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In this thought-provoking episode, Tony and Jesse delve into Jesus's twin parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price from Matthew 13:44-46. They explore the profound economic metaphor Jesus uses to illustrate the incomparable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Through careful examination of both parables, they discuss what it means to "count the cost" of following Christ while simultaneously recognizing that no earthly sacrifice can compare to the infinite worth of gaining Christ. The conversation moves between practical application—considering how believers assess value in their spiritual lives—and deeper theological reflections on Christ's perfect sacrifice that makes our entrance into the Kingdom possible in the first place. Key Takeaways The Kingdom of Heaven has such surpassing value that sacrificing everything to obtain it is considered a joyful exchange, not a loss. Both parables show different paths to discovering the Kingdom (unexpected finding vs. intentional seeking), but identical responses: selling everything to obtain the treasure. The parables are not primarily commanding material poverty, but rather illustrating the "sold-outness" required in pursuing the Kingdom of God. Counting the cost of discipleship is not only permissible but necessary to fully appreciate the value of what we gain in Christ. The ultimate treasure we receive in salvation is not merely benefits like eternal life, but God Himself—union with Christ and fellowship with the Trinity. Christ Himself is the one who ultimately fulfills these parables perfectly, giving everything to purchase us as His treasure. The irresistible draw of the Kingdom illustrates how God's grace works in the heart of believers, compelling joyful surrender. Exploring the Incomparable Value of the Kingdom The economic metaphor Jesus employs in these parables is striking—both the hidden treasure and the pearl are deemed so valuable that the discoverers "sell all they have" to obtain them. As Tony and Jesse point out, this transaction reveals something profound about how we should view the Kingdom of Heaven. It's not simply that the Kingdom is valuable; it's that its value so far exceeds anything else we possess that the comparison becomes almost absurd. As Tony notes, "For sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine... there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how worthwhile it is." This perspective transforms how we understand sacrifice in the Christian life. When opportunities or comforts are foregone because of our faith, we're not simply losing something—we're experiencing the reality that we've chosen something infinitely more valuable. The parables teach us to view these moments not with regret but with a clearer vision of the treasure we've received in Christ. The Ultimate Prize: God Himself Perhaps the most powerful insight from the discussion is the realization that the ultimate treasure of salvation is not the benefits we receive, but God Himself. As Tony eloquently states: "All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God... we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." This perspective reshapes how we understand the value proposition of the gospel. It's not merely that we receive eternal life, freedom from suffering, or other benefits—though these are real. The pearl of great price is relationship with God Himself. This helps explain why both men in the parables respond with such dramatic, all-encompassing sacrifice. When we truly grasp what's being offered, nothing seems too great a price to pay. Memorable Quotes "What we get in salvation ultimately is we get God. We get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." — Tony Arsenal "I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value... it's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We'll just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it." — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. We get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. [00:00:47] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 469 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:54] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. [00:00:59] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Discussing the Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:01:00] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of ears to hear, we're back at it again with a whole new, or let's say different parable from our Lord and Savior Jesus. And we've been talking about how really these parables give us this view of the face of heaven through these earthly glasses. And I am pretty interested in our conversation about what's coming up because sometimes we don't like to put too fine a points to our, our point of question to our faith. And in this case, we're gonna get to ask the question, what is it all worth, this kingdom of heaven, this rule and reign of Christ? What is it all about? Who are the beneficiaries of it? And what is it all actually worth? There's a little bit of economics in this, so we're gonna get there. And while we talk and do a little affirming or denying, you should just go ahead write to just skip, go. Do not collect $200 or maybe. Pass, go and collect $200. I dunno. But just go to Matthew chapter 13 and hang out there for just a second. Affirmations and Denials [00:01:58] Jesse Schwamb: But first, I'm always curious to know whenever we talk, are you gonna affirm with something or are you gonna die against something? We've been on a string of lots of affirmations, but I'd like to think that's just because we're fun, loving, optimistic people. But there was a day where we had to do both. And now that I only have to choose one, I do find myself gravitating almost naturally toward the affirming width. But I leave it to you, Tony, are you affirming with or denying against? [00:02:22] Tony Arsenal: I, unfortunately am denying tonight. Technical Issues with Apple Podcasts [00:02:25] Tony Arsenal: So you and I already talked about it a little bit, but uh, I'm denying Apple Podcast Connect. Oh yes. So, uh, I. Obviously, like if you're affected by this, you're not hearing the episode 'cause it's not updating for you. But, uh, if you happen to be using Apple to listen to the podcast and for some reason you're listening somewhere else, maybe you realize that the podcast has not been updating for several weeks. And so you went to a different podcast catcher. Um, apple just decided for some reason that none of our feeds were gonna update. No good reason. So I've got a ticket out to Apple and hopefully we'll get it fixed. Uh, if you do know someone who listens to the show and they use Apple, please tell them to subscribe to something else or to, uh, go to the website. You can get all of the, all of the episodes on our website. You could go to Spotify, you could do something like, uh, overcast or PocketCasts. Um, it really is just Apple. It's, it's the actual account that we use to, uh, to access. Apple's Directory is not pulling new episodes and it's not pulling new episodes on another show that I run as well. So, uh, it's not just this show, it's not our RSS feed. These things happen. It'll, you know, you'll get four or five episodes all at one time. When it, when it corrects itself, usually they're pretty quick. I put in a ticket like late on Friday afternoon, so I didn't expect them to get to it on, uh, Saturday or Sunday. So hopefully by the time you're hearing this, uh, it's resolved. I would hope so, because that means it would be about a week from today. Um, so hopefully they'll have a resolve. But yeah, it's just th thorns and thistles. This is our own, our own, uh, manifestation of the curse here in this little labor that we do. It's, it's thorns and thistles right now, but no big deal. Just, uh, catch up when you can. And, uh, yeah, so denying Apple Podcasts now, really, it's, it's a great service and this is a, a little glitch. It's, it's just a little frustrating. [00:04:20] Jesse Schwamb: The sweat of our brow. Yes. Here it is. We're just toiling over getting Apple to please release our episodes. Well, it'll be your happy day if you use Apple Podcasts and then get a bunch of them all at once. That's fantastic. It's like the gift that is over in abundance. Supporting The Reformed Brotherhood [00:04:36] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it is a good reminder that you just said, Tony, that everybody should go, just take some time. Head on over to our form brotherhood.com. You can find all the other 400 some odd episodes living over there. And while you're over there and you're perusing or searching by topic to see what we've talked about before, you're probably gonna think to yourself, this is so incredible. How is this compendium, this omnibus of all these episodes just hanging out here free of cost? And I'm so glad you're thinking about that because there are so many lovely brothers and sisters who have decided just to give a little bit to make sure that all that stuff gets hosted for free for you Yeah. And for us, so that anybody can go and explore it and find content that we hope will be edifying. So if that's something you're interested in, maybe you've been listening for a while and thought, you know what? I would like to give a little bit one time or reoccurring, we would love to, for you to join us in that mission. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood, and there's all the information for you to give if that's something that you feel you would like to do, and we would be grateful for you to do it. [00:05:32] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. We, we have a group of people who support the show. They make it possible for your, uh, your ear holes to be filled with our voices. And, uh, but again, you know, the costs are going up all around and, and we would, uh, certainly love to have people partner with us. Um, we've committed to making show that the, making sure that the show is free and available. Um, it's never our intention to put anything behind a paywall or to, to barrier and in that way, but we can only do that if there's people who are supporting the show and making, making sure that we've got the funding that we need to, to keep going. So, thank you to everybody who gives, thank you to anyone who's considering it, uh, and thanking anybody who decides to, uh, jump on board with that. [00:06:11] Jesse Schwamb: Right on. We're appreciative who we really are. [00:06:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So Jesse, what are you affirming or denying today? Exploring Open Webcam DB [00:06:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, this is what I've kind of done before, but I think I've found a new place for it. I just am continually impressed and fall in love with how great and big and lovely God's world is. So I love these types of sites that give you insight into this great big world, even if it's in unexpected places or maybe in strange places. So I'm affirming with a website called Open webcam db.com. Open webcam db.com. And it's exactly like what it sounds like. It's a database that has something like 2000 live cameras streaming daily from over 50 countries, all searchable by a category. So you can find natural landscapes, airports, construction sites, and one of my recent favorites, honestly, and this is. It's so strange, but kind of awesome is this warehouse, it's called Chinese Robotic Warehouse Buzz, and it's just robots moving pallets around or like stacks of all of these items. It's mesmerizing. But I would encourage you go to open webcam db.com, search for like your stage or your country. You'll find so many amazing things. So I've sat and just watched, you know, between tasks or when you know you just need a break or you're just curious about the world. Like I look, I watched the Krakow Maine Market Square quite a bit because it's. Beautiful and brilliant, and to think about the people moving to and fro and what they're doing, what their lives are like. There's some great scenes from San Francisco Bay. There is a bird feeder in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that I often watch. So of course, like go out as we've said, and live and breathe and be in your own communities. And as well, if you're looking at scratch that itch of just seeing all these different places, all the different things that are happening in God's created world, I can firmly and unreservedly recommend open webcam db.com for that. [00:07:58] Tony Arsenal: Nice, nice, uh, little known fact at one point, Dartmouth Hitchcock, which is the hospital that I worked for, had to block a penguin cam, uh, because it was causing such a productivity drain combined with an actual measurable decrease in internet bandwidth at the hospital. 'cause so many people were watching this little penguin cam at some zoo in Boston. I think it probably was. Yeah, I, I love this kind of stuff. I think this kind of stuff is great. Uh, I use, uh, Dartmouth College has a, like a live one that I use all the time, especially when we're trying to figure out what the weather's gonna do. You can see it on the camera. Uh, we, we often will, you know, see, especially as we get closer to the season when we're talking about traveling to the beach and whatnot, uh, often look at the ocean grove. Oh, that's right. Uh, pier cam. So yeah, check it out. Uh, sounds like a fun time. Do not share it with too many of your friends at work. Or it may crash the network and Yeah. But [00:08:53] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, for [00:08:54] Tony Arsenal: sure. That was a funny email that they had to send out. I remember that [00:08:57] Jesse Schwamb: for sure. Use, use the penguin cam responsibly. I just did a quick search. There are four different penguin cams. Uh, three of them are in the United States, one is in New Zealand, and you better believe I'm gonna be checking those bad boys out. Yes. I didn't even think about. The penguin feature here and penguins are an amazing animal. Like we could stop right now and just shift our topic to penguins if you want to. [00:09:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. ' [00:09:16] Jesse Schwamb: cause there's so much there. And the spiritual truths are so broad and deep, but I just think penguins are kind of undervalued. Birds. Everybody should go check them out. [00:09:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. They're, they're pretty cool. [00:09:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Um, I'm like, I will watch any Penguin documentary and just be astounded by Penguin. Like, whether they're Emperor Penguins or South African Penguin, wherever. I just think they're phenomenal and hilarious and seem to be living the dream. And he doesn't want a little bit of that. [00:09:46] Tony Arsenal: You just gotta get Morgan Freeman to do the voiceover in any documentary or, or nature documentary is better with Morgan Freeman doing the voiceover. [00:09:55] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I all, this might be a deep cut real quick, but I just learned this, and I'm guessing some of our listening brothers and sisters probably already know this. Maybe you do too, Tony. So, Benedict Cumberbatch, do you know where I'm going with this? Yep, [00:10:06] Tony Arsenal: yep. Pen wing. [00:10:07] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I didn't. I cannot say that word or stumbles over its pronunciation. He did some kind of big documentary in which Penguins played at least some part. Yeah. And they were in an interview. They were giving him such a hard time because they played his reading of it like within the same kind of five minutes. And his, the word just kept degenerating in his mouth every time he said it. So it became like almost undistinguishable from the actual word. And it's like initial pronunciation. It was so hilarious. Apparently it's a big joke on the internet and I just didn't know it. [00:10:38] Tony Arsenal: Especially for someone like Bent Cumberbatch who just is, uh, like he's a world-class voice actor. [00:10:44] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:10:45] Tony Arsenal: And like a super smart ude guy and he just can't say the word penguin and penguin. Yeah. [00:10:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. He said, you got everybody go look it up. 'cause it is super hilarious. And now it's kind of gotten stuck in my head. But um, again, this suddenly became like the All Penguin episode all of a sudden. [00:11:01] Tony Arsenal: I mean like, he can pronounce his own last name just fine, but the word penguin escapes him. I like to call 'em blueberry crumble bottom or whatever. Crumble bunch. [00:11:11] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, see that's the good stuff right there. That's what everybody we know. This is what you all tune in for. This is what you're missing when Apple Podcast doesn't send everything out on time. Yeah. You're welcome. [00:11:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl [00:11:23] Tony Arsenal: Well, Jesse, why don't we, why don't we get into it? Because you know it, it's interesting. Let's [00:11:27] Jesse Schwamb: get into it. [00:11:28] Tony Arsenal: Well, it's interesting because when you, you know, you kind of, we, we sort of do the little lead to the episode and I, I suddenly realized that I think I've been interpreting this parable very differently than maybe you have or other people. Great. Do, uh, because I, I think I, I think I might have a different take on it. Let, let's do it. Yeah. So let's get into it. Uh, do you have the, the text in friend you wanna read? Uh, why don't we just do 44 all the way through 46? We'll do both parables in one reading. We'll come back and talk about it. [00:11:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Sorry, everybody. So here's a two for one for you. Beginning in where we're in verse 44 of Matthew chapter 13. This is Jesus speaking. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field again. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Interpreting the Parables [00:12:22] Tony Arsenal: I think maybe this is the, like the beauty of parables, uh, when Christ doesn't give us a interpretation. I, I think we're, we're, we're not free to like make up whatever we want, but these kinds of teaching tools are useful because the fact that there can be multiple interpretations actually is, is probably intentional. [00:12:43] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:12:43] Tony Arsenal: So it's funny because I think when you intro the episode here, it sounds like you're going to the kingdom of Heaven being a treasure hidden in a field, being something that we should sell everything we have and go after. And when I read this, I read it as the kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden a field. And the man who is Jesus goes and sells all that. He has. He gives all that he has and buys the field. So, and I, I think this is one of those ones where like. Probably both of those things are in play. Sure. But it's interesting 'cause I've never, I've never really read this and thought about myself as the person who buys the field. [00:13:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Interesting. [00:13:20] Tony Arsenal: I've probably heard sermons or read devotionals where people have said that and it just never clicked. And it didn't register until just now. And you were, when you were, uh, introing the parable that maybe you are the, maybe your way of introing your, your interpretation. Maybe that's the dominant one. So I, I looked at a couple quick, um, commentaries while you were speaking and I didn't get a chance to do my commentary reading before the episode. It seems like I'm the weird one. So, but it's interesting, um, 'cause again, I think that's the, kind of the beauty of parables is that sometimes the, the, um. Ambiguity of what the possible meaning could be, probably plays into the, the, um, teaching technique itself. [00:13:58] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I, I think that's fair. I totally can take and understand what your perspective is on this. What I find interesting is that these, we've got these two abutting each other, like the cheek to cheek parallel approach here, and in doing so, there seems to be like kind of an interesting comparison between the two. Actors in this. And I think we should get into that. Like why in one case Jesus is talking about a person who finds this in a field, which by the way, I think the, the thing that jumps out to me first about that person is this person doesn't actually own the field at first. Right. That the treasure is in. So that is interesting. I'm totally with you. But then the second one, so in the first one there's kinda almost like this sense, and I don't wanna like push this too far, but that this person who finds this treasure does so very unexpectedly, perhaps like he's even the hired hand and of course not the one who owns the field. [00:14:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:14:49] Jesse Schwamb: And in the second case, we have somebody who almost is volitionally looking for this thing of great value, but finds the one thing above all the other things that they're used to looking for that clearly has the greatest and most. You know, essential worth and therefore the end is always the same in both of 'em. They give everything they have. They're willing for forsake all other things with great joy, recognizing the great value that's in front of them. I think there is a place to understand that as Christ acting in those ways. I think there's also interesting, again, this comparison between these two people. So I'm seeing this as we've got these varied beneficiaries of the kingdom. They both come to this place of the incomparable value of the kingdom, but then there's also like this expulsive power of the kingdom. All, all of that's, I think in there, and again, these are really, really, really brilliant, I think, because the more that you spend time meditating on these, the layers just kind of come and they fall away and you start to really consider, well, why again is Jesus using these two different characters? Why is he using this kinda different sense of things of, of worth what the people are actually after? I think all of it's in play. You're totally right. [00:15:54] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. The Cost and Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:15:55] Tony Arsenal: So I think, you know, when we think about the kingdom of heaven, when we think about these perils, we made this point last week, we shouldn't, um, we shouldn't restrict, we have to be careful not to restrict the comparison to just like the first noun that comes up, [00:16:08] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:16:08] Tony Arsenal: So it's not just that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, it, it is like a treasure, but it's like a treasure that's hidden in a field. Yes. And it's not just like a treasure that's hidden in a field, it's a treasure that's hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Right? So, so like we have to look at that whole sequence. And I think, I think, um, you know, obviously like the, the interpretation that we are the, we're the man who finds the kingdom of heaven and we, you know, we go and buy the field. Um, that, that obviously makes perfect sense now that I'm looking at a few different commentaries. It seems to be the predominant way that this gets interpreted. And we, we look at it and we say, what, well, what does this mean for like our Christian life? Like. What does it mean? Do we have to, do we have to give everything away? Do we have to sell everything we have? Is that the point of the parable? I think some people make that the point of the parable. Um, I'm not convinced that that actually is the point of the parable. Um, because it, you know, it, it, it just, there's lots in the scripture that, that, uh, doesn't seem to require that Christians automatically like, give away everything they have. Um, maybe that's your calling. Maybe it is something that God's calling you to do to sort of, um, divest yourself of your, your belongings, either to sort of fight materialism or greed or, or just because like you're gonna need to have that fluidity and liquidity to your assets 'cause you're gonna need to move around or whatever it is. But I don't think we look at this parable and have like a, like a, a command for a life of poverty or something like that. Right. Um, really this is more about the. Utter sold outness of the Christian to pursue and seek the kingdom of God. [00:17:48] Jesse Schwamb: Right? Right. [00:17:49] Tony Arsenal: And and I think that that's the same in both, even though the way that the person in the parables comes a, comes across the kingdom or they come across this, this thing of great value or thing of great price, that they find their response in both parables is the same. And to me, that that actually tells me that that's more the point of these parables. Um, or, or maybe we shouldn't even think of these as two parables, right? Some of the introductory language that we see in when we transition from one parable to another, we don't really see that here. Uh, and if, if we're gonna follow that, actually we would be going to the next parable would also kind of fall into this. But he says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. And then in 45 he says, again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. We're gonna run into something like this later on when we get to like the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of lost coins. Where there are these distinct parables, but they're kind of stacked on top of each other in order to make a specific point. All of the parables that are sort of in these parable stacks are making the same point. And so I think it's not so much about like, how do we find the Kingdom of Heaven or how do we come upon the kingdom of heaven? It's more about what do we do once we've come upon it? Once we've thrown it's, that's the point of the parable that we need to unpack. [00:19:03] Jesse Schwamb: That's right. And I would add to that, like who is it that is the beneficiary of this kingdom? We have two different, very different individuals, which I, again, I think, we'll, we'll talk a little bit about, but I'm totally with you. I, I think it's, it's easier, it's almost too narrow and too easy to say. Well, this is really just about like physical ma or about wealth. Like in some way the, what we're being taught here is that you have to get rid of everything of value in exchange for this. In some ways, that almost feels too transactional, doesn't it? As if like what, what we need to do is really buy the kingdom. We express our seriousness about this kingdom or the rule and reign of God by somehow just giving up everything that we own as if to prove that we're really worthy of receiving that kingdom that we prayed enough. Right. That we've done enough, even though that we're contrite enough. Yeah. And all that stands like in direct opposition to the mercy and grace, which God gives to us through his son by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring us into this kingdom. So we know it can't really be about that. And so that leads me back again to just like the lovely details here. And like you've already said in the first case, here's what really strikes me is. For probably most of us in the West, this idea of treasure is novel and maybe romantic. There's a adventure and an energy to it. Because we've all heard stories about this, whether it's like, I don't know, pirates of the Caribbean or the county Mount Cristo. Like there's something about treasure finding some kind of, or national treasure. Sorry, that just came to my mind. Like I couldn't go any further without mentioning Nick Cage. So you know, like there's something there that pulls us in that finding this thing almost unexpectedly in a hidden place of immense worth and value is, has a real draw to it. But I imagine that in Palestine being like a war torn region in Jesus' day, in the way people might store goods of great value in the fields they own. And then of course the owner may never be able to achieve for lots of reasons, including death. And then somebody might stumble upon it. And as I understand the, the laws there, of course, if you were to stumble upon something. I was in somebody else's property and and on earth that thing take it out of the ground. In this case, you would be by law required to bring that back to the person who owned the field. So there's something interesting here that this first person, probably the more meager and humble of the two with they at least respected, like their socioeconomic status is let's, we could presume maybe going about their normal work. They find this unexpectedly in the field and it's immediately recognized to be something of great value that it is to stop and to, again, there's like a measuring that happens behind the scenes. This person at least is measuring of all the things that I own, all things I could possibly own. The better thing for me to do is to consolidate all the rest of my wealth. And this case, again, it's not the message of the story to do this, it's the exemplification of what's happening here. This person is so sold out to ensure that they acquire this great treasure that they stumbled upon, that they will take literally everything else of value that they own to exchange it for this very thing. So I'm totally with you because I think the predominant message here is not like take all your wealth and make sure that you give it to the church or that it goes to ministry or to missions. That may all be well and good and it may all be the kind of calling that you receive. However, I think the principle message here is the kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom is a happy trade off. Like that's actually a really, really good deal. And so having the omnipotent saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable that if, if we lose everything in order to have it, it would be a joyful sacrifice. [00:22:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I think, um, I think there is a level of. Encouragement in Sacrifice and Joy in the Kingdom [00:22:27] Tony Arsenal: Sacrifice that happens for every Christian and. I mean, I, I know there's a lot of people who they, uh, come to faith as young children and we've kind of talked about that as like, that's that testimony that, you know, I think everybody really wants is like they wish they never had a time that they didn't know Jesus and Right. I don't know any parent that I've ever spoken to, and I'm certainly not any different here that doesn't want that testimony for Jesus, but, or for, for their kids in their relationship with Jesus. But. I think most people who come to faith at some point in their life when they're able to remember it, like they, they have a conscious memory of their conversion experience. There is this sort of sense of sacrifice and e even a sort of a sense of loss. Um, I think there, there are times where, and, and you know, I think maybe, um, even people who've always been in the faith, um, they probably can resonate with this. I think there are times when we might look at how our lives could have been different or could be different if we weren't in the faith. Um, and, and sometimes there's a sort of wistfulness to that. Like being a Christian can sometimes be difficult right On, um, you know, maybe you miss a promotion opportunity because you're not willing to work on the Lord's day or because you're not willing to do something unethical. Like you, you miss out on some sort of advancement and you think, well, if I could just, you know, if I could have just gotten past that, like my life would be much different. And what this parable teaches us is. That's an understandable, like that's an understandable emotion or response. Um, and there is this weighing of the cost. And in the parable here, he, like you said, there's this calculation that goes on in the background. He finds this treasure, he makes the calculation that to have this treasure is worth. Everything it's worth everything he has. He sells everything he has, and he buys the field in order to get the treasure right. And, and there's some interesting textual dynamics going on through this chapter. We've talked about how the parables kind of like the imagery across the parables in chapter 13 here of Matthew, they kind of flip certain figures around and almost, it's almost intentional because he is getting the treasure and the treasure. The kingdom of heaven here is like the treasure, but he's also getting the field right. And the kingdom of heaven is, is the field in other parables. Um, but this, this calculation that happens, um. I don't know, maybe my heart is just sensitive to this right now. I, I, I, I feel like a lot of times we look at that sort of wis wistful second glance at what could have been if we were not Christians, and we automatically feel like that's gotta be a sinful impulse. Like, how could I ever even consider what life might have been? Like this parable implies that that's the thing we actually have to do. You have to know and consider what it is you've sacrificed or will be sacrificing in order to make this transaction happen. You can't just blanketly say like, oh, of course. You know, you've gotta, you've gotta count the cost, as it were, and then you have to actually make the purchase. So I think we should look at this as a source of encouragement. Um, like I said, I'm not sure why. I feel like maybe there's, maybe there's just a, a. I dunno, I'm feeling a little weird and charismatic right now. I feel like this is something that I definitely need to be saying, like, I feel like someone needs to hear this. Maybe it's just me that needs to hear this. And that's, I'm tricking myself by thinking of someone else. But we are able, as Christians, I think God permits us and in some sense, maybe even expects and commands us to recognize what we have given to be Christians in order that we might realize how much we have gained with that transaction. It's not just this like remorse or regret, um, for the sake of remorse or regret. It's to be able to see how good and how beautiful and how worth it is the kingdom of God, uh, to, to, to claim that. [00:26:23] Jesse Schwamb: I like that there is a great discipline and a great joy in remembering worth and worthiness. So there's gonna be times, like you said, when it's hard and if you look back, look back at the ministry of Jesus, I've often thought that he's like a poor evangelizer from like modern standards. Yeah. Because often people come to him and say things like. I, I wanna be part of the kingdom of God. Well, what do I need to do to enter the kingdom of God? And here you have like a seemingly a willing convert. And he always says things like this, like, you gotta go count the cost. Yeah. Like is, is this worth it to you? Like you have to deny yourself, you have to hate your own father and your mother, and your wife and children, and brothers and sisters, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple. And in this kind of language, it's clear that Jesus is saying you fail often. And maybe this goes back like you're saying, Tony, it's like the parable of the soil that you fail to really take into account what it means to follow with full fidelity, to commit yourself in a fully unencumbered way. Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to consider that? And as human beings, we're just not good often at counting costs. We're not good at thinking about opportunity costs. And it's interesting here that we're called out to say, even if you've already purchased the field as so to speak, that as if you've been saved by Christ, to continue to remember how good it is to be in the kingdom of God. And that the joy. Of knowing as like the Heidelberg Catechism says in the first question that all things are subservient to our salvation. Yeah. That incredible worth of, that should be a source of encouragement in times of great trial and tribulation, no matter how big or small, so that this joy that this person has when they go and sells everything he has and he buys this field, you know those details, like you're saying, do press us. It really comes to us with this idea that we should be able to see plainly why having Christ is more valuable than all other things. If the omnipotence all wise, God is ruling, ruling over all things for our joy, then everything must be working for our good, no matter how painful and in the end, God is gonna triumph over all evil and all pain. So this kingdom is a real treasure. Like it is a, it is a real. A real quantity in our life and our wellbeing and in our spiritual consistency, that'll ought demand some reflection of how valuable it truly is. And then knowing that in our minds, that like influencing our behavior, our other thought patterns, and then our actual feelings about stuff. So that when, like you said, we're passed over, we're looked over, we're ridiculed for something, we go back and we count it all joy to be worthy of being part of God's kingdom, knowing that it was because of the entrance and acceptability and the identity in that kingdom that we experience. Those things, those hardships begin with. [00:29:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And, and I, um, I don't want us to miss out on the fact that even as the parable may be encouraging or forcing us to think about. The cost. It, it really is trying to emphasize the great value of the kingdom. Right? Right. We, like I said, we, we don't just count the cost. In order to count the cost for its own sake. We count the cost in order to understand the great blessing that is ours in Christ. Right. All I, I count all that I have as a loss compared to the greatness of Christ Jesus. And, um, I think we just don't often do that. I, I, I think as Christians, that's probably a thought that is in our head more as young Christians, especially if we come to the faith in, in a time in our life where we're aware of things like that. We think about things like that. Reflecting on the Cost of Faith [00:29:59] Tony Arsenal: You know, I was 15 when I first came to faith and, um, I, I don't think I was in a frame of mind as a 15-year-old boy to think about, like. The cost of what I was doing, right? It's not like I was a particularly popular kid. I didn't have a, you know, I didn't, I wasn't unpopular, but it wasn't like I lost a ton of friends when I became a Christian. I didn't really lose anything that was measurable. Um, but I do think that, as, you know, someone now in my forties, looking back at, you know, 15, 20, 25 years of, of Christian life, it's easy to see that things could have been different on a sort of temporal scale. Like my, my life could probably be more comfortable in terms of wealth or opportunities or other things that might, uh, aren't, aren't even bad things necessarily. There is a sense of sacrifice. But again, God has brought us into this kingdom and he's given us parables like this and given us the ability to recognize. That we do have a cost, that there is a cost to be counted in order that we might now look at it and praise him for how great and glorious and valuable the gift that he's given us is. Understanding the Parable of the Pearl [00:31:08] Tony Arsenal: And so I think, you know, I think that's the same basic meaning of this second, second half of the same parable. I guess the, the pearl of great price or the pearl of great value. But it's not exactly the same, right? It's not like Christ is just repeating the same ver, you know, parable with, with different words for variation. Um, every word is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching correction, reproof, and training and righteousness. And I had a, I had a prophet in, uh, in Bible college who would say like, difference means difference. And he was often talking about like minute things, like the difference, um, or why, why is this word used instead of that word? This word would've worked. And, and the author chose that one. There's a reason for that. Difference means difference, but. Christ here chooses to, to tell the parable a second time, um, in a slightly different way. Uh, and Matthew chooses to record these in the same sense next to each other in slightly different ways. So what, what do we, what do we wanna pull out of this second parable that's different and what do we think it's telling us that's a little bit different than the first version Y? [00:32:14] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's a great question. Diverse Approaches to the Kingdom of Heaven [00:32:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, I love this idea because not until really, I was thinking about it this week when I read through them, was I really, again, drawn to the differences between these two main characters. Interestingly, I think in both, and we can make the case that the, the treasure, the kingdom of heaven here represented in both this pearl or in this literal treasure is in a way hidden. Certainly the first man is not necessarily looking for, it's still revealed to him, but the second in a way. And on the other hand, he knew this guy knows treasure. He's been seeking it with diligence in vigor, or at least like this is what he does for a living in his vocational career. He's out there trading pearls, presumably, and he knows something about them and how to evaluate them effectively. And so it's his business and he's dedicated himself to finding them. And apparently he's seen plenty of them over the years. But then all of a sudden, and this is wild, the beautiful, all of a sudden, clearly the search comes to like an abrupt end because he finds this one of immeasurable value, so much beauty exceeding and value exceeding all the other ones. And he doesn't need to search anymore. He just finds the one pearl that he can retire on a pearl with more than everything else. Or anything else that he's ever possessed and he gets it again. He does. And this brings him into symbol two with the first man. He does the same thing, then liquidate everything else and go after this one. Great pearl. So to me, and I'm curious your perspective on this, I'm not necessarily promulgating that. Well, the first one is not a seeker and the second one is like a seeker of of God things. Right? There is though, like you said, a difference in their approach and what they're after. And so I think what we can take from this, at the very least, is that there is diversity in these beneficiaries of the kingdom of God that's covering everybody. And just by these two kind of bookended or polar examples, that's what Jesus draws us to. But I would turn the question back to you. What do you think about this second guy? What do you think about the fact that his business is searching after these things? What? What do we take away from that? [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Ultimate Value of the Kingdom [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: And you know, the thing that drop that jumps out to me immediately in the first parable, the kingdom of heaven is, is like the treasure hidden in the field, [00:34:16] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:16] Tony Arsenal: In the second one, the kingdom of heaven is the merchant who's searching, [00:34:20] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:20] Tony Arsenal: Right. The kingdom of heaven is like the merchant in search of fine pearls who finds one. That's right. And so I think that they kind of are like, almost like mirror images of each other, right? One of them is about the treasure and what it takes to come upon it and then obtain it. The second is about the person who is coming upon the treasure and, and finding it. And then what it takes again to obtain that treasure. And I think, I think you're right, there is an element here that. Um, in this second parable, the person who is seeking for this treasure is one he's seeking for the treasure, right? Right. You get the image in this, in this first parable that the dude just kind of stumbles upon it. Um, I've heard this Todd as like, it's actually more like a guy who's just walking through a field rather than like a person working the field. And I'm not sure that matters that much, but there is this sense in the first parable that the guy kind of stumbles upon it. He wasn't looking, it wasn't what he was trying to do, but you're right in the second one, the kingdom of heaven, and this is where I, this is where I think I need to think more about it, is what does it mean for the kingdom of heaven to be like a merchant searching for fine pearls right [00:35:23] Jesse Schwamb: on. [00:35:23] Tony Arsenal: Rather than the pearls being the kingdom of heaven, which is what we see in the first bearable. Um, and I don't know the answer to that question. I think I need to, need to think about it and study it a little bit more. But I do like this distinction that in, in the first case, it's sort of a happy accident. And in the second case, this is, this is the life, this man's life work. He finds he's, he's in search of fine pearls. I'm not sure I know exactly what he's trying to do with the fine pearls. It seems like it implies that he's a pearl merchant or a pearl trader, but then he finds this pearl. He doesn't seek to sell it. He buys it. Right. [00:36:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:36:00] Tony Arsenal: And, and the, the, the fact that the parable stops with him buying it sort of implies that like. He actually is not going to sell it. He's just gonna keep this pearl. Now before the, the pearls, the, the source of the value of the pearls was kind of in the, the financial gain that selling or trading them could bring. But now he suddenly finds this pearl that is so valuable. It's so great, it's so beautiful. Everything he was working to obtain before all of the money he's gathered by finding and selling pearls in the previous like mode of living. He now gets rid of all of that just to purchase this one pearl and presumably to keep it. And I think that again, is kind of a, kind of a, um, statement on our Christian life is that we, we probably have all sorts of things that we've been doing our whole life and we are seeking to, to move forward in our life. And the kingdom of heaven is kind of the ultimate goal of all of that, for those who are in Christ, for those who are called according to his purpose. The purpose is not just to accumulate wealth. It's not even necessarily, uh, in and of itself to like grow in righteousness. It's to be transformed to the, uh, to the image of God's glory son, for the purpose of making him great, making his name renowned. Right. When we look at that passage in Romans that have kind alluded to, he's, he would transform into the image of Christ so that he might be the first born among many brothers. The Incomparable Worth of Salvation [00:37:24] Tony Arsenal: Ultimately, our, our sanctification and glorification is about making Jesus great and glorified, um, to give him glory, to have our glorification reflect his already intrinsic glory and the gift that he gives us, and I think that's kind of, kind of in play here, is that. Uh, we might have all sorts of goals in our life. We might have goals in our Christian life, um, that are good things that we should strive for, but at the end of the day, all of those things only serve to bring us to the kingdom of heaven, which is this pearl of great price that we, we purchase, we buy it and we just kind of hang onto it. It is its own treasure and it's, it's not about what this, this treasure can bring to us, right? Which is what the fine pearls were before they were about what the merchant can find and sell. It's, it's now about just obtaining the pearl and enjoying that pearl. Um, which I think is a little bit different than, than, um, what I would've thought of with the par before. [00:38:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I totally agree with you. I think, I think you're actually onto something with the distinction because I think of. So much of my career has been spent in financial services among people who are buyers and sellers of things. They're traders. And the way I read this was very similar to what you were saying to me. What resonated was if this gentleman or this person is. Trading, collecting these pearls. Presumably they have appreciation for the beauty of the pearl itself. So there is like something innate that draws them to this particular thing. And with that experience and with that knowledge and with that, that appreciation of that beauty. I think when they see this other pearl, it moves from, well, why would I ever sell that? I've seen everything. This is the most beautiful pearl I've ever laid my eyes on. And now I want to keep it for me. I want to have it in my possession. I want to cherish it and not just keep it in the inventory and then turn around and sell it for markup, presumably, because there is no nothing that would be of greater value to this person. 'cause they just sold everything else that they had. So they, it's appreciation for the pearl itself. It's going after that finding and seeking that great beauty. And then that led me right into Philippians chapter four, where Paul writes the church in Philippi, beginning of verse eight. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever's honorable, whatever's just whatever's pure, whatever's lovely, whatever's commendable. If there's any excellence, if there. Anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the god of peace will be with you. So this idea, like you and I, Tony, have talked about like the world has great wisdom, it has great knowledge, it has things that can lead us by way of common grace into certain amounts of peace. But the pearl of great price, the seeking after the going after all these great things is to find the gospel, to be given the gospel it revealed to you. And then say everything else I count as a loss. Everything else is worthless compared to this thing. And if you're a person that can appreciate even just by turn of mind or God's influence in your life, you know, knowledge and wisdom, and you're seeking after that, which is the ultimate expression and representation of those things, and then you find you come upon this pearl of great price, the gospel wisdom and the beauty of God represented in his son Jesus Christ. And you say, this is it. I, I know enough to know, again, by the regeneration that comes through the spirit, this is the real deal. Then I think the message still stands. We come through two different directions into the same final culminating point, which is there is a condition for having this kingdom of God, for having the king on your side as your friend, but the condition isn't like wealth or power or negotiating or intelligence or even good trading behavior or going out and finding the right thing. The condition is that we prize the kingdom more than anything else we own. The point of selling everything in these parables is to simply show where our hearts are at. And so I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value. Actually, it's true for everything that we. We presumably spend our time or our money on cost only matters in the absence of value. And I think like you and I could do a fun little experiment where I don't know, you ever talking to somebody about something and you're paying a cost to have that service delivered to you and you're, and you're just like totally worth it, like I would do totally worth it. Like, yeah, that's kind of the vibe I'm getting here. It's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We're just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it, that that's what we'll be saying for all of eternity as we worship him. [00:41:45] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and I think even more than saying, totally worth it. I think when we are given our new eyes to see, and we no longer see through a da a glass dimly, we're gonna recognize saying that it was worth, it is is like it's a pale, like it's a faulty answer to begin with because the, for sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine. And in our, you know, locked in little meat brains that we have now, we're kind of com we're just comparing it to. You know, like what, what we could have had or what we, what we've given up. Um, it, it's gonna be an incomparable comparison. Like there's no, there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how, how worthwhile it is. And, you know, we've, we've made a point of it, like the, the blessing of salvation and, and really like what it is that we're getting, uh, in, in the. You know, the Christian understanding of salvation, it's not, it's not an eternal destiny. It's not bigger mansions in heaven. It's not freedom from death. All of those things come with it. All of those things are attending gifts. That's right. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. Uh, not, not in the, you know, like. Eastern Orthodox deification sense, although I think there's a proper way we can talk about deification. Um, but we get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. There's nothing that we could ever point to. Um, it's funny, my, my wife and I, um, this is a little corny, but, um, we'll often say to, to each other instead of saying, I love you more than anything, we'll say, I love you more than everything. Right. And, and it's, it's a way to say like. You could take all that there is in the world, everything that I have that I could possibly consider and sum up the value. And I love my wife more than that. I love my children more than that. So it's not that I love them more than any one thing, it's that I love them more than everything combined. And this is even greater than that, right? We, we will look back at our lives and if, if it's even in our mind, if we even can, can comprehend anymore. The idea of thinking about what it costs us to obtain this pearl of great value, which is the kingdom of heaven, which is just another way to say, is just fellowship with the God of the universe. Um, we'll look at it and say no matter what it was. No matter what it could have been, I would give everything I, I love God more than everything. Right. Right. There's nothing that could ever possibly be considered that even comes close to what we gain in, in Christ Jesus, in union with, with God. And I think that's the point of this, like I think the guy who, um. Christ's Perfect Sacrifice and Our Response [00:44:58] Tony Arsenal: I think about what it would take for me to even like to sell everything, like the concept of selling everything I own. I'm not even sure how I would do that, to be honest with you. Like, I don't even know the mechanism for that kind of thing. But the idea that there's anything that could be valuable enough that I would just sell every piece of human property that I have, there's probably nothing like that in this world. Like, there probably isn't. And to, to take that comparison and then basically say like, that's just what the kingdom of God is like. 'cause that's the other thing I think we miss about parables is you, you only make a comparison when you can't describe something, um, analytically, right? There's the difference between analogically and analytically Ana lot analytically means we're able to actually quantify and explain it kind of in strict terms, right? I can, I can say that, um, uh, a heavy object ways, X number of grams or it, you know, or, um. Pounds or whatever. I can, I can measure that and make an analytical statement, or I can make an analogy, an analogy that is comparative. Uh, but by definition, or almost by by nature of the thing, when you make that comparison, you're kind of saying like, not only is it like this, but it's actually it, like it's more like this than I can even describe. Right? So when we're talking about the kingdom of Heaven here, and we say it's, it's like, it's like a man who goes, he finds a treasure and then he sells everything. He has to get that treasure. It's infinitely more like that than it actually can be described. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm rambling on that a little bit. Maybe trying to describe something that can't be described is, is hard to do. [00:46:35] Jesse Schwamb: It's, that's, yeah. But yeah, that's, that's very difficult to do. I'm actually totally with you on this. I think I understand clearly what you mean, this idea that no matter how hard we actually try to value it, we'll be incapable of doing so. Yes. And at best, it almost seems like this is a strange command in a way because it's, it's asking us to do in some ways a thing that is impossible for us to do. However, I think what you're saying is it doesn't mean that we shouldn't turn our minds toward that. We're a bit like people who, I don't know if this show is still on PBS, but like, do you know that show, remember that show The Antiques Road Show? Yeah. Where people would like come, they'd ran ransack their homes or their garages with these old antique items and they bring them to this road show where there'd be experts who would value them. And inevitably we'll be like those people who come with what we think is like a. A thousand dollars clock that we got at a garage sale thinking, wouldn't it be great? I know this is valuable. It's probably a thousand dollars. It'll be, look at the return, tenfold return, I'll get on this item, and then instead finding that it's worth $10 million when it's appraised. Yeah, I assume it'll be just like that in the Beautific vision that even maybe for all of eternity will be growing in our appreciation for just how valuable this great salvation is. And yet at the same time, I think what this should encourage us to do is to pray things like God make us real in seeing and savoring Christ in his saving work above all the other things. Yeah. So that, as you said in your example, we would cherish him above everything, above all things that you have that right place in our hearts or that we be inclined to undertake that posture, which says, God, though I cannot understand it in full. Would you help me to see that? Encouragement in Our Spiritual Journey [00:48:08] Jesse Schwamb: And I wanna just say like, as a word of encouragement, maybe I'm speaking more to myself here so everybody else can disregard this if you like, but I think sometimes there can be a little bit of intimidation then when you hear these things and say like, ah, I'm just not, I just dunno if I love God enough, like I wanna love him, or I want to want to love him more. And I think even that posture is appropriate. Yeah. Sometimes there, oftentimes in my personal life, I'll pray something like, God, help me to know how much you love me and would you give me the strength to love you back? So that even that awareness, that energy, that volition, that vitality, that, that heat, all of that, that fire itself is kindled by the Holy Spirit. It's not like we need to like try to again manufacture here. Because the point of these, these stories is not again, that we just find the means to do a transactional exchange here, but that instead we really just sit in the full promises of God. And of course to that, I would say we always need to go back to, to something like Romans eight. I mean, I know that we should, like you said, Tony, the. The standard description we give for the Bible is the one that gives itself, which is that all of it, all of it's is carried along by the Holy Spirit. All of it is God breathe. All of it is useful for something. And yet, of course, I say somewhat tongue in cheek that, you know, if I have 10 minutes to live, I'm probably not gonna the s descriptions of reading a genealogy, I'm going straight from Roman and say, Romans say, I think it's just like the pinnacle of the scriptures. And so just a couple of verses at the end there, because I think this is, this is leading us into what is this great treasure? What is the kingdom of God? Why do we value it so much? What is the saving power? And uh, these verses, I mean, always just entirely get me ready to run through a wall. So this is the end of, of Romans eight beginning verse 35. Who shall separate us from the law of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from a love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. [00:50:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a good word. And I, I, I like what you're saying too, is, is I think we, we can. There's this paradoxical thing that happens when the scriptures is trying to encourage us to do something, is we often like to get our, in our own way. And, and actually that becomes a source of discouragement for us. The Bible calls us to something and we know we can't live up to it. And that's actually like part and parcel of, of reform theology to recognize that this is law, like the, the, the, the, you know, maybe not in like the strict sense, like when we talk about dividing the scripture into law and gospel, um. It may not be that this particular passage would fall under that rubric of law normally, but this idea that we need to count the cost and that we need to be treasuring Christ more and more, and then when we feel like I'm just not getting it. I'm just not there. Like, I don't, I don't treasure Christ as much as I so should. Um, that Yeah, that's right. Nobody does. Nobody can, like, that's, that's kind of the point of this, and that's why it's law is it's, it shouldn't drive you in Christ. It should not drive you to despair. Right. It should not drive you to discouragement. It should drive you to gratitude that God saved you anyways. That, that this pearl of great value is still yours even though you can't possibly deserve it. Um, you know, we're, we're a little bit different than the, the merchant and the man who finds the treasure in the field in that we can't sell everything we have and obtain it like they have the ability to do that in the, in the parables. Right. Um, we, we don't, and we never will. And so rather than let that drive you to being discouraged that like you're just not getting. I recognize God is of infinite value and we are finite creatures. So we, we could, uh, value God perfectly. Like whatever that means, and I don't even know what that means, but we could value and cherish and love God perfectly as far as our capacities are concerned, and it still would not be enough to sufficiently merit God's favor for us. Like as much as we can, even in, even in eternity. As much as we can value and worship and love and praise Jesus, he is worth infinitely more than we could ever give, even when we do it perfectly. And this is, this is why you know Christ coming to die, to live on our behalf, to die in our place. Why that's necessary is because only this is a, maybe a different take on it. We, I think we talk a lot about how, um. Only God could, could carry, bear the wrath of God and not be destroyed. Right. Right. Only God could, um, could stand up under his own wrath, could stand up under the wrath of God and bear that punishment and not be destroyed. And so therefore, um, Christ had to be not just a man, but had to be God. But on the flip side. And God requires perfect perpetual obedience, which involves loving the Lord your God, perfectly with your whole heart at all times. Right? Only God can do that too. So it's not just that God. It's not just that G

