Podcasts about in scripture

Healing, by biblical standard, is not only physical restoration but also spiritual renewal, emotional peace, and relational reconciliation. In Scripture, healing represents God's power to restore what is broken — body, soul, and spirit — bringing wholeness through His mercy and truth. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3The Power of HealingHealing is not limited to miracles; it's a daily renewal through prayer, obedience, and faith. When we allow God to heal us, we become channels of His grace — bringing comfort, hope, and restoration to others.

The Bible never claims to be a science book. Though there are many things about our world we don't understand, it shouldn't diminish our faith. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how Christianity and science are more compatible than culture often believes. He also teaches about the existence of angels and the spiritual dimension that impacts our lives. In Scripture, Jesus appears outside of time and space to guide and recruit His followers, and Pastor Allen shares how trusting and believing in the truth of Jesus' identity is the best way to navigate existence. Our world is not simple or easily understood, but we don't have to be full of doubt or fear when we rely on the Lord to lead us.

We are now ready to consider the Eighth Commandment in our Ten Commandments Series. Through the first seven, we have seen that honoring God from our hearts and with our actions is our foundation. The Sabbath was created to remind us of this sacred responsibility. We are then taught to honor our parents as the basis for all of our human interactions. Next were the clear commands to not murder or commit adultery. We found that Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, seriously elevated the responsibilities of these specific commands. As we begin to examine the next Commandment, “You shall not steal,” it will become very evident very quickly that these four words are not some simple form of general guidance. On the contrary, they truly teach us the fundamentals of civility and respect. As usual, Jesus will take this lesson and elevate it even further for his followers. It’s more than you might think The command “You shall not steal” covers far more than taking physical items. In Scripture, stealing includes kidnapping, dishonest business practices, withholding wages, exploiting someone's livelihood, and even negligence that causes another person's loss. God required full restitution—often with added compensation—and a guilt offering, showing that stealing is both a violation against people and against God Himself. Not a minor offense In this episode we explore how these Old Testament principles reveal God's deep concern for fairness, honesty and community stability. Stealing is never treated as a minor offense. Whether it involves cheating in trade, manipulating weights and measures, hiding found property, or damaging someone's livelihood, God's law consistently protects individuals and families. Restitution was designed to restore what was lost and to impress upon the offender the seriousness of violating God's standards. In the New Testament, Jesus expands the commandment by showing that theft begins in the heart. Wrong actions grow from wrong motives, and true obedience requires inward transformation. Modern examples—such as friendly fraud, self‑checkout manipulation, and digital piracy—remind us that integrity must guide even the smallest decisions. Ultimately, Christians are called to move from selfishness to responsibility, and from taking to giving, reflecting God's character in everyday life. Key Takeaways Stealing in Scripture includes fraud, exploitation, negligence and kidnapping. Old Testament restitution required full repayment plus added compensation. Jesus teaches that theft begins in the heart and violates love for God and neighbor. Modern forms of theft still matter spiritually. Christians are called to integrity, responsibility and generosity rather than self‑interest.  

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

Wednesday, 19 August 2026   So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10   “And having departed, the ‘servants, those' into the roads, they gathered all, as many as they found, evil, both, and good. And it filled, the nuptial – reclinings.” (CG)   The previous verse noted that the king said to his servants to go through the through-departures and as many people as they found, to call them to the nuptials. He next says, “And having departed, the ‘servants, those' into the roads, they gathered all.”   Out they went, dutifully looking for people to attend the wedding ceremony. One can imagine the apostles and early disciples, once finding that Gentiles were to be a part of the kingdom, actively going out and sharing the good news.   Those who heard this parable would remember it and consider that the plan waswe set and all they needed to do was engage their feet and get going. What they had no idea about was the scope of the task, either in expansion or in time –   “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' 7 And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'” Acts 1:6-8   When Jesus was departing, these disciples were still thinking of the promised earthly kingdom, not realizing that two-thousand years would pass, and that every nation on the planet was to be evangelized. Nations that didn't exist at the time would participate in the process.   As the world has evolved, the priority has remained unchanged in the lives of those who have accepted the call to continue inviting others to the coming event. That is in fulfillment of the words of the parable, saying, “as many as they found, evil, both, and good.”   A new word is seen here, te, a primary particle of connection or addition. Generally, it is translated as both or also. HELPS Word Studies says it “occurs 204 times in the NT and unfortunately is often not translated.” They rightfully rue over the fact that translators do not include such articles, as if they are unnecessary.   Of the words of this clause, Cambridge says, “bad and good] Who will always co-exist in the Church on earth.” Other commentators repeat the same thought. That misses the point and incorrectly explains the parable. This is not referring to bad people who remain bad in the church, as if they will or will not participate in the event. This is referring to the state of those who are called, when they are called.   No person is to be excluded from hearing the gospel. The “good” people who are honest, responsible with their lives, pay their bills by working decently, etc., need Jesus. The “bad” people like drug addicts, prostitutes, swindlers, and politicians(!) need Jesus too. All are invited to respond favorably to the good news. Someday, the last person to be evangelized will hear and respond. At that time, the rapture will take place, “And it filled, the nuptial – reclinings.”   Well, we don't need to worry about what the seating arrangements will be like. The idea of “reclinings” is the Middle-Eastern style of sitting at a low table. Of this style of dining, the Topical Lexicon says it –   “...portrays the first-century practice of reclining on a couch while partaking of a meal. In Scripture it frames scenes of fellowship, invitation, judgment, and eschatological promise. The posture itself is never incidental; it locates the participants within covenantal meals that anticipate the Messianic banquet and reveal the heart of Christ for sinners and saints alike.   Cultural Background of Reclining   By the early Roman period Jewish and Gentile diners adopted the Greco-Roman triclinium. Guests lay on the left side, feet extended outward, right hand free for eating. Reclining indicated belonging, honor, and enjoyment. Servants moved among the couches; hosts signaled welcome through seating order.”   Life application: As noted above, those who are in the church and who do not believe will not be a part of this event. The rapture will take those who are sealed with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13,14). Our job is to tell others about Jesus. Their job is to believe.   Those who join a church and don't believe, for whatever reason, will not be taken. It is the sealing of the Spirit, something known by God, that will bring about our being taken to the feast that is coming. This gives good reason why the strong delusion Paul refers to in 2 Thessalonians 2 will be possible.   Although we don't know who is or who is not sealed with the Spirit, it is rather certain that the Pope has no personal relationship with Jesus. This unbelief permeates much of the Roman Catholic church, along with leaders and adherents of many major denominations.   When the rapture happens, and they are not taken, it will be easy to dismiss the event. They sit smugly in their religiosity, thinking they are the center of God's plans and purposes. The world, too, looks at them as the representatives of “true” Christianity. As such, their being left behind will provide a simple means of beginning this strong delusion.   Lord God, help us to diligently tell those around us about the prospect of eternal life in Your presence, paid for solely by the merits of Jesus Christ. May we never water down the gospel. There are no works of our own that will bring us any closer to You. Our faith in His works is the ticket. Thank You for this wonderful gesture of love and reconciliation. Amen.  

No. Not every temptation comes from a demon. In Scripture, temptation can come through different channels, and for believers it's also connected to the world, the flesh, and spiritual opposition—but the Bible never reduces all temptation to demons.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

Idolatry is not limited to statues or obvious false gods. In Scripture, an idol is anything that takes the place of God in our affections, trust, or sense of security. A dating relationship becomes an idol when it starts to define identity, dictate emotional stability, consume excessive mental energy, or replace dependence on God. The shift is rarely dramatic. It usually happens gradually through small compromises in priorities, thought patterns, and spiritual habits. Recognizing this risk is not about becoming […] The post Top 5 Ways to Keep a Dating Relationship From Becoming an Idol appeared first on Christian Singles Advice | Christian Dating Advice Tips. Related posts: 5 Ways to Tell Your Crush Is Not Ready for a Relationship – A Christian Singles Perspective 8 Biblical Ways Christian Singles Can Date With Purpose and Find a Godly Spouse Christian Dating and Idol Worship: Making an Idol Out of Your Relationships Ten Ways to Destroy a Christian Dating Relationship What Is Closure in a Christian Dating Relationship?

The snake, (serpent), is the symbol, that God uses throughout Scripture, for Sin! The father of lies, has thousands of snakes, false doctrines, or false prophets to deceive mankind! In Scripture, Christians are shown the proper handling of snakes, false doctrines! Thus, when God Speaks of handling snakes, He is speaking of metaphorical discernment of unScriptural doctrines, and false prophets; NOT physically handling real snakes!

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

Read OnlineThe Storms of LifeJesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:22–25Only God, in His perfect Wisdom, could convey profound spiritual meaning through Jesus' human actions. Though His miracles reveal His divinity and His teachings articulate divine mysteries, so does every subtle movement He makes—each one working together to prophetically depict the full Gospel. The Church, from her earliest centuries, has come to recognize and contemplate these deeper layers through what is known as the allegorical and spiritual sense of Scripture.On the surface, today's Gospel reveals Jesus' divinity simply through His walking on the water. Yet beneath the surface, other mysteries are unveiled. The mountain, the solitude, the prayer, the storm, the boat, the fear, and Jesus' words all communicate something of Christ's saving mission and of our journey through life with Him.Jesus goes up the mountain alone to pray. In Scripture, mountains are places of divine encounter—Moses and Elijah encountered God on Mount Sinai, and Jesus was transfigured before the disciples on Mount Tabor. In today's Gospel, the mountain signifies Jesus' communion and heavenly intercession with the Father. He ascends alone, leaving the disciples behind, just as He would ascend to the Father after the Resurrection—remaining with us spiritually while we, the Church, continue our pilgrimage through the storms of this world.While Jesus is in prayer, the disciples struggle in the boat, tossed by waves, with the wind against them. The boat represents the Church amid the turmoil of the world. The waves symbolize trials, temptations, and fears that rise without warning. And though Jesus seems physically distant, He is never inattentive. In fact, it is precisely in the hour of greatest distress that He draws near.Jesus comes to them in the fourth watch of the night—the final and darkest stretch before dawn. This is the hour of the soul's deepest desolation, when one feels most abandoned, most vulnerable, most helpless. Yet it is also the very moment when divine help arrives. Jesus walks toward them on the sea, using the very waves that threatened to destroy them as the path of His approach. The storm does not hinder Him; He walks above it, showing His authority over chaos and His power to transform even the fiercest trials into a means of His presence.But the disciples do not recognize Him. They cry out in fear, thinking He is a ghost. This reveals a spiritual truth: In our moments of fear and confusion, we can misperceive even the presence of Christ. When our hearts are unsettled and our faith is shaken, we may not see clearly the One who comes to save us.Then Jesus speaks words that echo through every age: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” In Greek, the phrase “it is I”—egō eimi—is the divine Name revealed to Moses: “I AM.” This is not only reassurance, it is a revelation of Jesus' divine identity. With this declaration, Jesus does more than calm the sea—He calms the soul, inviting the disciples to place their trust not only in what He does, but in who He is.Reflect today on any storm in your life in which you feel God is absent and the waves are overwhelming. Imagine Jesus walking toward you on those very waves. Though His presence may not be immediately clear, look with eyes of faith and listen for His voice: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Welcome Him in, and trust that His grace is sufficient for every trial and tribulation God permits you to endure.Most miraculous Lord, You speak to me day and night—through the Scriptures, inspirations, signs, and sacred symbols. Yet too often I fail to perceive Your presence, especially amid the storms of life. Open my eyes to recognize You, even when You come in unexpected ways. Help me to welcome You into the boat of my soul with faith and joy, so that You may bring order to the chaos I endure and fill me with Your abiding peace. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Walking on Water, by Ivan AivazovskySource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

