s almost at the very end. Reading this letter written by Paul while in prison in Rome, delivered to the church he started in Philippi with this woman named Lydia and the local prison guard, we read these words in verse 6, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Let’s just sit right there today. GOD STARTS THE WORK IN US – NOT US! What work did God start in you, my sister? It’s his work. Your entire life is HIS WORK! He started it all. He gave you breath. He put dreams and desires in your heart. He filled you with purpose. He opened your heart to believe. You didn’t start any of that – that’s God’s work. And listen to this – GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS!!!!! Look at creation. Do you see anything that God only did halfway? When he created the fish in the sea or the animals on the land, did he only do a little work, then get distracted and leave creation hanging? No. When God starts something, he finishes it. He didn’t create the ocean and forget to add the waves. He didn’t create the sky and forget the stars. He didn’t make a flower and decide halfway through that he was tired of it. When God creates, he completes. And Philippians 1:6 is telling us something just as powerful about you. God doesn’t start a work in you and then walk away. He doesn’t open your heart to him and then say, “Okay, you’re on your own now.” He doesn’t give you a purpose and then leave you to figure it all out. He doesn’t call you and then abandon you halfway through the calling. GOD FINISHES WHAT HE STARTS. Now, that doesn’t mean everything in your life will go the way you thought it would. It doesn’t mean there won’t be detours. There will be. It doesn’t mean there won’t be seasons when you wonder what in the world God is doing. There will be those, too. It doesn’t mean you won’t have moments when you feel like you’re going backward instead of forward. You probably will. But here’s what it does mean: Your unfinished doesn’t mean God’s finished. Let me say that again. Your unfinished doesn’t mean God’s finished. You may look at yourself and see what still needs to change. God sees what he is still doing. You may see the mess. God sees the masterpiece in progress. You may see how far you still have to go. God sees how far you’ve already come—and he knows exactly where he’s taking you. Think about the Philippian church itself. It started with a handful of people beside a river. A woman named Lydia. Her household. A jailer. His household. A few believers gathering together in Lydia’s home. That’s not exactly what we would call an impressive beginning. But God wasn’t finished. That little gathering became a church. That church became Paul’s partners in the gospel. And years later, Paul is writing to them from a prison cell in Rome, reminding them that the God who started this thing was still working. I wonder if somebody needed Philippians 1:6 because she feels like a Philippi right now. Small. Unfinished. In the middle. Not what she thought she would be by now. And I wonder if maybe that someone is YOU. Maybe you look at your life and think, “Surely this isn’t where I was supposed to end up.” Maybe there are things you thought God would have fixed by now. Maybe there are prayers you’ve been praying for years. Maybe there are dreams that haven’t happened. Maybe there are parts of your heart that still need healing. Maybe you look at yourself and think, “I should be farther along than this.” But listen, my sister: God is not finished with you. You are not a finished product. You are a work in progress—and the One doing the work is God. And here’s what I love about Paul’s words. He doesn’t say, “I’m confident that you will finish the work.” He says, “I am certain that God…will continue his work until it is finally finished.” The confidence isn’t in the Philippians. The confidence is in God. That’s a huge difference. Because if this were dependent on us, we would have plenty of reason to worry. We get distracted. We get tired. We lose our way. We make mistakes. We quit. We get afraid. We sometimes take two steps forward and three steps backward. But God? God is faithful. He started the work. He is continuing the work. And he will finish the work. This verse in TPT: “The one who began this gracious work in you will faithfully continue the PROCESS OF MATURING YOU.” That’s the season you’re in! You’re in the process of being matured! So maybe today you don’t need to figure out the entire rest of your life. Maybe you don’t need to know how every piece is going to come together. Maybe you don’t need to have the whole thing finished. Maybe you just need to trust the One who started it. Because the God who opened Lydia’s heart by a river… the God who met a desperate jailer in the middle of the worst night of his life… the God who took a tiny beginning in Philippi and turned it into a church… the God who took Paul from city to city spreading the gospel… the God who was still working while Paul sat chained up in Rome… that God is still working. And he’s working in you. So don’t give up on what God hasn’t finished. Don’t call it over because you can’t see what he’s doing. Don’t mistake unfinished for abandoned. Don’t mistake waiting for wasted. Don’t mistake a hard season for the end of the story. God started the work. God is doing the work. And God will finish the work. Philippians 1:6 isn’t just a nice verse to put on a coffee mug. It’s a promise to hold onto when you can’t see the finished picture. The God who began the good work within you will continue his work until it is finally finished. He’s not done. Not even close. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Monday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Amaranth Cove  - Song Title: Lost in Thought This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our daily prayer and intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the joyful mysteries, recited on Mondays and Saturdays.  These mysteries focus on the Incarnation and Jesus' early life, with fruits including humility and love of neighbor. Join in the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 20 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - JOYFUL MONDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/6UX8ObKpb3A ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Monday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/vv8l7xMAOmM MOST VIEWED MONDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/ryTdYnt1eUI MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #JoyfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #MondayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish  

How do you react when things don't go your way? As Christians, we know that God's watching over us but our relationship with Christ doesn't exempt us from struggle or pain. Brooke Jevicks truly learned how good God is through the hardship of being a single mom on the poverty line. Her faith was solidified and strengthened through one of the hardest seasons of her life. Join hosts Eryn Eddy Adkins and Vivian Mabuni as they learn Brooke's story and how we, too, can depend on God, even in our darkest times. You don't want to miss this encouraging God Hears Her conversation.   Guest Bio: Brooke Jevicks is a nonprofit leader, a speaker, a single mom of two amazing humans, and a woman of unshakable faith who has walked through seasons of deep adversity. From surviving abuse, navigating poverty, and nearly facing homelessness as a single mother to rebuilding her life, career, and faith, her journey is one of redemption and resilience. As Vice President of Advancement at Wedgwood Christian Services, Brooke leads efforts to serve vulnerable children and families, raising awareness and resources so that every child knows they are loved, worthy, and never forgotten. Brooke's heart remains the same: to point people to the One who redeems, restores, and writes beauty into every chapter of our lives.   Notes and Quotes:  “He never ever abandons you and always gives you what you need.” —Brooke Jevicks  “The closer you can get to Him, the more you can surrender.” —Brooke Jevicks  “We were not wired to stay in constant stress.” —Vivian Mabuni  “That pile of laundry isn't the picture of your walk with the Lord, or your life, or who you are as a human. It doesn't define you.” —Brooke Jevicks  Verses:  Psalm 23  Psalm 62:8  John 7:3-8  John 15:5  Related Episodes:  GHH Ep 181 – Nothing is Wasted with Jennifer DiVita: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/nothing-is-wasted/ GHH Ep 187 – Building Community as a Mom with Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tyan-MacLean: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/building-community-as-a-mom/ GHH Ep 219 – A Symbol of Surrender with Anna Laura: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/a-symbol-of-surrender/  Links:  Join our Email List : https://go.odb.org/sign-up-ghh Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM Brooke's Website: https://www.embracingyouevents.com/brookejevicks 

Welcome back to another episode of Stay True Podcast! In a culture that constantly tells us to love yourself, romanticize our lives, protect our peace, and put ourselves first, Jesus offers a radically different invitation: come and die, deny yourself, and serve others. In this episode, Madi is answering honest questions about comparison, insecurity, people-pleasing, pride, and self-obsession. She unpacks how to take your eyes off yourself, follow the way of Jesus, and find true freedom by living for something greater than yourself.   As always, stay you and stay true!   Topics we dive into: What's wrong with the message "love yourself"? Why insecurity can be a form of self-obsession The connection between insecurity, arrogance, and pride How comparison keeps us focused on ourselves The danger of always putting yourself first How to recognize people-pleasing in your life   Helpful Resources: REGISTER FOR BE HEALED CONFERENCE: https://brushfire.com/uniteus/BEHEALEDWOMENSCONFERENCE/633933 Dare To Be True by Madison Prewett Troutt: https://a.co/d/gdfpHX5 Stay True Website: https://www.staytruepodcast.com Stay True Merch: https://www.staytruepodcast.com/merch GCU: Visit gcu.edu to learn more. iRestore: Unlock your best hair & skin with @iRestorelaser and HUGE savings on iRESTORE with code STAYTRUE at irestore.com/STAYTRUE! #irestorepod Home Chef: Go to HomeChef.com/staytrue for 50% OFF your first box and free dessert for life!   Connect with Stay True!

