Podcasts about in john

It's Thursday, February 5th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Sam Brownback: “Dictators fear religious freedom more than nuclear weapons” The International Religious Freedom Summit held its six annual meeting this week in Washington, D.C. Organizers reported nearly 80% of people around the world live in countries with high levels of restrictions on religion. The meeting identified China, Iran, Russia, Nigeria, and India as some of the worst countries for religious freedom. Sam Brownback, co-chair of the summit, said, “Ours is truly a global movement feared by dictators around the world because we represent the heart of freedom. They actually fear religious freedom more than they do aircraft carriers or even nuclear weapons.” In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Finnish authorities continue to harass Christian Parliamentarian Attacks on religious freedom are rising in Europe as well. A prominent example is Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen. She has faced trial three times for sharing her Christian beliefs online. Her case is now before Finland's top court.  Räsänen testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee yesterday in a hearing on Europe's threat to American speech. Concerning her case, she has warned, “If I would lose, it would mean … starting a time of persecution of Christians in Finland and also in Europe.” Listen to her comments at the hearing. RÄSÄNEN: “I have been supported by my faith and thousands of expressions of support I have received from around the world, including many from the U.S. Congress. “I remain hopeful. I trust that freedom of expression can still be upheld. It is too important to lose.” Will Europe ban social media for minors? European countries are considering measures to ban social media use for minors. France's National Assembly passed a bill last week that prohibits children under 15 from using social media. The bill heads to the French Senate. President Emmanuel Macron supports the measure. Similarly, Spain and Greece recently announced plans to ban social media use by teenagers there. This comes after Australia became the first country in the world to enforce such a ban last December. Trump signed $1.2 trillion funding bill In the United States, President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion funding bill on Tuesday. This ends the partial government shutdown that began on Saturday. The bill did not including long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security which includes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats are demanding changes to the agency before approving more funding.  700 of 3,000 ICE officers leave Minnesota Speaking of ICE, White House Border Czar Tom Homan  announced a drawdown of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota yesterday. About 700 of the roughly 3,000 officers in the state are leaving. Homan's goal is a complete drawdown which depends on cooperation from local officials. He said, “We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets.” Washington Hospital ends transgender mutilations The News Tribune reports a hospital in Washington State is ending its mutilating transgender surgeries. MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma cited loss of funding under the Trump administration for the closure. President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order in January 2025, protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation. Last year, over 20 hospitals began rolling back such practices. Walmart first retailer to reach $1 trillion market capitalization Walmart became the first retailer to reach a market capitalization of one trillion dollars on Tuesday. The list of trillion dollar companies has been dominated by tech companies. Not surprisingly, Walmart's record valuation is accompanied by recent growth in its online business and investment in Artificial Intelligence technology.  1,161st anniversary of Anskar, missionary to Denmark and Sweden And finally, this week is the anniversary of the death of Anskar, the first missionary to Denmark and Sweden. The traditional date of his death is February 3, A.D. 865. Anskar was known as the “Apostle to the North” for his work of evangelism in Scandinavia.   Historian A.D. Jorgensen wrote of the missionary, “He possessed a rare eloquence both in preaching and in common talk, so that he left on all men an extraordinary impression: the mighty and haughty were frightened by his tone of authority, the poor and humble looked to him as to a father, whilst his equals loved him as a brother. …. What he carried out in the thirty-­three years of his bishopric was of imperishable importance.” In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, February 5th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

What happens when the real problem in your life isn't cosmetic, but foundational? Using a cracked house as a metaphor, this passage shows how Jesus tells Nicodemus that no amount of self-reform or religious effort can fix what's broken—only a complete spiritual rebirth will do. In John 3, Jesus reveals that new life, made possible by God's love in Christ, is the only true foundation for transformation.