We break down the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy with the researchers who created it — exploring what this concentration means for nonprofit sustainability and the future of philanthropy. There's a number that keeps showing up in conversations about American philanthropy. And it tells two completely different stories depending on how you read it.Over the past decade, charitable giving from affluent households increased more than 30%. That's remarkable. That suggests a sector that's thriving. Resilient. Responding to need.But here's the other story that same data tells.Donor participation dropped from 91% to 81%. Twenty million American households stopped giving to charity entirely. First-time donor retention? Below 20%.Fewer people are writing checks. They're just writing much bigger ones.So which story matters more? The one about record-breaking totals? Or the one about democratic participation collapsing?To answer that question, I wanted to talk with the researchers who created the data in the first place.Amir Pasic is the Dean of Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. It's the world's first and only school devoted entirely to the study of generosity. He oversees Giving USA — the longest-running report on American charitable giving.Bill Jarvis is the Managing Director at Bank of America Private Bank. He's spent nearly two decades tracking how wealthy Americans give through the Bank of America Study of Philanthropy. He bridges wealth management and charitable giving in ways few others can.Together, they've surveyed over 15,000 affluent households since 2006. Their 2025 findings reveal a sector at a crossroads.And that crossroads is exactly what we're exploring today.Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

⁠AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a new podcast hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠. This episode, they discuss the Autistic Culture Podcast's 10 Pillars of Autistic Culture!Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/autistic-viewpoints/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AUTISTIC Viewpoints⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a new podcast hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Turrell Burgess⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daria Brown⁠⁠⁠⁠. This episode, they discuss the Autistic Culture Podcast's 10 Pillars of Autistic Culture!Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://affectautism.com/autistic-viewpoints/⁠⁠⁠Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions01:33 Getting into the topic of Autistic Masking04:13 Masking as survival skills05:43 Everybody masks07:37 Personality dynamics with masking08:42 The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (the CAT-Q )14:03 Turrell and Daria's CAT-Q scores15:41 Does the CAT-Q really get at Autistic Masking?18:40 Angela's Autistic Masking story27:38 Daria's personal insights 29:45 Turrell's personal insights 31:15 Self-judgment around Autistic masking36:18 "Finding the strays"37:03 Angela's challenge to be showing up authentic38:34 Difference between Autistic masking and neurotypical masking/impression management42:45 Summary44:45 Angela's new Late Diagnosis Club podcast45:57 Preview of Episode 5Links to Resources: Angela's Master's dissertation on self-diagnosis versus "official" diagnosis: ⁠https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/p/is-autistic-self-identification-valid⁠The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (the CAT-Q ): ⁠https://embrace-autism.com/cat-q/⁠Interpreting your CAT-Q scores: ⁠https://embrace-autism.com/interpreting-your-cat-q-scores/⁠Podcast episode with Autistic self-advocate Mickey Rowe on acting: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2023/03/31/strengths/⁠Podcast episode on Autistic Masking book with Dr. Amy Pearson and Kieran Rose: ⁠https://affectautism.com/2023/11/24/masking/⁠The Autistic Culture podcast: ⁠https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/⁠The Late Diagnosis Club podcast: ⁠https://autisticculture.lpages.co/late-diagnosis-club/⁠* Thank you to Hungarian recording artist ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Post Analog Disorder⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the intro/outro music permission