Today we’re joined by someone who has spent more than three decades living, working, and serving in the outdoor industry—by many he is considered Royalty in the outdoor space, and indeed his family thought so as well when they named him Royal. Royal Peterson got his start in the outdoors at just 14 years old, competing at the BASS Federation level. From there, his passion for fishing and hunting grew into a career that has spanned more than 30 years. For the past 14 years, Royal has served as Director of Operations at Missouri Hunting and Fishing Adventures, one of the largest outfitting operations in the Midwest. His influence goes far beyond the field and the water. Royal has taught casting and angling at the university level, coached high school bass fishing, and played an instrumental role in bringing high school fishing to Missouri, as well as helping with angler education through the Missouri Department of Conservation. Over the years, Royal has appeared on ESPN2 Outdoors TV, ESPN Radio, the Pursuit Channel, Sportsman Channel, and numerous other networks. He has also guided and appeared on nationally syndicated programs including Babe Winkelman Outdoor Secrets, Small Town Hunting, Mossy Oak TV, Just Killin Time TV, Open Season Outdoors, and Schooled by Denny Brauer, just to name a few. But as impressive as his career in the outdoors has been, that's not what matters most to Royal. He is a Christian who is passionate about using the outdoors as a platform to share his faith and point others to Christ. When he's not hunting, fishing, guiding, or working in the outdoor industry, Royal enjoys spending time with his family—his wife Jill, their children Saige and Drake, and his granddaughter, Elora. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Read OnlineThe Most Perfect DiscipleThe mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.” He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Luke 8:19–21In biblical Greek, the word translated as “brothers” can refer not only to biological siblings but also to close relatives, kinsmen, or even spiritual brethren, depending on the context. For example, the Greek translation of Genesis 13:8 describes Abraham and Lot as “brothers,” even though Lot is Abraham's nephew. In Acts 1:15, Peter stood up in the midst of the “brothers,” referring to the larger group of about 120 gathered disciples. And in Romans 1:13, Saint Paul addresses his “brothers” in Rome, meaning all the believers gathered in that city.Therefore, when we read that Jesus' mother and His “brothers” came to see Him, the Church has always maintained that this is not a reference to biological siblings—since Jesus is the only Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary—but to extended relatives, likely from Nazareth, such as cousins or other close kin.Nonetheless, at first glance, another point of confusion could arise from this passage. It might appear that Jesus is distancing Himself not only from His extended kin, but even from His own mother. But is that the case? Certainly not. In fact, a clearer spiritual reading of this passage reveals quite the opposite.Considering the Blessed Virgin Mary's arrival and Jesus' statement that “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it,” who better fulfills this than His own mother? No one. Though she was conceived in grace, receiving the singular privilege of being preserved from original sin from the first moment of her existence, she still possessed free will. Like Adam and Eve—who were created in a state of original innocence—Mary could have freely chosen to turn from God in selfishness and sin. But she didn't.Throughout her life, the Mother of God, who was conceived immaculately, chose, by her free will, to cooperate with grace in every moment. Furthermore, unlike Lucifer—who, according to tradition, saw the glory of his being and desired to exalt himself as god—Mary, seeing the glory of her Immaculate Heart, chose the path of humility and perfect obedience. She never exalted herself but always magnified the Lord.Today's Gospel, in fact, highlights a central mystery and glory of her life: her humility. Jesus knew her humility. As her divine Son, He knew her better than she knew herself. He created her and loved her with the perfection of divine love. Out of that love, He revealed her hidden sanctity by speaking a truth that many might misunderstand but that she, in her simplicity and grace, would fully understand. That truth Jesus spoke would be proclaimed for all eternity: She, more than anyone else, heard the Word of God and acted upon it.This statement is glorious because it highlights Mary's virtue and reveals the depth of her relationship with Jesus. Their bond was not merely biological. She was not first and foremost His mother because she gave birth to Him but because she heard His Word and responded to it with perfect fidelity. That is why she is the most perfect disciple.While it would be an unimaginable gift to be Jesus' mother or one of His biological relatives, Jesus uses this moment to extend an even greater invitation to all of us to become His spiritual kin. He opens the door for all to share in the dignity of divine kinship by listening to His Word and putting it into practice. This is not a lesser calling; it is the very heart of Christian discipleship.Reflect today on the sublime vocation to which you are called. You may not have carried Christ in your womb, but you are invited to carry Him in your heart through grace and obedience. Hear His Word. Cherish it. Act upon it. In doing so, you will not only become a disciple, you will become family and a more perfect disciple.My God and Brother, You have invited us into the family of God, not by blood but by grace and obedience. May I always live up to this calling, never seeking to elevate myself through pride, but choosing instead to humble myself in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May she, my spiritual mother, be my model of perfect love and my guide in true familial union with You. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

What are you looking at? In this message, we are reminded that the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Joy is not simply dependent on our circumstances—it is connected to what we believe, what we are filled with, and where we choose to place our focus. As believers, God's presence lives within us, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience His joy and peace even in the midst of difficult circumstances.The question is: What are you looking at? Through Philippians 4 and the example of the wise men following the star, we are challenged to choose rejoicing, bring our problems to God with thanksgiving, and intentionally meditate on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy. When we keep our eyes on Jesus and trust in what God has promised, we can experience a joy that is not dependent on what we see around us—a joy that is inexpressible and full of glory.MORE...  

New! Subscribe to Greg's New Channel, The Greg Matsen Show ‪@GregMatsen‬ Alive and Intelligent Substack- https://substack.com/aliveandintelligent The 3 Contintinents Tour - https://www.cwicmedia.com/journey-of-... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Area Presidency put out a letter on the Idaho abortion issue - Proposition 1 It came out the day after President Oaks' compromise address at the National Cathedral It's the first time the Church has come out with a statement on an active abortion, political abortion issue. While the church has denounced abortion many times, including by Dallin H. Oaks and Russel M. Neslson, both from the pulpit at General Conference, it has never come out against a specific political decision outside of Roe v Wade. Those who advocate for Pro-Choice, are using the ridiculous "Agency" argument trying to cram in their worldview into church doctrine. Polls show 60% approval to pass Proposition 1 in Idaho. This video was uploaded dirctly from an iphone, thus the lack of video synchronization. Cwic Media Website: http://www.cwicmedia.com  

Can we get a realistic telling of the bible? Like a good movie of everything that happened.. Fat Boy would definitely watch it because he can't understand the text Mail Sack baby

Today’s Topics: Father Stephen Watson, OCD,  joins Terry 1) Gospel – Matthew 9:9-13 – As Jesus passed by, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he got up and followed Him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and His disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist Saint Matthew, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry and Father Stephen discuss Saint John of the Cross

Day of Atonement begins sunset of  Sunday, September 20, 2026 Ends nightfall of  Monday, September 21, 2026 In this episode, Rabbi Schneider explores the significance of Yom Kippur and the atonement we received through Jesus' sacrifice.  **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/f3e   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