282. Family Sabbath: Pause and Delight with Eryn Lynum   Mark 2:27 NIV “Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”   *Transcription Below*   Eryn Lynum is a certified Master Naturalist, Bible teacher, national speaker, and author. Eryn lives in Northern Colorado with her husband, Grayson, and their four children, whom they homeschool—mainly in the great outdoors. Eryn has has been featured on FamilyLife Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Christian Parenting, MOPS International, Bible Gateway, Her View From Home, and For Every Mom. Every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God's creation with her family and sharing the adventures. To learn more about Eryn, visit ErynLynum.com.   Eryn's Books Eryn's Free Resources Mentioned Nat Theo Podcast   Topics and Questions We Cover: What can this look like to daily align our activities with our deepest values? What do people actually do on this day of rest and what do you recommend for families? Are there any other practical benefits we're missing out on if we neglect rest?   Thank You to Our Sponsor: Leman Property Management Company   Related Savvy Sauce Episodes: 81 Rest with Doctor, Author, and Speaker, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith 99 Sabbath Rest with Sandy Feit 175 Practicing Sabbath with Shireen Eldridge   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, 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: (0:11 - 1:34) 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.   Leman Property Management Company has the apartment you will be able to call home, with over 1,700 apartment units available in Central Illinois. Visit them today at lemanproperties.com or connect with them on Facebook.   Eryn Lynum is my wonderful guest for today, and she's the author of this beautiful book, The Nature of Rest. We're going to discuss all things related to rest, ways that we can prepare for it, how we can enjoy and delight in it, what good gifts God has for us with rest, and then how to reflect well on the rhythms in our life, and so much more.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Eryn.   Eryn Lynum: (1:34 - 4:03) Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.   Laura Dugger: Well, I'd love for you to start us off by sharing your personal journey and tell why you are so uniquely qualified to teach and write about rest, as stress can literally kill you.   Eryn Lynum: Yeah, that's correct. So, when I was 14 years old, I was diagnosed with a potentially fatal autoimmune disorder. And kind of the context of that season, I was preparing to go overseas for the first time on a missions trip. So, I was going to be in Africa for two months. And so, before you go do something like that, you have to go to the doctor and get a checkup and vaccine recommendations, all the things. And so, my parents took me in.   Again, I was 14 at the time, and we had no reason to believe that there was anything wrong. There were no red flags. Besides, I had been a little tired, a little dizzy once in a while, but really, we just thought, okay, well, I'm growing up, my body's changing. But when the nurse took my blood pressure that day, it was 56 over 48, which is deathly low.   And so, immediately, that's a red flag. And I undergo more testing and hospital visits and seeing specialists. And they diagnosed me with something called Addison's disease. And Addison's disease, it's where your adrenal glands no longer function. So, maybe you've heard of adrenal fatigue, where someone is so taxed out that their adrenal glands can't keep up because they're meant to produce cortisol, which is our stress hormone. Well, Addison's disease is the worst-case scenario where you can't come back from it, barring a miracle. Like, my adrenal glands don't work, and they haven't for over 20 years now.   And so, you know, this system that God has given us meant to cope with stress, and it's that fight-or-flight response. At that young age, I no longer had that. And so, stress became quite literally deadly to me. And at that point, my parents, they began coaching me in biblical stress management, so identifying stressors in my life.   You know, when your shoulders start creeping up, and you can feel that tension in your neck, and knowing that those are signs that, okay, you need to step back, you need to calm yourself. Like the Psalms talk about, “I have calmed and quieted my soul,” and to bring everything to the Lord and cast all your anxieties upon Him. And this is really where I can see, in my life, I developed a very consistent prayer pattern in my life where just all day long, like conversing with the Lord.   And so, that's been a big part of this. But yeah, that's really what began leading me into this deeply restful lifestyle was out of necessity. But really what I've seen since then is God designed all of us to live and thrive through rest. Like this is His original design.   Laura Dugger: (4:04 - 4:27) I love that so much. And you articulate this so well in your book. But before I ever encountered you, I had never heard of the term master naturalist before. So, if you want to share anything about that, it would be great. And as a master naturalist, where do you see these rhythms of rest in nature?   Eryn Lynum: (4:28 - 6:54) So, a master naturalist, it's really a fancy term for nature teacher. And I pursued this because my degree and my passion are in biblical theology. And I've always been passionate about rightly handling God's word of truth from 2 Timothy 2:15.   And I began to see as my own family, my husband and I, we have three boys and a daughter, and now they're 14 down to seven. But when they were younger and we started spending more time outdoors, I started to see, okay, God has given us so many visuals and materials in nature with which we can teach about Him. Coming from Romans 1:20, that His invisible attributes, those things we can't see about God, are clearly perceived through what He has made. And I saw that also Jesus in the gospels, He used nature all the time to teach.   And God throughout scripture, like it's not just Genesis 1, nature narratives are strong throughout scripture. And so, I thought if God and Jesus use this methodology to teach, then certainly we can. And so, that's why I went through this training and taught, teach with this method is because, you know, the more we understand these materials, the more we see of God and the more we can communicate about Him.   And so, I was working as a master naturalist in our city and teaching my own programs. And I started to incorporate it more and more into my book and then later on in my podcast. And at the same time, God was leading my family into celebrating Sabbath. We had come into this season where we were just exhausted, like running businesses and raising and homeschooling kids, like all of us, no matter our circumstances, face this very real human existence of fatigue. And so, we came to a place where rest was no longer optional. It was critical and vital.   And so, I'm living in these two realms of learning about nature while I'm learning about scripture. And then God is bringing us into deep rest. So, I started to ask the question, where do we see rest in scripture? And I found that it is everywhere. The roots of rest run deep and wide throughout scripture. And also asking, where do we see rest in creation in nature? And it's also everywhere there that God designed all these cycles and these rhythms and all of his plants and creatures, even the ones that we think of as so frenetic and busy that God designed them to thrive through rest.   Laura Dugger: (6:55 - 7:04) And will you give a specific example then of something in nature as it's so apparent that it's designed for rest?   Eryn Lynum: (7:04 - 8:28) Definitely. Let's focus on one of those ones that we often think of as really busy, the hummingbird. I opened the book with the analogy of a hummingbird because when you think about a hummingbird, what do you picture in your mind?   Laura Dugger: (7:17 - 7:19) Busy, constant movement in and out.   Eryn Lynum: (7:20 - 8:28) Yeah, exactly. Like they have to visit between 1,000 and 2,000 flowers every day to get all the nectar that they need. And so, they are always like here and there in the next place. And they look like this little thing just zipping through the air and you can't even see their wings beating because they can be up to 70 times a second. It's this blur of motion. And we think about that little hummingbird, and we can sometimes feel like that little hummingbird just zipping from one thing to the next, thinking there's no time to stop.   But the hummingbird does stop. It has a very strategic method of rest called torpor. And torpor is kind of like a mini hibernation where the little bird is going to go into this deep state of rest. It lowers its body temperature by around 50 degrees and becomes completely unresponsive. And this is a regular thing that the hummingbird does, and it enables it to continue its God-given, good, busy, fruitful work. So, it's this picture of, you know, busyness is not bad. God created us for fruitful work, but it's all meant to be sustained through deep, rhythmic, intentional rest.   Laura Dugger: (8:28 - 9:06) I mean, immediately that makes me think of the weeks, even that I'm most productive, I've probably prioritized my sleep the best of it. And if I get great sleep, even if it's extra hours, that doesn't take away from the rest of the day. That probably makes my time even multiplied.   Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I love, you point out so many times how God just clearly designed his creation to enjoy this gift of rest. So, you mentioned some of the nature parts. What about some of the foundational scriptural truths on this topic?   Eryn Lynum: (9:07 - 11:52) Yeah, well, of course, where's the first place that we get the idea of rest in the scripture? Yeah, exactly. So, God completes his work of creation and then he rests and he didn't need to rest. Isaiah 40:28 tells us that he, the creator of the world does not grow weary or tired.   I believe that one reason, and I talk about a couple of them in the book, but I believe that one main reason God rested was to stop and delight. That word Sabbath, it comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which can mean to both stop and delight. Like think about God finishing his creative work, bringing, bringing everything from nothing. Ex nihilo is that theological term, everything from nothing. Creating not only the animals and the plants, but the textures and the math and the shapes and the like everything he needed to make these things. And I imagine he just wanted to stop and enjoy it. I can even picture him going through creation and listening to the birds and taking in the colors and the shapes of the clouds.   What a beautiful reminder to us, because I know for myself, I'm so prone to just run from one thing to the next, like check it off the list. What's next? But here God is modeling for us. Stop delight, praise him for what he just allowed us to accomplish, to create, to do before rushing on to the next thing.   And so, we get that first mentioned there at creation, but then think about when Sabbath was actually established, there's a framework, there's a structure it's Exodus 16. And the context here is the Israelites. They're doing what they do. They're wandering and grumbling. They're hangry and God shows mercy to them in the form of quail and manna, but he has very specific instructions for them. He says for six days, you shall gather it, but not on the seventh day. Don't go out. It is a solemn day, a Holy Sabbath to the Lord.   That's the first mention of Sabbath, that word in scripture, but consider the Israelites. They had no context for what God was calling them to do. Surely they could think back to the creation story. Okay. God worked and then rested, but they had very little idea of what he was asking them to do. This was an act of faith. God was saying, stop gathering, trust me.   And this is so hard for us because like we are so prone to gather, gather, gather, do produce work more out of this scarcity mindset. But this picture is showing God is a God of abundance and his math works. When we trust him to be the provider, not ourselves. And we take that risk on rest. He provides abundantly through it.   Laura Dugger: (11:53 - 12:05) Absolutely. And within this gift then of rest, how can rest actually reorder and re-energize our lives?   Eryn Lynum: (12:05 - 14:03) I love this question because throughout the book, we talk a lot about reordering and creating margins. So, we can rest and reprioritizing. You know, it's so interesting when we look at the creation narrative, where we get that first mention of rest, because it's backwards to what we normally think.   Think about this. God created for six days and then he rested. Adam, the first human was created on that sixth day. So, Adam's first full day was a day of arrest, dedicated to rest. And in this, we see that God worked and then rested. But we, humanity, we were always meant to begin from rest.   And you see that even in the Hebrew tradition of a day, their day begins at evening. Their day doesn't start with, let's get up and get to work. Their day starts with, let me go to rest to get ready for the work. So, first we have to reorder our concept of rest, not see it as a reward. Oh, I'm going to work, work, work, get all the things done so that maybe I can rest this weekend or on vacation, or when the kids are out of the house or in retirement, that's backwards to the biblical framework. We are meant to begin from rest.   So, starting there. And as we do that, my family has found after sabbathing for three and a half years now, everything else kind of falls into place. And that happens when you operate by God's design. You know, rest allows us to tend to the most important things. Those deep values, whether like that should be of course, faith and family. So, getting clear on your values is really important. Like what is most important to your family faith? Maybe it's community generosity. Maybe it's physical health, mental health, all these things do better. And we have more time to tend to them when we first make room and space for rest.   Laura Dugger: (14:04 - 16:28) And now a brief message from our sponsor.    With over 1,700 apartment units available throughout Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Heights, Morton and Washington. And with every price range covered, you will have plenty of options when you rent through Leman Property Management Company.   They have townhomes, duplexes, studios, and garden style options located in many areas throughout Pekin. And make sure you check out their newest offering, the McKinley located in Pekin is a new construction addition to their platinum collection featuring nine foot ceilings, large spacious layouts, beautiful finishes, such as courts, countertops, and garages. You won't want to miss this outstanding new property in Peoria, a historic downtown location and apartments adjacent to OSF Medical Center provide excellent choices.   Check out their brand new luxury property in Peoria Heights, overlooking the boutique shops and fine dining on prospect. And in Morton, they offer a variety of apartment homes with garages, a hot downtown location, and now a brand new high-end complex near Idlewood Park. If you want to become part of their team, contact them about open office positions.   They're also hiring in their maintenance department. So, we invite you to find out why so many people have chosen to make a career with them. Check them out on Facebook today or email their friendly staff at leasing@lemanprops.com. You can also stop by their website at lemanproperties.com, check them out and find your place to call home today.   It never ceases to amaze me how God's economy and his math are just different. Sometimes upside down from ours, but I feel like when you're speaking, it reminds me of Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” So, if we actually obey, I think there are so many blessings that we can enjoy from this gift of rest. So, you're talking about our values. Then what can this look like to daily align our activities with our deepest values?   Eryn Lynum: (16:30 - 18:30) Yes, this is an ongoing practice because the enemy is always trying to distract us from what is most important. And that word there is key distract. And so, first we have to learn to identify those distractions, the things that are pulling us away from what is most important, but you know, getting to those core values and on my website, I have, my husband and I developed a family values guide that helps you step by step to really figure out what are our deepest values.   So, that's erinlynum.com/values. But really what it is, is this practice of getting clear on God's best for, for us and for our families and for those around us and, and making sure that we are aligning and realigning because it's going to get out of alignment, those values with God's agenda. You know, a lot of days I just start my day with a restful pause.   I call them in the book, Selah pauses. And I am quite literally, I am sitting before the Lord, my eyes closed and my hands just up in this posture of surrender and receiving. And I will say, Lord, I am surrendering my own agenda, my own expectations for this day. And I want to receive your power, your presence, your peace. And then throughout the day, just taking those checks.   Like I practice these daily Selah pauses and moments of rest because think about Selah in the Psalms. It can mean to pause, to contemplate, to redirect. And we need to do that often because as a day goes on, I think we lose energy and focus. You know, at the beginning of the day, we might feel really like focused. And this is what I'm getting done today. And that can waver like that can wane out as the day goes on. And so, constantly just checking back in.   Okay, Lord, what is it you have for me to do today? And how do I tend to those most important things? But you have to take that restful pause to be able to do that.   Laura Dugger: (18:31 - 18:46) That's good reminder. Okay. So, to check back in with the Lord and then can you give another example of one family and what their value is and how they live that out in their daily life. And maybe even what requires us to say no to.   Eryn Lynum: (18:47 - 20:15) Ooh, that's a fantastic question. Hmm. Can it be for my own family or do you want me to give them love it from your own family?   Okay. I was asked this question recently. Someone asked me, how do you make time to be outside as a family? One of our core family values is to be out exploring in God's creation. And this has been harder in different seasons. And we have two middle schoolers now, you know, we are, we have a lot going on.   And so, it can very quickly happen where at the end of the day, we're like, wow, we really didn't spend much time outdoors today, but how we prioritize this is you do have to say no to other things. So, we're a homeschooling family. And just as an example, it can be very tempting to feel like, am I doing enough? Am I teaching them enough? We need to check off all these boxes and get the lessons done. And it's constantly surrendering that and realizing, you know, I know that our value of being outdoors is important to God. I know that he is meeting my children there. He is meeting me there. He is giving us rest and rejuvenation there.   So, trusting with that, again, going back to the Israelites, stop gathering, stop checking off all the boxes, stop trying to provide and meet your own expectations. And instead stay super focused on what God has called you to and ruthlessly get rid of the rest, anything that's keeping you from that.   Laura Dugger: (20:16 - 20:36) I love that personal example. Thank you for sharing. And how can we also in our own families or in our own life, how can we distinguish which activities are vital for the abundant life in Christ that he offers so that we don't settle for less?   Eryn Lynum: (20:38 - 22:46) I love that you bring up that, that term, the abundant life. In John 10:10, that Christ came, that we might have life and life abundantly overflowing to the fullest, like brimming over is what that word means. And that scripture also says the enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy.   And I believe that one of the enemy's biggest schemes and methods for that is to send us into hurry and hustle mode. And he does that through distraction and discontent. And so, so much of this is pressing back against distraction and discontent and getting back to how God created us to thrive.   And again, I believe that that is through this, this gift of rest. You know, you talk about, you asked about settling for less. The enemy is going to put a million things in our life that would cause us to want to settle for less.   Let me give you an example of him trying to distract us. There was a recent weekend where we were coming up on the weekend, and I had several friends reach out and ask about me doing these things like these different opportunities coming our way. Like, do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? And each of them were for on Saturday and that's usually when our family Sabbaths. And so, I had this tension because these were good things.   It's hard to say no to a good thing, but I kept feeling again and again, the Lord saying, no, rest with your family, rest with your family. And it was so sweet because come Saturday morning, I was out on our back deck sipping coffee with my husband for hours, having incredible conversations, reading great books. The kids are playing in the yard.   Several times I caught myself thinking, I almost said no to this by saying yes to other things. And again, they were good things. This life is full of good things, but God's rest is one of the best things for our families. So, it's learning to be okay with saying no to those good things. So, you can say yes to that better thing.   Laura Dugger: (22:48 - 23:17) Examples are so helpful. And that requires a level of discernment and going to the Lord to ask him, but I'm wondering if you even have a system in place for how you discern that, or is it a gut piece that you follow or any practical ways that each of us can discern what's the right kind of busy that's good. And what's the wrong kind of busy and the things that we want to say no to.   Eryn Lynum: (23:18 - 25:05) Yeah. Going back to, again, busy is not bad. God created us for fruitful work, but I think, you know, when we are following Christ and God's spirit is within us, he's going to give us that sense of this is the right kind of busy.   This is the wrong kind of busy. And practically, you know, if it has any notion of distraction, like if you're doing this thing to just distract you or to procrastinate on better things, if it has a note of busyness, you know, some people will be like, well, some people, the enemy makes us want to think that sitting on our phones can be restful because you're not technically doing much of anything, but that distraction is stealing God's true gift of rest for us.   And so, you know, our family, as we practice Sabbath throughout the week, I know that come Saturday, we have a full day of rest. And sometimes it's tempting to add a little work into there, to let it seep out of those edges of the work week and kind of into our Sabbath. And as you practice this more and more and begin just ruthlessly protecting that time, whether it's a full day, whether you start with a half day, God is going to make you more sensitive to those things. Because sometimes I'll like work it out in my mind, like, oh, this isn't work. And really like it's definitely, it's definitely trying to serve my work during the work week.   And God is saying, no, like step away from that and allow me to refresh and rejuvenate your spirit so that when you go back to the work, you do so much more powerfully energized, restful, and ready to do that work to the very best of your ability with God's power.   Laura Dugger: (25:07 - 25:36) That reminds me of a previous guest I'll link to. He did two episodes, but Jeff Henderson just said he's a pastor too. And he said, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.   I would agree on that, which you've kind of been sharing a little glimpses of your family's experience with Sabbath, but let's just zero in on Sabbath and I'll just try and go through a series of questions. But first what's the importance of Sabbath?   Eryn Lynum: (25:37 - 26:55) Well, first God commands it. Like if God commanded it, then surely it's important, but that can also sometimes cause us to get a little legalistic about it. What is it? What isn't it? Well, it is meant to be a gift, meant to be a blessing. It's meant to empower us and what God created us for and calls us to.   And so, keeping that just center, this is meant to be a gift, but we see it all throughout scripture, the importance of rest and rest in God's design. It's celebration. Like it's not idleness. It's not doing nothing. Although sometimes like that's the most beneficial way that we can rest. Like you talked about a nap.   I love a good nap on Sabbath, but also it can be energizing activities, inspiring activities. I also love a good long walk on Sabbath. Sometimes I love cooking with fresh ingredients and working on a meal during Sabbath because I don't get much opportunity to do that during the week. Sometimes I love going out and working in the garden because that's life giving and I don't have time to do that throughout the week. And so, getting back to this concept, this idea of Sabbath and rest are celebratory. Like when we do it well as a family, it feels like a mini vacation every week.   Laura Dugger: (26:56 - 27:15) Ooh, I love that. My husband said that before about date night and I connect with that, that it's a little mini reprieve, a mini vacation each week. But then that leads me to the question because I bet so many people share their Sabbath activities with you. What do families actually do on this day of rest?   Eryn Lynum: (27:16 - 31:46) Yeah, that's a great question. And first I'll say that it should look different from family to family. We are all in unique seasons. We have different stories, different scenarios. Again, if you can't start with the full day, now I strongly believe strive and work toward that full day. That's God's design.   And we've seen the most blessing from that. But if you have to start smaller with a half day with four hours, start there. So, it's going to look different. If you have newborns, like a newborn child, it's going to look different and that's okay. No going into it, that it's going to be messy. Hebrews says strive toward rest, work toward rest. It's so counter-cultural. We have to work toward it. So, just going in, knowing these things is very helpful.   It's also going to grow, adapt, and change throughout the seasons. Our family has seen that. But a typical Sabbath for our family right now is we follow the traditional Friday evening to Saturday evening for the most part. Some people ask me, why not Sunday? Isn't Sunday the Sabbath? Well, for us, Sunday is set aside for church community and fellowship and corporate worship. And that's so life-giving to our souls. But by the time I get home from church and I'm making lunch for the family, like I'm not rested physically. So, we needed a separate day set aside for rest.   