Podcasts about Ishmael

Parasashat Hayei Sarah [Genesis 23:1-25:18] begins with the death of Sarah and the acquisition of the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place for her. The cave will become the burial place for all the patriarchs and matriarchs save for Rachel, who is buried elsewhere. By far the longest chapter in Genesis, chapter 24 describes how Rebekah became rhe wife of Isaac. Chapter 25 provides the details of Abraham's marriage to Keturah and their subsequent offspring; the death and burial of Abraham; and the genealogy and death of Ishmael. One way to look at this parashah is as the emergence of Isaac as the 2nd patriarch, for at the end of the parashah he is the only male left standing. Our conversation mostly focused on the always engaging chapter 24. With the return of another body to Israel, 3 hostages remain in Gaza. We continue to keep them in mind as we continue to pray for their speedy return to Israel. We also have in mind the men and women defending Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm's way. Shabbat Shalom.

Text: Genesis 21:1-34   God's Promise is Fulfilled (Gen. 21:1-7) God proves to be true to His Word as Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah. Isaac's name (laughter) is proof of God's grace to Abraham and Sarah.   God's Promise is Preserved (Gen. 21:8-21) God sets apart Isaac as the one in whom the promise would be fulfilled. God's electing grace and common grace are on display with Isaac and Ishmael. Galatians 4:21-31 portrays this event as an allegory and how it applies to the Gospel and our identity in Christ.   God's Promise is Progressing (Gen. 21:22-34) Abimelech's treaty with Abraham proves that God's promise of land to Abraham's offspring continues to advance. As Abraham plants a tree in Beersheba, he is planting his faith in an everlasting God who keeps His promises.