Oral Sex, Frequency, Desire, and Other Topics Couples Negotiate in Marriage: An Interview with Dr. Michael Sytsma (Episode 300)   *Today's message is not intended for little ears. We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message.*   Deuteronomy 30:19 + 20 “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”   *Transcription Below*   Dr. Michael Sytsma has been working with couples in a variety of capacities since 1987. He is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Georgia, a Certified Sex Therapist, and a Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor. He is also an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church and has served as a staff pastor for churches with attendance from 30 to over 1,000. He is currently appointed to Building Intimate Marriages, Inc. by The Wesleyan Church, where he provides marriage and sex therapy and training to other professionals. Michael also cofounded Sexual Wholeness, Inc., a Christian non-profit dedicated to training, equipping, and certifying professionals in human sexuality.    After earning a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry from Indiana Wesleyan University, Michael went on to receive a master's degree in community counseling from Georgia State University and a diploma in Christian counseling from Psychological Studies Institute. He subsequently earned a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in Child and Family Development/Marriage and Family Therapy, where he specialized in marital sexual therapy. His dissertation topic was “Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Married Couples.”    Building Intimate Marriages Secrets of Sex and Marriage   Thank You to Our Sponsor: WinShape Marriage   Questions and Topics We Cover: What habits do you see drawing married couples closer together and also what behaviors or mindsets are pulling them apart? What are the different types of desire discrepancy? Can you share what the Bible says about oral sex and also share research findings?    Previous Savvy Sauce Episodes with Dr Mike: Ten Common Questions About Sex Enjoying a God-honoring, Healthy Sex Life with Your Spouse Remaining Sexually Engaged Through The Years with Dr. Michael Sytsma  Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Marriage Secrets of Sex and Marriage   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:47) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   Today's message is not intended for little ears. We'll be discussing some adult themes, and I want you to be aware before you listen to this message.   I'm thrilled to introduce you to our sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Their weekend marriage retreats will strengthen your marriage while you enjoy the gorgeous setting, delicious food, and quality time with your spouse. To find out more, visit them online at winshapemarriage.org/savvy.   Today, I get to bring back our most repeated guest, Dr. Michael Sytsma. Our show notes are going to have links back to all of his previous episodes on The Savvy Sauce, and you're going to find out why he is invited back so frequently. Dr. Sytsma is a Christian sex therapist, an author, a counseling supervisor, and ordained minister. With a pastoral heart, a gift in teaching, and a passion for helping couples grow in marriage, Dr. Sytsma is the perfect guest for today to discuss these sensitive and sacred topics related to sexual intimacy in marriage. Here's our chat.   Welcome back to The Savvy Sauce, Dr. Mike.   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (1:47 - 1:52) Thank you so much. It's such an honor. It's always a joy to be with you and to talk through this.   Laura Dugger: (1:52 - 2:19) Well, I'm always looking forward to these conversations. And I just want to begin with a broad overview where we can discuss both relationship builders and some of the sneaky relationship retractors. So, what habits do you see drawing married couples closer together? And then also, what are the behaviors and mindsets that are pulling them apart?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (2:21 - 5:57) So, when I sit with couples, obviously the bulk of the couples that I work with are those that are struggling or wanting things to be better. So that may be a bit of a skewed. The couples that come into workshops even are often aware that something's not quite how they want it to be. And so, watching to see what makes a difference, exactly what you're asking. And one of the biggest things I see is just the intentionality of couples that are doing well. I think many times our culture tends to say that if you've picked the right person, if everything is going well, it'll be easy and everything will just flow well. And I find that amusing because it doesn't work in any other area of life. In our finances, we have to be disciplined with them. In parenting, we have to be disciplined with it. In our own health and exercise and what we eat. If we just ate whatever we wanted, I don't think things would be good. If we waited to feel to eat healthy, I don't think we would eat healthy.   And yet couples almost have this idea that you need to desire, you need to feel the urges to do what's healthy in the marriage. And those that wait for it and wait for their spouse to do it, they tend to get irritated and disillusioned and start to see each other negatively and pull apart versus those that sit down and develop a vision. Here's who we want to be as a couple. Here's who I want to be as a husband. Here's who I want to be as a wife. And we begin to lock ourselves into who we're becoming and who we're becoming as a couple and then live intentionally towards that. I see those couples do so much better.   Part of it is, you know, if you say to your husband, here's who I want to be as a wife. And he believes that. He believes that's your heart. Then the day that you get up, and I'm sure this never happens to you, but the day you get up and you're just not in a good mood, you know, the kids kept you awake at night or you didn't eat something that was good for you. You wake up and you're not in a mood. He can extend a ton of grace because he knows you're not satisfied with yourself. He knows that you're not going to like who you are right now and you're not going to tolerate that very long. So, he doesn't have to step in and try to control you, to manipulate you, to make you to be who he wants you to be. He can step back and extend grace knowing that you're probably going to come to him later that day or tomorrow and go, sorry, I wasn't in a good mood yesterday. It was probably tough to live with. And he knows you will reset and the same for him.   If he has a rough day and he doesn't treat you with the cherishing care that you know he wants to be, then you kind of step back and we'll give him a little bit of space. He'll figure it out. And he does. And he resets and he comes back and you make intentional steps towards that vision that you guys have co-created. Those couples tend to do really well. And I see those steps being a little different for different couples because their vision might be slightly different. But the consistent patterns and habits that I see are establishing that vision, locking into it and trusting that you'll do your work and I'm going to do mine. And we're intentional in moving forward with it.   Laura Dugger: (5:58 - 6:20) Okay. So, I'm kind of hearing start with the end in mind, get on the same page with the conversation of what our vision is. And then intentionally, it sounds like pre-deciding before you're waiting for these feelings to come up to even pre-decide practical things of how often do we want to come together? What do we want that to look like? So, am I hearing that right?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (6:20 - 9:28) Yep, very much so. And obviously there's a lot that's wrapped in it. Couples have to be able to communicate effectively, you know, hear and be heard to be able to sit down and sort through who do I want to be? Because usually a few years into marriage, we're starting to ascribe motivation and desire to our spouse that's not fully accurate. And we begin to define them different than they see themselves to be able to hear that, to be able to figure out who do I want to be? How do I work with the personality that I have? Mike works in idiosyncrasies and who's the best person that I can become? And then to be able to share that with each other.   So many couples don't sit down and really talk through. As you know, sex therapy is my primary research and interest area. And so, working a lot with couples that most of the couples I work with have never shared their vision for what they want their sex life to look like. They might've argued about frequency or certain behaviors, but they've never really shared vision. And most when I challenged them to don't have a clue of themselves really how to articulate what they want. So once that vision has been discussed and talked about, then yes, they can start to sort through, well, how do we get there? And can we give ourselves permission for some time?   I told a couple of you yesterday, guys, this is going to take decades to get to where you want to be. And you get to see his face. I said, this doesn't mean that we wait decades till we get there, but you've created a really beautiful vision and nobody can do that overnight. You're going to have to regularly work at it. And you're right. That intentionality of what are we going to do?   I tell couples my recipe is 15 minutes of connect time every day where you're leaning into each other. How are you doing? Really? What's going on? And then a one hour a week, a business meeting, I call it a working date where we sit down, we do the business of marriage. Just being intentional in how do we do this? Well, at least every other week to do a fun date where we are just going and playing together. We're not trying to work on anything. We're not talking about anything difficult. We're playing together. And then once a year, some kind of a continuing ed for their marriage, whether that be some marriage therapy, a retreat, a workshop, going through a sermon series and talking about it, reading a book together, something that gets them to really focus back on how are we doing and how do we make this better? Those are all intentional things that have to be done on a regular basis. Couples who make those, like you say, early decisions and then work to consistently follow through on them. Not perfectly, but consistently following through.   Laura Dugger: (9:30 - 10:08) I love that because the fruit of it is so enjoyable then to be married to one another if you've got this intentional relationship rather than the other option is for it to really overflow into all areas of life and be difficult. But you're clearly a world-leading Christian sex therapist, so I'm very eager to hear your insight on this as well. What would you say is the current trend for trouble areas with sex and intimacy that you're seeing with your clients or people that you meet through traveling the world to speak?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (10:11 - 12:58) Obviously, some of the standards that have been a part of human culture, especially my area of interest, is desire discrepancy. Whether that be husbands and wives who desire different frequencies, who desire different practices, who desire a different tone. I want wild and crazy and you want soft and nurturing. The differing desires are a primary area of conflict for couples. Because if you're not doing what I want, my natural instinct is to lean in and start to make you be that way. And humans don't tend to do well with pressure, so it tends to shut things down and then it spins out. So that's always an ongoing one, but that's also being my primary area of research and focus, one that I see a lot just in looking.   But one that the research seems to be showing that is a bit disturbing, and we've got theories behind what's going on, but we're seeing a decrease in sexual frequency amongst couples, a decrease in couples connecting. Whether that be connecting centrally, nurturing kind of touch, you know, the tender hugs and kisses, caresses, the snuggling together at night, or the more intimate sexual encounters where couples are having intercourse or they're engaging for sexual pleasure, we're seeing a drop in those. We saw it drop. COVID was not friendly to many aspects of marriage, and we saw a lot of it drop towards the end of that. And in many respects, it hasn't recovered, according to some of the research. So that would be an area of concern, because if couples are not connecting, many times they're acting out on their own, because it's easy, I don't have to negotiate you, there's plenty of options and ways to go about doing that. And the experiences, the chemicals that are released when we connect with each other, the associating you with pleasure, all of those things decrease, and they're critical in marriage. So that would be an area that we're kind of keeping an eye on. Is that going to bounce back? What is really going on? Is it a temporary thing, or is it just a glitch in the numbers? And it doesn't seem to be, seems to be what's happening.   Laura Dugger: (13:00 - 13:19) Wow, that is kind of alarming. And since COVID, that is so interesting. You said you have a few theories, and I know you're very scientifically based, so it's too early to report the research findings. But what are your opinions or thoughts on the reasons for that?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (13:21 - 18:05) I think in working with couples, there's a couple of things that I see play out. One is we are in an age of information overload and anxiety overload. We hear so much that is disturbing, and we don't feel like we have any agency in creating change for it. So, the internal stress level just goes up, you know, wars and economy, and things that we dislike that we're out of control with. And we see a general level of stress and anxiety go up for us right now. You know, there's some insecurity in terms of what is the economy really going to do. And all of that, I believe, has an impact on our sexual behavior.   I think, in part, we're wired for that. We think through human history. However long you happen to believe humans have been around, it's a while. For most of that time, we couldn't manage our fertility. So, if a couple engaged in sex, she was going to get pregnant. Well, if I don't have the emotional energy, the bandwidth, the resources to produce a child and to raise them, it makes sense to me that we are wired to not have desire to engage sexually with somebody. We see that especially for women. If stress level goes up, they're not interested. And I think that makes sense. I think it's a wiring in. Why would you want to reproduce if you're living in a stress-filled environment? We need to raise these kids up enough that I have the bandwidth to do another one or we need to have the food resources or whatever is needed. And our brains don't always think through the details of my refrigerator's full. We're fine. It just experiences the stress of what we're in.   Guys are the same way. You tend to have to push guys to a much higher level of stress before it affects their sexual desire. But I watch it almost every day in my office. Guys come in that have lost interest in sex. I look at their lives. I'm like, you're stressed to the max. You're working 60, 70 hours a week. You're not sleeping. You're eating like crap. You're not exercising. Of course you don't have interest. So, living in a culture that has that high level of anxiety and out of control, I think is part of what's going on there. We don't give time to just sit back and relax and realize that we are a blessed people living in a blessed time. We have a lot of resources. We could do this.   I think the other side of it is the impact of, we'll just call it social media, the impact of all of the information we're able to get. And it's curated information. And we only put online the things that we're proud of. So, we put online all of these great images. We look at everybody else's life. And sometimes in the research, we'll talk about monitoring the alternatives. I'm looking at my spouse and I'm looking at them and I'm going, wait, I like what they're doing better than what you're doing. And it creates an overall dissatisfaction that we start to try to make our spouse to be different. And they don't respond well to that. They get defensive and they push back on trying to make us different. And now we've got a power struggle going on and sex doesn't do well in those kinds of settings. Sex doesn't respond well to pressure. Hearts don't respond well to pressure. So, we start to pull away. Then we experience pleasure with you less. And I experience pain and frustration with you more. And when I look over here, it increases that because they're saying this is what it's like for them. That's not what it's like for me. I want that. And I don't know that I can have that with you. So, I want to have sex with you. And it's easier to negotiate pornography. It's easier to negotiate my fantasy stories. It's easier to negotiate something individually than it is to try to negotiate you. And so, the opportunity to experience profound pleasure with our spouse goes down and the frustration goes up and the cycle just continues to spin up. So those would be, they're interrelated, but a couple of ideas that I would have at this point.   