And so, Friday afternoon, we start preparing where we're going to band together and just pick up the house, get it ready, wash all the dishes and just start preparing our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our home for rest. And then we start Friday evening with communion as a family, just breaking bread and celebrating what Christ did on our behalf. And again, that, that idea of celebrate, and this marks it as special. Okay. We're heading into Sabbath. Some families will like light a white candle for Sabbath, just really marking it. And then we have, we toast to the week. So, we'll pour sparkling juice and just toast and say, “Hey, what did we see God do this week?” Like going back to that idea of stop and delight, we are setting a hard stop to the week. We are delighting. What did we see God do? What did he help us overcome? What can we thank Him for from this past week? And then we'll do an easy dinner. Think tacos, take and bake pizza spaghetti.   We use paperware, which is a bit controversial since I work as a master naturalist, but it has been an easy button for Sabbath that I'm not worried about like dishes piling up on the counter. And then we'll, we'll wrap it up with a sweet treat like ice cream and then our kids go to bed, or they'll listen to audio books. Audio books have been massive for our Sabbath because they're screen-free because we do put away all screens and work like devices on Sabbath, but they can listen to good books.   And my husband and I, we read, like people ask me, when do you find time to read? You don't find time to read. You have to make time to read. And for us, that's on the Sabbath mostly. And then Saturday we sleep in, we get up pretty early during the week and the kids just know like you don't wake mom and dad on the Sabbath. Like that's their day to sleep in.   Again, if you have a newborn or young children, that's gonna look different and that's okay. But for us, that's the season that we're in and our kids, they'll make themselves first breakfast and then eventually we'll get up and we'll join them for a second breakfast or some Sabbath. I don't want to cook at all. And so, it's just take and forage. And you know, I usually have a grocery delivery the day before or go to the grocery store and make sure we just have a ton of good stuff in the house. So, no one's, you know, everyone has what they need.   Then the rest of the day, it is just a day of delight. Reading books, playing games, being out in creation, visiting with neighbors, having great conversations together. Sabbath is this space where you get to do all those things during the week that you're like, oh, I wish I had time for that and you just don't get to them. Like recently my daughter during the week, she really wanted me, she's seven. She wanted me to sit down and watercolor paint with her, which I love doing, but it was a really busy week. And I just didn't have the space.   And so, I told her like, “Hey, I would love to do that. Can we do that on Sabbath?” And she was so happy with that answer. And come that Sabbath a few days later, she remembered, she came up to me. She's like, mom, it's time to paint. And she got all the supplies, and we went and sat outside at our picnic table and painted for the afternoon.   You know, Sabbath does so much for me as a mom to remove that guilt of the things I don't feel like I have time for because I know, and my kids know, Sabbath is coming and that's our day to be together and do those things.   Laura Dugger: (31:47 - 31:57) Hmm. Okay. That makes me curious. Then to how much of a vote does everyone in the family get for what Sabbath will look like?   Eryn Lynum: (31:57 - 34:02) Oh, that is a great question. No one's ever phrased it to me like that before. I love that. What we found that's been important to keep in mind is that we all individually find different things, restful and inspiring. I'll give you an example. One Sabbath, my husband, especially in the spring, he loves to work in the yard on Sabbath because he spends most of his week. He runs a construction company on the computer or on the phone. And so, in the spring, he wants to be out in the yard and trimming his fruit trees and just working with God's creation. And so, one Sabbath he comes and he has like the clippers in his hand and he's like, “Hey, let's go work on the yard.”   And I was like, that's great. You do that. I'm going to go read my book in the hammock. And I fell asleep for two hours while he worked on the yard. And so, a lot of this is being okay that yes, a lot of it's going to be together. Like I talked about, we did, we do communion together and we do meals together. And a lot of times we'll be out on a hike together. That's a favorite Sabbath activity. But a lot of times we're also doing separate activities.   The kids are enjoying their books or their audio books or their painting or their, uh, visiting the neighbor kids. And my husband and I are reading books on the back deck. And so, it's okay that there's going to be some together time and some separate time, you know, just being flexible with it. Like our first year of Sabbath, we went, we had to go like hardcore. We had to learn to stay. I think about in the book, I talk about the word abide meno in the Greek and it can mean to stay, to dwell, to remain.   So, we've spent our first year of Sabbath, not getting in the car. We stayed home and learned to just be home together. And after that year, we started to miss our time. We live in Colorado, missing our time hiking in the mountains. And so, we changed it. We said, okay, well, toward the end of Sabbath Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, let's go hike or let's go have a picnic in the wilderness. And just being open to that, that God's going to change you as a family and change you individually. And just growing up in a Sabbath practice together.   Laura Dugger: (34:03 - 34:20) I like the freedom that you're communicating there. And then when you mentioned the neighborhood kids, it makes me curious. Do you encourage community for some of those who recharge with other people? Would you recommend Sabbath thing with others or just keeping it your family?   Eryn Lynum: (34:21 - 36:16) Absolutely. We love inviting others into Sabbath. And it actually started with, we started our Sabbath practice. It was so sweet because God convinced us to do this. And then our first Sabbath was on January 1st. That happened to be the first Saturday that we did it. So, it was like this fresh start. And right around that time, we had moved to a new neighborhood. And our neighbors near us are Messianic Jews.   And they follow Shabbat, the traditional Shabbat. And they invited us into that. It was the sweetest evening, and they have children, young children, like we do. So, like there's chaos and there's mess. And then there's sweet times of singing together and scripture reading. And they follow it much more the traditional method than our family has.   But it was so sweet to be invited into that and to get a picture for how to invite others into this rest. And so, absolutely, we encourage, especially our kids having friends over. And we do usually ask parents, hey, can you drop them off? And then we can bring them back maybe like later that day toward the end of our Sabbath. Or if you want to come pick them up. Because again, we like to just stay home if we can.   But our kids are to the point now too where they can ride their bikes over to friends' houses. And we're fine with that. They might not be home on Sabbath once in a while. It's not a regular thing. But they're getting fed. And we know that the people they're with are people who share our values, people that we do life together.   We love having bonfires in the backyard on Sabbath. Now one thing I have to be careful of is I don't want to invite people over and feel like I need to host or clean up first. And so, for one, we don't have full families over a whole lot on Sabbath because I just don't want any sort of self-induced, self-imposed pressure.   But sometimes it's so much fun to just be like, hey, let's go meet at a park and have a picnic dinner. Or let's have a family over and do a bonfire. Just making sure that you're keeping it really, really simple if you are going to incorporate community.   Laura Dugger: (36:17 - 37:54) Guess what? We are no longer an audio-only podcast. We now have video included as well. If you want to view the conversation each week, make sure you watch our videos. We're on YouTube, and you can access videos or find answers to any of your other questions about the podcast when you visit thesavvysauce.com.   Some of these things, like you said, “They do require forethought where you have the groceries coming or certain things in place. And I think you even refer to it as a sacred striving.” So, it's important for us to learn more about that. And here's a quick story.   I just remember we've moved states quite a few times in marriage. But when I was a young mom, there was a mom in the next season of life, and she had more kids than we did. And we went to church together, and she was just like, “Oh, we learned about Sabbath. That's not a thing for moms with multiples.” And I always wrestled with that, and I love her. She's a wonderful person. Maybe she's even changed her stance on that, so it's not to speak ill of her. But I do think that we can struggle with that because that's not an actual truth. I do think that's a message from the enemy.   So, I guess this is a two-part question. How do we protect ourselves from buying into a storyline that is not true that may hold us back from Sabbath? And then also, what is kind of the both and? It's both restful, and it requires a lot of work up front to make this a reality.   Eryn Lynum: (37:55 - 41:19) It does, and knowing that, that it is going to take work, but God's going to bless it. Think about Isaiah 55:10-11, that says, “Just like the rain and the snow go forth and produce life and bring forth life from the land, so my work goes out and does not return void or empty. It produces that which I sent it out for.”.   That is true for Sabbath and rest because, again, we find it all throughout scripture. So, know that it's going to take hard work, but God will not allow it to return void. He will bless our efforts as we step into His design that He created us for.   I talk about in the book a few ways that you have to prepare mentally, physically, and spiritually. So, mentally, for me, I have to just totally remove anything mentally that's going to distract me from rest. So, I own a business, and so a lot of my work is on the computer and on the phone. I will answer, so this is like Friday, I'll answer any lingering emails, those ones that are going to be on my mind if I don't get to them. And then I put an away message on my email. So, if anyone emails me on our Sabbath, it sends an automatic reply that says, hey, thanks for your message. My family's resting. It has a little blurb in there about Sabbath. I'll get back to you in the new week.   That gives me permission to not even look at my email. In fact, people expect that I'm not looking at my email if I'm keeping my word. And so, this has just freed me up mentally to step away, and then I literally put my laptop in my closet.   With my phone, I set it to a Sabbath mode, and you can create these different focus modes if you have a smartphone, so that I can only receive messages from my mom in case of emergency. And our people, our friends, they all know this now. Like, oh, I'm not going to hear back from Erin because it's Saturday for the most part.   And so, these little things that you might just need to mentally prepare yourself. And then physically, that goes back to preparing our home. So, this is not a deep clean that we do prior to Sabbath. It's just tending to the things that are going to distract me if we don't get to them beforehand. So, again, washing all the dishes and having the kitchen clean, vacuuming. Like, that's like just a hack to make the house feel clean is I feel like it's clean if it's vacuumed.   So, just these little things, and then physically also doing that grocery order. And I have a free Sabbath guide on my website, erinlynum.com/family-sabbath. And it walks you through creating your Sabbath grocery list so that every week you have what you need in the house. These little things that truly make it, Sabbath easier and more successful.   And then preparing spiritually, going into this, like a lot of times I'll know, okay, I'm going to study this on Sabbath. For our first year, I just had like this stack of books on Sabbath that I would work through on our Sabbath. Right now, I am parked in Genesis 1 and have been for weeks. And so, just preparing spiritually, you know, this is a time of communion with our creator, with our heavenly father. And so, just having an idea of, you know, this is how I want to spend time delighting in God on the Sabbath.   That might be a long walk. That might be time in the word or time of worship but making sure that that is a keystone part of your Sabbath practice.   Laura Dugger: (41:20 - 41:45) And, you know, it really is possible. I just think so many of us celebrate holidays and we do the same thing where we plan, prepare, prioritize ahead of time so that we can delight in that day. And what a gift to get to do that weekly. So, with all of these amazing benefits, why do we still resist God's design for rest?   Eryn Lynum: (41:46 - 43:00) Because we live in a fallen world, broken by sin, and the enemy wants to do everything he can to keep us from this. This is God's design and our faith, and our souls and our families flourish in this design. And so, the enemy is going to do whatever he can to keep us from it.   He's going to insert fear. He's going to insert distraction. He's going to insert doubt. You know, when we started this practice coming up to it, I was thinking, there's no way, like how are we going to get everything done in one last day a week, all these doubts. And yet what we found so quickly is that as we took this step of faith, we quickly became so much more productive and effective and creative during the work week, because we were starting from rest and following God's design.   We resist this because it is counter-cultural. Everything in society is set up against us doing this and succeeding in this. So, again, going and knowing that our war is not against flesh and blood. It is against the powers of the spheres, like things unseen. The enemy is against us, but God is on our side. And as we step into his design, he's going to make much of it.   Laura Dugger: (43:01 - 43:12) Okay. So, if we are convinced and we want to give this a try, what is a practical first step to just obeying this and receiving this gift of rest?   Eryn Lynum: (43:13 - 45:23) Yeah, super practical here. Two first steps. The first is to set a day and time. Now you're not committing to this forever. And again, if you, if a big hesitancy here is I can't do a full day. Okay. Work and pray toward that but start smaller. If it's four hours on a Wednesday, guard that time. Ruthlessly guard it. Don't let anything be written on the schedule besides that.   So, set a day in time and then write two lists. This is going back to the idea of stop and delight, right? Your stop list. These are things that send you into hurry and hustle mode, things that are related to normal work, things that feel heavy. Some of them are so important.   Again, our work is important, but this is going to be things like devices, media, regular work, answering emails, phone calls. It might be driving in traffic. It might be spending money. Write down those things that feel heavy. That's your stop list. The things you're not going to entertain on that day or that time.   And then write your delight list. This might be hard at first because what I've found with myself, with many of us is that we forget what we delight in but causes that childlike sense of play and wonder. This is learning to be human again, coming back to those things.   So, it might be playing music or listening to music, working with fresh ingredients, reading a good book, writing by hand, watercolor painting, going for a walk. What we find is that a lot of people who spend time during the week in front of a computer want to be outdoors on the Sabbath, but people who run a landscaping company might want to be inside with a great book. So, just writing down those things that are, again, those things that you think during the week, oh, I really wish I could get to that.   Only we don't. Those are your delight list. So, now you have a day and a time. You know what you're not going to do, what you're setting aside, even physically, that should probably most definitely be your phone. Stick it in a drawer. I have my Sabbath drawer where I put my phone, and then you know what you're going to do and spend that day on.   Laura Dugger: (45:24 - 45:47) That's so good. And for those who have been listening for a while, they could even put their phone in their RO box, and I could link to that episode as well with Joey Odom. That's incredible about where our phone could be in its right place.   But Eryn, are there any other practical benefits that we might be missing out on that you've seen as a result of this Sabbath rest?   Eryn Lynum: (45:48 - 49:44) One of my favorite benefits is how it unlocks our creativity. Whether you work in a career or position that you consider creative or not, God designed all of us to be creative, to produce. And so, what I have found is that my work, my work is very in that creative sphere, writing books, creating podcast lessons for children.   It's very creative work. And I've found that Sabbath is this day where God gives my mind rest. It's so incredible thinking about how he wired our brains to thrive through rest, and science points to that that a restful mind is better at problem-solving, connecting ideas, remembering details.   And so, as my mind is allowed to rest on Sabbath, and I'm out on a walk in nature, or I'm reading a good book, or I'm writing by hand, when it comes time to sit down at the computer Monday morning, I am ready. I am flowing with ideas. They are there.   And I'll give you an example. This one isn't from Sabbath. It's from one of my daily rest rhythms that I call Selah Pause, and that's a walk in the morning. And this might be a little controversial, but this is not an easy stroll. I have my rucking pack on, and I'm trekking up a hill, which is not physically restful, of course, but it's mentally restful for me. I love it.   And so, it was in January, so it's frigid out, and everything's covered in snow, and I'm in all my snow gear, and I'm trudging up this hill. And at the time, I was dealing with a problem in my podcast where it was a good problem. We had spent the month teaching about God's designs in the human body. So, we had taught kids about God's designs in cells and DNA and the heart and the brain, but I didn't want to just let this series end. I wanted to wrap it up in some powerful way, and I didn't know how. So, I could have stayed home that morning and hashed this out and been at the computer, and how should I end this thing?   Instead, I went on this walk, and God just dropped this idea in my mind. And it was this idea. He said, ask the kids how they are wonderfully made. And that was the top. The theme was wonderfully made. And so, I put it out there to my email list. When I got back from that walk, I said, hey, I would love to hear how you kids believe you are wonderfully made by the creator. And I opened up this little voice mailbox on our website, and I didn't know if anyone would respond. And then I'm like, what if they don't? And then I don't know what to do because I said I'm going to do this thing.   I tell you, message after message came in from children from ages. I think it was three or four up to 14 from all over the world. And I was weeping as I edited that episode. I had planned to add something at the beginning and the end to build out this episode. I didn't do that because it was, I believe it's 22 minutes straight of children saying, this is my name.   I'm five years old. I live in England and I'm wonderfully made because God made me to read well or God made me fast. Or one little boy shared, he said, I know I'm wonderfully made because my mama lost a baby before me. And I'm here and I'm wonderfully made. And I'm weeping.   And this idea that God gave me, I would have missed it if I hadn't taken that pause to be out in his creation walking that day. And so, that's a very roundabout way to get back to your question of what are the other benefits? We hear from God when we make time for rest. And if we keep just rushing and hurrying, I'm concerned that we are walking by so many opportunities to hear from his spirit and to let him unlock that potential within us.   Laura Dugger: (49:45 - 50:22) Oh, I love that. And I'm even reminded of one other thing that you write in your book that today, one way we can practically experience his original design of rest is by stepping outside. And you're full of tips and ideas like that, but I so appreciate those stories.   So, you've equipped us with this foundation of rest and ways that we can prepare for it, how we can enjoy and delight in it. And so now, Eryn, how can we reflect well on our rhythms of work and rest?   Eryn Lynum: (50:25 - 53:19) So, much of this is reflection. So, much of this is stopping to consider where God is at work in our lives, where we need to recalibrate, where we need to realign, where we need to step back into his pace because we're trying to run ahead of him. And one way that we can see it, you know, like you might ask the question, am I at rest? Even me sometimes on Sabbath, I'm like, am I doing this right? Like, is this actually restful? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?   I think we can answer that question by the fruit in our lives, the fruit inside of us that God is producing and the fruit that we are producing. So, one thing I kind of sum up the book on is this question of, are you growing in truth and love? Because the enemy, when he gets us away from God's rest and into hustle, into distraction and hurry, we are not fully experiencing God.   And so, our levels of experiencing his love and offering it to others is going to suffer. Our experience of hearing his truth and living that truth out in our lives is going to suffer. And so, the opposite is true that as we live at rest, this whole concept of abide, that is living at rest, not just these rest practices, but living at rest in God's restful presence, we are going to be producing more love and more truth.   So, that's like a key visual. And then I love on that idea of abide. We spent a whole week on abide in the book and, you know, John chapter 15 being the abide passage. And what we see there is there's these 11 mentions of that word abide. And they all refer to us abiding in Christ, Christ abiding in us, God's word abiding in us. So, all this connectivity between Christ and God and us and his word.   But then it's, I think it's verse 16. There's a different mention of meno, abide. And it says that he wants us to go out and produce fruit that abides. So, this is different. It relates to our fruit and that word abide. Yes, it can mean dwell, remain, stay, but it can also mean continue and endure.   God created us to produce fruit and fruit that endures. Doesn't rot, doesn't fade, but continues into eternity. So, we can look at, okay, am I personally in my spirit? Am I growing in truth and love? Because God's spirit actually has the space to minister to me when I rest. And is that rest directly affecting the fruit of my life?   These are key things that we can look at and ask to see. Are we truly living from God's rest?   Laura Dugger: (53:19 - 53:53) I love questions so much. And that's so good to reflect then on the fruit that's being produced. And a mentor many years ago said, you never reap what you sow in the same season. So, that's a great place to even begin just reflecting. What did we do in the past season and what fruit are we reaping now? And where do we want to go then from here?   And one place we could go from here after this chat is to follow you. And you've mentioned your podcast. Do you want to elaborate on all the places that you're available?   Eryn Lynum: (53:54 - 55:03) Yes, thank you. So, the new book, The Nature of Rest is available wherever you get your books, along with my second book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation. And that's all about taking our kids or grandkids, the next generation outside and reconnecting the dots between creation and creator. Really returning nature study and time outdoors to its proper place as theology and the study of God.   So, those are available anywhere, including Amazon or my website, which is my name, erynlynum.com. And then my podcast is Nat Theo, short for Natural Theology. It's nature lessons rooted in the Bible. It's a podcast for kids and families where we dive deep into science and all the design and intelligence we see in creatures and plants. And we tie it all back to biblical truth so that our kids are learning science and theology at the same time.   And that's available on any podcast platform, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, right on my website, erinlynum.com, as well as YouTube. We actually provide visuals so you can watch what you're learning about as well.   Laura Dugger: (55:04 - 55:22) So, incredible. We will add links to that in the show notes for today's episode. And Eryn, you may already be familiar. We're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Eryn Lynum: (55:24 - 56:34) I love this question. And this is one that actually I was like, oh, I'm not asked this much. I'm going to have to really think deeply on this one.   It's get outside every day. That seems so simple, even though it's not really simple in practicality. But one thing I've learned through rest and through time outdoors is that 10 minutes matters. Like if you think I don't have time for this, but you have a 10 minute slot, go for a walk and see how God just communes with your spirit. Even in the dead of winter, if you live somewhere cold, like if it's safe to do so. For me, I had to buy like the best pair of snow pants I could find because I used to really dislike the winter. And I would just become like really down in those winter months.   And so, God just convinced me, don't go outside every single day if it's for 10 minutes. And then pretty often he just extends that. Like I think I'm going out for 10 minutes. And sure enough, I'm like playing with my kids outside. It's much longer.   But yeah, as best as you can, just prioritize that. If you have to do it first thing in the morning to make sure it happens, go for a walk and watch the sunrise. And God is going to minister to your soul through his creation.   Laura Dugger: (56:35 - 56:54) Amen. Amen. That is so good.   And this conversation has been so rich. Eryn, it is just very clear you have filled up on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you have just poured out goodness and love and truth for all of us, all over all of us today. So, thank you for all that you shared. And thank you for being my guest.   Eryn Lynum: (56:55 - 57:03) Thank you. Thank you so much for that encouragement. That means a whole lot to me. So, thank you. And for the opportunity for a great conversation.   Laura Dugger: (57:03 - 1:03:10) I really enjoyed it.    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.