Decoding Revelation 11: Signs of the End Times and The Role of the Church In this episode, we delve deeply into Revelation 11, emphasizing its importance for understanding our times and the nearing end. The speaker draws parallels between biblical prophecy and current global events, such as the rise of a Muslim mayor in New York City, the implications of mass immigration, and the transition to a digital ID system in the UK. Central themes include the foreshadowing signs of Jesus Christ's return, the role of the church as witnesses, and the spiritual versus physical aspects of God's Kingdom. The talk also deciphers common interpretations of Revelation, suggesting that the two witnesses symbolize the collective church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The speaker stresses the importance of understanding and spreading the Kingdom of God amid growing global tension and persecution. Join us as we uncover the biblical narrative and its relevance to our present day. 00:00 Introduction to Revelation 11 00:44 Interpreting the Signs of the Times 02:45 The Rise of Islam in the West 08:05 Digital IDs and the Mark of the Beast 11:35 Understanding Biblical Metaphors 18:31 The Kingdom of God 24:25 The Role of the Church in Advancing God's Kingdom 24:49 The Power of Witnesses and the Holy Spirit 25:29 Revelation 11: A Glimpse of the Future 26:14 The Two Witnesses and Their Significance 27:06 The Tribulation Period Explained 30:59 The Symbolism of the Lampstands and Olive Trees 33:31 The Olive Tree and the Church 41:38 The Persecution of the Church 46:21 The Resurrection and Rapture 47:52 The Final Judgment and the Coming of King Jesus

