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Bestselling author William Bernhardt discusses the latest news from the world of books, offers writing tips, and interviews John Lescroart, New York Times-bestselling author of The 13th Juror and many other spellbinding thrillers.Chapter 1: IntroductionThis podcast is now recorded live, then distributed as both a video (on YouTube) and an audio podcast. Subscribe to the William Bernhardt YouTube channel so you'll be alerted when a new video is recorded or uploaded.Consider attending WriterCon this Labor Day weekend, or streaming the writers conference from home. For more information, visit: www.writercon.orgChapter 2: Newsa) The new Copyright Small Claims Court has a website. https://copyright.gov/about/small-claims/b) Podium Audio is looking for self-published books that could become audiobooks. https://podiumaudio.comc) Mark Dawson has launched a new book promotion service. https://hellobooks.com/authorsd) Open AI's GPT-3 beta allows authors to test an AI that can write complete sentences based on your ideas. https://openai.come) Bookchain allows authors to convert their work into NFTs and publish on the Ethereum blockchain. https://www.bookchain.caf) Takeaway quote from the Int'l Publishing Forum: "Books see people through hard times."Chapter 3: InterviewBernhardt interviews bestselling author John Lescroart. Your will learn:How to write a novelHow Lescroart financed his writing before he broke outWhen to quit your day jobHow to use your hobbies to become a better writerHow the book industry has changed most.Chapter 4: Parting WordsVisit the WriterCon website and see if this conference could give you the knowledge and opportunities you need to advance your writing ambitions: www.writercon.orgFor more info about William Bernhardt, visit: www.williambernhardt.com

IntroductionThis chapter is named for the many references throughout the chapter to women.  It is 176 verses long and was revealed in Medina.  When the Muslims migrated to Medina they were no longer a persecuted minority.  Medina became an established Muslim community with Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, as its leader.   Laws were being introduced to the fledgling community with regard to women, marriage, commerce, finance, international relations, property and inheritance.  There were also tensions between the Muslim community and some of the People of the Book and all these themes and subjects are covered. Verses 1 – 10 InstructionsFear God who created all of humankind from one soul (Adam).   Fear God, in whose name you request favours and demand rights.  Beware of severing ties with those to whom you are related.  Give the orphans in your care their rights.  Do not marry the orphan girls to take their property and possessions.  God has allowed you to marry up to four women that are legally available to you.  However if you feel you cannot treat all your wives justly then marry only one.  When you marry make sure to give the bridal gift agreed upon, however if your wife consents to give up some of what is owed to her you may accept that with a clear conscience.  Do not trust your property to those not equipped to look after it.  If you are in charge of someone else's property, return it to them when they come of age.  Be fair when you return the property because God will ask you to account for every little thing.  For men and for women is an obligatory share of what their parents and close relatives leave.  Be kind and provide something to other relatives, orphans and the needy if they are present when the inheritance is distributed.  The executors and guardians must be just.  Those who take property unjustly will be burned in the Hellfire.Verses 11- 14 InheritanceGod's instructions concerning the inheritance of your children are that the males share will be equal to that of two females.  If there are two daughters their share is two thirds of the estate.  If there is only one daughter her share is half.  If there are children then the parents get one sixth of the estate each; if there are no children and the parents are the only heirs then one third goes to the mother.  Debts take precedence over a bequest and bequests may not be given to those who inherit by law.  A man inherit half of his wife's estate if they have no children but if they have a child he inherits a fourth.  Wives will inherit a fourth of their husband's estate if they have no children but if they do they will inherit an eighth.  If there are no parents or children a single sibling inherits a sixth of the estate but if there is more than one sibling they share a third.  These are the rules set by God and those who obey Him and Prophet Muhammad will be admitted to gardens under which rivers flow, but those who disobey will abide in the Fire.Verses 15 – 33 About womenIf women are guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse there must be four witnesses against them.  