Justice and money are intricately related. In Scripture, God calls His people to practice justice as a way of life, shaped by righteousness, mercy, and love. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Justin Lonas explore justice and explain how everyday financial decisions can reflect God’s heart for restoration and flourishing. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live—where biblical wisdom meets today’s financial decisions—weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday, 21 July 2026   “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' Matthew 21:28   “What, also you, it seems? A man, he had ‘sons, two', and having approached the first, he said, ‘Son, you go this day. You work in the ‘vineyard, mine'.'” (CG)   In the previous verse, Jesus responded to the leaders of Israel, telling them that He would not disclose to them the Source of His authority. Matthew next records Jesus' words, saying, “What, also, you it seems?”   This is a way of eliciting those hearing to stop and consider what will next be said. It can be expected that what will be said will directly challenge the hearer. It may even involve the hearer in a direct or indirect way. As for what He will ask, He begins with, “A man, he had ‘sons, two'.”   This is the beginning of a short parable directed to the leaders of Israel. In the Bible, the number two is the number of division or difference. Generally, when two things are noted, there is a contrast and yet a confirmation of a whole.   For example, there are two testaments in Scripture, the Old and the New. They contrast, dealing with law vs. grace, but they confirm the whole counsel of God. Likewise, there is day, and there is night. They contrast, and yet they confirm the totality of a day. In this case, a man has two sons, “and having approached the first, he said, ‘Son, you go this day. You work in the ‘vineyard, mine'.'”   Jesus again brings in the thought of the vineyard, which was also presented in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. In Scripture, the vineyard represents the economy (a cultural expression) where God is dealing with man in order to bring about a result. Understanding this, the rest of this short parable will certainly be seen to be in line with that thought.   Life application: The Bible deals in metaphor, typology, chiasms, parallelisms, and a seemingly unlimited number of other literary devices. These help to illuminate what is going on within its pages. God has chosen to work in this way because an incredible amount of overlapping information can be packed into the word by using these various tools.   Some of that information is intended to come out at certain times in history, before which it was secreted away by Him. This allows us to see that He was in control of the process of redemption all along. With the advent of the printing press, computers, and now AI, information is being unpacked from Scripture that never could have been seen before.   Understanding this, it must be remembered that not everything someone thinks he has found in Scripture is actually valid. People often make faulty conclusions about what God is saying. For example, someone may misunderstand a particular metaphor. In thinking it represents one thing, incorrect conclusions will result.   Because of this, we need to not just accept someone's conclusions about a matter at face value, even if it at first seems reasonable. Everything must align with what God intends to show us as we consider what is presented.   Another matter to consider is that if something is not recorded in Scripture, it is to be considered highly suspect. Supposed Jewish traditions, for example, are often shoved into Scripture to make an unfounded point about what God is doing.   An example of that is the Galilean Wedding Ceremony. If you're unaware of that myth, just search the internet, and innumerable sites will come up claiming that it explains what Jesus is doing and the circumstances surrounding His return for His bride.   The problem with that is that it is a made-up tradition, and it has nothing to do with what the Bible presents. But by shoving that teaching into the Bible, an entire generation of Christians has been misled by a false teaching.   Recent teachings on the Shemita, the Red Heifer, and the Year of Jubilee are faulty. They make unfounded claims about those issues, books are written about them, and people are deluded into bad theology.   This is true with the timing of Jesus' birth, where some claim He was born in the springtime. That is based on an untruth about it being too cold in the fields for flocks in the wintertime, as if flocks are shipped to Florida to stay warm during those months.   False teachings about the handkerchief that covered Jesus' face abound. Made-up teachings about Jewish traditions are shoved into the passage to come to erroneous conclusions. Just because you read something on the internet or see it on a YouTube video, don't accept the teaching until you have checked it out more thoroughly.   The Bible and what it is telling us are far too important to be mishandled or misinterpreted. Be careful what you assimilate into your doctrine. There is a world full of incorrect analyses out there. So be wise and discerning as you study the word.   Lord God, help us to be responsible with our time, knowing that the more of it we spend in Your word, the less we will waste on teachings that are not in accord with it. We will be able to weed out what is suspect and not be filled with a lot of bad information. Help us in this regard, O God. Amen.  

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

In Scripture, there is great significance behind a name. A name was much more than a label or a way to identify someone. Today, names often carry little significance beyond what sounded good to our parents at the time. We choose names from baby books, family traditions, or popularity lists. Most people never stop to ask what their name means. It’s simply what people call us. Take me, for example. I’m Pamela. You’ve known me as Pamela for years. You’re probably not sitting there wondering about the deeper meaning of my name. Honestly, I’ve carried this name for over fifty years and had to look it up myself. It means “all sweetness.” I’ll let my family decide whether that’s accurate! But the names in our Bible are of great meaning. Mother’s didn’t pick names based on an internet list of popularity. Names were given to reveal a person’s identity, character, reputation, purpose, and sometimes even their destiny. Names carried meaning, and they often told a story. If you were given a bad name from birth with a bad meaning. Poor kid. Imagine being given a name that meant “sorrow,” “fool,” or “no mercy.” Every introduction would become a reminder of a negative identity. In biblical times, names carried such weight that a person could spend a lifetime either living into that identity or fighting to overcome it. We also see throughout Scripture that when God gave someone a new calling, He would sometimes give them a new name to reflect their transformed identity. Their new names signified that God was doing something new in their lives and inviting them into His greater purpose. That name carried a calling and an identity. Here on this podcast, we spent a few weeks studying the names of God found in our Bible. Through those names, we gained a deeper understanding of His character, authority, power, and love. We encountered Him as: YHWH, the self-existent and covenant-keeping God Adonai, our Lord and Master Elohim, the Creator El Shaddai, God Almighty Yahweh Rapha, the Lord who heals El Roi, the God who sees Abba, our loving Father Jehovah Jireh, our Provider Yahweh Shalom, our Peace The Good Shepherd who faithfully guides and cares for His people What became clear through that study is that God’s names reveal who He is. They unveil His nature, His attributes, and His relationship to His people. Every name teaches us something about His character and His work. So if names matter this much throughout Scripture, and if God’s own names reveal His character, then we should expect the name of Jesus to be overflowing with meaning. Yet many of us hear “Lord Jesus Christ” so often that we stop hearing it altogether. It becomes a familiar phrase. But to the first-century believer, every word in that name carried enormous significance. “Lord Jesus Christ” is not merely a title. It is a declaration. It announces His authority, His mission, and His identity. A few months ago in Venice, Italy, my friend and I knelt beside a woman who spent her days lying face down on the streets begging. I’ll never forget the moment she looked up at me and said in her language, “Jesus Cristo?” Immediately, there was recognition. Immediately, there was connection. Immediately, there was hope. We didn’t share the same language. We didn’t share the same culture. But we shared one name. The name above every name. The Lord Jesus Christ. What is this name … The Lord Jesus Christ? 1. LORD: This word Lord was originally spoken in Greek as Kyrios. Kyrios means master, owner, one who has authority. When Jesus said in Matthew 28:13, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”, he’s showing that he is the Lord. He has all authority – not some authority, not a little authority. ALL authority. And where is this authority? In both heaven and on earth. He’s in charge of everything. All things everywhere in heaven and on earth are under his divine authority. We call Him Lord because there is nothing above Him, nothing outside His authority, and nothing beyond His rule. So, when you pray to make Jesus the Lord of your life, that’s what you are affirming – Jesus is over everything in your life. He has ALL authority and you bow down to him. Quite honestly, at 15 years old when I prayed and asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I had no idea what that actually meant. Now I know. And so do you – He is Lord, he is master, he is above all with ALL authority. Do you believe that? Is Jesus your Lord? 2. JESUS: What a holy and sacred name chosen by God and delivered through an angel. In Matthew 1: 20-21, an angel came to Joseph and told him that his fiance Mary had conceived a child through the Holy Spirit. The angel said, “She will have a son, and you are the name him JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.” That’s the very meaning of the name Jesus – Yahweh saves. The name announces his life mission – To save sinners, to reconcile humanity to God, to defeat death, to bring God’s kingdom. In this time, everyone knew the meaning of the name Jesus. It was pronounced Yeshua in Hebrew, Yahweh saves. Who is Yahweh? He’s the God who always has been, and the one who made a covenant with his people to save them. Jesus is the fulfillment of that covenant. Jesus SAVES US! Before Jesus ever preached a sermon, performed a miracle, or went to the cross, His mission had already been announced through His name. Do you call on the name of Jesus knowing he is the son of God sent to save you? Do you know him as your absolute only answer, only way and only source? 3. CHRIST: In Greek, it is spoken Christos and means “Anointed One.” The anointing of oil signified God’s appointment of a specific person. When someone was called to a high position of power such as a priest or King, they were anointed. So, to call Jesus CHRIST, Christos, it says this is God’s anointed one. God’s chosen one. The one God has called to a high position of power. In Hebrew, this word was Messiah. For centuries, Israel waited. Generation after generation looked for the promised Messiah. Prophets spoke of Him. Kings anticipated Him. The faithful longed for Him. Then Paul declares with one word: Christ. The waiting is over. The Messiah has come. He is the promised one. He holds the power of God and is on an appointment. Jesus is the King who’s rule will never end. He holds the eternal kingdom. That’s who our Christ is. So now, when we put all these names together as 1 Corinthians 1:3 does, “Call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” we see the full picture of our Jesus. The order is important. First, he is Lord – the exalted sovereign ruler. Then he is Jesus – the man sent to save. And finally he is Christ – the appointed and promised Messiah King. Together, the Lord Jesus Christ proclaims fully who he is. He is God. He is man. He is savior. And, he is ours!!!!!!!!!! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

This weekend, our nation celebrates freedom. In Scripture, however, we are reminded about freedom that’s even deeper than national liberty. During the Fourth of July weekend and the nation’s 250th anniversary, we ask: What does it mean to live as truly free people? On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores the freedom Christ gives—and how that freedom reshapes the way we handle money. Then, it’s your calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live—where biblical wisdom meets today’s financial decisions—weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailNEW EPISODE: This is where our conversation takes an even deeper turn.Caleb shares the story of his personal confrontation with Christian nationalism—how an invitation to participate with Turning Point USA forced him to take a much closer look at the movement and the version of Christianity it was promoting. That investigation eventually led him to write his remarkable book, Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor.We also explore the rich biblical imagery behind the title. In Scripture, Leviathan represents the mysterious forces of chaos that only God can ultimately tame. Caleb uses that ancient symbol as a powerful metaphor for Christian nationalism itself—a force fueled by fear, political idolatry, and cultural anxiety over demographic change, political marginalization, and the perceived loss of traditional values.But this isn't simply a critique. It's an invitation to faithful engagement. Caleb challenges us to respond not with condemnation but with empathy, courageous conversations, genuine listening, and radical hospitality.For anyone struggling to relate to friends or family who have been drawn into the MAGA movement or Christian nationalism, Caleb offers thoughtful, practical wisdom that I believe you'll find both hopeful and deeply challenging. Listen to Part 1 - From Neo-Nazi to Lead  Pastor: Caleb Campbell's Extraordinary JourneySHOW NOTES - including links to Caleb's book and the When the Wolves Came PodcastSupport the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!Ken's Substack PageThe Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