Dr. R. Carlton Wynne speaks at the Reformed Forum Annual Theology Conference, held at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois on September 27, 2025. Dr. Wynne explores how the vast portion of the Old Testament covering the monarchy and prophetic periods (approximately 417 chapters) points to Jesus Christ. Dr. Wynne first establishes the central, Christ-centered scope of all Scripture, affirming that everything in the Old Testament looks forward to and finds its fulfillment in Christ's person and work, including his death and resurrection. The address then moves beyond viewing Christ merely as being prefigured in the Old Testament through "scale models" or "macro typology." Instead, it seeks a deeper sense in which the pre-incarnate Christ's power and heavenly kingdom principles were actively revealed through the history of Israel's kings and prophets, positioning these figures and institutions as intrusions of heavenly glory mediated by Christ himself. Chapter Markers 00:00 - Introduction: Reformed Forum Conference and Speaker/Topic Introduction 00:23 - Welcome and Scope of the Address (Monarchy and Prophets) 03:19 - Speaker's Three Goals for the Address 03:56 - The Gospel is First and Foremost About Jesus Christ 04:36 - Question 1: What exactly do we mean by Christ being in the Old Testament? * 05:44 - Christ's "Crash Course in Old Testament Hermeneutics" (Luke 24) 08:16 - Moving Beyond Mere Prediction: Was Christ's Power and Glory Revealed Before His Incarnation? 08:41 - The View of Macro Typology (Graeme Goldsworthy) 14:36 - Goal 2: Interpreting the Old Testament with Reformed Voices (Vos, Murray, Owen) 21:40 - Goal 3 (Main Topic): The Monarchy and Prophets as Intrusions of the Heavenly Kingdom 23:25 - The Davidic Covenant and the Kingdom's Typological Rest 25:27 - Israel's Demand for a King: Mistaking the Shadow for the Substance 28:25 - God's Design for the Davidic King (Insights from Proverbs) 30:17 - The Great Example: King David and the Heavenly King 35:23 - Jesus Christ as the Exalted King of all Flesh 36:48 - The Prophets' Role: Calling the Monarchy to its Christ-Centered Design 38:52 - The Suffering of the Prophets as a Type of Christ 41:26 - Conclusion: Christ is the Source, Foundation, and Substance of Every Blessing 42:28 - Christ, Our High Priest and King of Kings 43:54 - Final Exhortation and Benediction 44:30 - Closing Remarks

We read Judgment for love, Eight of Wands for money, and The Star for guidance to chart a week of honest resets, fast action, and steady hope. Hawk omens and dream symbols nudge us to stay alert, while we share practical steps for momentum and gentle ways to heal.• Judgment as a pattern break in relationships• Caring less about perception and more about truth• Applying love lessons to friends and family• Eight of Wands as momentum and outreach in work• Networking, pitching, and not overthinking decisions• Spiritual messages and timely news fueling action• The Star as renewal, faith, and sustainable pace• Balancing speed with rest and ritual• Interpreting hawk omens and staying observant• Upcoming episodes with Romani guestsIf you missed our spooky episodes, you can still catch up!You can book 1:1 readings with Jez at jezminavonthiele.com, and book readings and holistic healing sessions with Paulina at romaniholistic.com.Thank you for listening to Romanistan podcast.You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, BlueSky, and Facebook @romanistanpodcast, and on Twitter @romanistanpod. To support us, Join our Patreon for extra content or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan, and please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps us so much. Follow Jez on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele & Paulina @romaniholistic. You can get our book Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling, online or wherever books are sold. If you love it, please give us 5 stars on Amazon & Goodreads. Visit https://romanistanpodcast.com for events, educational resources, merch, and more. Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.com for inquiries. Romanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina StevensConceived of by Paulina StevensEdited by Viktor Pachas, Bianca, Dia LunaWith Music by Viktor PachasAnd Artwork by Elijah VardoSupport the show

You hear a lot of talk about references when it comes to color grading - but what are references? How do you interpret them to get great results? And, how can references play a role in client communication?It's these topics and more we're discussing on this installment of The Offset PodcastSpecifics discussed int his episode include:What is a reference and what is it good for?References aren't just good for color - good for all aspects of finishingReferences as a communication toolInterrogating the client about provided referencesInspirational references vs. practical referencesReference evaluation  - color, contrast, texture, mood and focusWorking with references in your color grading appThinking volumetrically with referencesIf you liked this episode, please subscribe, like and rate it wherever you found the show. We'd also love it if you'd consider supporting the show by 'buying us a cup of virtual coffee' https://buymeacoffee.com/theoffsetpodcast 

In this sermon, we consider the three interpretive approaches to the Book of Revelation.

What do expert recommendations say about John Cunningham (JC) virus testing when switching to a biosimilar? Credit available for this activity expires: 10/31/2026 Earn Credit / Learning Objectives & Disclosures: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/interpreting-jc-virus-test-results-multiple-sclerosis-2025a1000qzm?ecd=bdc_podcast_libsyn_mscpedu

Warner Bros. Discovery is for sale, but most prospective buyers only want pieces of it. Tall subs, max output, lots of graphs, and more! The post AV Rant #990: Interpreting Graphs appeared first on AV Rant.

Businesses are spending millions on AI tools hoping to accelerate time-to-market but aren't seeing organizational-level results. Laura Tacho (CTO @ DX) explains why an "individual productivity" mindset fails and how AI merely accelerates the condition of the system it enters. She provides a framework for leaders to shift to a systems-level approach, find high-leverage ROI by looking outside the 20% of time spent coding, and understand what sets high-ROI orgs apart. Plus Laura shares data literacy tools to cut through the "whiplash" of conflicting AI reports and provides key considerations for 2026 budgeting, detailing where and how companies are planning to strategically invest.ABOUT LAURA TACHOLaura Tacho is CTO at DX, a developer experience company. She previously led teams at companies like CloudBees, Aula Education, and Nova Credit. She's an expert in building world-class engineering organisations that consistently deliver outstanding results. Laura has coached CTOs and other engineering leaders from startups to the Fortune 500, and also facilitates a popular course on metrics and engineering team performance.SHOW NOTES:Downsides to approaching organizational outcomes from an individual task level (2:59)Why individual product gains don't always equate to systems-level improvements (4:56)How the quality of existing systems impacts the improvements AI can foster (7:26)Strategies for shifting mental models from the individual to systems level (9:09)Implement training & enablement techniques as an organizational lever (11:22)Common workflows that can unlock new problem-solving methods (14:46)Understanding what impact you want to see / getting the most ROI from AI (18:40)How to interpret the data when it comes to AI & its true ROI (21:22)AI data literacy for engineering leaders (23:06)Interpreting the meter study & what it means for engineers using AI (25:49)Quality vs. quantity when it comes to AI implementation on the org level (28:43)Characteristics that high-ROI companies possess when it comes to AI (30:35)Strategies to invest in that may lead to higher ROI (32:29)Laura's observations on time & money budgeting / investments for 2026 (35:28)Embracing cost savings & opportunity generation as an eng org (38:08)Tackling fear / uncertainty when it comes to AI adoption, budgeting, & ROI (40:01)LINKS AND RESOURCESPrevious Episode with Laura TachoIntroducing the AI Measurement Framework from DXAtlassian State of DevEx ReportMETR StudyDORA Report (2025)This episode wouldn't have been possible without the help of our incredible production team:Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-HostJerry Li - Co-HostNoah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan's also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Learn about the latest in local public affairs in about the time it takes for a coffee break! Brian Callanan of Seattle Channel and David Kroman of the Seattle Times discuss two new polls on the Seattle mayor's race, a complex start to the City Council's budget process, a new contract for the largest union representing Seattle's rank and file police officers, a push for new bus lanes, and the impact of thousands of local Amazon layoffs. If you like this podcast, please support it on Patreon!

Amir and Rick are back with a brand-new episode of Explore the Bible! In Part III of their two-part series on Interpreting the Bible Historically, they'll unpack how understanding the cultural and historical context of Scripture can transform your Bible study. Don't miss this powerful teaching—tune in and take your study of God's Word to the next level!Connect with us on social:Telegram: @beholdisraelchannelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amir.tsarfati/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beholdisrael/X: https://x.com/beholdisraelYouTube: https://youtube.com/@beholdisrael

Send us a textWelcome to Alternative Dog Moms - a podcast about what's happening in the fresh food community and the pet industry.   Kimberly Gauthier is the blogger behind Raw Feeder Life, and Erin Scott hosts the Believe in Dog podcast.CHAPTERS: Carter's pet industry origin story (0:55)Relationships with "conventional" medicine practitioners (3:19)About the participants and design of the Senior Dog Study (8:57)Results of the Senior Dog Study (20:04)Ingredients and dosing of MycoDog's Clarity formula (22:03)Interpreting and publishing the results of the Senior Dog Study (26:54)Are future studies in the works? (28:42)Using Clarity with our own dogs and other case reports (30:02)How mushrooms work in the body and the appeal of "conventional" medicine for a quick fix (37:44)Choosing quality mushroom and supplement products (and being that downer friend)  (44:42)LINKS DISCUSSED:Link to the study results: www.seniordogstudy.comLink to the study on ResearchGateVeterinary Health Research CenterCBD Dog HealthMycodogCarter on InstagramSOCIAL MEDIA:Facebook.com/BelieveInDogPodcastInstagram.com/RawFeederLifeInstagram.com/Erin_the_Dog_MomNewsLetter/RawFeederLifeThanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.

Send me a Text Message here."Walk the walk. Talk the talk. Walk the talk."Swedish sign language interpreter, Camilla, and I continue our conversation. We discuss her returning to the sign language interpreting profession after a long break in an adjacent field. We expand on the topics of connections in our communities, ethical boundaries and responsibilities, and self-care for interpreters.Let's talk the walk together.IW CommunityA great place to meet regularly to laugh, learn, and lean on each other.You get:10 or 50% OFF of workshops, seminars. A great way to earn professional development hours.Online meetings to expand on the IW podcast episodes. Meet online with interviewees.Practice groups, Dilemma discussions.And more.Support the showDon't forget to tell a friend or colleague! Click below! IW Community Buy Me a Coffee Get extras with a subscription! Share the PODCAST Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter Listen & follow on many other platforms. Send me a voicemail! [TRANSCRIPTS ARE HERE] Thanks for listening. I'll see you next week.Take care now.

Calorie cycling isn't a trick—it's stress management for your metabolism. In this Mini Micropedia, Mikki explains how sustained restriction can drive adaptive thermogenesis: leptin falls, ghrelin rises, thyroid output dips, NEAT declines, and fat loss stalls. Then she lays out practical cycling options—from simple weekday–weekend shifts to planned carb refeeds, diet breaks, and PSMF days—so you can periodise your intake around training and real life without blowing your deficit. You'll learn who benefits (and who shouldn't use it), why protein (≥1.6–2.2 g/kg) and resistance training are non-negotiables, and how to set your weekly calorie budget, distribute it across the week, and interpret scale bumps from glycogen and water. The goal: precision over punishment—an approach you can actually sustain.Don't miss Mikki's webinar “Fat Loss in the Festive Season” on Wednesday 29 October, running at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm NZT.Episode HighlightsWhy adaptive thermogenesis makes continuous dieting harder (leptin ↓, ghrelin ↑, thyroid ↓, NEAT ↓).Calorie-cycling options: weekday–weekend shifts, strategic carb refeeds, diet breaks, PSMF; pros and cons.Non-negotiables: high protein (≥1.6–2.2 g/kg) and resistance training to protect lean mass.How to plan: set maintenance, choose a 15–25% weekly deficit, distribute low/high days around training and social life.Interpreting the scale: glycogen + water explain short-term weight spikes after high-carb days. Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