📄 Sermon Summary: Grieving and Quenching the Spirit Speaker: Nick Theme: Grieving and Quenching the Holy Spirit (Part of the "Life in the Spirit" series) Key Scripture: Ephesians 4:30 – "And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live." 1. The Principle of Responsibility The sermon opens by linking the great blessing of the Holy Spirit (discussed the previous week) with great responsibility (a modified Spider-Man quote). The danger is that Christians can focus solely on the positive aspects of God's blessing and forget their responsibility to live a life that pleases the Holy Spirit, not grieves him. 2. The Danger of Passivity Active Waiting: The concept of "waiting on God" is often misunderstood as passive inaction. The speaker contrasts this with the attitude of a "waiter" in a hotel (using a personal story from Nepal and an example of the ushing ministry in Zambia). An excellent waiter is active, alert, concerned, and anticipates the needs of the person they serve. Pleasure vs. Grief: Our relationship with God should be one of active engagement and should bring pleasure to God's heart, not grief. It's not about seeing how much we can "get away with" but about actively seeking to please Him—this is the true meaning of loving God. The absence of a genuine relationship brings God grief. 3. Sin is Dealt With, But Lack of Faith is a Struggle Christianity is Obsessed with Love, not Sin: Referencing a debate between Professor Richard Dawkins (atheist) and Ayaan Hirsi Ali (new Christian), the speaker affirms that while sin is real, Jesus has broken its power on the cross ("It is finished!"). The focus of Christianity should be on love, life, and hope, not dwelling on sin. Confession and Freedom: If we sin, the solution is to confess it, receive forgiveness, and walk away from it (like Jesus telling the woman, "Go and sin no more"). Sin is dealt with. The Greater Grief: Unwillingness and Unbelief: The harder issue that grieves the Spirit is our unwillingness to enter into all God has for us, our unbelief, and our failure to actively walk in the power of the finished work of the cross. 4. Five Areas That Bring God Pleasure (and their opposites cause grief): The sermon outlines five practical ways to actively seek a life that pleases God: Faith (Hebrews 11:6): Without faith, it is impossible to please God. We must continually believe God in what He is able to do, even when we have struggled with faith in the past. Unbelief grieves Him. Love (John 13:35): We must fight for unity and love one another, valuing others even more than ourselves. It is more important to love than to "win an argument." Division and disunity grieve the Holy Spirit. Obedience (1 Samuel 15): King Saul was rejected as king because he valued his own idea of a sacrifice over simple obedience to God's command. Obeying is better than sacrificing. Self-confidence and our own "theology" are not enough; we must be attentive to exactly what God wants. Thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:18): A grateful heart pleases God. It is a simple but powerful act that opens the door to our relationship with Him. An ungrateful heart grieves Him. Perseverance in Faith (Galatians 6:9; 1 Peter 1:6-7): The "well done, good and faithful servant" is spoken at the end of the journey, after we have walked through all the trials and challenges. Jesus's prayer for Peter was not for a new car, but that his "faith won't fail." Through perseverance, our faith is proven genuine and brings God much honor. Conclusion The core question for every Christian is: "Are we resting on the fact that we wear a Christian badge, or are we active in seeking a life that pleases God in the here and now and in the in-between?" 📝 Transcript of "Nick's Sermon" I'm just processing what Mike said, that it's sad the notices are finished because Nick's coming to speak. [laughter] Uh, yeah, buckle up. Um, we are on a, we're still on the "Life in the Spirit" series, and Jonathan spoke last week about the, uh, about being filled with the Spirit and being continually filled with the Spirit. And there was a great response and people came forward, and people were touched and blessed by the Holy Spirit. And so it falls to me this morning to pick up the subject of grieving and quenching the Spirit. And, uh, yeah, we've got to, we've got to take things from all angles, haven't we? And my, my main passage that I want us to look at this morning is in Ephesians chapter 4. When I say passage, it's a verse, actually. It's Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30. And it says this: "And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live." "Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption." "Do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption." And I want to slightly misquote Spider-Man by saying, "With great blessing comes great responsibility." It's essential that we are hungry for God's Spirit. It's essential, as Jonathan was saying last week, that we are continually asking him for more. And so much of what we expect is, is positive. We don't even think sometimes of the angle where God might be, might have a, have a view on how we, how we are living, or how we are thinking, or, or how we are dealing with him, because it's always blessing. The prophetic words are always, "I love you," says the Lord. Everything is so positive. And it's right, it's good that we get encouraged by things, but we have to remember the responsibility that comes on the other side of how we deal with the Holy Spirit of God. It's essential that we, we reach out to him for the times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:20 it says, but just as we're eager to receive everything good from him, we must be eager to make sure that we don't live in a way that in any way offends him or grieves him or brings him displeasure. We don't want God to withdraw from us. Because the frightening thing is that we can continue in all that we do. You know, the way that we gather on a Sunday, and the way that we sing, and the way that we interact, and the way that we listen to the Word, we can do all of that without actually having the presence of the Spirit with us. And sometimes we, we might not even be aware if he's withdrawn himself. And so we have to be really alert and to wait on the Lord as the Word says. Now, what do you think of when it, when we talk about waiting on God? Sometimes it can be a quite a passive approach, and we sit back and we fold our arms, we say, "Well, I'm waiting for you, Lord. Waiting here. Waiting here for you. Let's see what you're going to do. Let's see what you've got." You know, and then we, we wait and we think, "Well, where is God? Where has he gone? You know, what, what's happening? Why doesn't there seem to be anything happening?" And we have this sort of passive approach to waiting. But there is another verb to wait: to be a waiter, if you like, like in a restaurant or in a hotel. We begin to see our relationship with God differently. When I was in Nepal, I stayed in a hotel, um, which was actually, it was quite cheap compared to hotels that you can stay in around the world. But what stood out in that place was the attitude and the approach of the people that worked there. Every time I stepped out of my room into the lobby, there was somebody that said, "Are you all right, sir? Can I help you with anything, sir? Is there anything I could do for you?" Any question that I had, they could answer. Apart from, um, why I was having curry for breakfast, they didn't answer that one, but they, they, [laughter] they were really there to serve me. They were like, there was, there was like a real genuine interest in my welfare, what did I want? And they were able to anticipate in advance what I wanted. In Zambia, um, there's a ministry of being an usher. You know, we have welcome people here at the door, and it's all very British, you know, we shake hands, we give a hug, "How are you doing?" whatever, and that's, and that's it, and then we go and we find our seat. But in Zambia, there's a real ushing ministry where people will actually attend to your every need, not just pastors and, and, and bigwigs, but, but everybody. I've been in situations where I've, I've had, I've had no idea that people have been aware, but I've, like I had a headache, and maybe I was showing it, maybe I was like grimacing or whatever, and somebody would turn up with, "Here's the paracetamol for you." And like, you know, there's just that, that awareness and that concern to, to be able to meet the needs that you have. And I think there's something in waiting on God that is that, that is very active, not, not passive, not sitting back with their arms folded waiting for him, but actually thinking, "What does he want from me? How does he want me to live? How does he want me to approach this situation? How does he want me to think here? How does he want me to act? How does he want me, what does he want my attitude to be? Lord, how can I bless you with my attitude, with my approach to life?" Being aware of him, considering what he wants, considering what he needs. Don't ever take him for granted. We're very British, aren't we? Where you think, oh, well, you know, we, we, we step back and we, and we become very, like I said earlier on, we become very passive and very, uh, non, non-engaged. But in actual fact, God wants us engaged with him and to live and to act and to speak and to deal with him and relate to him in a way that, that not only satisfies him so he can tick a box, but actually brings pleasure to him, rather than grief. And it affects the way we seek and respond to him every day. It's what it means to actually love God, to take care of how we live, not because we're afraid of him, not because we're afraid of punishment, but because of how much he's done for us, because of how much he has achieved in our lives. Not taking an attitude that says, "Well, I wonder how much I can get away with." You know, I think, um, it's uh, it's interesting, I'm not, not getting party political, but you know, it's interesting seeing the government sort of jumping through hoops saying, "How can we put up taxes without putting up taxes?" And, you know, "How can we, how can we say we're not going to put up income tax, but really we're going to put it up, you know, here?" And it's like, and then if we, if we spin it this way, everybody will believe us. And it's like, and it's that we can be like that with God. "How can we, how can we just get away with stuff? How can we, how can we, we, we live how we want to do, but still do it in a way that appears to be pleasing God?" Yeah, not "how can I get away with it?" but "how can I please him?" We have the opportunity to make God smile. We have the opportunity to bring pleasure to the heart of God. We talk about Christianity is not being a religion, but it's a relationship with God. A relationship is about interaction. A relationship is about bringing pleasure. A relationship is about smiling. A relationship is about laughing. A relationship is about interacting and talking and communicating and all of that. How much of that is a feature and a hallmark of our relationship with God, and how much of it is just going through the motions? And it's that relationship that brings pleasure to the heart of God, and it's that absence of that relationship that brings him grief. Because the reason that he did what he did, when you think of what Jesus went through, and how he suffered, and how he died, the reason that he went to that extent was because he loves us, and because he wants a relationship with us, and because he wants that fellowship with us, and because he wants that interaction, and because he wants to know us, not because he wants us to just sit back and try and keep our nose clean and, and hope to get to heaven at the end of it all. That's, that's a poor reflection of the quality of the relationship that God has called us to. And so the question that we ask when it comes to, uh, not grieving and not quenching the Holy Spirit is, "How can I actually make the most of my privileged relationship with him? How can I make the most of what God has made possible for me in my life?" And if we don't do that, then we can bring grief to the heart of God, and we can bring grief to the Holy Spirit. It's really important that we engage. Like we said before, in so many areas in life, there's no neutral ground. We have to actually ask ourselves, "How do we go as far as we possibly can in that relationship with him?" Because, as I've said before, a Christian life can go on perfectly well in form and function without the Holy Spirit, and without any sense of knowing what it takes to please him. He can withdraw from us and we might not even know. When we take time to ask the question, "Is God here?" You know, that, that picture of God as, as a dove, the Holy Spirit as a dove settling on his people, and how easy it is for a dove to flutter away and for us not to be aware. Last week, I saw a video on YouTube. I don't know if you follow this guy. Well, not follow him because he's not really a very positive person to follow, but there's a guy called Professor Richard Dawkins who's an atheist, who's a, like a really, uh, what's the word, like a militant atheist. He really, his atheism is his evangelism. He really wants to make sure that people don't believe in God. And uh, he had a friend or has a friend who was a colleague of his in his atheism, a lady called Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and she uh, has actually recently become a Christian. [congregation murmurs, someone says "Hallelujah"] And uh, and so the two of them are having a debate and a conversation on YouTube. It's really interesting if you look it up. And uh, and you know, and he was saying, "You know, surely you don't believe in Jesus rose from the dead." And uh, she was saying, "Well, I choose to believe that. Yes, I do believe that." And uh, and he was saying, "You know, the problem with Christianity is..." (He knows everything about everything. He's a professor.) "The problem with Christianity is, it's obsessed with sin." And she said, "Well, you might say that," she said, "but I prefer to see that it's obsessed with love." And as I thought about that, and I listened to, I thought, actually, it's not just like The Beatles, you know, "All you need is love." It's all very, it's all love, love, love, love is all you need. But what she's saying is that, yes, there, there's sin, but Jesus has done away with sin. Jesus has done away with its power, and he's opened the doors of heaven to all who will believe. And the Holy Spirit, who used to be hidden away in the temple behind a big curtain, now lives in the hearts of men and women. And so there's that opportunity that we have. And so when he says it's obsessed with sin, actually, no. Sin was there, sin was the barrier, sin was the, was the issue, sin was the thing that kept us from God, but now sin, the power of sin, is broken. Broken by the cross of Jesus. That's why Jesus, when he hung on the cross, in all that pain and all that agony, the last thing he said was to cry, "It is finished!" It's finished. Sin is finished. So, Christianity is not obsessed with sin. Christianity breaks the power of sin. Christianity opens the door to life. Christianity opens the possibility of life. And sometimes it's not Christianity or or Jesus that's obsessed with sin, it's Christians that are obsessed with sin. We are obsessed with, you know, I'm not saying sin is not important, but sin is dealt with. Sin can be put aside. In the, in the second, the second verse after the one I read, it says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven 1you." What's he saying there? Is get rid of it. Just put it aside. Just don't live in that anymore. Why? Because we have the power to walk away from that because Jesus has declared, "It is finished!" And so there is no obsession with sin. There should be an obsession with love, with life, and with hope. And so the question is not, "Are we good enough for heaven?" I remember somebody, years and years and years ago, in one of the first services I was ever involved in, and one of the preachers was doing this interactive thing, and he was asking people, you know, "Are you, are you confident of your future, of your eternal future?" And one of these chaps called, uh, George, he said, "Well, I, I jolly well hope so." "I hope to, I hope to, I hope that everything will be all right in the end." He said, "You, you've missed it." He was very bold preacher. "You've missed the point. You've missed the point that God has given you that opportunity for life." And the question is, "How are we responding?" Our response to it, this is what gets back to our subject of grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit, our response to his grace, our response to his power, our response to his gospel and the open door that he's given us into his presence is the key to whether we bring pleasure to the heart of God or we bring grief. Our sin is not so much the issue. Grieving and quenching the Spirit is not so much about bad things that we do. We've got this whole list of, like the, gets dangerously close to Father Christmas, doesn't it? And the naughty and nice list. We've got a, a naughty list. "Well, you've got all of this stuff and all of these things against you, and uh, and these things have grieved the Holy Spirit." Well, in actual fact, it's not about the bad things that we do, but much more about the good things that we don't do and the opportunities for life that we don't step into. Because where there is sin, there is a solution. If we sin, we should confess our sin, and he's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's the key. If you sin, confess it. Get rid of it. Put it aside. Put it away. And don't live in that anymore. Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more." That was the, that was the prescription. It wasn't, "Now you need to go through this, and you need to go through these hoops and, and pay for this, pay this penalty," or whatever. He just said, "Go, and sin no more. According to the law, you should have been stoned, but now there's a new covenant in action. Go and sin no more. Be free." And so we confess our sins, knowing he's faithful and just to, to, to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so there's everything that can be done about sin. If there's sin in your life today, put it aside. Repent of it. Get it out. Walk away from it. The power is there for you to do that. That's the opportunity that we have. But the harder thing to deal with is our unwillingness to enter into all that God has for us. Remember, somebody bringing a prophetic word saying, God saying, "I can, I can deal with your sin, I have no problem with that. I can deal with that because the, the, the cross is there, but what I can't deal with is your unbelief. What I can't deal with is your unwillingness to trust me. What I can't deal with are the things that are now still in your hands to do. I've dealt with your sin. What about your faith? What about your life?" And it's our response to God that impacts his heart, that brings him pleasure or grief. That when we stand before him, will it be the list that he's got? I saw a funny meme the other day of somebody of the, these people sat looking miserable on the steps and they said, "We're just waiting for Jesus to go through our WhatsApp feed before he lets us in." [laughter] You know, we think, is, is it our WhatsApp feed that's going to condemn us? Is it our, is it our internet search history? Is it whatever? All of those things. All those things, if they are things that are wrong, deal with it. Deal with it by the power of the, of the, of the cross. But it's not primarily those things that God's interested in because he has dealt with sin. He hasn't brought us to a point where we need to bring one sacrifice after another in order to bring ourselves to righteousness. There is one sacrifice that stands for all, for all time, and now the, the new and living way has been opened up into his presence. So that's the, that's the thing. Now the question is, what are we going to do with that? The things we have to take care of. Number one: Faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith, it's impossible to please God." Impossible. Think about that. Let that sink in. There is a difference between labeling ourselves as a Christian and living a life of faith. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. You can do all sorts of stuff to try and please God. You can, you can give wonderful offerings, you can pray wonderful prayers, you can, you can, you can help old people across the road. You can do anything, but without faith, it's impossible to please him. I've been amazed recently looking back over life. I don't know if, it's not like life flashing before me, I don't take it too seriously. But, you know, looking back over so many years, looking over the faithfulness of God. And we sing those songs, "All my life, you have been faithful. All my life, you have been so, so good." Used to sing when I was young, when I was very young, a young Christian, they used to sing that Ishmael song, "Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist without the knowledge of your parenthood." And I used to think, I don't know what that means, really. You know, it's like, yeah, because I, because I had no experience. Now, I can say, yeah, I do wonder how I managed to exist without the knowledge of your parenthood and your loving care. But seeing stuff, seeing the faithfulness of God doesn't equal faith. Even when we are faithless, God is faithful. And so sometimes seeing the faithfulness of God over so many years and so many miracles of kindness and love and grace and provision, brings me a little bit of regret because I know that I didn't have anything like the faith that he's worthy of. But he still did it. And I'm still worrying about things now that God proved to me that he could take care of 25 years ago. There are things like the, you know, he feeds the 5,000, and then the next day, they meet another crowd, and they say, "Where are we going to feed, where are we going to get the food to feed these people from?" It's like, it just goes from one thing to another. And I am aware that I, God has been so faithful to me over so many years, and yet some of the basic lessons of faith I still struggle with. And I'm sure you're in the same boat there as I expose myself here and, uh, my lack of faith. Because we struggle with faith. But it's faith that brings pleasure to the heart of God. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without faith that says, "Actually, I believe you, God." Not, "I believe you, but I understand the realities," or, "I believe you, God, but, you know, there's this and that problem to take into consideration." "I believe you, Lord. I believe you." Not necessarily for a particular outcome, because that, that sort of pins everything on. But we just believe God. Believe God in what he's able to do. Believe God that he will see us through. Believe God that we will not, we will not crash and burn. Believe God that he will do what he says he will do, and we will accomplish what he says he will accomplish. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see, and that attitude pleases God. And the opposite grieves him. Unbelief grieves him. When we don't actually trust him, when we don't put out, when we don't try to put our faith and our, our confidence in him, then that grieves his heart and it grieves his Spirit. Secondly: Love. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35. "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." It's so easy to bypass things that are actually so close to the Father's heart, to justify discord, hatred, and division in the name of Jesus. We feel if we're doctrinally correct, nothing else matters, does it? If we've, if we've got the absolute truth, then everybody else can just do one! Because we are God's soldiers, and we've got his, we've got his truth. And it doesn't really, and yet, meanwhile, God is saying, "Love one another." It's more important to love one another than to win an argument. That's really tough, because we love to win arguments. Believing we are God's favored ones. Everybody else is numpties, but we are God's favored ones. Just like his disciples. You know, these people, they're all pre- He said, "Well, if they're not, if they're not against us, then they're for us." Fight for love, fight for unity, value one another even more than we value ourselves. And you know what? That brings pleasure to the heart of God. Where there is unity, God commands a blessing. Where there is disunity, the opposite must be true. It grieves the heart of God. It pains his heart. He suffers with it because when his people are divided, when his people don't love one another, when his people don't care for one another, when his people don't value one another, when they don't see that he loves each and every one, the person that you are at odds with, he loves as much as he loves you, because he made, he made them in his image as much as he made you in his image. Love brings pleasure to the heart of God, and division and disunity grieves the Holy Spirit. Obedience. In 1 Samuel, King Saul was given the task of completely destroying the Amalekites. This is where our sort of ancient biblical history and modern day sort of cross over, and we think, "Oh, these, all these, uh, you know, battles and fights are fairly gruesome." But King Saul was given the task of completely destroying the Amalekites. He was told to destroy them and everything that they owned. All the cattle, the sheep, everything had to be gone. And so he said, "I'll do it," and he went. Except, they, he kept the best sheep, and he kept the best goats, and he kept the best cattle. And the Bible says they only destroyed that which didn't have any value, didn't have any worth. And when the prophet Samuel, who'd been told by the Lord what, what Saul had actually done, went to find him the next day, he was told that Saul was out building a monument to himself because of all that he'd achieved in the name of the Lord. And he'd, he'd destroyed the Amalekites. So he built this monument. And when Samuel turned up to challenge him, Saul had no idea that he, what was about to happen. And he went out, he said, "The Lord bless you, Samuel. We've carried out everything. We've done everything that the Lord commanded us to do. I've carried out the Lord's command." And then there's a some of the most devastating words in the Bible, I find it really challenging and convicting. Samuel said to him, "Then what is this bleating of sheep that I hear?" And Saul says, "Oh, oh, yeah, yeah. Well, we did keep the best of the animals, but we're going to offer them to the Lord as a sacrifice. Don't worry, everything's good." He's made up his own theology. Where God said, "Destroy everything, get rid of everything, I don't want everything, be obedient to me." He said, "Actually, well, I know what we'll do. We'll take some of them and we'll make you an offering. You'll like that." And then Samuel delivered this devastating judgment. He said to him, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than the fat of rams. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." So self-confidence in ourselves is not enough. We have to be attentive to exactly what God wants of us if we're going to avoid grieving him. Saul was rejected as king because he didn't have an interest in being obedient to the heart of God. He only had an interest in doing his thing. And yet he dressed it all up. "We're going to make sacrifices. We've done the, we've done everything the Lord said." And we might have thought, "Yeah, good man." But the Holy Spirit was not pleased. Thankfulness. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18. "And he who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me." Psalm 50:23. Some of them, these things are so simple, and yet so hard. A grateful heart pleases God. An ungrateful heart grieves the heart of God. Gratitude and compassion bring him pleasure. It's so easy to accept the grace of God and never think to say, "Thank you." Like the ten lepers that were all healed and only one of them went back to say, "Thank you." There is power in gratitude. Not only power in gratitude, but it, it opens the door to our relationship with God. That's the thing that makes him smile. That's the, that's the thing that he loves when we actually look at our lives, and instead of complaining, instead of moaning on about it, we actually say, "Actually, Lord, I thank you. I thank you for what the life you've given me. I thank you for the breath that I take. I thank you for the way that you've cared for me. I thank you, Lord, and I praise you." And that brings him pleasure. Perseverance in faith. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest." Galatians 6:9. "Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:21. Much of our blessing in the future tracks back to our attitude here today, in what we and how we look at things. When God says, "Well done, good and faithful servant," at the end of all things, it is at the end of all things. It's after we've gone through everything. It's not that first time we run up to the front of the church with our arms in the air and tears running down our face, and we say, "I love you, Jesus," and he says, "Well done." He says, "Well done," after you've been through all the ups and downs, all the challenges, all the issues, all the stress, all the things that would try and attack your faith and undermine your faith, all the things that you've had to fight through and battle through. At the end of all that comes the "Well done, good and faithful servant." How are we going to respond? Jesus told Peter about all that he was going to suffer, and how he was going to die, and he was, uh, he didn't say he would save him from it. But one thing he said is, "I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith won't fail." Faith is the one commodity we can take with us from this life. Nothing else will make that journey with us. "I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith won't fail." What a prayer, what a powerful prayer for Jesus to, to be by the side of the Father saying, "I pray for Peter. I pray for MCF. I pray for those people that their faith will not fail." That we, that through our perseverance in faith, we will bring pleasure to the heart of God. One of the things that afflicts the church the world over, and we've come across it in Zambia, is a sort of a twisted sort of prosperity gospel. We know God wants to bless his people, but there's this sort of prosperity that says, you know, "If you've got, if you've got a car, if you've got a big house, if you eat meat every day, you know, you are truly blessed of God." And uh, and I remember one of the bold preachers there saying, you know, "When, when Jesus is praying for us, he's praying that our faith won't fail. He's not praying for a new Mercedes." He's not praying that you'll get everything that you've ever dreamed of. He's not Father Christmas, as I said earlier on. But he is praying that through it all, through everything that you walk through, your faith will not fail. 1 Peter 1:6-7: "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold. Though your faith is far more precious than mere gold, so when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to2 the world." And so this life of bringing pleasure to the heart of God, not grieving, not, not, not stressing the Spirit, if you like, is, is all about how we live, about what we do with the wonderful gift that's been given to us, the opportunity that we have, the possibility to grow in faith, the possibility to be thankful, the possibility to persevere, the possibility to love one another against all the odds. All of those things are the things that when God looks on his people, they cause him to smile. Not just that people have ticked and said, "Yes, I believe in Jesus, so I'm going, I've got my ticket to heaven," but it's about how we live our life in the here and now and in the in-between. And so the question is, where do we stand today? Are we resting on the fact that we wear a Christian badge, or are we active in seeking a life that pleases God?