What if the thing keeping you stuck isn't your past but the story you're telling yourself about it?In John 5, Jesus meets a man who's been stuck for 38 years and asks a question that feels almost offensive: “Do you want to get well?” This message digs into how labels, excuses, and a quiet victim mindset can keep us on the mat even when Jesus is standing right in front of us. It's honest about real pain while confronting the patterns that shrink our faith and limit what we believe is possible.This story isn't just about healing legs. It's about healing identity. Jesus doesn't shame the man, but He does challenge him to move. When we stop letting our wounds define us and start trusting what Jesus can do, agency returns, faith grows, and hope comes back online. The Father is still working, and that means you're not finished yet.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Exodus 25-27 ; Acts 6 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode for January 30th, Hunter guides us on a journey through Exodus 25-27 and Acts 6, inviting listeners to move beyond just reading pages and instead open their hearts to the life-changing love of Jesus. You'll hear detailed readings from scripture—diving into the intricate instructions for the tabernacle and witnessing the early church's challenges and growth as Stephen steps into leadership. But this episode is more than just scripture; Hunter reflects on how the tabernacle was a foreshadowing of Christ, who now invites us all into a deeper, abiding relationship with God. Together, we'll pray, meditate, and remember that each day is an opportunity to experience God's mercy, joy, and peace. No matter where you are in your journey, you'll leave this episode encouraged, reminded that you are loved, and inspired to continue walking in God's grace. TODAY'S DEVOTION: What's it all about? The seemingly endless list of tabernacle instructions are so specific, so exact, it can leave a person wondering what it's all about. The tabernacle was a place where God would meet man in a unique way. It was an intersection between heaven and earth, between God and man. The covenant between God and his people was affirmed there. The stone tablets of the covenant were stored there in the ark. The lid of the ark was the place of atonement. All these things were taking place in the tabernacle. And we are told that the tabernacle was a pattern of things that were in heaven. The tabernacle helped tell the story of God, of his love and salvation that he brings to the whole world. This was an important place. These are important symbols. But it was only a shadow of something far greater, of things yet to come. It was a shadow of Christ. Christ came to be the intersection between heaven and earth. He came to tabernacle and dwell with us. He was the place of atonement—the person of atonement that takes away the sins of the world. In John 2:19, Jesus says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He's referring to himself there, his own body, because he's the fulfillment of the shadow we see in Exodus. We're not only reconciled to God through his body, he's also given us his life right here, right now. We see this in Stephen. He was full of the Spirit and wisdom, so full that his countenance is being lit up. He's dwelling, he's abiding in the tabernacle, if you will—in Christ. He's abiding in Christ at that very moment. And we too can experience this abiding life in Christ. We can abide in the greater tabernacle—in Him. We can live from this place of forgiveness in his presence. And we too can find the power for life and healing here and now. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I will see this through the shadows of these pages and that I will see it even through the shadows of day-to-day life, that I'll have ears to hear, eyes that are wide open to abide in the mercy and the grace of this given day, to abide in Him. That's the prayer that I have for my soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Send me a Text Message!In John 3, a man comes to Jesus looking for something more. He sensed in his spirit that Jesus might show him the way to something more. But Jesus' words confused him just a bit. Jesus said, if you want something more, "You must be born again." What in the world does that mean? It means that in Jesus, God offers us something more that's so radically different that it's like being born all over again; like starting over and being delivered into a whole new world, for a whole new life. It's not just more of the same old, same old. It's not just like before only better. It's not cosmetic or marginal; you are on your way to a breathtaking,  supernatural, eternally new life. Are you looking for something more?