Their punishment is to be confined to their houses for life.  This was until further directives were to be revealed.  Punish men and women who are guilty of this offense but when they repent leave them alone.  Accepted repentance is only for those who sin in ignorance or carelessness and then repent; repentance is accepted until the soul reaches the throat at the time of death.  There is no repentance for those who persist in their sins and repent only when faced with certain death or for those who die as disbelievers.  They will have a painful punishment.For those who believe, a deceased man's relatives have no rights of marriage or otherwise over his widow.  Treat your wives fairly and do not try to take back the bridal gift you gave them.  Treat them kindly even if you dislike something about them. If you want to replace one wife with another do not take back anything you have given them even if it was a large amount.  Do not marry women who have been married to your fathers.These are the women prohibited to you in marriage; your mothers, daughters, and sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's and sister's daughters, the women who nursed you and your sisters through nursing plus your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters.   Also prohibited to you are the wives of your sons and marrying two sisters simultaneously.  All married women are prohibited to you (except slaves) but all other women are lawful for you to marry.  If you do not have the means to marry free believing women, you are allowed to marry slaves who are believers.  Give them their bridal gift and treat them justly and fairly.  If the slave you marry commits adultery, her punishment should be half that of a free unmarried woman.  God makes it easy for you to see the difference between what is lawful and what is unlawful.   He wants to lighten your burden and turn to you in mercy. Do not consume one another's wealth under false pretences and do not kill each other.  Avoid the great sins and the minor misdeeds will be wiped out.  Do not covet what God has given to others but instead ask God for some of His bounty.  Men and women will be rewarded according to their deeds.  Follow the inheritance laws correctly.Verses 34 – 42 Serve GodMen are in charge of women and righteous women are obedient to their husband.  If a wife is disobedient she must be admonished, left to sleep alone and as a final resort you are permitted to strike her without leaving marks or causing injury.   If they obey you have no right to punish them.   If there is fear that a marriage might break down then get help with arbitration from both families.  If the couple wish to remain together then God will find a way for that to happen. Serve God; do not associate anything with Him.  Be good to your parents and relatives, the needy, and the neighbours both near and far, your companions, travellers in need and slaves.  God does not love those who are arrogant, boastful, and stingy or who encourage others to be stingy.  God also does not like those who spend their money to show off, or those who do not believe in the Last Day and those who choose Satan as their companion.  Believing in God and the Last Day, and spending in charity would not have harmed them.  God does not harm anyone.  Good deeds are increased.  Witnesses will come and those who disbelieved and disobeyed will wish they had not because nothing is hidden from God. Verses 43 – 57 Prayer and those cursedOh you who believe do not prayer while you are intoxicated; wait until you know what you are saying (this injunction was later followed with the complete prohibition of alcohol). Likewise, do not pray when you are in a state of impurity until you have taken a complete bath. If you cannot find water to perform ablution before prayer then find clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it. Those who were given some of the Scripture used it for misguidance and they want you to do the same. God knows your enemies well. Some Jews take the words out of context. God cursed them.The People of the Book (Jews and Christians) should believe in this Quran, it confirms their books. God does not forgive those who associate others with Him; it is a huge sin. Inventing lies about God is a sin. Those who were given part of the Scripture now believe in idols. God cursed them for that and they will never find a helper. They are not more rightly guided than the believers; God has rejected them. If they were given a share of the kingdom they would not share it. The Jews envy Prophet Muhammad, many the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and his followers for what God has given them but they should remember that they are also from the family of Abraham whom God favoured with the Book, wisdom and a great kingdom (i.e. there is no reason to feel jealous since both the Israelites and Ishmaelites are the offsprings of Abraham). Hell is enough to