Laura Dugger: (18:06 - 20:42) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Friends, I'm excited to share with you today's sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Do you feel like you need a weekend away with your spouse and a chance to grow in your relationship together at the same time? WinShape Marriage is a fantastic ministry that provides weekend marriage retreats to help couples grow closer together in every season and stage of life. 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You will be so grateful you went.   To find an experience that's right for you and your spouse, head to their website, winshapemarriage.org/savvy. That's W-I-N-S-H-A-P-E marriage.org slash savvy, S-A-V-V-Y. Thanks for your sponsorship.   That's so insightful. I have a lot of follow-up questions, so I'll try to organize them because I'm thinking of three categories. First, about just pleasing yourself and not working with your spouse and negotiating. Then also desire discrepancy going further into that and social media. Let's start with the first one. When you see the numbers go down of how often couples engage sexually in marriage, you're seeing those numbers go down. Would you say that automatically means that they are just seeking this out themselves with pornography or doing things in secrecy? Would you like to clarify that?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (20:42 - 23:50) Not necessarily. It is worth asking the question, but I think one of the myths our society has, especially in the church and culture, is that sex is a need. If you're not fulfilling it with me because it's a need, you're getting it someplace. For some people, sex is a strong drive. It's a strong urge. I think it's designed in us that way to draw us to our spouse, to draw us to connecting, but it is not a need. Nobody dies from lack of it. I could line up a whole string of clients that practice sexual fidelity, sexual integrity, and they're not at a place that they can express their sexuality in a way that they believe is honoring, so they don't. Nobody dies. Nobody does poorly, even. Many times, they thrive. The belief that if you're not getting it with me, you're getting it someplace, that may be true, but that's not a foregone assumption.   For some, though, it is. It is something that I want, something that I desire. It meets a lot of my desires. I think sex meets a lot of our needs, a need of acceptance. I do believe that's a need. I think we have a need to be desired, to be pursued. I think those are God-reflective needs in us. God desires those things. I think it's fair to say that those are needs, and we often get those needs met through sex. Even in an altered, hollow way, masturbatory sex can give something towards those needs. It's worth asking, as somebody pursuing that individually. A couple last week, they sat down for the first time and started to talk about that with each other. What do you do? We're only engaging this frequency. What do you do outside of that? They were both surprised at what each other does, and able to step back and say, I'm challenging them to do vision work. What do we want? For one of them, they said, “I don't want this part of my life. I want it to be only you, but that doesn't always work well. What do we need to do so it can be?” The other is not so sure that they want to give up some of what they're enjoying in their individual time. How do we wrap that in? It's interesting to watch them work through the vision and try to figure out who do they want to be as couples. But to go back to your question, no, it's not a foregone that they're going to be acting out. But it's worth asking, and worth asking, is that what you want? Or are you taking that as a second best because you don't see an opportunity to pursue what's really good? If that's true, can we maybe figure out how for both of us to get what we truly desire?   Laura Dugger: (23:51 - 24:19) That's so wise. Then to elaborate also on desire discrepancy, you've shared this is your primary research area. Can you expand a little bit on, I won't hit all of these, but you had talked about it being a desire discrepancy with frequency, with the type of activity, and I feel like there was one other topic. In practices. Can you share more about each of those?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (24:20 - 27:48) Yeah, the primary conflict that comes into my office is often illustrated by frequency. Generally, in most couples, the husband, the male, has a desire for a higher frequency. The female has, her frequency desire tends to be lower. In Secrets of Sex and Marriage, we have all the numbers that play that out. What's interesting is when we test them, they're not as far apart as they believe they are. Actually, in our survey, 22% of couples were wanting the exact same amount. Only 14% or 15% believe that they wanted the same amount, which is a pretty significant difference. Couples are closer together than they think they are. And most of those couples, even when they were different, were only one mark different. She said that she would like to have sex one to two times a week, and he said he would like to have sex two to three times a week. That's one mark different. Most couples were not that different, even when there was one.   Usually what is being expressed there is, I don't know that you desire me as much as I desire you. I desire you in a way that's physically connecting, and you don't seem to. What does that mean about me? What does that mean about am I a desirable person? Would you prefer to have somebody else other than me? Often, underneath that is the fears of, do you choose me? Do you want me? Do you like playing with me? I want a playmate. I want somebody who we can just relax and be together. I want somebody who holds me and nurtures and comforts me, and you don't seem to want to do that. What does that mean about me? The fight about the frequency, but really what's underneath it is a lot of fears.   That comes into the types as well. I want sex that is wild and crazy and spontaneous. I want to be able to walk into the room and you lose your mind. That never happens anymore. I want sex that follows us having long talks where you've cared for my heart and you've nurtured me. We've gone slow and you've really just cherished me. You just want something wild and crazy and to lose your mind. How do we bring those two together? Or practices. I enjoy bringing toys in and playing. You don't like that. You like the one kind that helps you to feel connected. I want to play more. The research on oral sex that we just finished comes into that and how they desire differently around even those practices. So, all of that comes into the office. I'm sure you're hearing at one level it is we're arguing about what I want versus you want. At another level, it's what does that mean? What does it mean to my heart and how do I interpret that you don't want to do this? That comes into play pretty heavily and it's worth couples trying to unpack and figure it out.   Laura Dugger: (27:48 - 28:01) And would you say that to unpack and figure it out is that most beneficial at a neutral time or what kind of conversation starters would be helpful for them?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (28:04 - 29:54) Not to advertise, but Secrets of Sex and Marriage was designed, we wrote it, and my heart desire in it was to have a book that couples could sit down and read out loud to each that would start these conversations. So, if they read through a session or a section that talks about one type of sexual behavior to pause and go, I think this author is stupid. Nobody wants that. And to start the conversation about what do each of them like and what do they want as a couple. I think it often takes something outside of them to help get the conversation started. And we always tell couples don't have these conversations around sex. Don't have it in the bed. Have it at the coffee table the next day. Have it in structured working dates. Have it in times that we're going to talk about this. So, we're doing our best to be our best while we're talking about it. Keep those conversations time limited or you run out of energy. Step at it, work on it a bit, then step back, get a break, rethink. So, all of the stuff that we know how to do with difficult conversations in business, we bring those skills in because heart issues are involved and we're not always aware of the heart issues. If I start to get defensive, we need to step away from it because curiosity is the only thing that's going to work here. So yes, structuring it. Most couples struggle to do that on their own. They struggle to do that on finances and parenting, how to manage your mom, let alone something as intimate as sex. So many times they will need a coach or a therapist or somebody just to hold the space for them so they can have that conversation.   Laura Dugger: (29:55 - 30:08) That's brilliant advice. And I like that kind of step care mentality of getting the book and trying that first. It still is a neutral third party and I think that's a great place to begin.   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (30:09 - 30:26) I love when couples come in and say, well, we read this section and he said, well, that's just stupid. And I look at him like, what do you mean that's stupid? I think that way. And as long as they can stay curious and not critical, those conversations go really well.   Laura Dugger: (30:28 - 30:48) That's good. Staying curious. Okay. So, then you also mentioned social media. So can you speak more to this demand that people are having to, I guess the way that you've worded it in the past is the demand for fantasy that people see in social media and pornography.   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (30:50 - 34:18) Maybe a stupid example. My wife and I are looking at redoing our master bathroom closet. It's been a lot of years. The first person we had come in and take a look at it went, yeah, this has been here a while. Okay. So yeah, maybe it needs to be redone. And so, what do you do? You start jumping online and looking, well, what are people doing today? What do bathrooms look like? And you start looking at them going, wow, I want that. Well, I can't fit that space into my space. So, do I need different space? And all of a sudden, all of these desires that I have and what I fantasize about living in, what if it's not even possible where I'm at? What do I do with the tension in it? Can I look at what I've got and really appreciate it and work on making it maybe better, but not need to swap it out for something else or not stay in a state of discontent with what I got, even after it's been upgraded and redone.   A stupid little example, I think of what goes on in relationship as we watch a couple and their gorgeous pictures of their vacation or their family pictures of, it looks like this big family with all the grands and they're having so much fun together. And every time my kids get together, we have knockdown drag outs, or two of my kids won't even show up, or the grands act out every time that they're around. And my family isn't the ideal family. My spouse isn't the ideal spouse. Here's a picture of him with his arms wrapped around looking so nurturing. And I don't know that my husband ever does that to me. He's always irritated with me. And we go to, I desire to be pursued. I desire to be chosen. I desire to be nurtured. And I see that in all of these images out there, and I'm not experiencing it. And I increase the fantasy of what I could have, what I desire to have. And I look at you and I think, it's not even possible to have that with you. You're not that kind of person. I'm not sure I picked right. And we're creating something that is really destructive in the process.   When we go back a few hundred years ago, and your spouse was chosen for you, or your spouse was one of only a handful of people that were even options. I got the best of those. This is pretty good. And we're working to make it good. And no, it's not perfect. Nobody expected it to be perfect. I love the song in Fiddler on the Roof, Do You Love Me? My father told us that I'd be lucky if in time, we would fall in love with each other, because they didn't marry for love. And then realizing that over the years, they had developed a rich kind of love. That's a very different experience than we have today, where we want the fantasy right up front. And we never want to step out of the fantasy, because it looks like it's all around us. And I don't know that's necessarily good for us, because the real takes work. I don't want to work. I want you to be who I want you to be without me working.   Laura Dugger: (34:20 - 34:39) That's so interesting. And that, I guess, pairing social media and phones, which are relatively recent changes, and then COVID, and there's so much curiosity around why have things changed so much sexually for married couples since COVID? But all of these consequent...   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (34:39 - 35:33) We think in part, it was pushing couples together, because we saw a spike in activity when we first shut things down. I'm blocking on the word that we use for it. But when we first shut things down and lock people up together, we saw an initial spike, and then we saw a drop. And it's that sense of, okay, now you're wearing on me, and I don't know that I want to do this with you. I think some of it was pushing people into the online world. I talk about social media, but it covers all of that online consuming that we do, and the dissatisfaction growing in. So, when you push people together, there's plenty of that talk about that. It doesn't always do real well, unless they're intentional and work at it.   Laura Dugger: (35:34 - 37:26) Okay, that is interesting. As you say, social media, maybe putting it even with phones, even just the amount of time that people you're giving so much attention to your screen, rather than one another. And it does seem like that was from COVID.   By now, I hope you've checked out our updated website, thesavvysauce.com, so that you can have access to all the additional freebies we are offering, including all of our previous articles, and all of our previous episodes, which now include transcriptions. You will be equipped to have your own practical chats for intentional living. When you read all the recommended questions in the articles, or gain insight from expert guests and past episodes as you read through the transcriptions, because many people have shared with us that they want to take notes on previous episodes, or maybe their spouse prefers to read our conversations rather than listen to them or watch them now that we're offering video rather than just audio. So, we heard all of that. And we now have provided transcripts for all our episodes. Just visit thesavvysauce.com. All of this is conveniently located under the tab show notes on our website. Happy reading.   So, this is kind of a big question, but whether it's thinking of wisdom for married couples, or even the way that they train their children so that they can avoid some of these pitfalls later on when they're adults. So, I'm thinking of the engagement and connection in real life face-to-face versus screens. Do you have any other wisdom that may actually impact them sexually someday?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (37:27 - 40:25) There are some foods that we don't eat because they're poisonous to us. There are some things we don't take into our brains because they're toxic to us. Yeah, we do. We learn to stay totally away from those. But yeah, I was thinking more the experiences that I have of even a spouse saying, “you can't have access to anything because I'm so angry at you.” I don't know if that's helpful.   Laura Dugger: (40:26 - 40:56) I see what you're saying. Appreciate the heart behind that, not controlling them and also taking the responsibility of self-discipline. So, there's another topic that many married couples may want to know more about, but they don't know where a safe place is to go and ask. So, this is the topic of oral sex. And so, Dr. Mike, can you share first what the Bible has to say about oral sex, but also share with us some of the research findings?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (40:57 - 52:46) Okay. So, we've got three more hours, right? So, if we tried to collapse it down a little bit, this comes a bit out of just working with it for so many years. We do the couples' workshops. We always do an Ask Dr. Mike. And so, through the entire workshop, today's technology, we used to use three by five cards, but today's technology, they can anonymously send a message in to me. And we take an hour of workshop and just go through those and answer them. And I am always going to get several on the subject. So, it's just been something that we know couples want to know about. Because it is a desire discrepancy, it is of interest to me. And so, we rolled questions about it into our last survey, the Marital Intimacy Project, where we surveyed 501 married couples, and a nationally representative sample. So, these weren't Christian couples, they weren't non-Christian couples, they weren't. The sample represents the 2018 U.S. Census data for the United States. So, in racial mix, racial ethnic mix, and religious mix and age, where they're at in the country. So, this is what these married couples are telling us about. So that's the background that some of this embeds in.   