What if the thing you're most ashamed of is exactly where Jesus wants to meet you? This message flips everything you thought about Jesus on its head. He's not floating above your mess—He's sitting right in it. In John 4, we see Jesus intentionally walk into a place everyone else avoided, to meet a woman everyone else rejected. She wasn't clean, perfect, or put together. She was tired, ashamed, hiding. And Jesus met her there. Maybe you think you're too far gone. Too broken. This story proves you're exactly who He's looking for.What starts as a casual conversation by a well turns into a soul-deep rescue. Jesus doesn't avoid her past—He names it, not to shame her, but to free her. Her shame becomes her story. Her story becomes a testimony. And her testimony leads an entire town to believe. Jesus does the same for us. He doesn't need the version of you you're trying to fake—He wants the real you. The tired you. The hurting you. The hiding you. He knows everything you've ever done, and He still wants you.

What if God had more for you than just getting by, surviving the week, or maintaining the status quo? In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that He has come to give us abundant life! In this message, we dive into what it looks like to stop settling and take intentional steps toward the full, meaningful life God has designed for us.

God's Love is in plain sight all around us, yet it seems so obscure. We may feel orphaned from homes where we once experienced spiritual vitality. Coercion and condemnation have left us on the streets looking for a better way. In John's gospel, Jesus' first words are, “What are you looking for?” and they're followed by an invitation to “come and see.” We aren't given certainty or a system to sell. We are invited to experience a common and awe-inspiring grace as we abide with Jesus. Where do people find transforming grace at Vox? What particular ways are we invited to embody Divine grace and invite others to experience this sustaining grace with us?  On this third week of our series, Vanessa Maleare reflects on what makes invitations to grow and companion one another meaningful and transformative. Reflection Questions: Who has been a “friend to your heart”? What are you seeking/looking for? What do you need from your intimate connection with Jesus?

In John 9 and 10, Jesus opens blind eyes and reveals Himself as the Good Shepherd. He moves people from blindness to belonging and declares that His sheep hear His voice. In this message Pastor Andrew Fish invites us to examine what we truly see, whose voice we trust, and how life is found by following the One who knows us and leads us into pasture.

In John 14 Jesus shares many deep redemptive truths with His disciples in the Upper Room right before His arrest. What does it mean for Jesus to prepare a ‘room' for us in the Father's House? What does it mean to pray in His Name? What does it mean that when we see Jesus we see the Father? Join us and find out!

The heart of following Jesus isn't rules or religious duty. It's relationship. We're not asking, "What do I have to do to stay in line?" We're asking, "Who do I get to love?" In John 15:12–17, Jesus invites us to live from love, not obligation—loving others as a response to being loved by Him. Scriptures: John 15:12-17

Send me a Text Message!As I was working on this episode, I couldn't get a song out of my head. It's a simple song that I learned in church as a kid. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..." In John 1 we find that Jesus is not only the Word of God, He is the light of the world. And when His light shine the darkness cannot win. But if you can get past the grand metaphors and visions of light battling darkness, at the heart of John 1 is a messy love story. In the midst of our darkness and our mess, he relentlessly pursues you. Even as you walk the Jesus way, His heart is relentlessly pursuing you.

In John 8, we see a rare look at the tenderness that Jesus uses in handling a soul in need. A woman accused stands in undeniable shame and sin, yet the Savior silences her prideful accusers and frees her to begin a new life.

“This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.” (Mark 5:3–4 NLT) Mark 5 tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. In our last devotion, we looked at the spirit of fear the man inspired. Today we’re going to talk about the problem he presented and, specifically, what to do when a problem is bigger than our ability to solve. Obviously, the demon-possessed man was a pressing problem for the people in the region of the Gerasenes. He was society’s problem back in the day. And if you read between the lines of Mark 5:3–4, you get a glimpse of how society handled the problem. “He was put into chains and shackles” (verse 4 NLT). Society’s solution was to limit his freedom, to incapacitate him so that he wouldn’t be a menace to others. The snapped chains and smashed shackles tell us how well society’s solution worked. Obviously, community intervention can be a valuable resource for people who are struggling. But in this case, the man’s struggle was spiritual. The community could do nothing to help him because the problem exceeded their resources. Isn’t it interesting that with all our wonderful achievements today, society still cannot deal with problems caused by Satan and sin? We cannot overcome Satan in our own power. We don’t know what to do. Society doesn’t have the answers. Like the demon-possessed man, we need a Savior to help us. Look at what happened when the Savior came into the man’s life. Jesus went to the spooky little graveyard where the man lived. Jesus looked past the man’s horrific physical appearance and saw the hurting, tortured soul within. And Jesus offered what was His exclusively to give: hope. What society could not do to release the man from Satan and sin, Jesus did with one simple command. “Come out of the man, you evil spirit” (Mark 5:8 NLT). Immediately, the demons came out of the man, as commanded. Jesus transformed the man’s life by setting him free. That’s what He does. In John 8:36, He says, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (NLT). Jesus does what no one else can. He reaches those no one else can. If this story of the demon-possessed man teaches us anything, it’s that no one is ever too far gone for the Lord. No one is ever a lost cause. There is always reason for hope. Jesus Christ can transform your life and make you free, too. God’s people know that’s true, because He has already done it for us. Come to Him; let Him make you free. Let Him be your Savior. Reflection question: What does it mean to you that no one is ever too far gone, as far as the Lord is concerned? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to be sent by Jesus with the gospel and the Holy Spirit? In John 20, Pastor Adam Mabry shows that mission doesn't begin with pressure or performance, but with peace, purpose, people, and the power of the Spirit. As Jesus sends his disciples just as the Father sent him, we too are sent with God's pleasure, shaped by God's purpose, surrounded by God's people, and empowered by God's Spirit.