CheckoutThe God Centered Concept Academy Training Community to learn what growth in Christ ishttps://api.tuvu.com/redirectGroup/6a2ac0e2c9f728027338244cCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.In this warm Home and Family episode, Karen Whiting invites viewers into her kitchen to make Sally Lunn bread, a colonial-era yeast bread connected with American Revolutionary history. She shares the recipe process, explains how yeast works, and reflects on the biblical symbolism of leaven, bread, and resurrection hope.Karen also explores tea customs in colonial America, including children's tea sets, hospitality, etiquette, and patriotism during the American Revolution. The episode closes with inspiring historical stories of Mary Draper and Christopher Ludvig, who used bread-making to serve soldiers and support the patriot cause.In This Episode:Karen discusses:The colonial history and legends surrounding Sally Lunn breadHow to make Sally Lunn bread with yeast, milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and flourWhy yeast must be proofed and how it helps bread riseThe difference between yeast as a symbol of corruption and yeast as a picture of growthBiblical connections to bread, including 1 Peter 1:3 and John 6:35Jesus as the Bread of Life and the source of eternal lifeColonial tea customs, children's tea sets, hospitality, and etiquetteTea as a tool for teaching patriotism during the American RevolutionStories of Mary Draper baking bread for Continental soldiersChristopher Ludvig's service as baker for the Continental ArmyFeatured Scriptures:1 Peter 1:3 — Born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus ChristGenesis 3 — Adam, labor, and bread by the sweat of his browJohn 6:35 — Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life”John 6:51 — Jesus as the living bread from heavenLeviticus 26:26; Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 5:16 — The staff of breadKey Takeaway: Bread is more than food. In Scripture, history, and family life, bread points to provision, fellowship, hospitality, sacrifice, and ultimately to Jesus Christ, the true Bread of Life.Call to Action:Make Sally Lunn bread with your family, talk about how yeast works, share tea or bread with someone, and take time this week to reflect on Jesus as your daily bread.Guest / Host Mention: Karen Whiting Website: www.karenwhiting.comTags:Karen Whiting, Home and Family, Sally Lunn bread, colonial recipes, American Revolution, Christian family, Bread of Life, biblical hospitality, tea history, Revolutionary War stories, yeast Bible lesson, Christian homemaking, family faith activities

Welcome to Day 2894 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2894 – “The Ultimate Close Encounter”  based on Luke 9:28-36 Putnam Church Message – 05/31/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.”   Last week's message was “A Shocking Agenda,” in which we learned to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus, which is not the way to lose our life.  According to Jesus, that is the only way to truly find it. Today, we continue with our twenty-sixth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:28--36, on page 1609 of your pew Bibles. The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving>Jesus, / Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts. We confess that we often see only what is right in front of us — our problems, our pain, our schedules, our fears, our disappointments. But Your Word reminds us that there is more than what we can see with our eyes. There is glory beyond suffering, resurrection beyond death, and a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Lord Jesus, as we look today at Your transfiguration, open our hearts to see You more clearly. Strengthen our faith. Quiet our fears. Teach us to listen to You. Help us follow You not only when the road is easy, but also when the road leads through sacrifice and suffering. May we leave this place with renewed confidence that Your will, Your way, all the way, is always best. Amen. Introduction: Our Hunger for Something More We live in an interesting age. I think we live in the most exciting age ever. That is why I would love to live another 70 years. We are at the threshold of major breakthroughs in all areas of life. Not everyone agrees with me. On one hand, skepticism is loud. Many people claim that nothing exists beyond what can be measured, tested, touched, or explained by science. They say the material universe is all there is. And yet, at the very same time, interest in the supernatural continues to grow. People watch shows about UFO sightings. They read books about near-death experiences. They watch movies about unseen worlds, spiritual forces, mysterious signs, angels, ghosts, and life beyond death. Even people who say they do not believe in God often feel that there must be something more. Why? Because deep inside the human soul is a longing to know that we are not alone. We want to know that our lives matter. We want to know that suffering is not meaningless. We want to know that death is not the end. We want to know that beyond the visible world lies a greater reality. That longing is not new. It goes back as far as humanity itself. Every culture in every age has looked beyond itself, searching the heavens for someone or something greater. In today's passage, three disciples receive what we might call the ultimate close encounter. Peter, John, and James are allowed to see behind the curtain. For a brief moment, the veil between earth and heaven is pulled back. They see Jesus in glory. They see Moses and Elijah alive. They hear the voice of God the Father. And they learn something they desperately needed to know. In the previous message, “A Shocking Agenda,” Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then He said that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him. / That was not what they expected. They expected the Messiah to march into Jerusalem, overthrow Rome, and restore Israel's glory. Instead, Jesus spoke of suffering, rejection, death, and surrender. So now, about eight days later, Jesus takes three of them up a mountain to pray. There, He gives them a glimpse of the glory on the other side of the cross. The message is clear: The road of Jesus may pass through suffering, but it ends in glory. Let's look at four truths that will explain this in our bulletin insert. Main Point 1: Jesus Reveals His Glory in the Place of Prayer Luke tells us that about eight days after Jesus said these things, He took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. That detail matters. Luke has repeatedly shown us that Jesus prayed at key moments. He prayed at His baptism. He withdrew often to lonely places to pray. He prayed before choosing the Twelve. He will pray in Gethsemane before the cross. Here again, Jesus goes up the mountain to pray. In Scripture, mountains often become places of divine encounter. Moses met God on Mount Sinai. Elijah heard the gentle whisper of God on Mount Horeb. Later, Jesus would teach on mountains, pray on mountains, and eventually be crucified near Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha. So, when Luke tells us Jesus goes up a mountain to pray, we should lean in. Something important is about to happen. / As Jesus is praying, His appearance changes. Matthew says His face shines like the sun. Mark says His clothing becomes dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach it. Luke says the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white.  This is not stage lighting. / This is not imagination. / This is not the sun hitting His robe at just the right angle. / The glory that had always belonged to Jesus begins to shine through His humanity. For most of His earthly life, the glory of the eternal Son of God was veiled. People saw a real man from Nazareth. They saw Him tired. Hungry. Weeping. Sleeping in a boat. Walking dusty roads. Sitting at tables. Touching lepers. Holding children. Teaching crowds. / But on the mountain, for a few moments, the veil is pulled back. The disciples see that the One they follow is not merely a teacher. Not merely a prophet. Not merely a miracle worker. Not merely a wise rabbi. / He is the glorious Son of God. Object Lesson: The Covered Lamp Imagine a lamp covered with a thick cloth. The lamp is shining, but the cloth hides most of the light. You may see a little glow around the edges, but not the full brightness. / Now remove the covering. / The light floods the room. That is a simple picture of what happens on the mountain. Jesus does not become glorious for the first time. His glory is revealed. John later writes that the Word became flesh and lived among us, and “we have seen his glory.” Peter later writes that he was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty. / This moment stayed with them. Ancient Context For Jewish disciples, shining glory would immediately connect with the presence of God. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after speaking with God, his face shone so brightly that the people were afraid to come near him. / But Moses reflected glory.  / Jesus reveals glory. Moses came down from the mountain with God's law. Jesus stands on the mountain as God's Son. / That distinction matters. Jesus is greater than Moses. Greater than Elijah. Greater than every prophet,...

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

In Scripture, we often see Jesus healing the sick, raising the dead, and restoring what is broken. We might be skeptical about those accounts, but we would also like to see them in our own lives. However, does God still work that way today? This week we will hear Dustin Keele's story that shows God is still very active in intervening in our lives in miraculous ways.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

The Echo of God: Mary's Praise and the Transformation of the Human Heart This conference represents a Marian retreat centered on praying . . . . . . “with Mary, in Mary, through Mary, and for Mary,” emphasizing that the purpose of the day is not primarily intellectual instruction but interior experience. The opening prayer . . . the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin . . . draws on Revelation 12's image of the woman crowned with twelve stars, structured as three “crowns”: excellence (Mary's virtues and divine motherhood), power (her royal and mediating role in salvation history), and goodness (her compassion toward sinners, the suffering, and the dying). The second half of the reflection develops a meditation on the biblical meaning of the “heart.” In Scripture, the heart is not merely emotion but the center of the human person, the place of desire, loyalty, and moral orientation . . . what shapes either good fruit or evil actions (Luke 6:45; Mark 7). The heart is also closely linked with the eyes and ears: what one sees and hears shapes obedience or resistance to God. A divided heart, influenced by many “lords” such as wealth, power, or ego, contrasts with the single-hearted obedience demanded by the Shema (“The Lord is one”). Mary is presented as the model of this unified heart . . . completely ordered toward God, perfectly receptive to His Word, and fully cooperative with the Holy Spirit. In this light, the Immaculate Heart of Mary is understood as the perfectly purified human heart in total relationship with God . . .fully obedient to the Father, receptive to the Son, and fruitful through the Holy Spirit. Her responses in Scripture (“Let it be done to me according to your word,” and “My soul magnifies the Lord”) reveal her as the “echo of God,” where every honor given to her returns as praise to God. The retreat concludes by inviting participants to examine their own hearts: who or what is their true “lord,” and whether their hearts are unified in God or divided among competing loyalties. Listen to this Meditation Media. The Echo of God: Mary's Praise and the Transformation of the Human Heart -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Art Work Madonna of the Magnificat: Italian Painter: Sandro Botticelli: 1481 This circular painting is by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli. Some know this painting under the title the Virgin and Child with Five Angels. In the painting, we see Our Lady writing the Magnificat with her right hand. Two angels are crowning Our Lady, with the Christ child on her lap. It now resides in the gallery of the Uffizi, in Florence. Note: we often see a smaller version of this painting; focusing on the Crowning of Our Lady. This is the full painting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why was this image selected: Mary is shown writing the Magnificat, embodying the idea that everything in her life returns as praise to God . . . an artistic expression of her being the “echo of God.”

If you've been hurt by someone you loved, you've probably replayed the “if onlys” and “what ifs” a thousand times. Maybe you're in a marriage without the love you long for. Maybe your marriage has already failed. Whatever your story, God is not through with you.In Scripture, we follow Leah's journey from heartbreak and unmet expectations to surrender and worship. Through her pain, God relentlessly pursued her, drawing her to lay down her dreams, hopes, and deepest desires at His feet.Sometimes God allows great pain to bring us to the place where we finally discover that He alone is enough. The key that unlocked Leah's heart was surrender to the Hound of Heaven. The result was praise—not just on her lips, but in her life.Tune in as we discover how God can transform broken dreams into unshakable praise.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.

This summer, we are exploring the ways God interrupts ordinary life to invite people into something truer, deeper, and more life-giving. In Scripture and in our own stories, God's interruptions are rarely convenient but often transformative. Together, we will learn to notice how God meets us in disrupted plans, shifting expectations, and unexpected moments. This is not a series about disruption for its own sake. It is about trusting that God is at work even when life feels uncertain or unsettled. As we slow down and pay attention, we begin to see that his interruptions are often invitations into something better than we would have chosen on our own. Sometimes the most meaningful change in our lives begins with an interruption we did not expect, but deeply need.  