And your first question is, what does scripture say about it? Well, that depends on who you ask. You know, if we go back through most of church history, the purpose for sex was procreation. And anything that wasn't procreative act was considered outside of the boundary of God, because sex was about procreation. And many even teaching that once you got to the age that you weren't trying to have kids any longer, you should stop having sex, because the purpose for sex is procreation. And if you're doing it for pleasure, you're risking sin. If you're doing it for connection, you're risking sin. Well, if sex is about procreation, first, foremost, and sometimes only, oral sex is not acceptable, because it's not a potentially procreative act. That's the language that's often used in some of the church history teaching, that it needs to have the potential for procreation. And if it doesn't, then it's sin, it's outside of God's boundary. So, for hundreds of years, we have teaching that says that oral sex is totally unacceptable because it's not procreative.   If you take a perspective that sex is about connection, or sex is about play, sex is about intimacy, and sex is about pleasure, then all of that is re-evaluated. So, we have those theologians that look at Song of Solomon, where he talks about tasting of her garden. Nobody questions what her garden is in the story, the imagery that's used there. But there are those, or the flip side of that, she talks about drinking of his spring. And many theologians would look at that and say, no, no, no, that's not about oral sex. God would never talk about oral sex because that's unacceptable. It's not a procreative act. He is using imagery there to talk about the intensity of the love and the desire. This is strictly a spiritual story. And then others come in and say, yeah, no, I think it's about the physical. God would talk about that because couples do this, and it's playful, and it's fun, and it's good, and it allows them to connect. And the pleasure is not a bad thing. And when he's talking of tasting of her garden, when she's talking of drinking of his spring, they're talking about oral sex and scripture. And God talks about drink deeply, enjoy. And so, the other side of the argument says, for couples that enjoy this, there's nothing wrong in it.   Now, I think we can make a larger argument. Scripture talks about consent. Scripture talks about honoring one another. Scripture talks about desiring for one another. So anytime we step in and we start using demands, that is not scriptural. You know, Christ was profoundly invitational. He was profoundly inviting in who he was. The language I use for it sometimes shocks people. I say Christ was profoundly seductive. He had the ability to woo, to draw, that he can step up to somebody whose generational career is fishing. This is what their family is about. And he walks up and he says, “Hey, come follow me.” And they drop their nets and leave. I mean, who has the ability to do that? And it wasn't a command, you need to do this, or you're going to burn in hell. No, it was a wooing invitation. He had profound ways to look at somebody and point out their sin. Yeah, I know you've been married to what was it, four men already, and the one that you're living with is not, you're not married to him. He calls out her sin in such a way that she leans into the story. You know, how seductive, how invitational. I want to be a fly on the wall of that well, to experience what it was like to listen to him talk. And how did he draw people so well? That's who we want to be in marriage. We want to be the seductive, the person who draws, not the person who commands. So, if we take any of these principles and we start to demand of our spouse, I think that's not scriptural. So, when you ask, what does scripture say? I think it talks about honoring one another, nurturing one another, inviting, if that's something that's pleasing to you.   So, the question was, well, what do couples do? What do they want? And so, we asked all of these couples to, how often do you perform on your spouse? And what would you like? Do you enjoy it? Do you enjoy performing on your spouse? Do you enjoy having it performed on you? And it was really fascinating. You know, there's a lot of numbers that come into it. But the first thing that we learned is this tends to be couple scoring. If one does, the other one likely does. If we move into desire, that's more individual scoring. But if we move into practice, it tends to be couples. So, the couples where both of them said we never do, couples where both of them said we often do or occasionally do, and couples who said we regularly do or always do, those were clubs. The ones where he said, well, I always do. And she says, “I never do.” Those were rare, which was interesting. And then when we had it broken down into a lot of categories, but when we clumped them all together into the never, rarely, occasionally, sometimes, and often, always, we get almost third, third, and third. And so, couples have said in my office, but everybody does it. Actually, no, they don't. The largest group when we had it all broken down were couples that never do. That was the largest group. And the couples that always do was half of the never do. But if we get the larger categories, it's almost a third, third, and third, which says to me, it's perfectly okay, whatever the couple decides. Let's let them decide their comfort, what they enjoy with it, what it means to them. And that's more important than the behavior of it.   Then when we do get into, and I'm looking over here at my numbers, so I get them kind of right. We did not see a huge difference in age. I expected there to be a difference in practice with age. We didn't see a huge difference. And there was no difference in marital satisfaction or in sexual satisfaction between the couples that did and didn't. The only times we saw a difference was when they were what we would call asymmetrical. And those few couples where she said, “I always do”, and he says, “I never do.” Or the other way around. We got asymmetrical, we saw a decrease in marital and sexual satisfaction. But there was no difference in the couples that say we never do and the couples that say we always do. So, it didn't have an impact on sexual satisfaction. It had a bit of an impact on her orgasmic frequency, which that kind of makes sense. But the biggest difference was in desires and how, whether you like to or not.   So, we asked husbands, do you like to have it performed on you? And we asked wives, does he like when you perform on him? And wives have us figured out. The answer is almost identical to us. When we asked husbands, “does your wife enjoy doing this?” And we asked wives, “do you enjoy performing on him?” Husbands really overestimate how much she enjoys this, which was fascinating. Not a surprise, but fascinating. And there was a big difference between what the husband enjoys and performing on him and what the wife enjoys and performing on him. That was a massive difference. And then in the middle of that is performing on her. And they weren't near as far apart there. But once again, husbands overestimated her enjoyment. Wives underestimated his enjoyment, which was interesting. But there wasn't a huge difference. So, if we take the wife enjoying performing on him, husbands enjoying being performed on, those are quite a bit different. And right in the middle was wives saying that they enjoy it and husbands saying they enjoy performing on her. So that was interesting in looking at what they do and don't like.   Now, I haven't broken it down into some of the categories of couples. Yeah, I did look at it in terms of desire types. And there was some big differences there, which we would expect that an initiating type of a desire is going to want more versus a receptive or resistant, a little less. But I haven't broken down some of it even more detailed. Those initial numbers have been fascinating to see. And I think the takeaway is what we started with. What's your vision? What do you want and why? What does it mean to you? Let's decide what you want in your marriage. And then let's take steps to make it healthy and to be good and to move toward it. And it doesn't have to be tomorrow. We can slowly grow to that.   Laura Dugger: (52:47 - 53:09) That is so interesting. And I'm sure that's so helpful when a majority of people are submitting those kind of questions. Now you have some normative responses. And you also mentioned something in there about the different types of initiation or desire, and one is resistant. So, can you go into all three of those and define that?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (53:10 - 58:20) Yeah. We have the cultural message that desire is being harmed. And it is. That we feel we wake up and I'm interested in sex or you walk by and I'm interested in sex. I want to have sex. We think of it as spontaneous. It's not actually spontaneous, but we think of it as spontaneous. That's an initiating type of desire where we're aware of the desire before arousal. We pursue the sex for arousal is the experience of it. The second, and for that I've shifted to in the book, we talk about a car and being driving neutral and parking, but I've shifted to talking about in terms of boats, you know, that initiating desire is a speedboat, sometimes a really big engine, sometimes not so big of an engine, but it's powered, it's moving forward. Receptive desire requires arousal before the desire shows up. So, it takes an intentional step to move forward. Yeah, we can do that. And I'm enjoying doing this. Oh, my body's enjoying this too. This is good. And then the desire clicks on. So, desire sometimes may not show up till five to 10 minutes into the sex act. Now I want this, please don't stop, you know, please do it this way. Now the desire is there. That's the receptive desire. And I talk about that as kind of like a sailboat. You know, it's not powered by an engine. It needs an external force to kind of get it moving forward. But I also have to have the sails up. And what does it take for me to have the sails up on my sailboat? And what seduces me, what draws me, what helps me to move towards that desire?   And then resistant is the motor's pulled up out of the water, the sails are tied down, and there's two anchors that are, you know, doesn't matter what you do, I'm not moving. I'm not going to allow anything to move me. Or those anchors are there for a good reason, because of trauma, because of wounds, maybe that you have done. Maybe the relationship is not safe. If I get naked, I'm going to be criticized. I don't care to get naked, whether that be emotionally or physically. So, most of the time when I'm working with somebody who's resistant, the resistance is there for a good reason. And we have to figure out what's going on and how do we get rid of the anchors? Or how do we get this engine started again? And it may be physical, it may be emotional, may be relational, may be spiritual. But the resistance is going to be something has got us locked down in our sexuality, or locked down towards you. I'm still interested in sex, just not with you. And so, we have to kind of unpack that.   I do think that generally requires a third party, a therapist who's skilled in this who can work with it. My concern is even most therapists are defining receptive desires, low desire. And so, if somebody comes in and says, well, I have low desire, and they even if they realize they have receptive desire, all of the interventions are designed to increase initiating desire, rather than help somebody to nurture their type of desire, to nurture the receptive type of desire, or to figure out there's a reason you're resistant. Can we step back and create the space for you to drop the guards to figure out why you're resistant? Because he may be resistant and not even know why. He just, I'm not going to go there. And we have to create the space for him to even sit in it and start to figure it out. Or she may be, same thing for her, she may be resistant, and she might have an idea why, but we haven't unpacked it enough to really figure out what's going on. She just feels like she's broken and is being criticized by her husband. So, to step back and figure out which of those three is really going on, and how do we work with it?   So those types, within those, there are different levels, you know, we'll have an initiating desire that has a really big engine. They want sex all the time. Or an initiating desire that has a smaller engine. They don't want it all that often, but when they do, they're going to pursue it. A receptive desire that has really big sales doesn't take an awful lot to get them moving forward, but it doesn't come from within. And those that, you know, it takes a lot of work to get this thing moving forward. Is there a way we can increase the sales a little bit, so it doesn't take quite so much work internally and to the spouse? So, we're looking at types, we're looking at levels. It gets really complex, which is part of the fun of it, but part of what makes it tough for couples, and they default to the, you're broken, you don't want me, you don't like me. They default to simple answers that don't work. Mm.   Laura Dugger: (58:21 - 58:37) Okay. So, it sounds like you're saying the goal isn't to get everybody to have the engine, which is maybe where some therapists could direct them in the wrong way, but to grow in the freedom and releasing and get closer to the vision.   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (58:38 - 59:38) I was teaching this to some therapists and one of them came up on break and she says, “okay, I hear all of this, but you've got to be honest that truly the healthy person, when they've done good work, is going to have initiating desire.” If you walk into the therapy office with that, the receptive desire person, you're always internally thinking you're broken, you're immature, you're something, you're not okay. That's wrong. No receptive desire is a legitimate type. We're not trying to get the receptive person to be initiating. That's probably, I suspect that's not how they're wired. So, asking them to be that different, and they'll say, but there was a time that they were, well, yes, but that was a unique season of life where biology was very different. Now they're kind of, they're normative, so.   Laura Dugger: (59:39 - 1:01:06) That's so great. And that's what I always appreciate. Dr. Mike, you always offer hope for everyone, even the one who's locked down with the anchors. It's a, how can we start to lift those anchors? There's hope that there is change and restoration possible. And I've just loved this conversation. Deuteronomy 30 keeps coming to mind. There are two verses because I feel like you've laid out wisdom for intentionality or the negatives and hazardous results that can come from overindulging, prioritizing, connecting with our phone rather than our spouse. And so, I just want to read these two verses from Deuteronomy 30, it's verses 19 and 20. It says, "This day, I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord, your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him for the Lord is your life. And he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." So, it's just been such a delight to have this conversation. And I know we could talk all day, but you still have a full day of work to also get back to. So where can we go after this chat to learn more from you?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (1:01:07 - 1:01:38) My primary website is intimatemarriage.org. And there are links through that to even get to like my link page that has some of the professional articles. We're putting together some little teaching videos that grab some of this. All of that can be located through intimatemarriage.org. And of course, secretsofsexandmarriage.com is the book website too. There are a lot of resources there.   Laura Dugger: (1:01:39 - 1:01:59) I highly recommend both of those. So, we'll add the links in the show notes for today's episode. And you're familiar as our most repeated guest that we are called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, my final question for you today, Dr. Mike, what is your savvy sauce?   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (1:01:59 - 1:02:37) I think it would flow from what you were just reading there in Deuteronomy. What does it take to choose life versus choose death? I can choose death by being passive, by waiting for something to happen. If I'm going to choose life, I'm working on it. So, it goes to what we started with, a vision-based intentionality. Is the savvy sauce, who do I want to be? Who do we want to be? And how do I be intentional and consistently and regularly moving toward that? Not perfect in it, but I know what I'm striving toward and I'm being intentional and taking steps that direction.   Laura Dugger: (1:02:38 - 1:03:07) So good. And Dr. Mike, just thank you for being a safe place where we can go for these sensitive and sacred topics. I think it's going to be fascinating someday in heaven to hear all of the people saying, “oh yeah, he helped us with our marriage too. And he helped us.” So we've been so enriched because of your work. So, thank you for your investment in your work that impacts people for eternity. And thank you for being my guest.   Dr. Michael Sytsma: (1:03:08 - 1:03:09) Well, thanks for having me back.   Laura Dugger: (1:03:10 - 1:06:52) One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