burn those who turned away. Those who disbelieve in the verses will be herded into the Fire; those who believe will be led into gardens under which rivers flow. They will find there purified spouses and cool refreshing shade.Verses 58 – 70 Obey God and His messengerGod's excellent instructions include returning the things entrusted to you and judging fairly, if you are called upon to do so. Obey God, His messenger and those in authority. If there is a dispute refer it to God and His messenger because that is better and will give the best result. Some people claim to believe yet still want to turn to unjust tyrants for judgment. They are hypocrites that turn away. They will return trying to bring about reconciliation but God knows what is really in their hearts. However you must speak to them, instruct them and try to penetrate their hearts.Messengers were meant to be obeyed. When they wronged themselves, they should have come to you (Prophet Muhammad) and they would have found God's forgiveness. But no, they will not truly believe until they make you the judge over their disputes. They should have done what they were instructed to do and they would have got a great reward. Whoever obeys God and His messenger will be with the ones on whom God has bestowed His favour. That is a bounty from God.Verses 71 – 87 Take careBe careful, believers. When you go to battle go in small groups or all together. There are people among you who will lag behind to avoid battle but if you are successful they will pretend regret. Those who are killed or victorious in God's cause will get a great reward. Fight in God's cause. Rescue those who cry out for God's help. Those who believe fight for God and those who disbelieve become the allies of Satan. Have you seen those who fear men as they fear God? The life of this world is brief and the Hereafter is eternal. Death will find you no matter where you are.  When good comes they acknowledge God but when they suffer evil or loss they blame Prophet Muhammad. What is the matter with them? All things are from God. If you obey Prophet Muhammad you obey God. God has not sent you to be their keeper; they obey you when in your presence but when your back is turned they plot against you. God knows, so trust Him and that is sufficient.Why don't they think about the Quran? It answers their questions just as Prophet Muhammad could have answered them. If it was not for God's bounty and mercy everyone would serve Satan. So Prophet Muhammad, fight in God's cause because you are only responsible for yourself. Urge the believers to fight because God might allow you all to overcome the disbelievers. Whoever speaks for a good cause will share in the reward and whoever speaks for a bad cause will share its burden. Respond to greetings with its equivalent or with something better. God keeps account of everything; there is no God but Him. You will surely be called to account on the Day of Resurrection.Verses 88 –100 About fighting and emigrationWhat is wrong with you? Why are you divided about what to do about the hypocrites? You cannot guide those God has left to stray. They want you to reject faith and be like them so do not take friends from among them until they have immigrated to Medina for the sake of God. If they turn on you aggressively then kill them. A believer must not kill another believer except by mistake. And if someone makes this mistake they must free a slave and offer compensation. The compensation can be waived as a charitable act. If the victim was at war with you, but a believer, then the compensation is to free a slave. If the victim was part of a group with whom you have a treaty then a slave must be freed and compensation paid and if you are unable to do this then fast for two consecutive months. The punishment for killing a believer intentionally is Hell. Be careful! Do not kill someone who offers you a greeting of peace; do not call him a non-believer.Those believers who stay behind (except those who are unable to fight) are not equal to those who strive in God's cause. Those who strive are offered a higher rank though there is a good position for all.  When the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves there are some that say they were oppressed. The angels will ask if the earth was not big enough for them to find refuge in.  There only refuge is Hell, except for those who were prevented by circumstances beyond their control. God might pardon them. He is All-forgiving. If someone who emigrates for God's sake dies, he is assured of a great reward.Verses 101 – 104 The prayerWhen you travel you are permitted to shorten the prayer. When in battle, pray in ranks one at a time, one group guarding the other. You can lay aside your arms during heavy rain or illness but be careful. After prayer remember God, standing, sitting or lying on your sides.  