We're so glad you're listening to our podcast! This sermon is based on 1 John 1. It's the second sermon in our "Hot Takes on Scripture's Hottest Topics" sermon series and focuses on the concept of "sin." In Scripture is "sin" just a list of "thou shalt not's"? Or does it have more to do with the way we live in relationship with God and others? We're glad you're listening in as Rev. Kali Cawthon-Freels shares her wisdom! Hope it is a helpful and meaningful word to you this week.To find out more about the sermon series you can visit: ⁠https://www.williamsburgbaptist.com/summer2026.html⁠.To find out more about our church, you can head on over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.williamsburgbaptist.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you have a moment, we'd also love for you to click over to follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We are a small but vibrant and growing congregation, and there are lots of ways to connect. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can help support you in any way! Thanks so much for tuning in!

Is it okay to be deeply honest with God? To ask him your questions? In Scripture, we find the answer is yes. Pastors Mark Vroegop and John Piper encourage you to embrace sorrow and let it lead you to Jesus.As our thanks for your gift of any amount this month:Dwell: 30 Days with God in the Psalms.Dwell: 30 Days with God in the Psalms, will help you interact with Scripture, turn it in your hands like a jewel, hear God's Spirit speak through what He has written, and drink deeply of His living water.Give today

In Scripture we see that he glory of God is not an aesthetic beauty or a material beauty, but the beauty that emanates from His character, from all that He is. His glory is the combined manifestation of His attributes. He is glorious because no one can compare.Main Points:1. In the Old Testament, the glory of God was sometimes seen manifested in visible ways such as, fire, thick clouds smoke, lightening, and even an earthquake. But in the New Testament, the glory of God is revealed in His son, Jesus Christ.2. The glory of God was visibly seen in the character of Jesus, his teaching, preaching, and miraculous power. Imagine walking and talking with God himself.3. The glory of God is hard to define isn't it? But as we study the Bible we discover the glory of God revealed in the pages of Scripture. We learn of his holiness, his majesty, his goodness, his power, and his love. Only God is glorious.  Today's Scripture Verses:1 Chronicles 29:11 - “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor.”Exodus 33:18-19 - Now show me your glory.  And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence.”John 1:14 - “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”Hebrews 1:3 - “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Nafi and Kamran joined a military coup. They fought for years, and when their side won, were given desk jobs in the capital. It’s not going well. There’s little to do so they go online. Nafi says that many of his comrades, “including me, are addicted to the internet, especially Twitter.” Kamran adds, “The real test and challenge was not during the [war]. Rather, it’s now. At that time, it was simple, but now things are much more complicated.” Citing the various temptations he found on the Web, he added, “Many . . . have fallen into these seemingly sweet, but actually bitter traps.” Kamran’s right that we’re most vulnerable to let down our guard when we’re at ease, as he was after a war. In Scripture we find a similar caution in the story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba. It all began when he sent others off to war but remained behind in the capital. Like an undisciplined man scrolling the internet, David “got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace” (2 Samuel 11:2). He put himself in harm’s way. And when “he saw a woman bathing,” he didn’t turn away (v. 3). We avoid the postwar letdown by remembering we’re still at war. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but . . . against the spiritual forces of evil.” So, as He helps us, we “put on the full armor of God” and prepare to “stand our ground” (Ephesians 6:12–13).

The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals! That was the warningJohn G. Patonreceived when he announced his call to take the gospel to the New Hebrides. An older man in his churchknown simply as Mr. Dicksontried to dissuade him. From a human standpoint, the concern was understandable. Patons ministry in Glasgow was thriving. Hundreds gathered each week, lives were being changed, and the work was fruitful. Why would anyone leave such a place? The New Hebrides were known as one of the most dangerous mission fields in the world. Just nineteen years earlier, in 1839, missionariesJohn WilliamsandJames Harrishad landed there and were killed within hours. Their deaths were still fresh in the minds of many, and the opposition Paton faced came not from enemies of the gospel, but from concerned Christian friends. Reflecting on this moment, Paton later wrote, The opposition was so strong from nearly all that I was sorely tempted to question whether I was carrying out the Divine will This also caused me much anxiety, and drove me close to God in prayer. Paton replied to Dicksons warning: Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer. The danger was real, the opposition was understandable, and the cost was highbut Paton was convinced that Christ was worthy, even there. When Paton arrived in the New Hebrides in 1858, the cost became immediate. Within weeks of landing on the island of Tanna, his wife, Mary, and their newborn son both died of fever. Paton buried them with his own hands and even slept on their grave to protect it. It would have been understandable for him to leave. Yet he did not abandon his calling. For over forty years, he labored among those islands, convinced that Christ was worthy and that even the hardest soil was not beyond the reach of Gods saving power. Patons story did not end with his life. It helped fuel a missionary movement. The gospel did not stop in the New Hebrides; it continued to spread across the Pacific, eventually reaching places likePapua New Guinea, where the cost remained high and the danger real. Even today, the fruit of that gospel work remains. Why would a man risk everything for such a mission? Paton went because he believed Christ was worthy of whatever sacrifice it would cost to bring the gospel to those who had never heardeven at the risk of his own life. Revelation 5:610 shows us why. The Lion is a Lamb (v. 6) Remember what the scroll represents. In Revelation 5:14, Johns attention turns to a scroll in the right hand of Goda scroll that contains His sovereign plan to judge evil, redeem His people, and restore all creation from the curse of sin. It is held securely by the One who rules history with perfect authority. Within it lies the full scope of redemptive history: Gods judgments, the vindication of suffering saints, the defeat of sin and death, and the final restoration of all thingsincluding the new heaven and new earth. It holds both justice and hopethe outpouring of Gods wrath on evil and the fulfillment of His promises to save, dwell with, and rejoice over His people forever. But as a mighty angel asks, Who is worthy to open the scroll?, a crisis unfolds. No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth is found worthy, and John begins to weep. And rightly sobecause if the scroll remains sealed, Gods promises go unfulfilled, sin goes undefeated, and redemption never reaches its goal. At that moment, everything hangs in the balance. Then a voice breaks the silence: Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered (v. 5). The answer is not found in human strength or angelic power, but in a personthe promised King, the fulfillment of every promise of God, the One who alone has the right to redeem. And it is this Lionthis conquering Kingthat John turns to see. Yet when he turns, he is confronted with something utterly unexpected. Between the throne and the four living creatures stands a Lamb as though it had been slain. The promised Lion reveals Himself as the sacrificial Lamb of God. Victory has not come through crushing Gods enemies but through the crushing of the Son of God, who willingly and obediently went to the cross like a lamb that is led to the slaughter (Isa. 53:7), bearing the iniquities of sinners. What John sees is not a contradiction but the key to everything. The Lion has conqueredbut He has conquered as a Lamb. He stands triumphant, bearing the marks of the cross. John understood what this meant, and we must understand it as well:the One who is worthy is the One who has given Himself for you. However, John not only sees a Lambhe sees a Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes. In Scripture, horns symbolize power and kingship, and seven signifies divine completeness. This Lamb possesses perfect, sovereign authority. His seven eyes represent complete divine wisdom and perception, corresponding to the sevenfold Spirit of God sent out into all the earth. Nothing escapes His sight, and no judgment exceeds His wisdom. These are not random detailsthey are a testimony. The One who stands at the center of the throne is not merely a symbol of sacrifice but the One of whom Jeremiah spoke: Yahweh our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6). He is the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, and the sovereign Lord over all. Yet this is not all that John sees and experiences. The Lion who is a Lamb is also the Redeemer. The Lamb is the Redeemer (vv. 7-8) This Lamb is worthy not only because of who He is but also because of what He has done. The Lamb is the Redeemer. In the Old Testament, a kinsman-redeemer was a family member who could step in when everything had been lost. But not just anyone could serve as a redeemerhe had to be a close relative by blood, possess the resources necessary to redeem, and be willing to do so. That is why Boaz could redeem Ruth, yet Boaz was only a shadow of a greater Redeemer to come. Naomi had lost everythingher husband, her sons, and her security. The land that belonged to her family was in danger of being lost forever. But Boaz, as a relative, stepped in. He had the means and was willing. By marrying Ruth, he redeemed the land, restored the family, and provided an heir. What was lost was restored, and what was empty was made full. But what humanity needed most was not merely the restoration of what was lostwe needed the reversal of the curse, reconciliation with the God we sinned against, and the renewal of all things. When Adam sinned, all was ruinedsin entered the world, death followed, and creation fell under the curse of his rebellion. What was needed was a true and better Redeemerone who could stand in the place of fallen humanity and restore what had been lost. This is what makes Jesus worthy to open the scroll. He became one of us so that He could be the Kinsman-Redeemer we need. He has the power to redeem because He is fully God. His willingness to redeem was demonstrated in that He embraced the cross, bearing our sin and becoming our curse. That is why, in Revelation 5, He steps forward and takes the scrollbecause He alone meets every requirement.He alone is the Kinsman-Redeemer. Through His incarnation, Jesus shares in our humanity. Through His divine Sonship, He possesses infinite authority as One equal with the Father. Through His willing sacrifice, He demonstrates beyond question His desire to redeem.The wounds of the Lamb are the proof of His willingnessand the scroll in His hand is the declaration of His worthiness. Now, do not miss what happens in verse 8! Upon taking the scroll, the four living creatureswhose appearance represents the created orderfall before the Lamb in worship. The same creatures who, in the previous chapter, declared of the One on the throne, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come (4:8) now fall before the Lamb to worship Him! And if that were not enough, the twenty-four eldersrepresenting the people of God in both the Old and New Testamentsalso fall before the Lamb in worship. How do we know they worship Him? Because they serve Himoffering songs to Him and presenting the prayers of His people before Him. They fall before the Lamb because He is the One who stands as our High Priest. For all of Scripture testifies, Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:14-16) Do not miss the significance of this moment. InExodus20, God commands: You shall not make for yourself an idol You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God (Exod. 20:45; BSB). Worship belongs to God alone. All of Scripture is clearno created thing is worthy of worship. Yet in Revelation5, all creationrepresented by the living creaturesfalls before the Lamb. The elders fall before the Lamb. Heaven itself erupts in worship directed to the Lamb. What does this mean? It means the Lamb is not merely part of creationHe is the reason creation exists. The Lamb whom heaven worships is the One Scripture testifies to: For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). The Lamb is not a created beingHe is the Creator. And the worship given to Him is the worship that belongs to God alone! The Redeemer is Worthy (vv. 9-10) The moment the Lamb takes the scroll, heaven erupts in worship. Instantly, the four living creatures fall down in awe before the Lamb. The twenty-four elderswho had already surrendered their crowns before the thronenow bow in reverence, presenting the prayers of the saints as a fragrant offering to the Lamb. A new song breaks forthnot a song of anticipation, but of accomplishment: Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. (vv. 9-10) This is not a song of anticipation, but one of accomplishment! The Lamb is worthy because He was slain so that a people undeserving of the mercy of God could be ransomed for God. The Berean Standard Bible translates this verse this way: Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. The Lamb is worthy because He alone can restore to redeemed humanity all that was lost through Adam, serving as the true and greater Adam who brings full restoration and hope to those He has saved. Dear brothers and sisters, our worthy Redeemer did not stop there. Sinners are not merely rescuedthey are restored. We are not only forgivenwe are brought near. You are not only savedyou are given purpose, identity, and a future. All who are redeemed by the Lamb have been made a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. In this moment, all of heaven is united in awe. The question that brought John to tears finds its answernot in an explanation, but in the person of Jesus. The scroll will be opened, history will unfold as God intends, and redemption will reach its glorious fulfillment. Jesus Christthe Lion of Judah and the slain Lambis worthy to redeem, restore, and reign forever. The question of heaven was asked: Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?And the answer is clear: Jesus is worthy because He was slain. Jesus is worthy because He has redeemed. Jesus is worthy because He reigns. So how do you turn your eyes from worthless things (Ps. 119:37)? You turn from what is worthless to the One who is worthynot only of the worship of heaven, but of all of you. He is worthy of your attention. He is worthy of your obedience. He is worthy of your trust. Some of you are clinging to things that cannot save, cannot redeem, and will not last. But there is One who was slain, who has redeemed, and who now reigns. He alone is worthy. So turn to Him. Trust Him. Worship Him. Follow Him. One day every knee will bow before Himso bow before Him now, while you still have time. Today is the day of salvation.