November 14, 2025

The conflict between the Arabs and Jews in the Middle East can be traced back all the way to the time of Isaac and Ishmael. From a childhood rivalry between two sons of Abraham, the conflict has turned bloody and violent, with millions of innocent people caught in the crossfire. Pastor Jeff teaches you today that this conflict we see today in the Middle East is by no means a new thing, and it is liable to get worse before it gets better. But no matter what happens, remember that God is still in control.

Genesis 21 shows God keeping His promise at His set time: Isaac is born to a 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah, turning their earlier laughter of unbelief into joy. God marks Isaac—not Ishmael—as the covenant line through which He will bring blessing to the world, yet He still hears Hagar and Ishmael, provides for them, and promises to make Ishmael a great nation. Sarah insists Ishmael depart after he mocks Isaac, and God confirms this hard step to protect the promise. Later, Abraham secures a well at Beersheba, makes peace with Abimelech, and calls on “the Everlasting God.” We learn from this that God's promises stand despite our delays and detours; He often waits until things look impossible so He alone gets the glory. Trust His timing, stop “helping” Him with fleshly shortcuts, and rest in the joy and security of His faithful covenant love. - Greg Opean - Wednesday, November 12, 2025

‘PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS BUT..' - SUNNY EDWARDS & CONOR BENN SPARRING PARTNER ISHMAEL DAVIS RAW Don't miss Eubank Jr vs Benn 2, November 15th, only on DAZN. Click here to buy the PPV and get a 7-day free trial: https://www.dazn.com/ifltv Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this edition of UBC "Sermon Discussions" Jason Wing and Deacon Chairman Cory Thomas discuss questions related to Sunday's Sermon out of Genesis 47:13-48:22.The main idea for the sermon was: When you believe who God is, you can live a life of faithQuestions discussed in this episode: Q. Why didn't Jacob just bless Joseph, but instead included Ephraim and Manasseh?Q. In the rest of the storyline of Scripture, what happens to Ephraim and Manasseh? Does Ephraim become greater than Manasseh? Does Manasseh end up like the other older brothers (Ishmael and Esau).Q. This blessing of Joseph's boys seems to be a big, climactic point in the story of Genesis. Is it really that big of a deal? What significance does it really have?Q. What are ways we can live by and demonstrate the kind of faith mentioned in this passage?As a reminder we have created a place where you can send us your questions regarding the sermons or topics we discuss in these podcasts. Send them to sermonquestions@ubcbeavercreek.com.

Parashat Va-yera [Genesis 18-22] is one of the richest parashiyot in the Torah. Chapter 18 features the angels coming to announce the birth of Isaac, chapter 19 the conversation between God and Abraham about the fate of Sodom and Gemorrah, chapter 20 the second wife-sister story featuring Abraham and Sarah, this time with Avimelech, chapter 21 the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and chapter 22, the binding of Isaac. We took as a prompt verse 18:33 from the conversation [actually the verse just after the conversation concluded] and one from the binding of Isaac [22:19], which is the conclusion to that story. We discussed them in-depth as we tried to come to an understanding of the character of Abraham. As always, we are interested in what our listerners and viewers think of our ideas, so please feel free to respond below. This past Sunday, the body of my former student, Captain Omer Maxim Neutra z”l was returned to Israel, where he will be buried on Friday morning, Israel time. While this marks the end of this ordeal for his family and friends, we continue to keep in mind the remaining hostages who remain in Gaza, may they be speedily returned to their families. We are also mindful of the soldiers defending Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm's way. We recorded on 11/04/25, the 30th anniversary of the murder of Yizhak Rabin, note of which must be taken. Shabbat Shalom.

When Abraham dies, the Torah surprises us by revealing that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him together. What lessons can we learn from this surprising moment in Torah? What does it teach us about family, about our own relationships, and about relations between nations. An encore presentation of Rabbi Micah's 2021 podcast on this parsha. Per the episode, the short story "A Wind From the South," can be found here: https://jewishliteraryjournal.com/fiction/a-wind-from-the-south/. Notes and Links: Seven Minute Torah is a production of Laasok: The Liberal Beit Midrash. For info on our weekly Zoom study groups and other learning opportunities go to https://laasok.org/. For weekly, live study of the torah portion through Zoom, visit https://laasok.org/studygroups/  To support the production of this podcast, visit either laasok.org/support/ (for a tax-deductible one-time or monthly contribution) OR www.patreon.com/sevenminutetorah (for per-episode contribution. Comments or questions? Email info@laasok.org, or contact Rabbi Micah Streiffer directly at micah@laasok.org.   

In this message, Jeff Lyle challenges us to examine the often-overlooked virtue of deep, intentional patience in our spiritual lives. Through the lens of King Saul's story in 1 Samuel 13, we see how impatience can lead to catastrophic consequences, even costing us our God-given authority. Abraham & Sarah birthed an Ishmael because they couldn't wait for God to ring Isaac to them. Beyond these examples, Jeff reminds us that the entire nation of Israel demanded a golden calf because they could not wait on Moses to come back from his meeting with God on the mountain. These examples serve as a stark reminder that God's timing is perfect, and our attempts to rush His plans can lead to disastrous outcomes. As we reflect on this, we're encouraged to ask ourselves: Are we truly waiting on the Lord, or are we trying to force our own agenda? The message urges us to cultivate patience as a fruit of the Spirit, recognizing that God's ways often require us to slow down, trust, and align ourselves with His timing rather than our own hasty desires.

In this message, Jeff Lyle challenges us to examine the often-overlooked virtue of deep, intentional patience in our spiritual lives. Through the lens of King Saul's story in 1 Samuel 13, we see how impatience can lead to catastrophic consequences, even costing us our God-given authority. Abraham & Sarah birthed an Ishmael because they couldn't wait for God to ring Isaac to them. Beyond these examples, Jeff reminds us that the entire nation of Israel demanded a golden calf because they could not wait on Moses to come back from his meeting with God on the mountain. These examples serve as a stark reminder that God's timing is perfect, and our attempts to rush His plans can lead to disastrous outcomes. As we reflect on this, we're encouraged to ask ourselves: Are we truly waiting on the Lord, or are we trying to force our own agenda? The message urges us to cultivate patience as a fruit of the Spirit, recognizing that God's ways often require us to slow down, trust, and align ourselves with His timing rather than our own hasty desires.