Series: EssentialsWeek 3 Title: Experience FreedomBig Idea:Freedom is not found where truth is absent. Freedom is found where truth and grace collide. Jesus confronts sin, but removes condemnation.WEEK 3 - EXPERIENCE FREEDOMWe all want freedom, but we often define it incorrectly—as the absence of consequences, confrontation, or accountability. Biblical freedom is far deeper. True freedom is becoming who God created you to be.In John 8, a woman caught in adultery is dragged into public shame and used as a trap for Jesus. This story is not just about sexual sin—it's about what happens when truth and grace collide.Shame exposes but never heals. It puts us on display, reduces us to our worst moment, and tells us, “This is who you are.” Shame doesn't lead to repentance—it leads to hiding. What binds us is not what we've done or what's been done to us, but what we believe about ourselves because of it.Jesus confronts the religious leaders first. They know the Law but not the heart of God. They use truth as a weapon instead of a mirror. When Jesus says, “Let anyone without sin throw the first stone,” He exposes their hypocrisy and forces them to examine their own hearts. One by one, the stones drop. Condemnation is loud at first, but it never survives in the presence of Jesus.When Jesus speaks to the woman, He removes condemnation before confronting sin. “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” Grace does not deny truth—it changes the outcome. Condemnation says, “This is who you are.” Grace says, “This is not how your story ends.”Real freedom begins when condemnation loses its authority. We don't change in order to become free—we change because freedom has already been given. We live from freedom, not for it. When shame is removed, sin loses its leverage, and transformation becomes possible.Jesus doesn't ignore sin, but He refuses to define us by it. Truth and grace collide—and freedom is finally experienced.

What does it mean to be sent by Jesus with the gospel and the Holy Spirit? In John 20, Pastor Justin Chapman shows that mission doesn't begin with pressure or performance, but with peace, purpose, people, and the power of the Spirit. As Jesus sends his disciples just as the Father sent him, we too are sent with God's pleasure, shaped by God's purpose, surrounded by God's people, and empowered by God's Spirit.

Hello, friend! I sure hope you're doing well today! Being a Promised Land person does not guarantee you a problem-free life. In fact, it guarantees the opposite. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Knowing that, what do you do? Follow the example of Caleb in Joshua, Chapter 14, and set your mind on a holy cause.

“When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him.” (Mark 5:2 NLT) One of the most memorable stories in the Gospel of Mark is Jesus’ encounter with a demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. Over the next few days, we’re going to look at this encounter from different perspectives. Today, we’re going to focus on the fear the man inspired. The description of the man in Mark 5 reads like something out of a horror novel. “This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones” (verses 3–5 NLT). The people of the region were understandably frightened of the man. Jesus, on the other hand, was not. Jesus could see that, underneath the horrendous exterior, lay a tortured soul. He could see Satan at work in the man’s life, trying to destroy him. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (NLT). God has a wonderful plan for people because He loves us. The devil, on the other hand, has horrible plans for people’s lives because he hates us. In John 12:31, Jesus refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (NLT). But he’s a lame duck. He’s already been defeated. His judgment is certain. And his reign will end when Jesus returns. Until that time, though, he will do everything in his power to interfere with God’s plans for His people. Because he hates us. And one of the tactics he uses is fear. The people of the region of the Gerasenes were limited in what they could do about—and for—the demon-possessed man because they were afraid of him. Jesus, because He had no fear of the man, could see the situation from a clear-eyed perspective. The apostle Paul wrote, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). David wrote, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 NLT). Fear need not be an obstacle for God’s people. Whether the potential frightener is a person, a diagnosis, job insecurity, a financial hardship, a relationship problem, or some other circumstance beyond our control, believers can claim God’s power and remove fear from the equation. Just as Jesus approached the demon-possessed man, we can approach the havoc our enemy creates in our lives from a godly, clear-eyed perspective. Reflection question: How can you remove the spirit of fear from a situation you’re facing right now? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello, friend! I sure hope you're doing well today! Being a Promised Land person does not guarantee you a problem-free life. In fact, it guarantees the opposite. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Knowing that, what do you do? Follow the example of Caleb in Joshua, Chapter 14, and set your mind on a holy cause.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260118dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 Closer than Cousins Jesus and John the Baptist were relatives. Their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, were kinswomen or “cousins.” This would make Jesus and John cousins. But their closeness to one another exceeded a blood relationship. John was a herald and forerunner, the announcer of Christ’s coming. To this day, he prepares our hearts to receive the Savior by preaching repentance and faith. He preaches not only law but also gospel: “All mankind will see God’s salvation” (Luke 3:6). Again, pointing to Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). How close this witness bearer was to Jesus! And Jesus was close to John, at whose hands he was baptized. In John 5:35, he calls John a “lamp that burned and gave light.” Further: “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). At that point in time, Jesus was still lingering in the background. Only after his baptism in the Jordan would he come to the forefront to begin his public ministry. And then Jesus would increase, but John would decrease. It’s tempting to be jealous of how close John was to Jesus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be Jesus' blood relative? But the truth is, every follower of Jesus is closer to him than we imagine. He loves us more than we can fully know. He is with us every moment of every day. When we receive the Lord’s Supper, we receive his true body and blood along with the forgiveness it won for us. You really can't get any closer than that! Rejoice in how close Jesus is to you—closer even than cousins! Prayer: Jesus, walk with me this day as you have promised. May all I do and say be pleasing to you. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

In John 13 we step into the final week of Christ's earthly ministry—holy, heavy, and deeply personal. Knowing his hour has come, Jesus doesn't spend these last moments protecting himself; he spends them loving “his own… unto the end,” even with betrayal already taking root in Judas' heart. Then the unthinkable happens: the Master takes a towel and a basin and stoops to wash dirty feet—an acted sermon that exposes our pride, confronts our discomfort with his humiliation, and points us straight to the cleansing we can only receive through him. And when he's done, he turns the basin toward us: in the body of Christ, no one is too high to serve and no one is too low to be served—because real ministry is never just a task; it's a testimony of love.

God's Love is in plain sight all around us, yet it seems so obscure. We may feel orphaned from homes where we once experienced spiritual vitality. Coercion and condemnation have left us on the streets looking for a better way. In John's gospel, Jesus' first words are, “What are you looking for?” and they're followed by an invitation to “come and see.” We aren't given certainty or a system to sell. We are invited to experience a common and awe-inspiring grace as we abide with Jesus. Where do people find transforming grace at Vox? What particular ways are we invited to embody Divine grace and invite others to experience this sustaining grace with us?  On this third week of our series, Vanessa Maleare reflects on what makes invitations to grow and companion one another meaningful and transformative. Reflection Questions: Who has been a “friend to your heart”? What are you seeking/looking for? What do you need from your intimate connection with Jesus?

We often see life through the lens of our expectations rather than God's reality. In John 16 and John 12, we encounter Jesus preparing His disciples for the most confusing week of their lives—Holy Week. Despite Jesus explicitly telling them He would leave for a little while but return, despite witnessing Lazarus raised from the dead just days earlier, the disciples still scattered in confusion when the crucifixion came. Why? Because they saw what they expected to see, not what God was actually doing. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey—fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy—not as the conquering warrior they wanted, but as the sacrificial lamb they needed. He entered through the same gate where Passover lambs were brought for sacrifice, symbolizing His true mission. The crowd's 'Hosanna' quickly turned to 'Crucify Him' when their expectations weren't met. This challenges us profoundly: Are we missing what God is doing in our lives because He's not meeting our expectations? Are we worshiping Jesus for what He can do for us, or for who He truly is? Jesus uses the powerful image of a seed that must die to produce fruit—what looks like the end is actually the beginning. When God buries things in our lives, He's not destroying them; He's planting them for resurrection. We must ask ourselves: Do we have good expectations or great expectations? Can we trust that God's disappointments are appointments with something greater?

In John 17, Jesus' final prayer reveals His deep desire for His followers to be marked by unity, a unity that reflects the very nature of God and points the world to Him. In this message, we explore why unity is essential to the life of a disciple and how our relationships become a powerful witness to the gospel. Discover how living united can transform our families, our church, and our community.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260118dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 Closer than Cousins Jesus and John the Baptist were relatives. Their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, were kinswomen or “cousins.” This would make Jesus and John cousins. But their closeness to one another exceeded a blood relationship. John was a herald and forerunner, the announcer of Christ’s coming. To this day, he prepares our hearts to receive the Savior by preaching repentance and faith. He preaches not only law but also gospel: “All mankind will see God’s salvation” (Luke 3:6). Again, pointing to Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). How close this witness bearer was to Jesus! And Jesus was close to John, at whose hands he was baptized. In John 5:35, he calls John a “lamp that burned and gave light.” Further: “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). At that point in time, Jesus was still lingering in the background. Only after his baptism in the Jordan would he come to the forefront to begin his public ministry. And then Jesus would increase, but John would decrease. It’s tempting to be jealous of how close John was to Jesus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be Jesus' blood relative? But the truth is, every follower of Jesus is closer to him than we imagine. He loves us more than we can fully know. He is with us every moment of every day. When we receive the Lord’s Supper, we receive his true body and blood along with the forgiveness it won for us. You really can't get any closer than that! Rejoice in how close Jesus is to you—closer even than cousins! Prayer: Jesus, walk with me this day as you have promised. May all I do and say be pleasing to you. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Join us as we worship the Lord, fellowship together, and continue our journey through the Gospel of John. In John 13 our Lord begins an extended period of personal time with His twelve apostles. And this time begins with an act that shocked them. He assumed the position of a Gentile slave, took off His outer garments, and began to wash their dirty feet! There are many powerful lessons in John 13, with the primary one being the importance of serving one another with love!