When you are secure you must re-establish the regular prayers. Do not weaken, if you are suffering so too is the enemy but you can expect help from God but they cannot.Verses 105- 126 Wrongdoers only harm themselvesThe Quran was revealed to you Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, so that you may judge between people according to God's will.  God is forgiving and merciful but do not argue for those who deceive themselves.  God does not love the treacherous or sinful.  They can conceal their true selves from the people but not from God.  Those who argue for them in this life will find that no one will argue for them on the Day of Resurrection.  Anyone who disobeys God can ask for forgiveness and they will find that God is merciful.  Those who sin only harm themselves, but those who sin and try to blame others add the sin of slander to their burdens.When a group of people tried to lead Prophet Muhammad astray God saved him.   They did nothing but lead themselves astray.   They are unable to harm the Prophet.  God revealed the Book and wisdom to Prophet Muhammad; it taught him things he did not previously know.  They talk in secret but nothing good comes from their secret talks unless it is about charity, kindness or reconciliation.  If any oppose Prophet Muhammad after they have understood and chosen to follow the guidance, then they will be driven into Hell.  God will not forgive anyone who associates anything with Him but He will forgive any lessor sin. There are some people who call on female deities; that is nothing but following the cursed Satan.  For these people there is no escape from Hell.  Those who believe and do good deeds will find their eternal reward in gardens under which rivers flow.  It is a truthful promise.  The final abode will not be according to your desires nor will it be according to the desires of the People of the Book.  The believers who are righteous will be rewarded.  There is no one better than the person who submits to God and follows the religion of Abraham.  God was a friend to Abraham.  Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God.Verses 127 – 140 Fear GodWhen they ask you (Prophet Muhammad) about women, tell them that God's rulings concerning their rights are in the Book (Quran).  If a women fears cruelty or alienation from her husband they should seek a peaceful compromise.  Be fair in your dealings; God watches you.  You can never be completely fair between wives but you should try to be.  Do not ignore one wife so that the other feels as if she is neither married nor divorced.  If you do divorce God will provide for both parties.Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God and the believers are instructed to fear God.  The People of the Scripture were also instructed to fear God.  If God wanted to He could destroy all of humankind and replace them with others.  The rewards in this world and the next are God's to distribute as He sees fit.  Believers; stand firmly for justice and be true witnesses even if it is against yourselves or your relatives.  Do not follow your personal desires.Oh you who believe, confirm your faith in God, His Messenger, His Book and all the previously revealed books.  If you do not believe in God, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers and the Last Day then you have gone completely off course.  And if you believe and then disbelieve over and over God will not forgive you or guide you back to the straight path.  Tell the hypocrites that there is a painful punishment awaiting them.  Do they ally themselves with the disbelievers to seek power? All the power is with God.  If you hear people denying or ridiculing God's revelations then you must leave their company until the conversation changes.  Hell is where the hypocrites and disbelievers will be gathered; you do not want to be amongst them.Verses 141 – 162 Repent to avoid a painful punishmentThe hypocrites change sides, always trying to appear to be looking after the believers.  They even try to deceive God but He will be the Judge.  At prayer time they are either lazy or showing off.   They spend very little time remembering God.  Do not take them as your friends and allies.  They will be in the lowest part of the Hellfire.  However, if they repent, they will be believers and will be granted the mighty reward due to the believers.  God does not punish the grateful.Do not publicly speak evil words unless you are truly wronged.  Do not taunt people for what they did in the past.  God is able to extract retribution but He is also the Pardoner.  You cannot take some of the guidance but reject other parts.  It will result in a humiliating punishment.   A reward is due to those who believe in God and His messengers and do not make a distinction between any of the messengers.The People of the Scripture (Jews) ask you (Prophet Muhammad) to bring a book from heaven for them.  They were even harder on Musa.   They wanted to see God and were struck by a thunderbolt for their wickedness.  