In this powerful episode of The Last Christian Radio Show, Host David Paxton together with JD Williams dive deep into Genesis 16, uncovering the dramatic story of Hagar and Ishmael.Video Version available upon release at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT athttps://youtu.be/z3LFd8_3kaMA chapter that forever shaped the course of world history. What began as Sarah's impatience with God's promise to Abraham led to a decision that birthed generations of conflict, stretching from the ancient deserts of Canaan to the Middle East of today.This study explores how human attempts to fulfill divine promises always lead to struggle. How the God Who Sees (El Roi) extended compassion to the broken and forgotten, and how the line between flesh and Spirit still defines humanity's spiritual battle. Through prophetic insight and biblical truth, the hosts reveal how God redeems even our failures, proving His faithfulness to every generation.Join us as we uncover the eternal lessons of trust, timing, and divine purpose. Reminding believers that while man's plans lead to turmoil, God's covenant always stands unbroken.To learn more or support our International Ministry.  Please visithttps://www.lastchristian.net/

In this powerful episode of The Last Christian Radio Show, Host David Paxton together with JD Williams dive deep into Genesis 16, uncovering the dramatic story of Hagar and Ishmael.Video Version available upon release at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT athttps://youtu.be/z3LFd8_3kaMA chapter that forever shaped the course of world history. What began as Sarah's impatience with God's promise to Abraham led to a decision that birthed generations of conflict, stretching from the ancient deserts of Canaan to the Middle East of today.This study explores how human attempts to fulfill divine promises always lead to struggle. How the God Who Sees (El Roi) extended compassion to the broken and forgotten, and how the line between flesh and Spirit still defines humanity's spiritual battle. Through prophetic insight and biblical truth, the hosts reveal how God redeems even our failures, proving His faithfulness to every generation.Join us as we uncover the eternal lessons of trust, timing, and divine purpose. Reminding believers that while man's plans lead to turmoil, God's covenant always stands unbroken.To learn more or support our International Ministry.  Please visithttps://www.lastchristian.net/

Abraham was the paragon of faith. He was also the paragon of kindness and hospitality. When he was 99 years old and only three days removed from a very painful and debilitating circumcision surgery, Abraham launched into a frenzied act of superlative hospitality to three travelers (who later turned out to be angels). These twin attributes worked synergistically. Abraham used his hospitality to advance his lifelong mission of disseminating the Name of God in the world and publicizing the Name of God to all. The Parsha is studded with other iconic episodes and narratives: Abraham's intercession on behalf of the sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot's kindness in Sodom and Gomorrah; the overturning of those cities and the rendering of Mrs. Lot into a pillar of salt; Lot's incestuous tryst with his daughters spawning the forbearer of Messiah; the birth and maturation of Isaac; the banishment of Ishmael; and of course, the Binding of Isaac. In this edition of the Parsha podcast, we study the Parsha and then take a tour backstage. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –This Parsha Podcast is sponsored by Steve Horak in honor of his wife becoming a doctor – Dr Elena Silberman Scott, and in honor of his niece Emily Silberman becoming bat mitzvah, and in honor of his granddaughter Levy Schwartz Messing's first birthday. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week's Parshas Vayera episode, Reb Asaf Aharon Prisman shares a revolutionary insight from Rav Yitzchak Svei that transforms how we understand both Sarah's test and the spiritual mechanics of Ayin Hara (the evil eye). The key detail everyone misses: Ishmael was hiding in the background, listening to the angel's promise.Discover why Sarah's "laugh" was actually strategic deception, how Ayin Hara really works (it triggers divine judgment by making Hashem ask "Does this person deserve what they have?"), and the one phrase that creates an impenetrable shield: acknowledging that everything we have is undeserved chesed from Hashem.This isn't about superstition—it's about understanding the spiritual cause-and-effect that governs blessing and protection. Learn how humility becomes armor, why feeling deserving is spiritually dangerous, and how the Arizal's teachings on Ayin Hara reveal a life-changing approach to gratitude.Prism of Torah brings deep yeshiva-style Torah learning with practical application for modern Jewish life. Each week, Rabbi Asaf explores the weekly parsha through unconventional questions that reveal transformative insights.

The prophecy of Ishmael's twelve princes was more than a family promise—it was a foreshadowing of world history. As Islam rises as the fastest-growing religion and interfaith unity becomes a global agenda, we're watching the stage being set for something far greater. In this episode, we explore how the rise of Islam intersects with biblical prophecy, Qur'anic teachings, and the signs of the end times. From the Vatican's push for religious cooperation under the Pope's leadership to the unprecedented blending of beliefs across nations, could this be the groundwork for the one-world religion foretold in Revelation? Tune in as we uncover how ancient prophecy, Islamic eschatology, and modern headlines collide in a story few are willing to tell—but everyone needs to hear.---------------------------------------Amy is a Christian counselor - book an appointment:⁠https://www.biblicalguidancecounseling.com/appointments⁠Amy's online Bible studies:⁠https://rumble.com/c/BibleStudywithEyesontheright?e9s=src_v1_cmd⁠

As the heir of the promise, Isaac remains with his father Abraham, while Ishmael is forming camps of his own in the wilderness.

November 5, 2025

Abraham's two sons are declared by Paul to be the types of two races of men, who are much alike, and yet widely differ. They are unlike in their origin. They were both sons of Abraham; but Ishmael, the child of Hagar, was the offspring of Abraham upon ordinary conditions: he was born after the flesh. Isaac, the son of Sarah, was not born by the strength of nature; for his father was more than a hundred years old, and his mother was long past age. He was given to his parents by the Lord, and was born according to the promise through faith. This is a serious distinction, and it marks off the true child of God from him who is only so by profession. The promise lies at the bottom of the distinction, and the power which goes to accomplish the promise creates and maintains the difference. Hence the promise, which is our inheritance, is also our test and touchstone.

The Bible portrays sibling rivalry through stories such as Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Isaac and Ishmael, and Leah and Rachel. These accounts reveal how jealousy, pride, and favoritism can breed conflict, deceit, and even violence within families. Rivalry is described in Scripture as a “work of the flesh” that causes chaos, dishonors God, and undermines unity among believers (Galatians 5:19–21; James 3:16).Yet, amid these cautionary tales, the Bible also offers hope. Through examples like the reconciliations of Jacob and Esau and Joseph with his brothers, it emphasizes repentance, forgiveness, and divine restoration. Ultimately, Scripture calls believers to reject rivalry and embrace love, humility, and harmony as “brothers and sisters in Christ.”Causes of Sibling RivalryCompetition for attention: Children may vie for parental love and approval, especially when one receives more care or praise.Developmental differences: Conflicts arise as siblings go through different stages with varying needs and goals.Personality clashes: Differences in temperament or closeness in age can intensify rivalry.Identity and comparison: Constant comparison fosters jealousy as siblings seek to define their worth and uniqueness.Parental favoritism and jealousy: As seen in stories like Cain and Abel or Jacob and Esau, favoritism and envy can lead to resentment, conflict, and sin.Remedies for Sibling RivalryRecognize God's purpose: Like Jacob and Joseph, conflicts can become opportunities for growth and divine reconciliation.Pursue harmony: Scripture teaches that peace among brothers and sisters honors God and strengthens families.Embrace spiritual family: The New Testament calls believers to see one another as “brothers and sisters in Christ,” practicing unity and grace.Honor diversity: Celebrate each child's unique gifts and teach that every person has value and purpose in God's design.Cultivate humility and love: Following Philippians 2:3, treat others as more important than yourself, replacing rivalry with kindness and compassion. Find us on Apple iTunes, Spotify, PandoraFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EnrichedPInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/enriched_perspectives/YouTube:   @Enriched_Perspectives