State testing scores are in, and, for third through eighth graders in the School District of Philadelphia, the results are mixed. In the eyes of Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington Sr., there's reason for optimism, as well as signs of progress. The big picture data set, however, paints a different picture.  Watlington gives his perspective on the district's performance in reading and math, while also sharing how the public can expect to get the facilities planning update due out later this fall.  00:00 Why Watlington says state test scores reflect "acceleration" 02:51 But what about the underperforming reading scores? 03:40 How the district plans to roll out forthcoming facilities planning report 07:35 More clarification about criteria-based students transferring back to their preferred school Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at afterschool@kywnewsradio.com and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!” Catch the show on the air every Wednesday at 3:45 PM ET on KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a holiday week for the podcast, so we're replaying a classic episode. This episode has been lightly edited to remain accurate to the upcoming 2025 Large Loss Conference taking place at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, TX on Wednesday November 12 through Friday November 14. We'll be back next week with our regularly scheduled episode.   Today our adjuster is leveling up in their career and handling their first large loss property claim. The adjuster quickly runs into trouble-- where can a claims professional go for help? This November 12 - 14 in Grapvine, TX, join PLRB for the 2025 Large Loss Conference.   Notable Timestamps [ 00:39 ] - Alissha asks HERSELF "what's the scenario?" This scenario features late notice, Category 3 water, and additional damage during a claim. [ 03:24 ] - Late notice issues? Attend the educational session "It's Too Late, Baby, It's Too Late: Navigating a Late Reported Large Loss" with Andy Rock (Rock Law Group). [ 04:34 ] - For water mitigation issues, check out "Interpreting the Microbiology of Storm Damage" with Jeremy Beagle (SDII Global). [ 05:05 ] - For other large storm issues, see "A Coastal Catastrophe: Navigating a Large Hurricane Loss in the Northeast" with Anthony Antonellis and Brendan Labbe (both of Sloane and Walsh LLP). [ 05:45 ] - The Large Loss Conference is intended for claims professionals involved in these losses or hoping to get experience with larger claims, as well as the experts, attorneys, and accountants who provide insights on these claims. [ 06:43 ] - The Large Loss Conference is differently structured than PLRB's other conferences. The educational sessions are 90 minutes long, often more focused on case studies, and involve more interactivity. [ 07:56 ] - Andrew features the educational session "Back to the Future: How Adjusters Can Use Forensic Meteorology in Hail and Wind Claims" with Howard Altschule (Forensic Weather Consultants). [ 08:48 ] - The Large Loss Conference features many casualty and personal lines sessions as well, such as "We Didn't Start the Fire: Was it Smoking or Smokin'" with David Heemann (Mutual of Enumclaw), Pete Fowler (Fowler Construction Consultants), and Jennifer Kalvestran (Anderson, McPharlin & Conners LLP). [ 11:08 ] - The conference's general session will feature "Whoever Said Insurance Was Boring? 30 Years of Fascinating Claims Stories" with Steve Badger (Zelle LLP). [ 11:56 ] - Most educational sessions are approved in FL, TX, DE, NC, and OK Continuing Education credit, and even some courses approved for GA CE credit! [ 12:56 ] - To register, visit PLRB.org and click on the banner on the main page OR the Events tab. Registration is free for members. [ 13:50 ] - Maria McNally will be available to discuss membership or website questions. [ 14:45 ] - Alissha provides a recap of the scenario and the points above. Your PLRB Resources PLRB's Events tab: https://www.plrb.org/plrb-events/ Direct Link to PLRB's Large Loss page: https://www.plrb.org/event/plrb-2025-large-loss-conference/ Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at “Property and Liability Resource Bureau” Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your “adjuster story” sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: “Piece of Future” by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

Send me a Text Message here."Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy."Let's talk Self-Care for sign language interpreters. There is an easy quick way for us to feel comforted, that's comfort food. Here are some quick thoughts about how to quickly relax before, during, and, after a gig.We all need to breath and relax at times in our work, let's bite into that topic now.IW CommunityA great place to meet regularly to laugh, learn, and lean on each other.You get:10 or 50% OFF of workshops, seminars. A great way to earn professional development hours.Online meetings to expand on the IW podcast episodes. Meet online with interviewees.Practice groups, Dilemma discussions.And more.Support the showDon't forget to tell a friend or colleague! Click below! IW Community Buy Me a Coffee Get extras with a subscription! Share the PODCAST Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter Listen & follow on many other platforms. Send me a voicemail! [TRANSCRIPTS ARE HERE] Thanks for listening. I'll see you next week.Take care now.

Dr. Natalie Crawford is joined by Kayla Barnes-Lentz to unravel the mysteries of women's health optimization. This episode cuts through the noise, offering a refreshing approach to understanding your body's unique signals and potential. Discover how personalized strategies can transform your energy, hormones, and overall well-being. Key Topics: 1. Sleep Secrets    - Listening to your body's rhythm    - Creating your ideal rest environment    - Navigating sleep challenges 2. Movement that Matters    - Understanding your body's natural cycles    - Designing a personalized fitness approach    - Breaking through traditional exercise myths 3. The Importance of Nutrition    - Simplifying your eating strategy    - Connecting food to your body's signals    - Breaking free from diet culture 4. Personal Health Tracking    - Becoming your own health detective    - Exploring innovative tracking tools    - Interpreting your body's unique data Visit Kayla's Website kaylabarnes.com Follow Kayla on Instagram @kaylabarnes Kayla's YouTube Channel Longevity Optimization Podcast Pre-order Dr. Crawford's debut book, The Fertility Formula, now! ⁠https://www.nataliecrawfordmd.com/book⁠ Want to receive my weekly newsletter? Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠nataliecrawfordmd.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive updates, Q&A, special content, and freebies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preached in 2021. For more resources for knowing and loving God's word, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bcnewton.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Further Readings⁠⁠⁠Daniel | Iain Duguid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ESV Expository Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Volume 7)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel: The NIV Application Commentary | Tremper Longman III⁠

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with breaking news that DeepL is reportedly exploring an initial public offering (IPO) in the US at a potential USD 5bn valuation. This comes as DeepL now positions itself as a “global AI product and research company”. Florian also notes the launch of DeepL Marketplace and the appointment of Gonçalo Gaiolas as Chief Product Officer.Florian opens with the first-ever Slator Award at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, where Guy Ratnitsky won for his thesis on data security and confidentiality in AI. The program will soon be renamed MA in Multilingual Communication Management to reflect market realities.The duo turns to Anthropic's new Economic Index, which shows translators and interpreters make up 0.63% of Claude AI usage, while OpenAI data previously showed translation-related conversations at 4.5%. Florian unpacks comments from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who, during a visit to Spain, suggested AI could replace EU interpreters in the medium term. He explains that Spain is pushing for Catalan, Basque, and Galician to become official EU languages, but Merz cited translation workload and complexity.Florian and Esther then run through live AI speech translation updates: Zoom's in-house rollout, Apple's AirPods, Google's translation features, Microsoft's API, and Meta's Ray-Bans.In Esther's M&A corner, she reports on Bering Lab's acquisition of Intersphere in Korea and Iyuno's partnership with Motion Picture Solutions in the UK for a film localization pipeline. Meanwhile, Testronic secured funding to scale down in some locations while expanding in Manila as a hub for QA testing and localization.

We conclude our review of the sermon, Beware of Detours

We conclude our review of the sermon, Beware of Detours

This week on the WHOOP Podcast, WHOOP Founder & CEO Will Ahmed sits down with ultra endurance athlete, best-selling author, and renowned podcast host, Rich Roll, who opens up about the path that led him to become one of the most influential voices in health and wellness today. From addiction struggles and to the practices of meditation and non-dualism, Rich shares his wisdom on living with purpose.Rich and Will explore Rich's approaches to interviewing, the motivation for growth, and ways to find opportunities for transformation. Rich dives into the deeper questions—what fulfillment, happiness, and balance really mean, and how we can all take an honest inventory of our lives to prioritize what matters most?The episode looks ahead at the future of innovation, with Will and Rich offering their thoughts on the future of technology in health and wellness. Rich combines the importance of staying grounded, while leveraging the incredible tools technology has to offer. (00:42) Rich Roll on Interviewing and Inspiration Behind His Podcast(07:02) Rich's Background And Drive For His Career(08:29) Addiction Recovery and Lessons from 12-Step(12:25) Rich's Guide to Meditation: Active Meditation, Non-dualism, and Perception (23:28) Consciousness in Meditation: Aligning With Your True Self(31:12) Living In Extremes: Knowing Where To Grow(35:12) The Growth Curve: What Motivates Growth? (39:14) Interpreting and Defining Fulfilment, Happiness, and Purpose(44:31) What is Balance?: Taking Inventory of Your Life and Prioritization(52:21) The Future of Technology in Health and WellnessWill Ahmed on the Rich Roll Podcast:YouTubeSpotifyAppleFollow Rich Roll:InstagramYouTubePodcastWebsiteSupport the showFollow WHOOP: www.whoop.com Trial WHOOP for Free Instagram TikTok YouTube X Facebook LinkedIn Follow Will Ahmed: Instagram X LinkedIn Follow Kristen Holmes: Instagram LinkedIn Follow Emily Capodilupo: LinkedIn

Interpreting the Times Victory in Jesus Prophecy Conference NBW Premier Membership Rapture Kits Radio Show Package The Great Last Days Apostasy NBW Ministries website Newsletter Signup NBW Ministries store Spirit of the False Prophet Audiobook YouTube Rumble Podbean Spirit of the False Prophet Spirit of the Antichrist Volume One Spirit of the Antichrist Volume Two Current Events, politics, globalism, Not By Works Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We spend some time listening to a sermon on Acts 21

We spend some time listening to a sermon on Acts 21

About this episode: Does acetaminophen use during pregnancy cause autism in children? In this episode: Brian Lee, who led the largest study on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental outcomes, walks through the study's findings—as well as the challenges of researching the causal effects of medication use during pregnancy. Then, biostatistician Elizabeth Stuart discusses how she thinks about assessing potential cause-and-effect relationships when studies have different strengths and weaknesses. Guest: Brian Lee, PhD, MHS, is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University.   Elizabeth Stuart, PhD, is Chair in the Department of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focuses on designing and interpreting studies exploring causal effects. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children's Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability—JAMA What the evidence tells us about Tylenol, leucovorin, and autism—STAT Discovering How Environment Affects Autism—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine Does A Really Cause B? How a Biostatistician Thinks About Causality—Public Health On Call (August 2024) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