If we were to put Paul's teaching in the first three chapters of Romans into one simple statement, it would be this: Everybody needs the Lord. We all need the Savior, or we'll face God's justice for our sins. He shows how Gentile cultures walked away from the truth of God, and then how the Jews who had God's truth revealed In Scripture also failed to obey what they knew to be right. When Paul is finished, we realize the entire human race is in serious trouble. In order to prepare our hearts for the National Day of Prayer, this spiritual crisis needs to confront us afresh. We need to feel compassion tor lost people, not pity them. We need to commit ourselves to do everything in our power to help them find the Savior, And the first, and frankly most important step we can take isn't witnessing; it's prayer. The door to people's hearts Is prayed open, not talked open. History is filled with remarkable examples of God reviving His Church and awakening lost people, but such spiritual breakthroughs are always preceded by believers committing themselves to pray until God's mighty hand moves. When it does, witnessing becomes effective, many are saved, churches are refilled and the culture of whole communities is transformed. Our nation desperately needs a revival now! But remember, you and I can't make revival happen; we can only pray until it comes. So the step we need to take today is to commit ourselves to earnestly and consistently call on God. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series.  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation at no charge, we are still giving this book out as well!       

The Summons: Grappling With God's Kingdom and King (Part 14) The Seed and the StormMark 4:35-41 There's a reason we're drawn to action movies, thrilling fiction, and dramatic rescue stories: everyone loves a big, cinematic save. But what about the rescues that feel quiet? What about when the miracle looks less like a calmed storm and more like a verse on a page? In Scripture, Jesus rescued His people in powerful, unforgettable ways. It's easy to look at our own lives and wonder, “Why isn't He fixing my problems like that?” But Jesus hasn't left us empty-handed. He's given us something living, active, and deeply powerful – His Word. Join us this Sunday as we explore how Jesus uses both mighty miracles and His living Word to reach the hearts of His children, then and now. 