This week's parsha features several iconic episodes: Abraham was visited by God as he was recuperating from his circumcision, and concurrently engaged in superlative kindness with three angels masquerading as pagan travelers; Abraham was informed that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed and was unsuccessful in interceding on their behalf; and we also read the two Torah sections that are read on the two days of Rosh Hashana: The episode of the birth of Isaac and the subsequent banishment of Ishmael, and the story of the Binding of Isaac.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Part 2 of a listener Q&A where Pepe dives deep into questions about passion, important books, relationships, supporting friends, setting up DIY shows and more, plus a cameo by musician Mike Wilson (who creates solo music and performs in Harley Poe).Support the podcast to get bonus episodes & goods (there's even a free option!)patreon.com/BackontheGrindPepe's Spotify Playlist of folk punk & more mentioned in this episode:open.spotify.com/playlist/2Xhq4qecLwq8DiI5x0vVPA?si=vPyUnlUzQJCV7vafXEi8DAHIGHLIGHTS:How do I distinguish my many new “likes” from a true “passion”?You talked about never wanting to get married, so what changed & how did you know Lee was "the one"?6 Questions to bring your relationship closer & deeperMike Wilson on Fly Fly Superheart FlyI vibe with your intellectual space...Could you recommend some books?Ishmael by Daniel QuinnThe Untethered Soul by Michael SingerThe Alchemist by Paulo CoelhoStay Free Anthem by BlueRaspberryFinding Meaning In The Second Half Of Life by James HollisJung And The Alchemical Imagination by Jeffrey RaffHow do I help friends with depression or addiction?Advice for setting up renegade showsListen to Mike Wilson:open.spotify.com/artist/0pULVNhcCRT9158jRhNaFr?si=0HvqwvHLSZCI3xA8P7MLswmikewilson.bandcamp.com/Listen to BlueRaspberry:open.spotify.com/artist/3qe9yQNewUenzzMhfHLPmT?si=1ppcpODZR5GFaICHD4WDYQblueraspberry.bandcamp.com/?search_item_id%3D3919554126%26search_item_type%3Db%26search_match_part%3D%253F%26search_page_id%3D4794229089%26search_page_no%3D0%26search_rank%3D1Back On The Grind Records - Find DIY, Folk Punk Music & Merch:backonthegrindrecords.bandcamp.com/musicGet Coffee for the Bandit in you (roasted by Pepe)StayFreeCoffee.comFollow the podcast on Instagraminstagram.com/backonthegrindpod/?hl=engramReach out...Send us questions, comments or topic suggestions toPodcast@BackOnTheGrindRecords.comLeave a comment/question on Spotify or Instagram (we read them all)***Word of mouth really matters for us. Here's two simple things you can do to help keep this podcast going strong: Share your favorite episode with a friend or two who might enjoy it.Leave a rating / review. This helps me get access to the guest you want to hear from & allows the show to reach & support more folks like you :)Stay Free, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to AthCastMusic — the music of Athens Ga Now and ThenToday, we're talking with Ishues — rapper, mentor,Athens Walk of Fame recipient and community leader — whose story runs deeper than beats and rhymes. Born Ishmael Cuthbertson, Ishues has been a powerful voice in the Athens hip-hop scene, proving that this city's sound is just as rich and diverse as its people. In the 2000s, Ishues toured extensively, including in South Africa, but he chose to take a hiatus from music in 2009 to focus on his family and faith.During his time away from music, he became a social worker and mentor to youth.In 2019, he returned to the hip-hop scene and has since released several new projects. I had Ish on my initial list of guests I would like to have on AthCastMusic. I am not really sure how come it never happened. Then I met him at the 2025 Indie Con. I was a panelist, and he was a performer at the event. I got to sit down with him briefly but in those few minutes, I felt like I had been shot with an arrow in my heart, that released kindness, gentleness and warmth. I even asked him, what's happening here? I felt such a strong spiritual connection with him. I asked him with no hesitance; will you be on my podcast. He answered with no hesitance as well and said, I'd love to be on your Podcast. Ishues and I talked real life trials and tribulations. heartbreak and higher powers that lifted him through is life. This podcast is one for the books. Here's my conversation with Ishues. SEASON: 5 EPISODE:LENGTH: 54:09PUBLISHED: 10/30/2025UPDATED BI - WEEKLY ON THURSDAYSENGINEER: KAYLA DOVERMUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOL INTERN: RAYA ACKLEHRECORDED AT TWEED RECORDING AUDIO PRODUCTION SCHOOLhttps://tweedrecording.com (https://tweedrecording.com/)Photos by Raya AcklehProducer: Marlene Sokol StewartCONTACT FOR ATHCASTMUSIC:marlene@athcastmusic.comInstagram: AthCastMusicFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550294283019YOUTUBE CHANNEL: AthCastMusic. @MarleneSokolStewart-12Ishues information: IG: ishuesda_artistFacebook: Ishues CuthbertsonThank you for listening to AthCastMusic. Kindly give a review, follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favorite listening site.Also, downloading my episodes give me more coverage in the Social Media world. REMEMBER,“IF YOU DON'T LISTEN, YOU CAN'T HEAR!”

This episode is part 24 in a series going through the story of the Book of Mormon.This episode covers chapters 14-19 of the book of Alma. While Zeezrom and some people repent, the mob and the chief judge bind Alma and Amulek and imprison them. After months of torment, Alma and Amulek miraculously escape to Sidom. There they heal Zeezrom who had a horrible fever. They start a church there.Eventually, the two travel and run into Ammon and the sons of Mosiah who are now missionaries to the Lamanites. We then see an account of how Ammon became a servant of King Lamoni in the land of Ishmael of the Lamanites. As the power of God aids him, King Lamoni thinks Ammon might be the "Great Spirit." This gives Ammon the opportunity to give a history lesson and "gospel" presentation.King Lamoni prays and gets slain in the spirit for two days. After he wakes up, he gets slain in the spirit again, along with the queen, some servants, and Ammon himself. Lamanites get confused, but everyone on the floor eventually wakes up and talk about how they were changed.Further research:Book of Mormon in videoJoseph Smith: The Prophet of the RestorationThe Book of Mormon online: Alma [chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19]Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

In this week's parsha, Abraham is instructed to move to Israel, is given divine promises that he will be the father of many nations; his children will be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of the heaven, a son Ishmael is born, and he is commanded to circumcise his foreskin […]

In this week's parsha, Abraham is instructed to move to Israel, is given divine promises that he will be the father of many nations; his children will be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of the heaven, a son Ishmael is born, and he is commanded to circumcise his foreskin and those of all males in his household.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe's PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Wolbe explores Parshas Noach, focusing on Noah's righteousness, the flood, and the ark's survival (Genesis 7:23). He delves into Rashi's comment about Noah's lion bite, Talmudic insights on divine image and heavenly intent, and the generational impact of biblical figures. Key themes include:Noah's Righteousness and Flaw: Noah's tireless care for animals for a year without sleep reflects his righteousness, but a minor delay in feeding a sick lion led to a bite, showing even small lapses affect one's divine image (Talmud Shabbat, Sanhedrin) (1:07–6:19).Heavenly Intent: Actions must be for heaven's sake, not personal gain. Noah's dedication, despite the bite, parallels the principle that pure intent is credited as action, as seen in consistent charity habits (6:19–8:17).Generational Impact: Abraham's service to angels was mirrored by Hashem for the Jewish people, impacting seven generations to Moshe. Noah's preservation of life laid humanity's foundation, showing our actions shape descendants (ma'aseh avot siman l'banim) (9:45–13:21).Land of Israel: The Torah's promise to Abraham's lineage refutes modern claims (e.g., Ishmael's precedence), reinforcing Noah's role in ensuring humanity's continuity (14:40–15:58).Foundational Moments: Early education (e.g., Vilna Gaon), marriage, and habits are critical, like Noah's foundational work. Beginnings are hard but shape future generations, as seen in prayers for Torah's sweetness (16:49–22:00)._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on October 21, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 22, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #Noah, #Ark, #Animals, #Shabbos, #Review, #Abraham, #Isaac, #Jacob, #Sarah, #Rebecca, #Rachel, #Leah ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Wolbe explores Parshas Noach, focusing on Noah's righteousness, the flood, and the ark's survival (Genesis 7:23). He delves into Rashi's comment about Noah's lion bite, Talmudic insights on divine image and heavenly intent, and the generational impact of biblical figures. Key themes include:Noah's Righteousness and Flaw: Noah's tireless care for animals for a year without sleep reflects his righteousness, but a minor delay in feeding a sick lion led to a bite, showing even small lapses affect one's divine image (Talmud Shabbat, Sanhedrin) (1:07–6:19).Heavenly Intent: Actions must be for heaven's sake, not personal gain. Noah's dedication, despite the bite, parallels the principle that pure intent is credited as action, as seen in consistent charity habits (6:19–8:17).Generational Impact: Abraham's service to angels was mirrored by Hashem for the Jewish people, impacting seven generations to Moshe. Noah's preservation of life laid humanity's foundation, showing our actions shape descendants (ma'aseh avot siman l'banim) (9:45–13:21).Land of Israel: The Torah's promise to Abraham's lineage refutes modern claims (e.g., Ishmael's precedence), reinforcing Noah's role in ensuring humanity's continuity (14:40–15:58).Foundational Moments: Early education (e.g., Vilna Gaon), marriage, and habits are critical, like Noah's foundational work. Beginnings are hard but shape future generations, as seen in prayers for Torah's sweetness (16:49–22:00)._____________This episode of the Parsha Review Podcast is dedicated in honor of Lenny & Teresa FriedmanDownload & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on October 21, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 22, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Genesis, #Noah, #Ark, #Animals, #Shabbos, #Review, #Abraham, #Isaac, #Jacob, #Sarah, #Rebecca, #Rachel, #Leah ★ Support this podcast ★

"Call me Ishmael." Thus begins a multi-part saga of how Tony and Kevin risked too much with the implicit question quiz, and so were ruled over by ... a temp.