How do you know when to endure and when to walk away? In this episode of The Impossible Life Podcast, Nick Surface and Garrett Unclebach confront the tension between perseverance and wisdom. Christian men are often told never to quit, but continuing in the wrong direction is not faithfulness. True endurance is not stubbornly refusing to change; it is refusing to abandon what is genuinely worth suffering for.This conversation exposes the false forms of endurance that keep men trapped. Ego makes you continue because you cannot admit you were wrong. Sunk cost tells you that too much time, money, or effort has already been invested to stop. Fear convinces you that a miserable but familiar future is safer than an uncertain one. Biblical masculinity requires both the conviction to keep moving and the humility to change course. The mission may remain, even when the method must change.Following Jesus means holding your purpose with faith while surrendering your preferred outcome. Healthy endurance is marked by conviction, adaptability, surrender, wise counsel, and daily faithfulness. You should not quit merely because you are tired, discouraged, or afraid—but you can quit when God gives you clarity that your motives, route, or priorities are wrong. This episode will help you examine why you are continuing, what is truly worth the price, and what faithfulness requires from you today.Check out VITL Peptides by clicking hereJoin a group of likeminded Impossible Life listeners in our FREE Skool community by clicking here.Get the Purpose Playbook by clicking hereGet the FREE Basic Discipline Training 30 Day Program by clicking hereJoin us in Mindset Mastery by clicking hereLevel up your nutrition with IDLife by clicking hereGET IN TOUCHSocial Media - @theimpossiblelifeEmail - info@theimpossible.life