Audio Transcript I’m really glad that you’re with us today. It’s a special day today because we have another baptism. So if you came for that, we’re really glad you’re with us, especially those in navs. We’re happy that you’re with us today. So if you’d open up your Bibles to Luke. Continuing our study of Luke texture study. Today is going to be Luke 8, 1621. And as you’re tuning there, I just want you to know how encouraged I have been yesterday morning and then again this morning. So yesterday morning I came into my office and came in. There’s a number of folks working around the church building and cleaning things up, finishing projects both inside and outside. And I was just really encouraged by them. And a lot of them are actually serving again today. And I go inside the building and then Uncle Wes is leading a next steps class and send people at that. And that was just really encouraging. And after being downstairs in my office for a bit, head back upstairs. And then Caleb and he had a crew making meals for students. And so that was really encouraging. And by the way, kind of on that note, if you didn’t know, so Caleb’s one of our interns. Him and Alyssa got engaged. So if you don’t know that now, you do. And so make sure you congratulate them at the end of service. So that was all yesterday morning. Then this morning, you know, we had the breakfast club going on, Sunday school going on, you know, all the other things going on in the church where there’s so many people involved and serving in a lot of different ways. And that doesn’t even count all the things that goes on throughout the week of, you know, caring and serving one another. And I was just so encouraged, particularly as we get to the text today. You’ll hear why in just a bit. And so let me read our passage. It’s Luke 8, 16, 21. It’s on page 504. If you don’t have a Bible with you, there’s a few Bibles scattered throughout. And if you’re visiting. So we do a style of preaching here called expository preaching. So I’m going to read through the passage and then the rest of our time here, I’m just going to try to walk us back through the passage to try to explain what the passage is saying to us, us. And so open up your Bible and keep them open. Okay, so Luke 8, starting verse 16, this is what God’s word says, says no one, after lighting the lamp, covers it with a Jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden to not be made manifest. Nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear. For the one who has more will be given from the one who has not even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. And his mother and his brothers came to him, but they cannot reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, your mother and your brothers are standing outside desiring to see you. But he answered them, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. That’s God’s words for us this morning. Would you please pray with me? God, thank you for bringing us here today. Lord, this is a sweet providence that you brought us here every Sunday that we are able to gather together as your church. It is sweet, Lord, please bless this time here, this time where we work through your word. Please help me to be a good communicator. Help me to speak truth. Help me not to stumble over my words. Lord, pray for the church. Please give them ears to hear that. You’d use this time to just enlarge our hearts for Christ. You bring much glory to him. In his name we pray. Amen. Okay, so throughout the Scriptures, there are many different metaphors that are used to communicate, like bigger spiritualities. So, for instance, just to name a few. So our Lord refers to Himself, like, as a door by which we are to go through to find his great salvation. Lord also refers to Himself as a shepherd who shepherds his sheep, which is a metaphor to describe us, his people. As the Lord shepherds us with his tenderness and his care, in his love and in his mercy. The Lord declares Himself to be our rock and our fortress, which he is the one, the only one which we can find true safety and security. If you’re with us. Last week in our study of Luke, Jesus gave a parable where he used the process of planting seeds as a metaphor to teach a bigger spiritual truth with us. You may remember in that parable, Lord spoke about a sower who would sow seeds in a field where the seeds would fall on different types of ground. Some of the ground would be trampled down underfoot in a path. Some of the ground was like a rock, some with thorns. And as the seed fell on those types of ground, for different reasons, it caused the seed to die. But then you may remember that in that parable, there also was good soil by which the seed would Fall upon which was soil, where the seed would grow, plant roots, and you’d bring forth a huge harvest. In our text last week, as Jesus then interpreted the parable for us, after he spoke it, he told disciples, told us how the seed is a metaphor for God’s word. The soil is a metaphor that represents, like, our hearts and how we respond to God’s word, which for some, in different ways, like, we actually reject God’s word as our hearts remain hard towards God, hard because of sin. But others, they receive God’s word, and they do so because of God’s gracious work in their life. And they receive God’s word in ways like they actually, like, bear fruit, with fruit also being a metaphor, describe, like, the actions or results that come from one’s life that are in step with keeping with the work that God has done in life. And the fruit come out of God’s people. There’s a whole bunch of results that just reflect the heart of our good God. So in the scriptures, there are a lot of different metaphors that are used almost as illustrations to communicate, like, important spiritual truths to us. This morning as we gather together in our text to study, we actually come to two of my favorite metaphors in scriptures. Metaphors, actually, I’ve thought about often. So first is the metaphor of light, where light is used as a metaphor to illustrate, like, God’s work in the world around us, which is God’s work is like light shining into darkness, where darkness itself even cannot overcome it. No matter how sinful or evil, however deep the darkness might be, the light of God will always win out. Then the other metaphor in our text to study today is a metaphor of a family where for all those of all time who have faith in Jesus Christ, they’re viewed as family. Christian scripture is a family to be lived on in local levels, like as the church, where the local church should be viewed as a church family that is knit together by blood, not blood connected by ones like ancestors. But the blood that connects us as a family is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the blood that he spilled for us on the cross, which is the blood by which we find forgiveness of our sin. Scripture tells us without the shedding of the blood, there actually is no forgiveness of sin. And also, as mentioned, this blood connects us together as family, which is a blood that’s much more thicker than water. So this morning in our passage, we’re gonna be working through these two metaphors, light and family, which are metaphors that actually do work together, as we’ll see in just a bit. So if that was an intro, please look back with me in our text starting in verse 16. As mentioned, we’re going to be walking ourselves back through. So please keep your Bibles open, keep your nose in the Bible right here, Jesus is continuing to preach in parable form. Read. The Lord preached to the crowd around him, saying that no one after lighting a lamp, covers it with a jar. No one after lighting a lamp, then like puts the lamp under a bed. Just a few things here, just to understand what Jesus is getting at. So first, just on a very practical level of this metaphor, which is practical even for us, who I assume we probably don’t use lamps that often at night to shine in our homes, but even we understand that after lighting a lamp to cover it or to hide it, that’d be kind of a foolish thing to do. And really what’s the point of doing that? So even we, like, we understand the foolishness here. But for this crowd, as Jesus spoke with this metaphor, to them, they would even start even more so how foolish this would be. So in this time frame, practically speaking, light during nighttime hours was not always easy to find, as it is for us. For us, night comes, we usually find a switch, we flip it, and our homes are lit up. However, light in this time period is much harder to find, much more of a precious commodity that for some days of poverty, like light during night have been a luxury perhaps that they could not afford. So light was like much more precious. Furthermore, in this time period, light had to be handled with great care for it to be present and to continue to be present. So from what I was reading this week in Different Commentaries, so lamps in that time period, so there’s a bit of a process to get them lit. Most of the process involved like kind of getting the wick ready to get properly trimmed. And then after it’s properly trimmed, it’d be like dipped into olive oil, which is the fuel used to light the lamp. And while the lamp itself probably would be big enough to hold enough olive oil for the entire night, the wicks of the lamp would last maybe just a few hours before the wicks would start to like, smolder and be in danger of going out, which meant throughout the night for light to be present, someone have to get up and tend to the wicked, replace the wick just to keep the light shining. So in this time period, there’s a lot going on for a lamp to be lit and stay lit all night long. So again, this isn’t like simply flipping the switch on and off with ease. So for the crowd around Jesus in this text, for them to hear him say this in verse 16, practically, yeah, it would have been absolutely foolish, ridiculous to think of going through the entire process to pay the expense required to pay to light the lamp, only then to like cover it up or put it under a bed instead. When someone had light the clearing, obvious thing that they would do in verse 16 was to put it on a stand to maximize the light, to get the most out of it so that the light would shine brightly to illuminate the entire house. So those who would enter in, no matter what time of night they entered in, they would enter in ways that they could see the light. The light would penetrate the darkness even at the darkest point of the night. So practically they could walk with freedom. Not running into things that are hidden by darkness would cause them to stumble and fall and get hurt. That’s the practical reality of this metaphor, I think does make sense to us. But then second, the light here does seem to have like maybe a twofold meaning. So the practical reality we just talked about by scholars I read this week imply there’s also a theological reality here, one that’s found in the Old Testament scriptures, where inside the Old Testament tabernacle, then later temple, there were lampstands. The priest would light, so the light would shine and fill the room, which is a room that was filled with God’s unique presence, his unique work was there. So theologically, the priests would minister in the tabernacle, they light the lampstand, they will not cover up that light. Then rather the light would shine, reveal the work of God, the kingdom of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God. Right. This is a great theological truth, I think, also tied to this as God is light, in him there is no darkness. So kind of hold on to these things as it relates to light. We’ll probably pick up more of this as we go. Let’s keep going back the text, verse 17. Because the light is not hidden, but because it’s to be placed on a stand for all to see. Jesus told the crowd tells us that because the light shines, because it illuminates, because it penetrates darkness. For nothing is hidden. Rather, as the light shines, it illuminates the entire room. It puts everything in plain sight, so nothing will remain hidden. Acts verse 17. The light ensures that nothing will not be made manifest, everything revealed, nothing able to hide in the corner or hide beside something in secret. Keep saying, the light will expose everything, the light will touch everything. Everything will come into light so that everything will be known. And now for us, this reality, I think we actually see this both as a terrified, but also a freeing and healing reality. So the light is a terrifying reality because we can’t keep secrets of wrongs that we’ve been done, we can’t keep hidden like lies that we have perpetrated or sins that we. We have committed. And we can’t keep them hidden no matter how hard we work to cover them up, to hide them from others, to hide them from the Lord. Once again, everything will be revealed, including things we work the hardest to remain hidden in darkness. Scripture is clear that our sins will find themselves out. Light will expose them. For working really hard to keep things hidden in secret, we’re here this morning trying to hide things that we don’t want the Lord or maybe others to know about. This text here, this is actually terrifying for us to hear. Yes, maybe for a time. We can keep things hidden. We can lie, we can cover things up where it appears we’re keeping things in the dark. But that can only last for so long. All things will come into light, some of which won’t be until the day of judgment when Christ returns. But I do think a significant amount come to light even in this present life. We’re in times, we’re in time, we actually are exposed. By the way, I actually think the longer we try to keep things hidden, the harder we work to try to keep things in secret. It’s actually the more terrifying and more devastating it is when the light finally exposes us. Man, it’d be as often as we try to keep things hidden and in secret, there’s often like more and more sinful or deceitful things that we need to do just to try to keep things hidden. But if we just brought things to light right away on our own, things would not be so bad. Ongoing covering up, ongoing keeping things in secret only make things worse actually leads to why exposing light can also be freeing and healing to us. But even this morning, if you know that you’re constantly trying to keep things hidden in secret, I just want to encourage you to bring things into light so you can find freedom and healing. Now let me give you a couple reasons why it’s such freedom, such healing, to bring things to light on our own, rather than waiting for, like, the Lord to expose it. So first, trying to hide things, trying to keep things a secret. We know this. Those are incredibly stressful realities to try to live with that we’re losing sleep, we’re feeling all sorts of anxieties of things like being made manifest. Perhaps they are on the edge of various relationships, worried, like what would happen if others found out the truth about a situation. They were nervous, terrified. Things came to light. However, as we understand and accept that the light will expose that which we’re trying to hide, you understand it’s gonna happen, so we just bring it to light on our own, friends, there’s freedom there. It’s gonna happen. So humbly, just bring things to light on your own, like confess it. And yes, as we do that, there could still be some consequences we might have to endure, but there’s freedom to do that now, rather than being bound up, waiting to be exposed. We’re at wit’s end, stressed out, always trying to think, keep things covered. Second, even more importantly, as relates to freedom and healing, when with humility, we bring things to light, and that’s where we find forgiveness. Forgiveness that Jesus offers to all who by faith come to him. So listen to this. This is from First John 1. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all our sins. We say we don’t have sin, we deceive ourselves. The truth is not in us. Listen here. If we confess our sins, bring things to light, he’s faithful, he’s just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So yes, the light is terrifying for trying to keep things hidden in secret. But friends, if with humility we bring things to light, there’s freedom, there’s healing. Even if there’s consequences we have to deal with as we breathe. Things to light, friends, that’s where we find forgiveness for us because of these two realities, the terrifying reality or the freedom healing reality. Because of that, either you will hate the light, hate what the light does. Hate always exposes what you’re trying to keep hidden. We always try to hide from it, which we can’t do. Light will expose all things. Or you will love the light. As the light brings that which is hidden, that’s what’s secret, brings it to light so it can be dealt with, which God promises to do as we come to him by faith through the Lord Jesus Christ, where as he come to him through Jesus Christ, all of our secret hidden sins, they’re nailed to the cross so we might have deeper fellowship with him. Keep going. Verse 18. After Jesus gave this parable or metaphor on light, similar to what he said in our text in Verse eight from last week. I’m going to take your eyes back up there. So after giving this parable of the sower, Jesus then cried out to the crowd in the passage, saying, he who has ears to hear, let him hear now. Similarly, in our text today, after speaking about the light, Jesus once again calls out, saying, take care. Then how you hear, how you hear, how you understand how we respond to this teaching on the light. It matters, so take care. This is on the positive. You hear, you understand, by faith, you respond to the light, to Jesus Christ in the text. For the one who has you see, more will be given. Which is more can be a host of different things, including, like, more freedom, more healing, more enjoyment with fellowship with God and others. Then on the negative, for those who do not hear, do not understand, who not by faith respond to the teaching of Jesus Christ, the text. For the one who has not even what he thinks he has, which can be a host of different things as well, things that we’re tempted to believe that in order to keep these things, we must keep them hidden in secret, for even what he thinks he has will be taken away, which by the way, will put one in even greater states of misery as things are taken away, which no doubt will create, like, even more anxiety and more stress, which for me, on the negative end, this illustration, I just thought about, like the maddening reality of others talked about, like, trying to hold onto sand or like, you know, the harder you try to hold onto it, the more the sand slips through one’s fingers. That’s what happens when we try to keep things hidden from the light, try to keep things in secret, where we simply try to hold on and control whatever it may be. That’s almost like an idol to us that means everything to us. In the end, the light will take more and more away for us this morning. That’s the first illustration or metaphor in this text of light, which I’ll talk about more in the end. But to keep going the text, then we get the second illustration or metaphor, which is family. As mentioned, both these illustrations, light and family work together as we speak to spiritualities, because those who are in the light are family. Those who are family are in the light. Just read in one John. But if we walk in fellowship as he, or walk in light as he is light, we have fellowship with one another. Verse 19. Take your eyes there. After Jesus finished up the shine of light, we see that his mothers and his brothers came to him. Now, a few things already. So first regard to this family here. So his mother this is Mary, who we met in the beginning of our study of Luke. She was the virgin who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, gave birth to Jesus the Christ. The nature of the brothers has been debated kind of throughout church history, where some have argued, there’s maybe more in lines of like cousins of Jesus. But the most natural reading of this passage is brothers, brothers in flesh and blood, which indicates that Mary and her husband Joseph, we also met in her study of Luke. They had children after our Lord was born. So these are Jesus like physical brothers, or I guess you could say like half brothers, as they shared Mary as the mother. As mentioned, Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit as the brothers came through Joseph. Second, we also mentioned we don’t know where Mary and Joseph or Mary and the brothers were prior to this. And we also don’t know if there was something that prompted them to come to the Lord, possibly came to Jesus simply because they haven’t seen him in a while. The public ministry that he was in was taken from place to place. Maybe it’s been a bit. So they came to Jesus. They kind of catch up and to reconnect as family. Perhaps they came to Jesus maybe in similar ways. The disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus in chapter seven, if you’re with us in that study, maybe remember that story. So John the Baptist was in prison for proclaiming the word of God. And while he was in prison, he was starting to have like, some confusion, some doubts concerning Jesus, if indeed he was the Christ or if there was another who was to come. So he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to get some clarity. So perhaps that’s what’s happening here with Mary and his brothers trying to get some clarity from our Lord. Or perhaps that we see in other parts of Scripture of when Jesus family came to him, even in the context of the passage about to get to maybe Mary and Joseph or Mary. Mary and the brothers came to Jesus to actually question him or even rebuke Jesus for his ministry that was rapidly growing and spreading all over the region. On the text, Luke doesn’t give us the details of why they’re there. Jesus knows where they came from, but we do know in the text is that they came. They cannot easily get to Jesus to reach him, to talk with him, with whatever they wanted to talk to him about. And the reason why is because the great crowd surrounding Jesus was just too great now for us. The scene, I think, is actually probably pretty easy for us to picture in our mind’s eye. So I think, like, maybe Jesus in The middle of a huge crowd, and he’s preaching and teaching about the light. And as a crowd of people were standing around him, it’s like in layers upon layers upon layers. So as Mary the brothers arrived on the scene, you know, you can maybe picture them trying to like, make their way through the crowd. Or maybe people are getting annoyed at them for trying to move ahead. Or maybe they’re getting annoyed because they’re just trying to get to Jesus, but they can’t. No success in doing so. Only for Mary the brothers to like, throw their hands up in the air in frustration, recognize there’s no way they can make it through the crowd. So back to the text. As all this is taking place, we see that word now start to spread among this great crowd. Jesus, mother, his brothers were there and they’re trying to make their way up to them, but having no success. As this news is spreading in the midst of the crowd, maybe like a game of telephone, eventually the news makes its way up to the Lord that the family is in town. Verse 20. If you take your eyes there as it told to Jesus, hey, Jesus, sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off here, but your mother and your brothers are here, but they’re all the way in the back, standing on the outside. They’re unable to penetrate the crowd. And Jesus, they’re here because they’re desiring to see you. And we understand there’s something they really need to talk to you about. Again, don’t know what they want to talk about, but one of the reasons I tend to think that maybe they wanted to confront Jesus about something was simply how Jesus responded as this information came to his ear, by answering them in verse 21. My mother, my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. Now, there’s a few things here. First, I don’t want you to see this response to Jesus as like, like him trying to discredit the nature of like one’s family or even like his own family. There’s so many passages in Scripture that speaks towards the importance of like one’s family. Family is there from like Genesis on forward. It’s a great building block of society. There’s passages, Old Testament and New Testament to speak how important one’s family, like their family, blood, family ought to be to them. So don’t see Jesus here saying that family is not important. It is. It’s something we should cherish and protect and invest in. However, second, do read this as Jesus is stressing the centrality of one’s spiritual Family, Right. So not discrediting one’s family, rather, Jesus is emphasizing how central one’s spiritual family ought to be, which is a spiritual family made up of all those who seek to follow God’s Word, which starts with following the call of Scripture to put one’s faith in Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Just like we’re talking more about the spiritual family as we live out in local church settings. But before we get there, third thing I just want to notice here is how important it is to hear and keep God’s word. So once again, back to our text last week. He who has the ear to hear, let him hear. Also in our text last week, the good soil are the hearts of those who hear the word of God, a text from last week says, and hold fast to it earlier in our text today, verse 18. Take care how you hear. And now, as we close this passage, my mother and brothers that make up the spiritual family are those who hear the word of God and do it, which is the hope that I have for all of us this morning to hear what God is saying to us through the metaphors. That is our passage as we end in the text. But before I close the sermon, I do want to just give us a couple thoughts on these metaphors of light and family. Just keep saying we’re together. Those who are in the light are family. Those are family because they are in the light. So first, by faith, just humbly receive the light. In Scripture, the light is a metaphor for God’s word. It’s a lamp to our feet, a light to our path. It’s a metaphor of what God is doing in the world, including our own hearts. But ultimately, the light is a metaphor that is about the Lord Jesus Christ, the very one who is the light of the world, the light of men, the true light is Jesus Christ, the one who shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. And Scripture is clear that all who received him, the Lord Jesus, the true light, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God, which further speaks to his spiritual family, those who are born, not of blood, nor the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. This morning, for us, as we consider this passage, this parable, these metaphors, may we consider in ways that we hear what it says about Christ and humbly receive him as our light by calling upon Jesus to save us from our sins, to save us to Himself, by believing that indeed he did come for us and that he did die for us, only to rise again from the dead. Friends, when it comes to the Lord Jesus Christ, one day, when he returns to set up his kingdom, we’re all going to meet him because he’s coming to judge, justly, judge the living and the dead. And for those who reject Jesus as the light, friends, that day is going to be terrifying, because you’ll meet Jesus as the judge, and on that day, he will bring everything fully into light. All the sins that we’ve committed will be exposed, made manifest. Nothing will be kept in secret, and we’re gonna have to give an account. And without Jesus, his blood shed for us. There’s no forgiveness before the judgment seat, and that’s terrifying. But for those who humble themselves, who confess their sins to him by faith, trust in him who receive him as the light. On that day, when our Lord returns, it’s going to be a day of great rejoicing, because we will know that through him, through the blood that he shed for us, we know that before his judgment seat will be forgiven, for his righteousness is going to be counted as our righteousness. So this morning, by faith, receive the light. Receive him as your great treasure, trusting in his promise that on that judgment day, because of faith in him, you’ll be welcomed into his kingdom as his people, as his precious children. So receive the light, and receive it in ways that you spend all of your days, like walking in that light. And if you stumble and you fall, friends, don’t try to cover it back up. Rather, continue to bring your sins before the Lord to find forgiveness, find freedom, to find healing, which even this morning. Say it again. Bring whatever sin that you’re trying to hide, bring it to him who is the light. Second, before we close, boldly shine the light. No, we’re not the light. But as his people, we bear witness to the light, knowing that now that Christ has come, the light of God does not shine uniquely in the tabernacle or temple. But God has chosen to shine the light of Christ. How? Through us, through his people. By reflecting the light of Christ to the world around us. So, friends, don’t cover up the light of Christ that is in your heart. Don’t put it under a bed. Whether it’s because you’re, like, isolating yourselves from others or because you’re silent about Christ to others, rather, for the glory of Christ, set your life up on a stand to shine brightly for all to see that our lives may be like that old gospel song, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine Everywhere I go I’m gonna let it shine Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine for us, that light we’re to shine to shine in places where God has already placed us, including the places where you work or your classrooms or the activities or hobbies that you’re in. Shining your light to your family, to those who you live next to in your neighborhood. By the way, if I continue on this end, as the weather warms up, just host some type of neighborhood party or some type of, like, summer social event and just invite those who God’s already placed in your life to it with hopes that through that event you can, like, shine your light through your words, your deeds, that those who see your life see you reflect the light, that they would give glory to God. In addition, for us as a church, VBS is not that far away. Invite people to come with the prayer that people ultimately would come to the light of Christ through VBS and by faith, join the church family. That’s actually the last thing I just want to mention here. Third, joyfully embrace your church or joyfully embrace your spiritual family. Now, I want to be clear. Yes, family is important. Scripture is so abundantly clear in that. But Scripture is also clear, including our text today, that the spiritual family of God is to be central for those who are in Christ Jesus. We’re not to live apart from others who believe in Jesus. Rather, we’re to live with them as family. The New Testament. See, this is particularly to be lived out in the church. This is where our joy may be complete. Now for us, call Red Village Church Home. Obviously, I hope you’re joyfully embracing this church family where you’re embracing in ways you’re seeking to connect with others, certainly others you’re already close with. But if you encourage us here, let’s also try to intentionally connect with others that maybe you don’t know as well who are part of your family. Again, as the weather warms up, it’s a great time, right, to connect with others. In addition, joyfully embrace the church family by using your gifts, by serving others. So I mentioned at the start, I was so encouraged yesterday, so encouraged again this morning, to see so many different people serving in so many different ways. Friends, serving is just really a great and important way. Not only way we worship God, but how we embrace our church family. If you’re looking for ways to serve, come find me. I’d love to talk to you more on this end. Furthermore, friends, if we’re going to joyfully embrace our church family, we need to love and continue to love one another, even during the times that we might not like each other. By the way, in my many years of church life, of the different things that we must continue to bring to light, it’s actually kind of at the top of the list because it’s so easy, like to do things in secret or harbor hard feelings in secret that can divide us as a family. So we’re going to joyfully embrace our spiritual family. We must love God and we must love each other. Lastly, we also just mentioned to joyfully embrace the church family. So for us, we do think imports involves like, membership. So if that’s something that you’re interested in, being like a member of our church family, in a couple weeks, J. Tuck’s actually be leading the class we call the Next steps. For those who are interested in becoming a member of Red Village. There’s a lot more I could say here. Actually would love to say more about the local church, but let me just remind us of one other metaphor that the Lord uses to describe the church. It’s his bride, the bride of Christ, the bride that Jesus died for and is washing clean. And for us, if we’re going to love what Jesus loves, Jesus loves his bride. Jesus loves his family. For us to love Jesus, we will also love his bride and love our spiritual family. So, yes, lots of parables, lots of metaphors, all throughout Scripture. They’re there for us to see and to hear and understand. And this morning, by faith, may we see and hear and understand that Jesus is the light. And may his light shine in us in every corner of our heart, so that through his light we might find freedom and healing and forgiveness. And may that light not only shine in us, but may that light also shine through us that we would indeed be lampstands for the cause of Christ to the world around us and church. May that light of Christ, may that shine through us together as family, we shine more brightly together than apart. And may we shine in ways that our joy may be complete. Let’s pray. Lord, thank you for your word. And Lord, I do pray that through your spirit, if there are sins that need to be brought to light, that we’ve been working tirelessly hard to try to keep covered up in secret, that today, by your grace, you give us humility to trust in you and to confess our sins, indeed we might find freedom and healing and forgiveness. And Lord, please forgive us when we hide the light in our own hearts. We keep them hidden where we’re ashamed or embarrassed or whatever it may be by you, Lord. I do pray also by the power of your spirit, that you would help us to set our lives on a lampstand, that we’d shine brightly for your cause, not only here in Madison, but all the way to the ends of the earth. Lord, thank you just for your wisdom to give us a family, a spiritual family, a church family. Lord, I do pray you help us to joyfully embrace our church family and help us to love each other well. Pray, Lord, that you would use us to shine brightly. It’s in Christ’s name we pray. Amen. The post A Lamp Under a Jar – Luke 8: 16-21 appeared first on Red Village Church.