What happens when we don't wait for God to fulfill His promise? Let's find out in Genesis 16. -Do you want to be an active member of 21c Moses? Then, consider becoming a 21c Moses Patreon! Click the link for more info: https://patreon.com/user?u=45306220&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link -If you want to donate to 21c Moses Ministry, please click the link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=P4LC3BE2S3JGA -Please check our website: https://21cmoses.com ©2025 21c Moses #21cMoses #BibleTeaching #DailyBibleStudy

A man named Jack accidentally fell off the edge of a steep cliff. On the way down he was able to grab ahold of a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror discovered that there were hundreds of feet between him and the bottom of the canyon. He couldnt hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him. HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP! He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. Jack, Jack. Can you hear me? Yes, yes! I can hear you. Im down here! I can see you, Jack. Are you all right? Yes, but who are you, and where are you? I am the Lord, Jack. Im everywhere. The Lord? You mean, GOD? Thats Me. God, please help me! I promise if, youll get me down from here, Ill stop sinning. Ill be a really good person. Ill serve You for the rest of my life. Easy on the promises, Jack. Lets get you off from there, then we can talk. Now, heres what I want you to do. Listen carefully. Ill do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do. Okay. Let go of the branch. What? I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go. There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE? What is faith? Here is the way the Bible defines it: Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1; BSB). Abraham became known for that kind of faith, but it took a lifetime for him to get to the place of utter dependance upon God. I am not sure what Abrahams hopes and dreams were before he met God, but his home was in the City of Ur where Nanna, the Mesopotamian Moon god, was worshiped and his wife and family lived. Although childless, Abraham was prosperous, settled, and old. What he may or may not have known was that he was a descendant of Noah ten generations removed. When Abraham first heard God's calling, he was seventy-five years old, and his wife Sarah was sixty-five (see Gen. 12:4; 17:17). Despite their advanced age and the fact that they had no children, God gave Abraham a remarkable promise: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). This was a profound and hopeful message, especially considering that Abrahams birth name was Abram, meaning Exalted Fathera title that must have felt ironic for a man with no children at seventy-five, and a wife (Sarai) ten years his junior. The name Abram brings to mind other individuals who have been given ironic or unfortunate names, such as the character mentioned in the following well-known song lyric: Well, my daddy left home when I was threeDidn't leave very much to my mom and meExcept this old guitar and an empty bottle of boozeNow I don't blame him 'cause he run and hidBut the meanest thing that my daddy ever didWas before he left, he went and named me Sue[1] God made three foundational promises to Abraham: first, He pledged to give him a land of his own; second, He vowed that Abraham would become the father of a vast multitude of descendants; and third, He assured that all nations would be blessed through him, signifying Gods plan of redemption. Trusting in these promises, Abraham left his home in Ur and journeyed to the land that God would reveal to him. The Promise (Gen. 17:1-9) Before we get to Genesis 17, I need to help you appreciate what Abraham (still Abram) was feeling and experiencing. When we come to Genesis 15, Abraham and Sarah are still childless about 10 years after they were promised a child! Abraham followed God out of obedience and brought his wife with him on the basis of a promise made by God that included many descendants, land, and a legacy that would bless multitudes in the future! At 85ish years old, God reassured Abraham (Abram), but what Gods reassurance was is up for debate based on the different ways Genesis 15:1 can be translated. Consider the ways NASB and the NKJV translated this verse: Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great. (NASB2020) Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward. (NKJV) So what is it? Based on Gods promise in Genesis 13:1-3 and how He will reiterate the promise later in Genesis 15, I think it is both. Here is one way you could paraphrase this verse: Because I am your reward, your reward will be great. Abraham was about ready to give up on believing the promise include a biological son, but then God swore on behalf of His own name that He would honor the promise He made to Abram and Sarah. God then entered into what is called a unilateral covenant of which He was obligated to honor that was not conditioned on anything that Abram did or did not do. God swore to Abraham (Abram), One who will come from your own body will be your heir (15:4b). What was Abrahams response? We are told in Genesis 15: Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness. Then about a year later, Sarah (still Sarai) developed a plan for her husband to get her maid, Hagar, pregnant; to have the heir God promised through her. After all, God said the promised heir would come from Abraham a year ago but did not seem to mention Sarai! So again, the forces of darkness were at work to prevent the Descendent promised to Adam and Eve, who would crush the head of the serpent from ever being born.[2] Hagar did get pregnant with Abrahams child, but all that did was bring more dysfunction into Abrahams home, among other problems. Abraham (still Abram) was 86 and Sarah (still Sarai) 76, with no child to show for the promise God made long ago. Now we come to the promise made yet again in Genesis 17, but this time it is 24 years since the couple left Ur and 13 years since the whole mess they create with Hagar and the birth of Ishmael. Before I go any further, let that settle in your heart and mind for a moment. For 24 years Abraham and Sarah waited, longed, hoped for the son that Almighty God promised them. Then 13 years later while Ishmael had reached the age of maturity and Abram resigned that there would be no heir by Ishmael, God appeared to Abraham (still Abram) and spoke yet again: I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly (17:1-2). It is in this moment that God gave Abram the name Abraham which means father of a multitude. The blessing would not come through Ishmael, but through another son. So that there would be no room for confusion, God said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her by the name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her (17:1516). Abrahams response is understandable: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth to a child? (v. 17). Nearly one year later, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, she gave birth to Isaac, the son of promise (Gen. 21:1-8). The promise made to Adam and Eve, to Noah, and to Abraham would now come through Isaac. A promise that included land, descendants (a great multitude), and the blessing of the nations. Abraham received the promise when he was 75 and his wife past menopause which means to have a child together would have been a miracle at their respective ages, but for 90-year-old Sarah to carry the child of her 100-year-old husband was impossible! And that is the point, isnt it? There was nothing that Abraham or Sarah could do to make Gods promise possible, they could not make it happen sooner, they could not adjust Gods timing, all that they could do is trust and wait for God to do only what He could in His own timing. Their part in Gods promise was to trust, obey, and wait. The Promise of a Better Son (Gen. 22) We are not told how many years it was after Isaacs birth, but when we come to Genesis 22 we are told that God spoke to Abraham and said some of the most horrific words Abraham would ever hear: Then He said, Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you (Gen. 22:2). Things were different this time; Abraham was different this time, for he had known God for many years since he was first called out of his homeland. The Bible tells us that that Abraham, ...got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him (v. 3). There were no arguments, no debate, no protest Abraham simply obeyed because He believed if he followed through with the sacrifice of his own son; God was big enough to raise him up from death to life. This is why when Abraham took Isaac up the mountain, he told the young men he brought with him: Then Abraham said to his young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). Although the exact number of years between Isaacs birth and Gods command for Abraham to sacrifice his son is not specified in the text, we can make a reasonable estimate based on several clues about Isaacs age. First, Isaac was old enough to walk alongside his father for the entire three-day journey while Abraham, advanced in years, rode a donkey. Second, Isaac had the strength to carry the wood for the burnt offering up the rugged slope of Mount Moriah after days of travel. Third, Isaac was old enough to make a critical observation: Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son. And he said, Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (v. 7). These details suggest that Isaac was not a small child; my guess is that he was at least 13 years old. There is something else you should be aware of about Abraham and Isaacs journey and what was said to the young men just before Abraham and Isaac made their way up Mt. Moriah: The journey would take 3 days to get to the place of Isaacs sacrifice. Most scholars believe that Mt. Moriah was the site where Jerusalem would eventually be built. On the third day, Abraham said to the young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). In other words, Abraham believed that there would be a resurrection after he slaughtered his son... ON THE THIRD DAY! So what happened? Did Abraham follow through with what God commanded? Abraham had seen too much to doubt Gods ability and character to do what He had promised. God promised a child through whom would come a great multitude and the nations would be blessed. Here is what happened: Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. He said, Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham would have followed through with killing his one and only son had God not stopped him because no longer did he put God in a box He was too big for any boxes because now He knew His God. What was Gods response? He simply reiterated His covenant promise: By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice (Gen. 22:16-18). Why did God command Abraham to sacrifice his son, and why did He refer to the child as, your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac (v. 2)? The significance lies in the foreshadowing of a greater Son who would come from Isaacs lineageJesus Christ, Gods own Son. In other words, Isaacs story points forward to a future sacrifice on another mount known as Golgotha, God the Father would do what He prevented Abraham from doing: He would slaughter His only unique Son, whom He loved, for the sins of the multitudes to redeem a people for himself by the blood of the greater and more perfect Isaac! While the "lesser Isaac" was confused and unsure of the purpose for the wood he carried, the "greater Isaac," Jesus Christ, carried a wooden cross fully aware of why He was doing it and with unwavering commitment to die in our place as the Lamb of God. Where God provided a ram to spare Isaac, Jesus willingly became our substitute, submitting to the Father's will and taking on the penalty for our sins. Isaac had to be bound before being placed on the altar, but Jesus embraced the cross freely, allowing sinful men to bound Him to the cross on our behalf. Oh dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is the true and better Isaac of whom the Scriptures testify: God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). [1] Johnny Cash,A Boy Named Sue,performed by Johnny Cash, written by Shel Silverstein, recorded at San Quentin State Prison, 24 Feb. 1969, released onAt San Quentin,Columbia Records, 1969. [2] Now Sarai, Abrams wife, had not borne him a child, but she had an Egyptian slave woman whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please have relations with my slave woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Gen. 16:12)