His Delight is in The Law of the LORD: Psalm 1 & Proverbs 7 by Shawn Ozbun

Pastor Skip uncovers the one thing that kept a rich young ruler from following Jesus—and why knowing what you lack is the first step toward finding what only Christ can give you.

If you're a follower of Christ, it's important to protect, not only our destinies, but also our witness to others by being being good stewards of one of the most powerful and precious gifts we've been given...our minds. This week, Charles Tapp shares the next part in this series with an important message "The Stewardship of the Mind."

Walter and Father Jim Drucker discuss a report from Blue Origin safety professional and UFO researcher Joe Jordan, who investigated over 700 alleged alien abduction cases and found that calling on the name of Jesus or God immediately stopped the incidents. Father Drucker considers whether UFOs could be evil or satanic, sharing 1st-century spiritual defense advice from St. Ignatius of Antioch and explaining why he keeps a bottle of holy water handy for flying saucer.

Walter Sterling takes the mic on The Other Side of Midnight for a late-night mix of true crime, strange news, and hilarious commentary. In this episode, 17-year-old Canadian reporter Wyatt Sharpe breaks down the legal fallout of the Lindsay Clancy trial and internet sleuth culture, while Steve the Baker and Miss New Jersey contestant Celena Ballerina share a fall-favorite recipe for pumpkin cornbread. Walter then sparks a debate over "educational child abuse" in New York schools, examines UFO reports claiming the name of Jesus stops alien abductions, investigates the erased empire of Tartaria, and unpacks the wild story of an Ohio woman who mistook a positive COVID test for a Bigfoot pregnancy.

Following Jesus Feels Too Hard? Don't Quit Yet | Before You Quit #8 What if one of the reasons you're thinking about quitting Christianity is something you rarely say out loud? "It's just too hard." In Day 8 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner begins Week Two of the book: Why People Quit and Don't Say It Out Loud. People rarely walk away from their faith in one sudden moment. A disappointment here. A conflict there. An unanswered prayer. A broken relationship. Little by little, discouragement accumulates until someone quietly begins drifting away. And sometimes underneath all of it is a simple feeling: Following Jesus has become too hard. Here's something Christians don't always like to admit: Christianity is hard. Yes, following Jesus is better. It's blessed. It's worth it. But Jesus never promised it would always be easy. In Luke 9:23, Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Jesus didn't hide the cost of discipleship. He actually told people to count the cost before deciding to follow him. So if following Jesus feels difficult right now, that doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong. You may actually be experiencing exactly what Jesus told us to expect. A Christianity of Convenience It's possible to customize Christianity until most of the difficult parts disappear. No sacrifice. Little prayer. No emotional engagement. Minimal commitment. But that's a Christianity of convenience—not the life of discipleship Jesus described. If you're struggling, you're also not the first Christian to feel this way. An entire New Testament letter—Hebrews—was written to Christians who needed encouragement to keep going. Hebrews 10:36 says: "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." If Scripture tells us to persevere, it's because there will be times when we desperately want to stop. Don't Just White-Knuckle It But Rob doesn't recommend simply gritting your teeth and trying harder for the next 40 years. Sometimes following Jesus becomes especially difficult when our focus shifts away from Jesus and onto the people and problems around us. Rob shares a line from Thomas à Kempis' The Imitation of Christ: "Whoever loves much does much." Looking back, Rob realized that some of the times he complained most about how difficult Christianity felt were also times when his love and interest in Jesus had diminished. He had lost some of the wonder and appreciation that originally drew him to Christ. So he returned to Jesus' words to Christians who had lost their first love: "Repent and do the things you did at first." — Revelation 2:5 Do the Things You Did at First Rob realized he had stopped doing many of the things that had originally helped his love for Jesus grow: Reading the Bible. Avoiding temptation. Spending time with other Christians. Living transparently. Praying. When he started doing those things again, something changed. His circumstances didn't suddenly become easier. The hard things didn't disappear. But God's love began to trickle back into his life, and those hard things didn't feel quite as overwhelming anymore. If you're in a hard place right now, you're not the first Christian who's been there. Don't quit before you receive the reward God has for you. Persevere. But don't merely white-knuckle your way through your faith. Rekindle your love for Jesus. Go back. Do the things you did at first. Because as your love grows, the hard things may begin to feel just a little smaller. This is Day 8 of Rob Skinner's Before You Quit series, based on his new book, Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done. Rob's goal is to inspire you to live a no-regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.

The holidays are still months away on the calendar and already somebody is asking whose house you are coming to. If that question makes your stomach tighten, you are not the only couple feeling it.This week we are talking about what it actually looks like to set healthy boundaries with in-laws and extended family without blowing up the relationship. We walk through what Genesis 2:24 means by leave and cleave, why leaving your father and mother never cancels the command to honor them, and two of the healthiest in-law relationships in scripture. Then we get practical with five principles for navigating parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, and everybody else who has an opinion about your marriage. We also talk honestly about the harder situations: what honoring looks like when there is addiction or abuse in the family, how to explain a limited relationship to your kids without tearing anyone down, and how to hold the holidays gently when grief is sitting at the table.Resources mentioned:Genesis 2:24 and Jesus quoting it in Matthew 19The command to honor your father and mother, Exodus 20:12Ruth 1:16Exodus 18, Jethro's counsel to MosesOur episode from two weeks ago on why your marriage was never meant to be privateFree Weekly Marriage Meeting Template: https://onedegreemarriage.com/meetingHere is your one degree shift: before the end of this month, sit down together and decide your Thanksgiving and Christmas plans out loud. Ask each other which tradition you would actually grieve losing and which one you would not mind letting go. Then tell both families what you decided, together. If this is the Christian marriage podcast conversation you have been avoiding, start with that fifteen minute talk. Share this episode with one couple heading into a tense holiday season, subscribe so you do not miss next week, and if it helped, leave us a review so other couples can find it.

Original Airdate: September 21, 2023 === Gospel Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" He heard this and said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Reflection Jesus made it clear that those who follow the scribes and Pharisees, the righteous, were in a place where they were almost impossible to change, they were so convicted and convinced of their way of life was the way that God wanted. But He doesn't want us to give up our freedom for a law that rules our life and tells us how to act. He wants us to let Him feed us with truth and life, and we become strong and healthy. His kingdom is about unmerited love, not a slave to a law. Closing Prayer Father, you teach that everything we do comes from a heart that is freely giving this beautiful gift of love, care, compassion, empathy. That's the kingdom. Help us never to lose sight that our call is to being a source of unmerited love to those who are struggling, to those who are lost, to those who are enslaved. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Faith Friday edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart begin a new three-week series, Scarlet Thread Faith: The Faith of Unlikely People. The series opens with Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute living in a city marked for destruction. She had no covenant, no Scripture, no prophet, and no personal encounter with the God of Israel. She had only heard what God had done, yet she believed. While everyone in Jericho heard the same reports and trembled, Rahab reached a different conclusion: “the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” Her faith became action when she risked everything and hung the scarlet cord from her window. This is the story of unlikely faith, obedient faith, and a scarlet thread of hope that points ultimately to redemption through Jesus Christ. Lesson 185-2026 Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting MannaNation.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961 MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

In this edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 29:15–17 and the Bible's teaching on correction, discipline, and the formation of wisdom. Solomon declares that “the rod and reproof give wisdom,” reminding parents that biblical discipline must combine consequences with instruction. Correction without explanation becomes punishment; words without consequences can become empty warnings. The lesson also expands the principle beyond the home, showing how unchecked wrongdoing eventually affects an entire society. Yet Scripture places important guardrails around discipline: correction must serve the child's good, never the parent's anger or desire for control. Ultimately, Solomon offers parents a promise worth remembering: discipline may require difficult work today, but faithful correction is intended to produce wisdom in the child and rest and delight for the parent tomorrow. Lesson 186-2026 Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting MannaNation.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961 MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

What really happened when Jesus died on the cross?Most of us immediately think about what the cross accomplished for us personally: our sins were forgiven, our relationship with God was restored, and we were brought near to Him. And all of that is true. But Ephesians 2 shows us that Jesus accomplished something else on the cross that we can easily overlook.He didn't only reconcile us to God. He reconciled us to one another.In “What Really Happened On The Cross? | How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family,” we continue through Ephesians 2 and discover how the Gospel transforms outsiders into family. Once separated from God and without hope, we have now been brought near through the blood of Jesus. And through that same cross, Jesus broke down the walls that separated us, put hostility to death, and created one new family in Himself.In this sermon, you'll discover:Why remembering how far we were from God changes the way we treat othersWhat the cross accomplished beyond our individual salvationWhy unity within the family of God is sacredWhat it means that Jesus put our hostility toward one another to deathHow God can unite people who would otherwise have very little in commonWhy the unity of the Church is part of how the world sees the reality of JesusPaul describes believers as citizens of the same Kingdom, members of the same family, part of the same house, and together becoming a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit. We can be beautifully different without being divided because Jesus Himself is our peace.That means unity is not a secondary issue for the Church. Our unity cost Jesus His life.When we allow bitterness, offense, division, or hostility to define the way we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are giving life to something Jesus died to put to death. But when the family of God chooses forgiveness, reconciliation, and love across our differences, we put the power of the Gospel on display.Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one so that the world would know the Father sent Him. Our unity has always been connected to our witness.The Gospel is not only that we were brought near to God.We were given a seat at the family table.And now, as one family with one Father, we get to show the world what the reconciling power of Jesus actually looks like.