It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives MESSAGE SUMMARY: Following Jesus brings peace into our lives even though we may face great trials and tribulations. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. However, when observing the lives of modern-day Christians, we don't find many of their lives saturated with peace. God has given each of us a capacity for our lives with His expectations for living as Jesus described in John 10:10: “. . . I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.". The difference between what would be considered our lives' capacity and our lives being filled to overflowing is our lives' margin. God desires to bless us and to have our lives filled with His presence through the Holy Spirit. Often, technology and the other worthwhile benefits of this age bring the stresses of time, making wimps of us in the management of time in our lives. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, God tells us: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:". As we manage the elements and demands of time in our lives, we must manage time for ourselves and our kids. Kids spell love as “time” – be present in their lives, mentally and emotionally. Indifference can be interpreted as a lack of genuine affection and esteem. Also, we need “God time”, a time to nurture and deepen our relationship with Jesus. Without margin, we have built our life-foundations on sand and not on the rock of Jesus' teachings. Ways we can build margin back into our lives is by: 1) having a weekly Sabbath; building back into our lives a time alone with God every day; 3) expecting that the unexpected will happen; 4) learning to say “no”; 5) using technology wisely; 6) pruning our activity branches; 7) prioritizing our calendars; and 8) giving thanks to God.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 1:35; John15:1-11; 1 Theologians 5:16-17. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Jesus Followers Have a Personal Relationship with the Creator of the Universe So Pray, Listen, and Be Patient for God's Call”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In John 17 we get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus as he prays to the Father for us. What does he pray? What does it tell us about God? How can it change us?

These texts from the Evergetinos unsettle us because they refuse to remain within the boundaries of what feels morally tidy or intellectually manageable. They do not ask us to refine our ethical reasoning. They ask us to relinquish it. Not because truth no longer matters, but because truth in Christ is no longer possessed or deployed by us. It is entered. It is suffered. It is entrusted to God. Abba Alonios' answer shocks precisely because it violates our instinct for clean distinctions. We want truth to be a weapon that guarantees justice. We want moral clarity to protect us from risk. Yet the elder places before us a situation in which telling the truth would mean cooperating with death. The choice is not between honesty and deceit as abstract values. It is between acting as judge and surrendering judgment to God. The lie he permits is not born of calculation or convenience but of restraint. It is a refusal to become the final arbiter over another human life. Here the Gospel quietly overturns us. Christ does not save the world by insisting on correct procedure. He saves it by entering into its injustice and absorbing it without retaliation. He does not clarify situations from a distance. He descends into them and bears their weight. The elder's answer does not sanctify falsehood. It exposes our illusion that we are capable of wielding truth without wounding when our hearts are still governed by fear and reactivity. The second account presses even deeper. The Reader does not merely endure slander. He consents to it. He allows truth to be buried in order to spare the Church further scandal and to place his own vindication entirely in the hands of God. This is not passivity. It is not weakness. It is a terrifying freedom. He relinquishes reputation. He relinquishes status. He relinquishes even the right to be understood. He chooses to stand before God alone. Here moral reasoning collapses. By every rational measure the Reader should defend himself. Justice demands it. Yet the Gospel reveals a different justice. One that does not rush to expose wrongdoing but waits for God to uncover what human judgment cannot heal. The Reader's silence becomes prayer. His loss becomes intercession. His false condemnation becomes the means by which God exposes the deeper sickness of slander and restores the one who sinned. What these texts reveal is that the Christian life cannot be lived from the center of our own discernment alone. The Gospel draws us past the point where we ask what is fair or reasonable and into the mystery of Christ who was condemned while innocent and silent before His accusers. These stories are not moral templates to be imitated mechanically. They are icons. They show us what love looks like when it no longer seeks to justify itself. The Fathers knew how quickly our sense of virtue becomes self protection. How easily truth becomes an extension of our fear. The Gospel dismantles this illusion. It exposes how much of our judgment is driven by the need to control outcomes and secure our innocence. Christ does not ask us to abandon truth. He asks us to abandon ownership of it. To enter this mystery is to accept that fidelity to Christ will sometimes look like loss. That obedience may cost us clarity. That love may require us to stand undefended. Not because injustice is holy but because God alone is capable of judging without destroying. These writings do not give us answers we can apply. They draw us into a posture we must inhabit. One where restraint replaces reaction. Where prayer replaces accusation. Where truth is no longer something we speak over others but a life we entrust to God. The Gospel does not refine our moral instincts. It crucifies them and raises something altogether new. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:00:41 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 343 G paragraph 2 00:06:59 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 343 G paragraph 2 00:07:17 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Philokaliaministries.org/blog 00:08:34 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Philokaliaministries..." with ❤️ 00:08:46 Una's iPhone: Laughter is the best medicine? 00:10:05 Una's iPhone: I'm reading St Nicodemos Handbook of Spiritual Counsel 00:10:25 Una's iPhone: Yes 00:10:38 Una's iPhone: Guarding the senses 00:10:49 Anna: What's the book we're reading? 00:11:02 Anna: Thanks! 00:15:01 Angela Bellamy: Good evening Father. I've been looking forward to the class. Its lovely to see you doing well. :) 00:34:40 John ‘Jack': In John 7; 1-10 where the disciples try to talk Jesus into going in to the feast of the tabernacles he tells them his time has not yet come, he then goes in without them in disguise, thus has always seemed to be he lied, or at least misled them, id love to hear your interpretation on that scripture. 00:41:09 John ‘Jack': They are very good at showing us our own minuteness 00:43:04 Angela Bellamy: Excuse my interjection but Jesus explained that He couldn't go openly because He was being sought after to be murdered. That the people did not accept Him and that it wasn't time for His crucifixion. 00:44:45 John Burmeister: if i saw the murder, im not judgeing the person, im judging the act, 00:45:26 Julie: The importance of praying for discernment 00:45:42 John Burmeister: god will still have his judgement. it maybe gods providence for me to turn him in 00:54:41 Anthony: I don't think I would just take the judgement. I'd suppose having a good reputation is important for not just me, but my family and people who assume I did the grave evil.  For example how many true and false accusations against Catholic priests and others in USA was an excuse for people to leave faith in anger and grief? 00:54:44 Anna: Wow suffering is so powerful 00:55:37 John Burmeister: Replying to "I don't think I woul..." or for money 00:57:32 jonathan: Isaiah 53:7 – “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Mark 15:3–5 – When accused before Pilate, “The chief priests accused him of many things… But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.” 00:57:51 Angela Bellamy: Reacted to "Isaiah 53:7 – “He wa..." with ❤️ 01:01:54 Anthony: George Pell 01:03:27 Joan Chakonas: A example showing where you turn the other cheek to slander, and God takes care of you ultimately. 01:03:34 Joan Chakonas: Reacted to "Isaiah 53:7 – “He wa…" with ❤️ 01:06:55 Rebecca Thérèse: Unfortunately, abusers often manipulate themselves into important positions and a network develops where they look out for each other. Then when an allegation arises against an innocent person they go after them to make it look like they're cracking down on abuse and corruption where really they're just deflecting scrutiny away from themselves. The allegations against Cardinal Pell were easy to disprove but the authorities weren't interested in the truth. 01:08:44 Angela Bellamy: Joseph was slandered and yet the Lord held him dear. Humility invites God into our situation. He is sovereign over all. 01:10:20 Forrest: The bishop in this story continued his evil ways stating that the prayers of the reader must be to afflict the woman. Would the reader have been praying that way? 01:17:44 Janine: Praying for you Father! 01:18:37 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️ 01:19:43 Bob Čihák, AZ: Bless your excitement and overexpressing the Truth, Father, You're not alone!

What are you really hungry for? In John 6, Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life—not just Savior, but the fulfillment of our deepest desires. In this episode, Whit George, Casey Shirley, and Lee Martin explore idolatry, misordered love, and why true life isn't found in optimizing ourselves, but in being satisfied by God. What if believing He could truly satisfy you changed everything?   Show notes:   Listen to Pastor Whit's message: What's Keeping You from Life to the Full? YouTubeWhat's Keeping You from Life to the Full?    In the episode they talk about attachment theory. You can learn more on our Life in Motion episode Parenting From a Secure Place: Attachment, Repair, and Abiding in Jesus  YouTubeParenting From a Secure Place: Attachment, Repair, and Abiding in Jesus | Life in Motion    In this episode, Whit mentions Jesus the King by Timothy Keller

At the center of God's mission stands the cross. In John 12, Jesus reveals that his suffering, death, and exaltation are not a detour from God's plan, but the very means by which God's love and holiness meet. In this sermon, we see how the cross glorifies God, defeats Satan, judges sin, and draws the world to Jesus—calling us to see the cross not as tragedy, but as the centerpiece of God's saving mission.

What happens when you run out?In John 2:1–12, Jesus' first miracle doesn't happen in a temple or a crowd—but at a wedding where the wine has run dry. In this message, Pastor Ted Coniaris explores how Jesus responds to an ordinary moment of lack with extraordinary generosity.At Cana, Jesus reveals himself as the gracious and generous I AM—meeting people in their insufficiency, removing shame, and providing more than anyone expects. Along the way, we're invited to see ourselves in the story as those who run out, those who receive grace, and those who obey and participate in what God is doing.This message calls us to trust Jesus with what's empty in us—and to reflect his generosity in the lives of others.Scripture: John 2:1–12 Series: John's Gospel – Who Do You Say I AM?Learn more about COMMUNITY and find your next step at communitychristian.org

Who is Jesus, according to Jesus? We are going to answer that question by exploring seven scandalous claims that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. These are known as the "I AM" statements.In John 6, Jesus declares: "I am the bread of life". We all have this tendency to seek fulfillment in things that will never truly satisfy, leaving us perpetually disappointed. Jesus reveals that we cannot find satisfaction in him, while we are looking to be satisfied by something else. When we turn away from those things that we are looking to for fulfillment, we realize that our deepest longings can only be met by him and him alone.

In John 6, we behold Jesus not only as the provider, but as the provision. From the feeding of the five thousand to the declaration, “I am the Bread of Life,” this message from Pastor Andrew Fish invites us to move beyond reasoning and into revelation. Jesus takes what is offered, multiplies it, and reveals Himself as the true source of life, nourishment, and eternal satisfaction. The call is simple yet costly: place your life open-handed before Him and trust the God who is always more than enough.

At the center of God's mission stands the cross. In John 12, Jesus reveals that his suffering, death, and exaltation are not a detour from God's plan, but the very means by which God's love and holiness meet. In this sermon, we see how the cross glorifies God, defeats Satan, judges sin, and draws the world to Jesus—calling us to see the cross not as tragedy, but as the centerpiece of God's saving mission.

In this powerful message, we explore the limitless nature of Christ—His presence, power, and purpose from creation to the Gospels. From the opening words of Genesis 1:1–2, where the Spirit of God moves upon the waters, to Genesis 1:26–28, where humanity is created in God's image and given divine authority, we see that God's plan has always been unlimited in scope and intention.Jesus reveals this same unlimited reality in the New Testament. In John 14:16–18, 26 and John 16:7, He promises the coming of the Holy Spirit—God's presence not just with us, but in us, continuing His work without limitation. Through moments like John 4:6 and Mark 4:38, we are reminded that even in Jesus' humanity, His divine authority remains unmatched—whether He is weary at a well or asleep in a storm, His power is never diminished.Be encouraged to trust in a Savior who is not confined by time, place, or situation. Jesus is unlimited—and His life in you changes everything.