Even after they worshipped the calf God forgave them.   God took a covenant from them but they broke their commitments.  God sealed their hearts.   They slander Maryam, the mother of Jesus, and brag about killing Jesus.  They most certainly did not kill him, God raised him up.  Because of their continual wrongdoing certain things were made unlawful for them.  Those among them who reject faith will have a painful punishment.  Those who believe and do righteous works will have a great reward.Verses 163 – 176 Jesus was a MessengerRevelation was sent to Muhammad and all the prophets, David received the Psalms, and Musa spoke directly to God.  Some messengers you know about, others you do not, but they all brought good news and a warning.  You may choose to believe or not, but those who hinder others from belief have certainly strayed far away.  Believe in the truth for your own benefit.  People of the Scripture, tell the truth about God.  Jesus was a messenger; abandon the Trinitarian doctrine because God is Only One.  He does not need a son.  Jesus and the angels never scorn worshipping God.  Those who disdain His worship or are arrogant will have an agonising torment with no one other than God to protect them.  Convincing truth in the form of the Quran has come to you; hold fast to God and He will show you the way.They ask you for a ruling on the inheritance of a person with neither descendants nor ascendants.  In such cases, a sister inherits half her brother's estate; a brother inherits all his sisters' estate.  If there are two sisters or more, they inherit two-thirds of the estate.  And if there are both brothers and sisters, the male inherits twice the share of the female.  This is made clear so that you do not make mistakes.  Remember that God knows everything._______________________________________By Aisha Stacey (© 2017 IslamReligion.com)Copyright © 2006 - 2021 IslamReligion.com. All rights reserved.Used with permission.The source of this article is: www.IslamReligion.com

In this special podcast episode recorded live at William Bernhardt's Writers Retreat in Eureka Springs, he discusses the latest news from the world of books, invites other attending writers to offer writing tips, and interviews Marcia Preston, author of The Butterfly House and winner of the Mark Higgins Clark Ward for suspense fiction.Chapter 1: IntroductionThis episode was recorded live at the annual Writers Retreat conducted by William Bernhardt at the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.Chapter 2: News1) Major authors, the Authors Guild, Amazon Publishing, and Penguin Random House join forces to sue the online KISS Library charging that it allows users to download copyrighted books.2) Barnes & Noble dismisses many employee/buyers, possibly as part of a change in policy emphasizing local control over the inventory.3) Amazon forms a Counterfeit Crimes Unit to crack down on counterfeit books.4) Sales increase for books on cooking, gardening, and financial planning.5) Ingram increases its print-on-demand programs.6) Consumer spending at Amazon has grown by 50% since last year.Chapter 3: Writing TipsShelley Levisay, Dan Snell, and Thomas Miller offer writing tips they've gained from their time at Writers Retreat.Chapter 4: Interview with Marcia PrestonBernhardt interviews Marcia Preston, the award-winning author of The Butterfly House and many other books about her characters, where she finds ideas for her novels, the revision process, and her new novel, The Spiderling.Chapter 5: Parting WordsIf you'd like to take a deep dive into your work-in-progress and obtain feedback designed to make it better, consider attending Bernhardt's next Writers Retreat.WriterCon will take place over Labor Day weekend. You can attend in person, or stream the entire three-day conference. For more information, visit: www.writercon.org.

Summary of Christmas and Hanukkah Special – Episode 1 – IntroductionThis is the very first episode of our mini-series on the story of Christianity andAfrica.We explain why we are starting with Christianity, in our eventual objective togo through all the significant religions in Africa.We lay the foundation for our mini-series, by explaining the foundationaltenets of Judaism. We explain that in order to discuss Christianity and evenIslam, Judaism needs to be explained first. Judaism is the foundation for bothChristianity and Islam.We briefly introduce the geographical area on which the story of thefoundation of Judaism and Christianity occurred. What kind of area was it?We provide a high level overview of the historical sources we will be using forthe mini-series.Starring: Josephus; Philo; Tacitus; Judaism; Christianity; Islam; Isiah; David;Solomon…and many more See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your daily briefing.IntroductionThis is Today in Five, for today, Wednesday, December 18th. Here's today’s headlines in digital disruption.As we enter a new era of entertainment where