What really happened when Jesus died on the cross?Most of us immediately think about what the cross accomplished for us personally: our sins were forgiven, our relationship with God was restored, and we were brought near to Him. And all of that is true. But Ephesians 2 shows us that Jesus accomplished something else on the cross that we can easily overlook.He didn't only reconcile us to God. He reconciled us to one another.In “What Really Happened On The Cross? | How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family,” we continue through Ephesians 2 and discover how the Gospel transforms outsiders into family. Once separated from God and without hope, we have now been brought near through the blood of Jesus. And through that same cross, Jesus broke down the walls that separated us, put hostility to death, and created one new family in Himself.In this sermon, you'll discover:Why remembering how far we were from God changes the way we treat othersWhat the cross accomplished beyond our individual salvationWhy unity within the family of God is sacredWhat it means that Jesus put our hostility toward one another to deathHow God can unite people who would otherwise have very little in commonWhy the unity of the Church is part of how the world sees the reality of JesusPaul describes believers as citizens of the same Kingdom, members of the same family, part of the same house, and together becoming a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit. We can be beautifully different without being divided because Jesus Himself is our peace.That means unity is not a secondary issue for the Church. Our unity cost Jesus His life.When we allow bitterness, offense, division, or hostility to define the way we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are giving life to something Jesus died to put to death. But when the family of God chooses forgiveness, reconciliation, and love across our differences, we put the power of the Gospel on display.Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one so that the world would know the Father sent Him. Our unity has always been connected to our witness.The Gospel is not only that we were brought near to God.We were given a seat at the family table.And now, as one family with one Father, we get to show the world what the reconciling power of Jesus actually looks like.

Gary had a hotel on the Jersey Shore. It's one of those big, old rambling hotels with a lot of style the East Coast is famous for; kind of a bed and breakfast place. Now, if you had just taken over a hotel, what would be your greatest need? Well, of course, fill the rooms! How do you get all these rooms filled to pay off all that you've just invested in the place? Well, a man stopped and offered to fill Gary's hotel for a week. That sounded pretty good. Gary was about to give in to the possibility, but he asked this important question, “Who'll be staying here?” The man said, “Oh, it's senior week! Our high school seniors will come down and take over your hotel for a week.” Gary thought about that, thought about the kind of damage and mayhem that those high school students could do with a week of senior partying. And he very wisely said, “No, thank you.” I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Cost of Compromise.” Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Samuel 13. Let's get a little background. Saul is in a dilemma. He is the king of Israel, his enemy the Philistines are marching their troops. He is wanting to get to battle and stop this enemy. He's waited a week, and there's one thing they needed to do before they went. They had to present a burnt offering to the Lord. That was the way to seek God's favor to present that offering. That's a good thing to do. The problem was only a man of God could do that, like a priest. Samuel promised he'd be there in seven days. It is the seventh day, the troops are leaving, the enemy troops are amassing, the day is almost over, so Saul decides to do something. He invades holy ground and he himself - not a priest - offers the sacrifice. That's a good thing to do, right? It's the wrong way to do it. It's kind of like Gary who needed to fill his hotel. That was a good thing to do, but he knew there was a wrong way to meet that need. Saul knew that the end he was working toward was positive, but the means were wrong. He went ahead because he was in a jam. 1 Samuel 13:10 - “Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived.” Samuel asks, “What have you done?” Saul explains his predicament, and he says, “'I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.' ‘You acted foolishly,' Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom.'” Listen to this, “Now your kingdom will not endure.'” There's a principle here: when you're in a jam, it's tempting to compromise, especially if the result would be something good. Don't do it! It will cost you what you need the most. It will cost you God's blessing. You have a need right now. You have a chance to meet that need if you just shave the truth a little bit, if you allow yourself to get into a romantic relationship with someone who doesn't know Christ or who doesn't love Him as much as you do, if you just give in to a temptation to get even a little bit, if you just take matters into your own hands because after all, God hasn't come through yet, right? Look at the price Saul paid. I've often thought impatience may cost us God's will more than any other thing we do. And the end does not justify the means. It is better to have your need unmet than to cross God's line to save the situation. That hotel owner knew it was better to fill it right or leave it empty because of the damage that would be left behind. When it comes to meeting your needs, don't panic because God is taking longer than you think He should. Let God fill that need the right way. Believe me, it's worth the wait.

Fr. Mike takes us through various parables in Matthew such as the parable of the lost sheep, the merciful servant, and the laborers in the vineyard. He invites us not to be envious when others are blessed, but to allow the Father to be generous. Today's readings are Matthew 18-21, and Proverbs 19:13-16. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Sunday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Amaranth Cove  - Song Title: Lost in Thought Today's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our daily prayer and intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the glorious mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays.  These mysteries focus on the events following Christ's resurrection, including Pentecost and Mary's coronation, with fruits such as faith and hope. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 20 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - GLORIOUS SUNDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/v-gX7p-QznQ ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Sunday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/LFcRgq2cQRA MOST VIEWED SUNDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/1Fnoyv8EmO0 MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Catholic #Rosary #Prayer #Sunday #GloriousMysteries  #CatholicMorningPrayerMarch #RosaryEnglish #RosaryToday  #CatholicMeditation #SundayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish #RosaryMaleVoice

In this message, Lead Pastor Aaron Brockett teaches that our whole lives will be shaped by what we believe about God's intentions toward us, and that it takes humility to ask Jesus to help us see what we cannot see on our own. Aaron Brockett • The Urgent Kingdom • Mark 10:32-52 CONNECT WITH US! Engage with this message: https://tpcc.org/messages Visit our website: https://tpcc.org We believe in the power of prayer: https://tpcc.org/prayerInstagram: https://instagram.com/traderspointcc/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/TradersPointCC/

How can some people be in church so long yet miss the message of Jesus? Why does Paul say "do not even eat with such a person"? My cousin wants to drink poison and pick up snakes because of Mark 16. What are your thoughts? What teaching should we look for in a healthy church environment? Why was Jesus so bluntly honest and direct with the Pharisees?

What If Trying Harder is the Problem? Discussion Questions: Read Romans 6:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:56. How does knowing that grace (not law) is God's answer to sin change the way you approach a struggle you keep trying to conquer? Read Romans 7:8. Why can focusing constantly on rules, prohibitions, and "don't do that" actually intensify temptation, guilt, or frustration? Read Galatians 5:16 and Titus 2:11–12. What would it look like to trust the Spirit and God's grace to teach and empower you instead of relying on sheer willpower? Read 1 John 4:10 and 1 John 4:19. How might your relationship with God change if you stopped trying to generate more love for Him and focused instead on receiving His love for you? Read Romans 5:5 and Ephesians 6:24. How does knowing God's love is already within you (and your love for Jesus is real and enduring) speak to seasons when you feel cold or empty? Read Ephesians 1:21–22 and Acts 17:28. How does knowing Christ is already supreme and that your whole life exists in Him change the pressure to constantly "put God first"? Read 1 Corinthians 6:19–20. How does knowing you already belong completely to God free you from cycles of rededication, recommitment, and making more promises to Him? Read Philippians 1:21 and Colossians 3:4. What difference does it make to see Christ not merely as your highest priority, but as your very life?

Are missionaries doing their job if they never work themselves out of one? In part three of the Defining the Missionary Task series, Alex and Scott turn to a vital part of church planting: equipping local leaders. Healthy churches need qualified men who can shepherd, teach, and lead God's people. Drawing from Jesus' example with the disciples and Paul's investment in leaders like Timothy and Titus, they discuss why missionaries must do more than carry out ministry themselves. They must prepare others to carry it forward. Alex and Scott explore how missionaries can identify, train, and gradually entrust responsibility to local leaders without abandoning them or holding on to control. They discuss the importance of biblical and theological training, character, mentorship, teamwork, and giving developing leaders room to grow and make mistakes. Ultimately, equipping leaders is about preparing faithful believers who can shepherd healthy churches, raise up more leaders, and help the gospel continue to spread. Key Topics Why healthy churches need equipped local leaders Analysis of Jesus' and Paul's models for developing leaders Knowing when to release responsibility to local leaders Training leaders without paternalism or condescension Prioritizing biblical knowledge, character, and hands-on mentorship Preparing leaders to equip the next generation Do you love The Missions Show? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber! Premium Subscribers get access to: Exclusive bonus content A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts Invite-only webinars A free gift! Support The Missions Show and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionsshow.com/premium The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionsshow.com.