What if investing isn’t just about returns—but about redemption? For many, investing can feel impersonal—something tied to markets and retirement, rather than spiritual formation. In Scripture, however, we are called to something deeper—using what we have to serve others and reflect God’s purposes. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores how investing can become an act of worship. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here.To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Summons: Grappling With God's Kingdom and King (Part 14) The Seed and the StormMark 4:35-41 There's a reason we're drawn to action movies, thrilling fiction, and dramatic rescue stories: everyone loves a big, cinematic save. But what about the rescues that feel quiet? What about when the miracle looks less like a calmed storm and more like a verse on a page? In Scripture, Jesus rescued His people in powerful, unforgettable ways. It's easy to look at our own lives and wonder, “Why isn't He fixing my problems like that?” But Jesus hasn't left us empty-handed. He's given us something living, active, and deeply powerful – His Word. Join us this Sunday as we explore how Jesus uses both mighty miracles and His living Word to reach the hearts of His children, then and now. 

Today's generation is one of the most informed in human history, yet confusion and destruction are rampant. Why? Because having information without God's wisdom leaves us powerless. In Episode 10 of "Wisdom," Duane Sheriff teaches that without the knowledge of God, we are powerless.The first pillar of wisdom is knowledge, yet many embrace the cultural lie that “what you don't know won't hurt you." Scripture teaches the opposite. Hosea 4:6 warns that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge—not a lack of information, but a lack of knowing God Himself.Biblical knowledge is more than knowledge. In Scripture, "to know" speaks of an intimate relationship—the same word used to describe the union between husband and wife. True transformation begins not by knowing about God, but by truly knowing Him. Without the foundational pillar of experiential knowledge through a relationship with Jesus, we cannot build anything that lasts. Yet through this intimate relationship, we become one spirit with Christ and bear the spiritual fruit of love, joy, and peace.Click for FREE offer ➡️https://pastorduane.com/landing/wisdom/

How do you know if a prophetic word is truly from God? 2 Peter 1:21 reminds us that prophecy comes from the Holy Spirit—not human will—which means it must be tested, discerned, and handled with humility. While spiritual gifts like prophecy can be powerful and encouraging, they also require wisdom. Not every impression is perfectly interpreted, and not every word is immediately understood. That’s why Scripture calls us to weigh prophetic words carefully. Sometimes God reveals only a small piece of a bigger picture, and our role is not just to receive or deliver a word, but to discern it in community and align it with God’s truth. When approached with humility, patience, and accountability, prophecy becomes a tool that builds up the church, strengthens faith, and deepens our relationship with God. Highlights Prophecy originates from the Holy Spirit, not human effort Misinterpretation doesn’t always mean the message is false God often reveals only part of the full picture Prophetic words should be tested and discerned in community Not all words are fulfilled immediately—timing matters Humility is essential when giving or receiving prophecy Properly handled, prophecy strengthens and encourages the church Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Test Prophetic Words CarefullyBy: Michelle Lazurek Bible Reading:“For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as the Holy Spirit carried them along.” - 2 Peter 1:21 During a recent retreat for mothers and daughters to connect, learn about God's attributes, and hear his voice, we had a time of prayer in which we blessed the mothers and daughters and commissioned them to go out and spread the gospel. At one point during prayer, the mother and daughter sat before me. Placing my hand on her left shoulder, I immediately got a word for the daughter. It was a picture of a violin. I had no other words or explanation as to its meaning. I told her that I didn't understand what the picture was, but that it had appeared. After everyone had prayed, I went to get a tissue for the mother and daughter. Upon my return, the daughter explained that she had played violin but then stopped. We laughed because we realized that that was what the Holy Spirit was saying. He was telling her to pick up her violin and make music for him. In the church body, we are wired with spiritual gifts. Some of those gifts are considered miraculous gifts, including the gift of prophecy. Prophecy is a message delivered to someone by God. Although it is exciting to deliver a prophetic word to another person, we often misinterpret it. This is where errors and other issues become a problem. Although we are quick to call someone a false prophet simply because they made an error in delivering their message, that doesn't mean the message itself was wrong. It simply means the person delivering it misinterpreted it. The difficult part of prophecy is that we only get small snippets of a bigger picture. When I got that picture of the violin, I had no idea the daughter had played the violin before. Whether he wants her to resume playing the violin remains to be seen. However, he clearly had a message for her regarding her music with that instrument. If a person does not know how to interpret prophetic words for their lives, they can often be dismissed or ignored completely. Scripture tells us to test prophecy and to allow two or three people to weigh what is being said. Although those kinds of things can get tricky at times because many people are not trained in the prophetic, it is important that, even in community, we explore the miraculous gifts together. The above verse tells us that prophecy comes from the Holy Spirit, not from human will. However, because we have difficulty distinguishing between our own human emotions, thought processes, and prophecy, it can be difficult to discern whether a word is truly from God. However, that does not mean you should not deliver a word. Rather, it is important to test that word with two or three people who have discernment or wisdom to be able to know whether that word is truly from God or not. It is also important for an individual to test and weigh that word for themselves. Because prophecy is not often practiced in churches today, it is difficult for people to interpret prophetic words or to wait for them to come to fruition. In Scripture, people gave prophetic words that didn't come to pass until generations later. In our instant-gratification world, we want prophetic words to come to pass now. If they don't come to pass, we assume that means they are untrue. However, that's a misinterpretation of scripture. Receiving and giving prophetic words can be an exciting spiritual experience for any person. It is part of a person's spiritual growth and can completely transform them, helping them go deeper in their relationship with the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you words to edify your brothers and sisters in Christ. You (and your church) will be better for it. Father, let us be people who do not treat prophecy with contempt. Rather, let us weigh the words that we receive and deliver them accordingly. Let us, in humility, help discern and dissect prophetic words together. Let the body of Christ be edified through the gift of prophecy. Amen. Intersecting Faith & Life: Have you ever had a gift of prophecy? In what way can you deliver a prophetic word to someone today? Further Reading:1 Corinthians 12 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In Scripture, long periods of suffering and pain serve as a backdrop for God's great kindness. Pastor John offers three reasons for long sorrows.