streaming services online is becoming a more popular alternative to cable subscriptions, Disney has made key strategic moves to stay at the top of the market. But is it enough to compete with players like Netflix and Amazon?First, here’s what’s making headlines.Mobile Shopping Dominating in Fashion RetailAccording to a report, mobile phone shopping accounted for nearly 67 percent of traffic for fashion retail sites and 52 percent of sales. Mobile conversion rates increased by 53 percent since last year’s holiday season. Recent reports have indicated mobile shopping is a crucial element to holiday shopping this year, with BounceX predicting that consumers would shop more on mobile than desktop and another report from BillTrust indicated more than half of shoppers planned to shop via mobile devices for gifts this year.Lyft Launching Car Rental ServiceRide-hailing company, Lyft, announced that it’s launching its own car rental service. The service is available in the company’s main smartphone app and will work like traditional car rental companies, starting in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Uber previously entered the rental space with a partnership with car-sharing company Getaround, but shut the program down at the end of 2018. Both Uber and Lyft have also rented and leased cars on their platforms in the past, but Lyft’s new service is the biggest attempt at taking a bite out of the rental car market, which is dominated by just a few players who are already trying to prevent losing customers to ride-hailing companies.H&M Reports Stronger SalesH&M reported stronger quarterly sales, indicating that the fast-fashion retailer’s efforts to adapt to changing consumer habits and increased competition are starting to pay off. The company reported a 9 percent rise in fourth-quarter sales and its shares climbed almost 2 percent. H&M has relied on selling low-price apparel in bulk but is now overhauling that strategy as consumers shift to online shopping, where the brand faces fierce competition from digital-only rivals. The company is now speeding up its supply chain and stocks its stores more efficiently through customer data analysis to stay competitive in an evolving consumer landscape.Disney Adapts To The Evolving Entertainment IndustryMedia companies have faced many challenges as more people stream content over the internet instead of paying for cable subscriptions, but Walt Disney has managed to stay on top in the movie business. The company released six of the eight highest-grossing films so far in 2019, with titles like Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, and Toy Story 4 helping it reach $10 billion dollars at the global box office. Disney’s success can ba party attributed to a series of strategic acquisitions over the past decade. In 2009, the company bought Marvel for $4.3 billion dollars. The deal came shortly after Disney purchased Pixar for $7.4 billion dollars. And in 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion dollars. The company’s acquisitions have paid off, with Disney’s box-office haul representing over 30 percent of money made in the U.S. film industry in 2019, up from 11 percent in 2009 according to data from Comscore.But as Disney enters into 2020, it’s facing a dramatically changing media landscape. Competitors like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple have upped their spending on content and created a fierce streaming war, with all platforms vying for a share of consumers’ wallets and Hollywood talent. Disney has made moves to retain its competitive edge in the new streaming age. In the last year, it closed a $71 billion dollar acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets, launched Disney+, gained control of Hulu, and released the highest-grossing movie in cinematic history, Avengers: Endgame.With its first 24 hours, Disney+ had 10 million sign-ups, and analysts predict the company will hit 20 million subscribers before the end of the year. Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, has said that within a year of Disney+’s launch, the number of original shows and movies will go from 10 to 45. He also noted that within five years, there will be more than 60 original projects on the service. The company is also forecasting it will have between 60 million and 90 million subscribers by the end of 2024.While Disney+ has had a strong launch, it still remains to be seen if it will be enough to compete with Big Tech companies in the long run. Iger has also announced he will be stepping down in 2021, leaving uncertainty around who will lead the company in this new era of entertainment. In the last decade, Iger has helped grow Disney’s market cap from $60 billion dollars to more than $265 billion dollars.ClosingThanks for listening to this latest episode of Today In Five. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review. I’m Vincent Phamvan, and we’ll see you tomorrow. 