In John 13:21–38, Jesus reveals the true nature of discipleship as He prepares for the cross, showing that following Him is more than outward association. Judas warns us to beware of fake discipleship—being close to Jesus without truly surrendering the heart. In contrast, Jesus calls His followers to practice genuine discipleship by loving one another with the same sacrificial, selfless love He has shown, making love the defining mark of those who belong to Him. At the same time, Peter's confident words and coming denial remind us that even sincere disciples can be weak, yet Jesus does not discard them; instead, He strengthens and restores those who humbly depend on His grace. Through this passage, we are reminded that Jesus changes everything about discipleship by exposing false faith, calling for authentic love, and patiently shaping imperfect followers into faithful ones.

In John 13:1-20, Jesus shows us the heart of true service by washing His disciples' feet. He serves because He loves, not to gain approval. His actions flow from a secure identity, knowing He belongs to the Father. Jesus models a humble posture, laying aside status to meet others' needs. He reminds us that service begins when we first receive His grace, allowing Him to cleanse and restore us. He then calls His disciples to serve in obedience, following His example. This kind of service is not always easy—it is often costly, as seen when Jesus washes even Judas' feet. Jesus concludes by teaching that blessing comes not just from knowing how to serve, but from actually doing it.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD John 8.1-12 Gordon Dabbs, PhD Through the Gospel, Christ shows us who we are: full, free, unfettered. Jesus came to help us recover what was lost. To restore us to who we truly are—God's beloved children. In John 8, Jesus makes this staggering declaration: “I am the light of the world.” John 8: Jesus teaches early one morning in the temple courts. Pharisees burst in, dragging a woman with them. John 8.3-4 (NLT) They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.” John 8.5 (NLT) “The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” John 8.6 (NLT) They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. What did He write? John never tells us. John 8.7 (NLT) . . . As they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Eventually, everyone leaves. John 8.10-11 (ESV) Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” [leave up] Jesus doesn't say, “Change—and then I'll accept you.” He says, “You're accepted—now let me change you.” Titus 2.11-12 (ESV) . . . The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. . . The Pharisees dragged her into the light to destroy her. Jesus stands with her in the light to restore her. Vs 12 - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.” The promise: John 8.12 (ESV) “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” What's our response to this story? • Drop the Stones • Step Out of the Shadows • Follow the Light Daily Jesus doesn't just illuminate sin. He illuminates the way forward to life. “I am the light of the world.” Anyone willing to follow walks in the light.Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise

God's Love is in plain sight all around us, yet it seems so obscure. We may feel orphaned from homes where we once experienced spiritual vitality. Coercion and condemnation have left us on the streets looking for a better way. In John's gospel, Jesus' first words are, “What are you looking for?” and they're followed by an invitation to “come and see.” We aren't given certainty or a system to sell. We are invited to experience a common and awe-inspiring grace as we abide with Jesus. Where do people find transforming grace at Vox? What particular ways are we invited to embody Divine grace and invite others to experience this sustaining grace with us?  In this second week of our series, Eric Robinson looks at how the early believers were scattered across the Mediterranean to different cultures and how God's grace was powerfully present as they realized God was not static, but rather widening circles of mercy and belonging. Reflection Questions: What are the signs marking your journey? Wher is the last time you saw one? Who are the bicultural people in your life who might have seen the markers you missed?

What if your spiritual life didn't have to feel like a rollercoaster? In John 15, Jesus calls His followers to abide, to stay connected to Him with intentional permanence. In this message, Pastor Heath teaches how abiding in Christ guards us from spiritual drift, produces lasting fruit, and leads to a steady, healthy walk with Jesus. If you've ever felt inconsistent, burned out, or distant from God, this message will help you refocus on the source of real life and growth.

This week, we continue our series New City DNA. In John 15, Jesus emphasizes His role as the vine, our role as the branches, and the importance of abiding in Him. Pastor Eric shares five points from the text that highlight why New City values intentional discipleship: 1) Intentional discipleship teaches others to abide in Jesus. 2) Intentional discipleship models pruning. 3) Intentional discipleship teaches others to obey Jesus. 4) Intentional discipleship invites others into friendship. 5) Intentional discipleship teaches others to bear fruit.

It's About Time: Part 1 – Rebuilding Emotional Reserves MESSAGE SUMMARY: Following Jesus brings peace into our lives even though we may face great trials and tribulations. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”. However, when observing the lives of modern-day Christians, we don't find many of their lives saturated with peace. God has given each of us a capacity for our lives with His expectations for living as Jesus described in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.". The difference between what would be considered our lives' capacity and our lives being filled to overflowing is our lives' margin. God's desire is to pour life into us – life to the fullest; He desires to bless us and to have our lives filled with His presence through the Holy Spirit. Technology has brought us many blessings. Often, however, technology has often pushed us beyond our limits. God made us for Sabbath, but the place of margin in our lives is dissipating making us unavailable for the purposes of God – leading to a diminished Spiritual life. We need to get this Godly space back into our lives starting with the rebuilding of our emotional reserves. The amount of emotional energy we have is finite. Today, many have found that the “good life” is only tolerable under sedation. To retain our emotional energy, and our margin, we need to: 1) confess our sins regularly; 2) be reconciled with others; 3) cultivate important relationships; 4) rest; and 5) serve others. It's about time for us to take a serious look at our lives in the mirror and to examine our lives' priorities. We are overloading our lives with things like stress and using up our margin in ways not intended by God and in ways that do not permit us to represent Christianity as God intended. When the trials and tribulations occur in our lives, because they are a pry of living, the absence of margin means that we have no life reserves. Without margin, we have built our life-foundations on sand and not on the rock of Jesus' teachings.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 16:33; John 10:10; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 1:9; Philippians 4:13. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE SEARCH: www.AWFTL.org/bible-search/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “The Struggle with Time -- Until I Determine How We Want to Use Our Time, Others Will Determine How Our Time Is Used”: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Welcome to Day 2771 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday –The Prayers of Christ and the Destiny of the Faithful.   Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2771 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2771 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God's Word. John's lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today's lesson is titled The Prayers of Christ and the Destiny of the Faithful.   When Jesus prays to the Father in the Gospels, He does so as the Incarnate Son, fully God and fully man. His prayers are not signs of weakness or inequality, but expressions of true humanity. They reflect His relationship with the Father within the limitations of flesh and blood, taken on voluntarily to accomplish the redemption of mankind. Yet Christ's prayers do more than model dependence. They reveal His mission, not merely to forgive sin, but to lead those united to Him into eternal fellowship with Yahweh, where they will be glorified through their relationship with Him. In His High Priestly Prayer in John seventeen, Jesus says: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (John seventeen verse twenty-two). This is not poetic exaggeration. It is a clear expression of Christ's intent to raise His followers into the glory that He shares with the Father, restoring and transforming them in the process. The first segment is: Jesus's Prayers as Revelation of His Mission. In John seventeen verses one and two, Jesus prays: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.” Christ's authority includes granting eternal life, an existence defined not merely by duration, but by nature: incorruptibility, righteousness, and unending communion with God. Later in the same prayer, He says: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…” (John seventeen verse twenty-four) Though Christ is fully divine, He chose to humble Himself. As Paul writes in Philippians two verses six through eight, though existing in the form of God, He did not cling to His divine status but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. Hebrews two says He was made for a little while lower than the angels, not because He lost divinity, but because He embraced full humanity. His prayers reflect this self-imposed humility and His desire to elevate those He redeems. The second segment is: The Resurrection Body and the Nature of Glorified Transformation. Scripture consistently affirms the transformation of the faithful, not merely morally, but ontologically. Psalm eight states that man was made “a little lower than the heavenly beings,” but destined to be crowned with glory and honor. Hebrews two applies this to Christ and, by extension, to all who belong to Him. First Corinthians fifteen declares that believers will be raised with glorified, incorruptible bodies. Paul...

When we think about New Year’s resolutions, what probably comes to mind is a list of lofty ambitions we rarely achieve (80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are already abandoned by mid-February). Author Amy Wilson suggests a better idea might be to reject entirely “the idea that we have to fix ourselves before our lives can get better.” Wilson suggests that, instead of adding commitments, we see the new year as an opportunity to do less, to finally “start saying no” to some of the “oversized and ongoing commitments that take our time and energy without giving us much in return.” In a world of constant pressure to do and be more, it can be easy to miss the radically different rhythm of life Jesus invited His disciples into—one of abiding in Him. In John 15, Jesus described Himself as “the true vine” (v. 1) and His disciples as the branches (v. 5). Vine branches don’t grow through working harder but through the nourishment received from the vine. So too the growth we long for can only be experienced when we let go of self-reliance in exchange for resting in and finding nourishment in Christ, for “apart from [Him] you can do nothing” (v. 5). Through Jesus, we have hope for a life of less anxiety. Less striving. And more resting in God’s love and letting it flow to those around us (vv. 12, 17).

Today’s Bible Verse – John 5:7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. - John 5:7 In John 5:7, we hear the voice of a man who has been stuck—physically and emotionally—for 38 years. His words reflect a deep sense of helplessness and isolation, but they also open the door for one of Jesus’ most powerful miracles. This verse is a reminder that even when we feel unseen, unsupported, or left behind, Jesus sees us. He meets us in our waiting, our longing, and our weariness—and invites us to healing that goes beyond what we imagine.

Patrick fields pressing questions from listeners, sharing candid thoughts on funerals, Catholic liturgy, and the discomfort that comes with boundary-crossing moments at Mass. He takes questions about marriage struggles, the reality of affordable housing fears for seniors, and clears up confusion about saints interceding in our lives, using both scripture and Church tradition as his compass. Between updates on a centuries-old monastery’s closure, playful nods to Taco Tuesday, and nuanced guidance on canon law, Patrick blends gravity and warmth, meeting faith and daily life head-on. Peggy (email) - I was recently at a funeral Mass where "words of remembrance" were shared before the Liturgy of the Word (00:41) Patrick reads and responds to an email about struggling marriages and he hopes marriages can be saved and improved (03:32) Bunny (email) – I heard a homily where the bishop said that saints might not be able to hear us or help us (08:02) Michael - Affordable housing for seniors: what is our Christian perspective for this? (20:27) Matt (email) - If a couple, after years of marriage, become aware of an impediment that was present on their wedding day, but have no interest in separating, would their attempt at marriage be invalid and require being married again? (33:18) James (email) - In John 14:27, Jesus says: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." Could you help me understand what kind of peace Jesus is offering us here? How is His peace different from the kind of peace we often seek or experience in the world? And how can we truly attain this kind of peace in our daily lives? (39:51) Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, dies at 96 (43:34) Egypt Closes St. Catherine’s Monastery: Confiscates Its Property and Evicts the Monks (46:56) Originally aired on 06/03/25

Light in the darkness is one of the ways that throughout history, Christmas has been celebrated. Lighting candles, and lights on trees, and lights at night. What is that all about? In John 1, John talks about Jesus coming into the world. It's his way of talking about the meaning of Christmas. And in this very famous passage, the word “light” shows up seven times. Let's look at how this tells us that 1) human beings need light, 2) there is a light, and 3) how we can connect to it and receive it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 27, 2016. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: Advent. Scripture: John 1:1-11. 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.