     Concerning the permission of divorce, Jesus said the Pharisees, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way” (Matt 19:8). God's permissive will can be observed on a national level, as Paul said, “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways” (Acts 14:16). This explains much of the poor behavior we see among the nations as we study world history. Though God desires righteousness among the nations (Prov 14:34), He allows them to pursue their own values and priorities. Yet He never relinquishes His sovereignty, and in time, He will hold every nation accountable for its actions (Ps 9:17; Rev 20:12-13).      God is always righteous and directs people to righteous living. However, God is no bully, as He does not force people to obey Him. When people turn negative to God, He permits them to pursue their sinful ways, though they are not free to choose the consequences of their actions. One who plays with fire will eventually get burned. Concerning those who “suppress God's truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18), three times it is written that He “gave them over” to “the lusts of their hearts” (Rom 1:24), and “to degrading passions” (Rom 1:26), and “to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper” (Rom 1:28). Once God permits a person to operate by his/her sinful passions, they are given a measure of freedom to live as they want. These are described as “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful” (Rom 1:29-31).      Fourth, there is God's overruling will, which refers to those occasions when He hinders His creatures from acting contrary to His sovereign purposes. Throughout Scripture we observe God intervening in the actions of fallen angels and people. After God permitted Adam and Eve to disobey Him, He then drove them from the Garden of Eden and overruled their ability to go back in and eat from the tree of life (Gen 3:22-24). After Abraham lied to Abimelech and told him that Sarah was his sister, Abimelech took her as his wife. However, in order to protect Sarah, God intervened and told Abimelech, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married” (Gen 20:3). Abimelech pleaded with God and claimed his innocence (Gen 20:4-5). God, being just, told Abimelech, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore, I did not let you touch her” (Gen 20:6). Jacob served his uncle Laban for twenty years, but during that time his uncle had mistreated him, and by the end, he saw his uncle “was not friendly toward him as formerly” (Gen 31:2). Realizing it was time for Jacob to leave his uncle, he told his two wives, Rachel and Leah, “your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me” (Gen 31:7). During the tribulation, there will be hostile unbelievers who will try to flee from God's wrath by seeking death. But God prevents them from this escape, as John writes, “in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them” (Rev 9:6).      When Satan wanted to attack Job, God granted him permission, saying, “Behold, all that he has is in your power” (Job 1:12a). But then God restrained Satan, saying, “do not put forth your hand on him” (Job 1:12b). When Satan came back a second time, God granted him permission to attack Job's body, saying, “he is in your power” (Job 2:6a), but then told him to “spare his life” (Job 2:6b). When Job's wife advised him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9), he responded, saying, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). During the seven-year tribulation, demons are released from an angelic prison and “power was given them” to hurt unbelievers (Rev 9:3). However, they were restrained, as God told them, “not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months” (Rev 9:4-5a). Satan is currently active in the world (1 Pet 5:8; 1 John 5:19) and will be during the tribulation. However, God intervenes at the end of the tribulation and has Satan arrested and “bound him for a thousand years” (Rev 20:2). God's arresting angel “threw Satan into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time” (Rev 20:3).      Fifth, there is God's providential will, which refers to the outworking of His sovereign will in such a way that He creates circumstances that direct our lives and destiny. Believers who understand this will make their human plans contingent on God's sovereign plans (1 Ch 13:2; Acts 18:21; Jam 4:15). As God's people, we know the Lord and His will for our lives because His written Word informs and guides us. The Bible is our divine pedagogical guide. In addition to Scripture, God directs us providentially as He controls the circumstances of our lives to His desired end. However, only the believer with a thorough knowledge of God's Word can properly interpret his/her circumstances and know what God is doing. Interpreting circumstances, or divine impressions on the heart, is never as clear as knowing God's Word. Charles Clough states: "There is a mystical element to Christianity in how the Lord leads you; and He impresses upon you different things. But you can never elevate that mystical part of your Christian life and make it equal to the revelation of Scripture, because the revelation of Scripture is the measuring stick so you can tell the difference between Christ in the heart and heart burn. How you do that is whether it fits the Scripture."[1] God's providence is His continual care over the creation He brought into existence. God continues to create and control circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His people. People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls. J. I. Packer states: "Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Psa 145:9 cf. Mt 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col 1:17; Heb 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Psa 107; Job 1:12; 2:6; Gen 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph 1:9–12)."[2]      God is holy and never creates evil, however, He can and does control those who do. Satan, and those who follow him, are ultimately under God's sovereign control, and even their evil plans and actions are used for His good purposes. For example, Joseph was mistreated by his brothers and sold into slavery and taken to Egypt where he suffered greatly. Yet, later in his life, Joseph interpreted their behavior from the divine perspective, telling his brothers, “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). And Joseph repeated himself a second time, saying, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen 45:7-8a). And later, he told them a third time, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen 50:20). It was God's providence that drove Saul to chase after his father's donkeys, and then be led to the prophet Samuel and anointed king of Israel (1 Sam 9-10). It was God's providence that directed Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, so the baby Jesus would be born at the appointed time and place (Mic 5:2; Luke 2:4-6; Gal 4:4). Later, Joseph and Mary were compelled to go to Egypt, in order to preserve the baby Savior (Matt 2:13-15). It was God's providence that forced Aquila and Priscilla out of Rome by the emperor Claudius' decree, only to meet the apostle Paul in Corinth and join him in Christian ministry (Acts 18:1-3; Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19). It was God's providence that put the Lord Jesus on the cross to be crucified by the hands of godless men. Peter, charging Israelites in Jerusalem concerning Jesus's death, said, “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). And after being persecuted by the leaders in Jerusalem, Peter and John, along with others, said to God, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28). In these verses we see people behaving sinfully, whether Joseph's brothers, or human rulers who abuse their power; yet God used their sinful choices to bring about a greater good. Because God is righteous, all His actions are just (Psa 119:137). Because He is loving (1 John 4:8), He directs all things for the benefit of His people. Because He is good (Psa 34:8; 100:5), He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).      Concerning Christian ministry, God providentially opens and closes doors of service. Throughout the New Testament, an “open door” refers to a divinely orchestrated opportunity for sharing the gospel and engaging in Christian ministry (Acts 14:25-27). On one occasion the Lord closed an opportunity for ministry (Acts 16:6-7), but then opened another (Acts 16:9-10). An “open door” for ministry can have opposition (1 Cor 16:7-9), does not remove everyday concerns about life (2 Cor 2:12-13), should be sought with prayer (Col 4:2-3), and once opened cannot be shut by people (Rev 3:8). As God's people, we do not create occasions for Christian ministry; we simply accept those provided for us by the Lord (Eph 2:10).    In summary, knowing and doing God's will is largely a matter of knowing His Word and walking in it. Those who are positive to God will desire His Word in order to obey it. From Scripture we know about the Lord Himself, His sovereign control over His creation, what He desires of us, His permission of sin, as well as His directing history providentially to the return and reign of Christ. Where Scripture is silent, we may try to ascertain His will through the circumstances of our life, but such understanding must always be subordinate to the clear revelation of Scripture. Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.   [1] Charles Clough, Lesson 21 - Moral Relativism; Justification & Procedures for Holy War, (2010, 17th minute). https://www.bibleframeworkapplied.org/multi-lesson-series/deuteronomy [2] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979-80.

Passage: Luke 12:54-13:9 Speaker: Rob Munro Series: Proclaim Liberty Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK6jDqKbCME

Mary welcomes back David Bowen, founder and Sr. Pastor of Standing Stones Community Church. David is an in-demand speaker and adjunct professor of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. He has a heart for Bible prophecy, and in 2010, he and his wife founded Interpreting the Times. His podcast, The Final Hour, is a must-listen for prophecy perspectives and for updates on the nation of Israel, including his recent trip when he spent time with the IDF. David tells us things that we would not be able to access here in the West, and it is eye-opening. The war on terror, the Israeli people just trying to scratch out their day, the soldiers, the media - it is a complex and spiritual situation that requires that the heart and mind be focused on God and His Word, not the ignorance and lies of the media that has only a portion of the story. We talk about the Nova festival, the massacre that occurred on October 7, 2023. How can the church help the people get things they need to continue this fight? David has some incredible experiences and insights to relate to us all.   Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

Mary welcomes back David Bowen, founder and Sr. Pastor of Standing Stones Community Church. David is an in-demand speaker and adjunct professor of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. He has a heart for Bible prophecy, and in 2010, he and his wife founded Interpreting the Times. His podcast, The Final Hour, is a must-listen for prophecy perspectives and for updates on the nation of Israel, including his recent trip when he spent time with the IDF. David tells us things that we would not be able to access here in the West, and it is eye-opening. The war on terror, the Israeli people just trying to scratch out their day, the soldiers, the media - it is a complex and spiritual situation that requires that the heart and mind be focused on God and His Word, not the ignorance and lies of the media that has only a portion of the story. We talk about the Nova festival, the massacre that occurred on October 7, 2023. How can the church help the people get things they need to continue this fight? David has some incredible experiences and insights to relate to us all.   Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

Slator's Senior Research Analyst Alex Edwards joins Esther and Florian on the pod to discuss ElevenLabs' move from a pure-play language technology platform (LTP) to becoming a language solutions integrator (LSI) by adding a managed service offering.He outlines that the LSI will now offer managed services such as dubbing, transcription, and subtitling, hiring in-house linguists and vendor managers, while charging about USD 22 per minute for dubbing.Florian then turns to YouTube's rollout of multi-language audio tracks, which allows some creators to upload high-quality audio directly to videos and opens major opportunities for AI dubbing providers. The discussion shifts to OpenAI's research on ChatGPT usage, reporting that translation accounted for 4.5% of more than a million sampled conversations, underscoring massive global demand for AI translation.Esther highlights Microsoft's launch of its Live Interpreter API, which promises real-time speech translation with “human interpreter level latency”. Esther also details Mistral's USD 2bn funding to advance European AI capabilities, allowing them to compete with US and Chinese AI giants. Esther closes by reporting on WIPO's new Korean-English post-editing tender.

On today's show we are going to take a look at the Federal Reserve's announcement on Wednesday of this week. There has been lots covered about this on virtually every news channel.  What I'm covering hopefully is different from what you might be hearing. All eyes were on the Federal Reserve today. But the Bank of Canada also cut their key lending rate by 0.25% today bringing the Canadian central bank's rate down to 2.5%. Most Canadian banks followed the rate announcement with a cut to their prime lending rate of 0.25% down to 4.7%. This is the rate that Canadian banks charge to their customers. In the summer of last year, banks were charging 6.7% for loans. Today, that's 4.7%. This makes a difference. While the news is welcome, This rate cut is a reflection of economic weakness in Canada which has been impacted by the trade war with the US. Canada's unemployment rate is high at 7.1%.While the US unemployment rate is officially 4.3%, we have to remember that the BLS has tinkered with the definition of unemployed over the years. They still do report the numbers as they did in the 1970's and 1980's. This is the U6 metric which if it were compared to the unemployment rate back then, would be at 8.3% in the US.-------------**Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

Are you ready to get Network+ certified? Watch our free N10-009 training course.In this month's Network+ Study Group, you'll learn about: Interpreting firewall rulesDealing with incorrect configurations between switchesLayers of a three-tier architectureIdentifying a private IP addressRecognizing protocols in a packet captureKeep the study process going! Watch additional Network+ Study Group video replays on the Professor Messer website.

Join hosts Sylvan Groth and Jesse Jackson in a special episode of Perfectly Good Podcast recorded on August 20th, John Hiatt's birthday. In this episode, they delve into the song 'Master of Disaster' from Hiatt's 2005 album of the same name. Discussing the song's themes, lyrical depth, and various covers, Sylvan and Jesse celebrate the artist's impact on music. They also reflect on Hiatt's legacy, his influence on fans and musicians alike, and share personal anecdotes about their connection to his work. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:46 Celebrating John Hyatt's Birthday 04:28 Discussing 'Master of Disaster' Album 05:30 Exploring Covers and Fan Contributions 13:34 The Controversy Around 'Master of Disaster' 16:12 Diving into the Lyrics 22:30 Debating the Lyrics: Master of Disaster 23:56 Interpreting the Chorus and Rhymes 25:52 Chinatown and Chasing the Dragon 27:48 Reflecting on Madame Wong's and Nostalgia 30:30 Analyzing the Final Verse 38:54 Personal Reflections and Ratings 40:15 Connecting with the Audience 41:58 Closing Remarks and Future Episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Modernize, consolidate, or close? These are the options the School District of Philadelphia is considering for the future of select buildings based on a new facilities report released this week. On the latest episode of the "After School" podcast, Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington explains how families should interpret the data, and explains why he believes tough decisions ahead  will ultimately make resources more equitable for all students in the long term. 00:00 Facilities report explained 03:45 Grade bands 05:41 Timeline for final decisions on school buildings 06:52 Interpreting NAEP testing results Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at afterschool@kywnewsradio.com and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!" To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An episode discussing sub-state disarmament, the mood for 'Change' approaching 2026 parliamentary elections, pragmatism vs purity tests on measuring government success, factors due to war vs local agency, positive trends moving forward and how to interpret the moment we're living through. With Member of Parliament Ibrahim Mneimneh. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:22 Is war on the horizon? 3:21 Delayed disarmament 6:31 Measuring govt success 15:03 Mood for ‘Change' & 2026 elections 25:37 A victory scored & needed? 35:34 Gap resolution 37:54 Red lines on withdrawing govt support 40:30 Purity tests 45:53 Interpreting this moment

Amir and Rick are back with a brand-new episode of Explore the Bible! In Part II of their two-part series on Interpreting the Bible Historically, they'll unpack how understanding the cultural and historical context of Scripture can transform your Bible study. Don't miss this powerful teaching—tune in and take your study of God's Word to the next level!Connect with us on social:Telegram: @beholdisraelchannelInstagramFacebookXYouTube

Can modern historians really talk about Jesus' miracles? Did Jesus expect the imminent end of the world? Was he a new Moses figure? And if memory is so unreliable, how can historians claim to know anything about him at all?There's no one better to wrestle with these questions than this week's guest: Dale C. Allison Jr., Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He joins Helen and Lloyd to discuss his latest book, Interpreting Jesus (2025), a fresh collection of essays from one of the world's leading historical Jesus scholars.SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINEIf you enjoy the podcast, please (pretty please!) consider supporting the show through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We are an independent, listener-supported show (no ads!), so please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a monthly subscription.DOWNLOAD OUR STUDY GUIDE: MARK AS ANCIENT BIOGRAPHYCheck out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." While you're there, get yourself a Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle.Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine

Join hosts Sylvan Groth and Jesse Jackson in a special episode of Perfectly Good Podcast recorded on August 20th, John Hiatt's birthday. In this episode, they delve into the song 'Master of Disaster' from Hiatt's 2005 album of the same name. Discussing the song's themes, lyrical depth, and various covers, Sylvan and Jesse celebrate the artist's impact on music. They also reflect on Hiatt's legacy, his influence on fans and musicians alike, and share personal anecdotes about their connection to his work. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:46 Celebrating John Hyatt's Birthday 04:28 Discussing 'Master of Disaster' Album 05:30 Exploring Covers and Fan Contributions 13:34 The Controversy Around 'Master of Disaster' 16:12 Diving into the Lyrics 22:30 Debating the Lyrics: Master of Disaster 23:56 Interpreting the Chorus and Rhymes 25:52 Chinatown and Chasing the Dragon 27:48 Reflecting on Madame Wong's and Nostalgia 30:30 Analyzing the Final Verse 38:54 Personal Reflections and Ratings 40:15 Connecting with the Audience 41:58 Closing Remarks and Future Episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the final day of the 6th Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! In five big daily episodes this week, we're bringing you the day's major astrological news, along with an interview from one of five wonderful astrologers in five different specialties! Today: Uranus turns retrograde, and we look at Sunday's Pisces Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse! And today's interview is with Ronnie Gale Dreyer, who shares her knowledge and perspectives on Astro*Carto*Graphy, including: beyond Venus and Jupiter lines, remote activation, and how your planetary lines sometimes come to you! Plus, all the Podathon news, including how to make your donation, receive special gifts, and be enrolled in a drawing for a chance to win one of six fabulous prizes! Don't forget to make your donation at BigSkyAstropod.com! Read a full transcript of this episode. Have a question you'd like answered on the show? Email April or leave it here! Subscribe to April's mailing list and get a free lunar workbook at each New Moon! Love the show? Make a donation! Timestamps [0:37] It's the Sixth Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon, with five daily episodes, all the week's planetary news, some special podathon segments, and a chance to win prizes! Donate $25 or more, or become a monthly donor, to be entered into the drawing! One grand prize winner will win a 90-minute reading with April, two lucky listeners will win a 60-minute personal astrology reading with April, and three lucky donors will win a copy of April's Followed by a Moonshadow Eclipse Report, to help you prepare for three years worth of eclipses in your birth chart! To be entered in the drawing, make your $25 donation or become a monthly donor at BigSkyAstropod.com no later than 11:59 pm PDT on Monday, Sep. 8. The drawing will be held on Sep. 9, and winners will be notified by email. [1:55] Can't contribute that much? That's ok! Donate $10 or more to gain access to April's special series of YouTube videos for donors only, released over the next twelve months! [3:49] If you can't contribute financially, here are some free ways to help the show! Please subscribe or follow the BigSkyAstrology Podcast on your app of choice. Enthusiastic 5-star ratings and reviews are welcome. And please share the show with your astrology-loving friends. [5:28] Uranus turns retrograde (Fri. Sep 5, 9:51 pm PDT) at 1°27' Gemini. Uranus will re-enter Taurus on Nov. 7, and turns direct on Feb. 3, 2026 (6:33 pm PDT) at 27°27' Taurus, finally returning to Gemini on Apr. 25, 2026. A transiting planet that's retrograde sometimes appears to behave contrary to its usual mode – in the case of Uranus, seeming to toe the line and go along with the crowd. Note, “seeming to.” [7:14] The Moon trines Mars (Fri. Sep 5, 1:51 pm PDT) at 19°05' Aquarius and Libra. It's VOC for 19 hours, 3 minutes before it enters Pisces (Sat. Sep. 6, 8:54 am). This is an energizing transit for social commitments. [8:03] The Pisces Full Moon (Sun. Sep. 7, 11:08 am PDT) is a total lunar eclipse at 15°22' Pisces and Virgo. The Full Moon reveals what's working in our lives and what isn't. Eclipses represent a crisis or turning point, and Lunar Eclipses are especially important for relationships. The Sabian symbol for the eclipse is 16 Pisces, “The flow of inspiration,” and the Sun is on 16 Virgo, “An orangutan.” Together, they suggest something about letting our inspiration be inspired by wildness and lack of refinement. [9:54] Previous eclipses near this eclipse point: March 9, 2016 (solar); Sep. 7, 2006 (lunar); Sep. 6, 1998 (lunar); March 9, 1997 (solar). Themes from those time periods might be important to you now. [10:39] If you need a little help figuring that all out, ORDER APRIL'S MOONSHADOW ECLIPSE REPORT! For the years 2025, 2026, and 2027, this report will show where all the eclipses are falling in your chart, the aspects they're making to your birth planets, and most importantly, the previous years in their cycles! You can order the report at eclipseastrology.com. [11:21] INTERVIEW: Astro*Carto*Graphy with Ronnie Gale Dreyer. [12:40] What is Astro*Carto*Graphy, and how does it add a new or different perspective to a natal chart? [15:54] An explanation of the planetary lines on an Astro*Carto*Graphy map. [19:28] Interpreting an Astro*Carto*Graphy map alongside a natal chart. [22:07] Looking at planetary lines on an Astro*Carto*Graphy map versus actually experiencing a location. [23:52] Is Astro*Carto*Graphy only useful for deciding where to move or where to travel? [27:24] What is remote activation in Astro*Carto*Graphy? [29:56] What is the first step Ronnie would recommend for someone who is curious about Astro*Carto*Graphy? Does she recommend that people visit their planetary lines in person or activate them in other ways? What are some Astro*Carto*Graphy resources? The Psychology of Astrocartography, Martin Davis, Kepler College, Astro.com were mentioned. [34:25] Make sure to check out Ronnie's offerings on her website! She will be giving a presentation on Astro*Carto*Graphy for OPA in November. [36:13] And that's a wrap for the Sixth Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! Make your donation at BigSkyAstropod.com and to be entered in our drawing for a chance to win a reading or report, donate $25 or more, or become a monthly donor, no later than 11:59 pm PDT!

Amir and Rick are back with a brand-new episode of Explore the Bible! In Part I of their two-part series on Interpreting the Bible Historically, they'll unpack how understanding the cultural and historical context of Scripture can transform your Bible study. Don't miss this powerful teaching—tune in and take your study of God's Word to the next level!Connect with us on social:Telegram: @beholdisraelchannelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amir.tsarfati/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beholdisrael/X: https://x.com/beholdisraelYouTube: https://youtube.com/@beholdisrael

Join Michael today as he lays out several guidelines for interpreting prophecy, especially when it pertains to premillennialism.Visit our linktree: https://linktr.ee/scatteredabroadnetwork Visit our website, www.scatteredabroad.org, and subscribe to our email list. "Like" and "share" our Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/sapodcastnetwork Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ the_scattered_abroad_network/ Subscribe to our Substack: https://scatteredabroad.substack.com/Subscribe to our YouTube channel: The Scattered Abroad Network Contact us through email at san@msop.org. If you would like to consider supporting us in any way, don't hesitate to contact us through this email.

Interpreting the Times Rapture Kit Radio Show Package The Great Last Days Apostasy (Dr. Hixson's new book) NBW Ministries website Newsletter Signup NBW Ministries store Spirit of the False Prophet Audiobook YouTube Rumble Podbean Spirit of the False Prophet Spirit of the Antichrist Volume One Spirit of the Antichrist Volume Two Testimony, Evangelism, Gospel, Jesus, Not By Works

What do Tolkien, vocation, and gritty literature have in common? In this conversation, Dru Johnson talks with literary scholar Dr. Karen Swallow Prior about why Christians often gravitate toward fantasy and romantic ideals—and why that can be a problem. Karen critiques the elevation of genre fiction like The Lord of the Rings as literary canon and urges Christians to engage “thick texts” that challenge us and train us to read Scripture more deeply. They discuss how modern reading habits—dominated by email, social media, and skimmable articles—undermine our ability to understand both literature and biblical texts. Karen argues that literature forms our posture toward the world, and that our spiritual and moral imagination needs the grounding realism found in great novels and gritty stories. The conversation pivots to Karen's new book on vocation, exploring how distorted expectations around passion, work, and calling are leaving young people disillusioned. Instead, she calls for a deeper, more historically grounded view of labor, meaning, and responsibility. This episode is a must-listen for those interested in education, theology, literature, and the subtle ways imagination shapes our lives of faith. For more of Karen's literature: https://karenswallowprior.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 Exploring Literature and Vocation 02:37 The Role of Literary Criticism in Cultural Contexts 05:44 Tolkien, Lewis, and the Literary Canon 08:46 Understanding Thick Texts: Literature and the Bible 12:04 The Importance of Reading Skills in Biblical Studies 14:55 Interpreting the Bible: Layers of Meaning in Texts 19:49 The Importance of Humility in Understanding Literature 24:00 Navigating Vocation and Career Expectations 29:54 The Reality of Menial Jobs and Their Value 33:37 Balancing Idealism and Grit in Literature 38:47 Finding Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful

Physicist Thomas Campbell presents his groundbreaking Theory of Everything: a paradigm-shifting framework that unites science, philosophy, and spirituality under one fundamental principle: consciousness is the base of all reality.In this expansive conversation, Thomas breaks down the nature of consciousness, how we evolve through a simulated reality, and what it means to live in alignment with your purpose. He shares insights from his mystical experiences, out-of-body explorations with Bob Monroe, and how his theory resolves many of science's biggest unanswered questions.Momentous Creatine - Use Code KNOWTHYSELF for Up to 35% Offhttps://www.livemomentous.comTry Nourish with Up to 36% Off:https://mudwtr.com/knowthyselfExplore the World of High-Quality Handpans:https://ayasainstruments.comAndrés Book Recs: https://www.knowthyself.one/books___________0:00 Intro 2:14 His Theory of Everything - A Paradigm Shift for Science8:25 What Consciousness Is at It's Fundamental Aspect21:15 How Consciousness Evolves: Inside the Simulation41:58 Discovering This Theory from a Mystical Experience 47:09 Ad: Momentous Creatine48:16 Sacred Geometry & Interpreting the Metaphor51:28 How the Theory Came Together & Showed No Flaw58:50 Working with Bob Monroe & Having Out of Body Experiences1:01:00 Purpose of Live & How to Tell If You're Living in Alignment1:10:20 2 Practices to Start on Your Aligned Life1:19:11 Existing in an Intuitive Space While Having Discernment1:25:22 Ad: Mudwtr Nourish 1:27:02 The Intellect Can't Grasp This, You Must Experience It1:31:31 What Is Real? Chakras, Paranormal Experiences, Nonphysical Tools1:42:20 Embracing the Illusion without Bypassing Being Human1:46:50 Ad: Ayasa Hand-Pans1:48:22 Enlightenment Through the Lens of His Theory1:53:48 Living Beyond Your Concepts2:02:00 How This Knowledge Transforms Our Life2:06:31 The Future of Humanity 2:24:19 What a Higher Age of Earth Looks LIke2:29:43 AI - It's Impact is Our Choice2:34:45 Aliens & NDEs: Things are Stranger Than We Think...2:44:30 Get Started Today2:48:35 Conclusion ___________Episode Resources: https://www.my-big-toe.comhttps://www.instagram.com/tomcampbellmbt/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyself.oneListen to the show:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4bZMq9lApple: https://apple.co/4iATICX

Finding Common Ground in a Divided World   What can strife in Israel and Palestine teach us about America's own political polarization? Host Curtis Chang sits down with conflict resolution expert Nathan Stock of the Carter Center to explore some of the hard truths from Middle East—and the surprising parallels here at home. From media-fueled division to the hope for bipartisan breakthroughs, Curtis and Nathan unpack how deep-rooted conflict forms—and offer pathways to bring healing and hope.   (00:01) - Navigating Conflict in the Middle East (14:05) - Lessons from Northern Ireland and South Africa (16:42) - Building Hope for Conflict Resolution (25:18) - Different Brain Types and Polarization (26:30) - Bridging Political Divides to Further U.S. Unity (39:27) - Building Community Through Shared Stories   Donate to Redeeming Babel   Resources mentioned in this episode: Summary: The "Six Day War" of 1967 (U.S. Dept. of State) Overview: October 7, 2023 and the Israel/Hamas Conflict (U.S. Congress) An Explanation of The Geneva Conventions and their Commentaries (The Red Cross) An Explanation of The Good Friday Agreement (Associated Press) Remembering The Breakup of Yugoslavia (U.S. Office of the Historian) Abstract: Shared neural representations and temporal segmentation of political content predict ideological similarity (Science Advances) John R. Hibbing, Kevin B. Smith, & John R. Alford's book Predisposed: The Left, The Right, and The Biology of Political Differences NPR Poll: Most feel democracy is threatened and political violence is a major problem   The Carter Center's Conflict Work: Nathan Stock's article: There's a new silent majority — and they need to be activated The Carter Center's Democracy Program The Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Program The Carter Center's Conflict Resolution Reports   More In Common Studies: Listening Across Difference:  What Americans feel, fear, and want to learn Interpreting young Americans' views on government, the Constitution, and the appeal of authoritarian alternatives​ The Connection Opportunity: Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Difference   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter

In this episode, Jon Nielson explains 6 tools that every believer should have in their belt when studying Scripture. Jon Nielson serves as the senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church of Wheaton in Wheaton, Illinois. He is also the author of 'Understanding God's Word: An Introduction to Interpreting the Bible,' which is a part of the Theology Basics series from Crossway. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the full transcript of this episode.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ❖ Listen to “6 Objections to Studying Theology That Don't Hold Up” with Jon Nielson: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show.