It's mid week and Pastor Brad is back. He first gives a small testimony and then continues the mid-week series with a teaching on The Parable Of The Ten Virgins. Pastor's Notes: Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (6) "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' (7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' (9) But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. (11) "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' (12) But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (13) "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.INTRODUCTIONThis evening, I want to talk to you about the event of all events: The return of thParablee Lord! Friends, the Scripture tells us that no one knows the day, nor the hour, but that Jesus IS coming soon! Consider what Luke says:Luke 12:35-40 NKJV "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; (36) and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. (37) Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and servethem. (38) And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. (39) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (40) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."ILLUSTRATIONWe might illustrate the need for readiness in a different way. Firemen are trained and equipped to fight fires. They know there will be fires, but they don’t know when. And so they are in a constant state of readiness, even when they sleep. Their clothing is all laid out so they can quickly dress and get to the fire. Sometimes I see the fire truck outside the grocery store where I shop. The firemen are in the store, buying food. But they also have their portable radios in hand, ready to rush out if word of a fire is received.We, too, must be ready, Jesus tells us. We do not know the hour of His return, and more than this, the coming of the Son of Man will be at a time that we don’t expect. From the context of chapter 24, I am tempted to think that while His return will be preceded by very difficult days, the actual day of His return will appear to be trouble-free, much like the day Noah and his family entered the ark. (I’ll bet the sky was blue and clear all day long.) When Jesus returns, people will be going about their normal routines because there will be no sign of imminent danger. We therefore must be ready at all times. What we see here in this text is a parable. A parable is a story within a story. APPLICATION 1. There's a wedding coming.- These were waiting on the bridegroom.  - Jesus is called the bridegroom.- We are the bride of Christ. 2. There's a waiting period.- Jesus told us He would return.- There is a feast that takes place after the wedding.- The bridegroom goes back to his father's house and makes preparation.- John 14 3. A call will be made.- There was a cry made at midnight.- The Bible is clear that Christ's coming with be with a trumpet blast.- It will be the sound of all sounds. 4. You must be prepared.-The five were prepared.-The other were not.- Their readiness allowed them to come in.- Their lack thereof kept them out. CONCLUSION

IntroductionThis is a special podcast focussing on wellbeing & wellness through coaching.Our guests this week are:Dana Smith – Life and Success CoachMina Phaisaltantiwongs – Personal and Professional Development CoachHellen Yang – Professional Life & Financial Wellness CoachKey Takeaway Summaries from this week’s podcast3 of the top 6 results surveyed Canadians experienced as a result of coaching, relate to a wellbeing aspect. So, through coaching, clients would experience:Increased Self-Confidence/ EsteemImproved Work-Life-BalanceIncreased Well-BeingWe learn about wellness & wellbeing coaching, including financial wellness, health, happiness, fulfillment, purpose, personal development, growth and learning.We find out the most common topics our coaches support with, including finding clarity and direction both in life and career, financial wellness, and self-confidence.We also discuss work-life balance and read out comments from CoachMe Social Media followers about their views on work-life balance: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedInWe chat about different ways to address work-life balance and exchange “balance” with words like “flow” and “harmony”We get a reminder that it’s important to know we’re not helplessly exposed to our situations, but can make informed decisions from the driver’s seat.We acknowledge the difficulties of saying “no”, setting boundaries, and asserting ourselves.We learn common things that keep people from achieving wellness/ wellbeing including:Low self-awareness which oftentimes leads to accommodating others over our own needsNegative self-talk “I can’t do this. I shouldn’t do this.”Fears and limiting beliefs.We get clarification on how coaching can help with wellbeing and wellness both in life and career.Book a free initial consultation session with Mina, Hellen, or Dana now at CoachMeVancouver.com/bookLinks mentioned on the showSocial Media posts with comments from listeners and followers Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn3 of the top 6 results surveyed Canadians experienced as a result of coachingCoachMe on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTubeCoachMe Vancouver. Listen. Connect. Thrive.

IntroductionThis is our second episode of Coffee Break German, our new German course for beginners. In weekly episodes you’ll join native speaker Thomas who’ll be teaching learner Mark in gradual, structured lessons. Our “Cultural Correspondent” Julia and our “Grammar Guru” Kirsten will also join us in each episode to share their knowledge and love of all things German. In this lesson you’ll be learning greetings for different times of the day and how to introduce yourself:how to say “good morning”, “good afternoon”, “good evening” and “good night”;why the word for “good” changes in these expressions;how to ask people “what is your name?” and how to answer that question yourself;where the German language is spoken.This season of Coffee Break German features a total of 40 episodes. Stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you'd like to benefit from lesson notes, bonus audio recordings and video versions of the lessons featuring 'synchronised video flashcards' to help you understand how the words and phrases are written, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break German on the Coffee Break Academy.Don't forget to follow Coffee Break German on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break German Facebook page here.Join us on YouTube where we post regular videos for language learners: subscribe to Coffee Break Languages now!If you'd like to find out what goes on behind the scenes here at Coffee Break Languages, follow @coffeebreaklanguages on Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.