Slow Television is the term used to describe marathon coverage of an event, typically shown in real-time. The genre gained popularity in 2009 after the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a seven-hour train journey. Yes, seven hours, on a train. Sounds—boring. But it’s gained an audience that finds the scenic ride mesmerizing. The concept behind Slow TV is to show something at the rate it’s experienced instead of the speed with which a narrative drama is told. It’s built around transition and movement instead of tension and plot. Slow TV is a step toward savoring life’s minutes as opposed to counting them. The poet Francis Thompson wrote of God’s “unperturbed pace.” Thompson meant that God moves methodically, patiently, with steps measured and intentional. We see this slowness even with God’s emotions. In Scripture, the prophet Joel’s call for the people of Judah to repent is grounded in the reality that our God is “slow to anger” (Joel 2:13). Unlike our dramatic narratives, fueled by tempers and flying-off-the-handle selfishness, God takes a different approach. His anger arrives slowly. To a people who had rebelled against Him, God says, “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God” (v. 13). God’s anger isn’t like ours. He’s slow to anger, a reality that allows us to return to Him with all our heart.

What if the most important question about your savings isn’t how much you have, but how you ultimately intend to use the funds? Saving is often talked about as a financial skill, which it is. In Scripture, however, readers are invited to see saving as a purposeful act of stewardship. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores why saving matters and how it fits into a life of faith. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio. Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.To learn more about Rob West, click here. To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happened to the Ark of the Covenant—and why does it still capture the imagination of both scholars and the public? In this episode, Dru Johnson speaks with archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny about his documentary Legends of the Lost Ark and the enduring mystery surrounding Israel's most sacred object. McKinny explains that while many assume the Ark was destroyed in the Babylonian invasion, the biblical text never explicitly says so—leaving open a range of historical and legendary possibilities. The conversation explores why popular imagination is often shaped by pseudo-archaeology, conspiracy theories, and figures like Ron Wyatt, whose claims continue to influence public perception despite lacking credible evidence. McKinny distinguishes between serious archaeological inquiry and what he calls “religious pseudo-archaeology,” which often exploits faith for sensational claims. At the same time, he argues that dismissing the Ark entirely misses something essential. In Scripture, the Ark is not just an artifact but the symbolic center of God's presence—what he calls the “beating heart” of Israel's story. Its disappearance after the First Temple period becomes a theological problem as much as a historical one. Ultimately, this episode invites listeners to think more carefully about evidence, tradition, and the role of the supernatural in both ancient texts and modern faith. For more on Legends of the Lost Ark, go here: https://www.legendsofthelostark.com/ We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Public Perception of the Ark of the Covenant 04:56 The Intersection of Pseudo-Archaeology and Faith 07:58 The Supernatural and Historical Context of the Ark 12:50 Linguistic Connections: Noah's Ark and the Ark of the Covenant 17:26 The Making of 'Legends of the Lost Ark' 22:06 Exploring the Ark's Journey 23:52 The Ark's Significance in Biblical Narratives 25:33 The Ark's Role in God's Presence 29:41 The Ark as a Symbol of Protection 34:20 The Ark's Fate and Historical Context 40:06 The Ark's Legacy and Modern Interpretations

What's in a name? In Scripture, names carry deep meaning, so when God reveals His name as “I AM,” He is telling us something powerful about his character. In this episode, Dot and Cara begin a new conversation about the names of God by looking at Exodus 3, where God introduces himself to Moses. Together they explore why knowing the names of God helps us draw closer to Him and recognize that He is everything we truly need. Stay tuned for next week, when they'll dive deeper into specific names of God and share the ones that have meant the most in their own walk with Him. Until then, pull up a chair, grab your Bible, and join the conversation! Got a question about today's episode or something else you'd like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! Episode recap:Intro (00:00)First, write down Exodus 3:13-15 (0:18)In biblical times, your name was synonymous with your character (3:54)“I Am” is the name God calls himself (7:00)Why is it helpful to know the names of God? (8:44)Every need we have as humans, God is saying, “I am all of that” (12:05)Calling God by name makes it personal (17:14)Get a book on the names of God to use in your prayer time this week (20:30)Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at hello@dotbowen.com.Watch Write this Down! on YouTubeFind Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook Grab this (or any!) book on the Names of God: https://amzn.to/4saTXthScripture Verse: Exodus 3:13-15 (ESV) “Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, ‘What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?”God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.'”God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.'“This is my name forever,the name you shall call mefrom generation to generation.”

Have you ever reached a moment where you realize the weight of what you're carrying? You feel the responsibility. You see the sacrifice. You understand the pressure. And for a moment it can feel like everything is flowing out of your life — time, energy, leadership, service — with very little coming back in. But the Kingdom operates on a different rhythm. In Scripture, seasons of outflow are often seasons of sowing. Responsibility is frequently a sign of trust. And pressure can reveal the capacity God has already formed inside you.   Next steps: Join the Full Capacity Activation + Launch Event: https://julianapage.info/fullcapacity   Step into Courage Co. (formation for leaders & builders): www.courageco.org   Subscribe for more formation teachings, prophetic clarity, and practical discipleship for real life and leadership.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20Imagine a wife asked her husband to go to the supermarket and pick up a pound of potatoes. Being literal, he went to the store, found a pound of potatoes, picked them up, set them back down, and returned home. When his wife asks where the potatoes are, he explains that they're still at the store. Confused, she asks why he didn't bring them home, and he responds, “You only asked me to ‘pick them up.'”While this example might be humorous, it illustrates an essential truth about following instructions. The husband might have technically fulfilled the request but missed the deeper meaning. In much the same way, the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' time scrupulously followed the letter of God's Law but often failed to grasp the spirit behind it.Jesus addresses this issue directly in today's Gospel. The Law, as given by God through Moses, was summed up in the Ten Commandments. But Jesus came to reveal the deeper meaning behind those commands. For example, He explains the true meaning of the commandment, “You shall not kill.”On the surface, one might think that as long as you don't physically murder someone, you are free from guilt. But Jesus shows that this commandment goes far beyond the act of murder. He reveals that the commandment also forbids less serious internal and external sins.Jesus identifies three levels of sin related to this commandment. First is anger. Anger is an interior disposition; of the three sins, it is the least severe. It begins with a judgmental thought or condemnation and often results in feelings of anger. Though feelings are not sinful, allowing anger to take root due to rash judgment or contempt is a sin, even if no further action is taken. Jesus warns that harboring anger makes a person “liable to judgment.”The second level of sin is verbal, specifically calling someone Raqa. This Aramaic term is a derogatory insult, meaning someone is empty-headed or worthless. Such an insult externalizes anger and reveals a more profound disdain for the person and a failure to recognize the person's worth in God's eyes. Speaking this way to someone shows a lack of respect for his or her dignity as a child of God. Jesus warns that those who commit this sin will be “answerable to the Sanhedrin.” In other words, not only will God hold them accountable, but they may also need fraternal correction from family, friends, or the Church if they fail to repent.The most serious offense Jesus mentions is calling someone, “You fool!” In biblical terms, calling someone a fool is more than just an insult; it is a condemnation of the person's character. In Scripture, a fool is someone who rejects God and lives in moral corruption, as in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” To call someone a fool, therefore, is to cast judgment on the person's soul, associating that individual with someone who is cut off from God's grace. Jesus is stern in His warning: those who condemn others this way will be “liable to fiery Gehenna.”Reflect today on Jesus' teaching about the deeper meaning of this and other commandments. Lent is a time of turning away from sin and returning to God. If you struggle with anger, examine its roots. If rash judgment is at the heart of it, seek God's mercy and repent to find peace. If you've hurt others with critical or condemning words, especially if you've judged their moral character, confess this grave sin and remember that God alone is the Judge. Strive to fulfill not only the letter of God's Law but also its spirit, and your life will bear abundant fruit.My meek and humble Lord, though You are merciful, You are also just. I turn to Your mercy today, seeking forgiveness and grace to overcome the sin of anger and all that comes with it. Free me from judgmental thoughts, and help me love others with Your merciful Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

This midweek prayer is an invitation to pause and return to Jesus, the Light of the World. This short midweek prayer invites you to pause, breathe deeply, and refocus your heart and mind on Jesus, who says, “I am the light of the world.” Drawing from John 8:12, this prayer creates space to name the places that feel dark, confusing, or hidden—both in the world around us and in our own lives. In Scripture, light is a sign of God’s goodness, presence, and life. Jesus tells us that when we follow Him, we do not have to walk in darkness, because His light leads to life. This prayer invites you to ask Jesus to be light in the places you’re carrying—and to listen for how He may be inviting you to reflect His light through the way you love and live. Take a few quiet minutes to refocus your heart on Jesus and pray along as you seek His light in and through your life. Download your FREE Companion Journal Here I AM: A Lenten Journey with Jesus This journal includes:• Each week’s Scripture passage• Reflection prompts from the meditations• Space to journal, pray, and notice what God is revealing Here are some additional helpful links: Learn more about Jodie:http://www.jodieniznik.com Follow on Instagram:@jodieniznik Follow on Facebook:@JodieGNiznik Join the Monday email newsletter for new meditations, HERE Explore other faith-centered podcasts from LifeAudio:https://www.lifeaudio.com Today’s Scripture John 8:12 (NLT) Jesus spoke to the people once more and said,“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness,because you will have the light that leads to life.” Learn more about Every Woman’s Bible today by visiting: https://hubs.la/Q041HkRL0 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.