A man named Jack accidentally fell off the edge of a steep cliff. On the way down he was able to grab ahold of a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror discovered that there were hundreds of feet between him and the bottom of the canyon. He couldnt hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him. HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP! He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. Jack, Jack. Can you hear me? Yes, yes! I can hear you. Im down here! I can see you, Jack. Are you all right? Yes, but who are you, and where are you? I am the Lord, Jack. Im everywhere. The Lord? You mean, GOD? Thats Me. God, please help me! I promise if, youll get me down from here, Ill stop sinning. Ill be a really good person. Ill serve You for the rest of my life. Easy on the promises, Jack. Lets get you off from there, then we can talk. Now, heres what I want you to do. Listen carefully. Ill do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do. Okay. Let go of the branch. What? I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go. There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE? What is faith? Here is the way the Bible defines it: Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1; BSB). Abraham became known for that kind of faith, but it took a lifetime for him to get to the place of utter dependance upon God. I am not sure what Abrahams hopes and dreams were before he met God, but his home was in the City of Ur where Nanna, the Mesopotamian Moon god, was worshiped and his wife and family lived. Although childless, Abraham was prosperous, settled, and old. What he may or may not have known was that he was a descendant of Noah ten generations removed. When Abraham first heard God's calling, he was seventy-five years old, and his wife Sarah was sixty-five (see Gen. 12:4; 17:17). Despite their advanced age and the fact that they had no children, God gave Abraham a remarkable promise: I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). This was a profound and hopeful message, especially considering that Abrahams birth name was Abram, meaning Exalted Fathera title that must have felt ironic for a man with no children at seventy-five, and a wife (Sarai) ten years his junior. The name Abram brings to mind other individuals who have been given ironic or unfortunate names, such as the character mentioned in the following well-known song lyric: Well, my daddy left home when I was threeDidn't leave very much to my mom and meExcept this old guitar and an empty bottle of boozeNow I don't blame him 'cause he run and hidBut the meanest thing that my daddy ever didWas before he left, he went and named me Sue[1] God made three foundational promises to Abraham: first, He pledged to give him a land of his own; second, He vowed that Abraham would become the father of a vast multitude of descendants; and third, He assured that all nations would be blessed through him, signifying Gods plan of redemption. Trusting in these promises, Abraham left his home in Ur and journeyed to the land that God would reveal to him. The Promise (Gen. 17:1-9) Before we get to Genesis 17, I need to help you appreciate what Abraham (still Abram) was feeling and experiencing. When we come to Genesis 15, Abraham and Sarah are still childless about 10 years after they were promised a child! Abraham followed God out of obedience and brought his wife with him on the basis of a promise made by God that included many descendants, land, and a legacy that would bless multitudes in the future! At 85ish years old, God reassured Abraham (Abram), but what Gods reassurance was is up for debate based on the different ways Genesis 15:1 can be translated. Consider the ways NASB and the NKJV translated this verse: Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great. (NASB2020) Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward. (NKJV) So what is it? Based on Gods promise in Genesis 13:1-3 and how He will reiterate the promise later in Genesis 15, I think it is both. Here is one way you could paraphrase this verse: Because I am your reward, your reward will be great. Abraham was about ready to give up on believing the promise include a biological son, but then God swore on behalf of His own name that He would honor the promise He made to Abram and Sarah. God then entered into what is called a unilateral covenant of which He was obligated to honor that was not conditioned on anything that Abram did or did not do. God swore to Abraham (Abram), One who will come from your own body will be your heir (15:4b). What was Abrahams response? We are told in Genesis 15: Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness. Then about a year later, Sarah (still Sarai) developed a plan for her husband to get her maid, Hagar, pregnant; to have the heir God promised through her. After all, God said the promised heir would come from Abraham a year ago but did not seem to mention Sarai! So again, the forces of darkness were at work to prevent the Descendent promised to Adam and Eve, who would crush the head of the serpent from ever being born.[2] Hagar did get pregnant with Abrahams child, but all that did was bring more dysfunction into Abrahams home, among other problems. Abraham (still Abram) was 86 and Sarah (still Sarai) 76, with no child to show for the promise God made long ago. Now we come to the promise made yet again in Genesis 17, but this time it is 24 years since the couple left Ur and 13 years since the whole mess they create with Hagar and the birth of Ishmael. Before I go any further, let that settle in your heart and mind for a moment. For 24 years Abraham and Sarah waited, longed, hoped for the son that Almighty God promised them. Then 13 years later while Ishmael had reached the age of maturity and Abram resigned that there would be no heir by Ishmael, God appeared to Abraham (still Abram) and spoke yet again: I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly (17:1-2). It is in this moment that God gave Abram the name Abraham which means father of a multitude. The blessing would not come through Ishmael, but through another son. So that there would be no room for confusion, God said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her by the name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her (17:1516). Abrahams response is understandable: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth to a child? (v. 17). Nearly one year later, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, she gave birth to Isaac, the son of promise (Gen. 21:1-8). The promise made to Adam and Eve, to Noah, and to Abraham would now come through Isaac. A promise that included land, descendants (a great multitude), and the blessing of the nations. Abraham received the promise when he was 75 and his wife past menopause which means to have a child together would have been a miracle at their respective ages, but for 90-year-old Sarah to carry the child of her 100-year-old husband was impossible! And that is the point, isnt it? There was nothing that Abraham or Sarah could do to make Gods promise possible, they could not make it happen sooner, they could not adjust Gods timing, all that they could do is trust and wait for God to do only what He could in His own timing. Their part in Gods promise was to trust, obey, and wait. The Promise of a Better Son (Gen. 22) We are not told how many years it was after Isaacs birth, but when we come to Genesis 22 we are told that God spoke to Abraham and said some of the most horrific words Abraham would ever hear: Then He said, Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you (Gen. 22:2). Things were different this time; Abraham was different this time, for he had known God for many years since he was first called out of his homeland. The Bible tells us that that Abraham, ...got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him (v. 3). There were no arguments, no debate, no protest Abraham simply obeyed because He believed if he followed through with the sacrifice of his own son; God was big enough to raise him up from death to life. This is why when Abraham took Isaac up the mountain, he told the young men he brought with him: Then Abraham said to his young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). Although the exact number of years between Isaacs birth and Gods command for Abraham to sacrifice his son is not specified in the text, we can make a reasonable estimate based on several clues about Isaacs age. First, Isaac was old enough to walk alongside his father for the entire three-day journey while Abraham, advanced in years, rode a donkey. Second, Isaac had the strength to carry the wood for the burnt offering up the rugged slope of Mount Moriah after days of travel. Third, Isaac was old enough to make a critical observation: Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son. And he said, Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? (v. 7). These details suggest that Isaac was not a small child; my guess is that he was at least 13 years old. There is something else you should be aware of about Abraham and Isaacs journey and what was said to the young men just before Abraham and Isaac made their way up Mt. Moriah: The journey would take 3 days to get to the place of Isaacs sacrifice. Most scholars believe that Mt. Moriah was the site where Jerusalem would eventually be built. On the third day, Abraham said to the young men, Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you (v. 5). In other words, Abraham believed that there would be a resurrection after he slaughtered his son... ON THE THIRD DAY! So what happened? Did Abraham follow through with what God commanded? Abraham had seen too much to doubt Gods ability and character to do what He had promised. God promised a child through whom would come a great multitude and the nations would be blessed. Here is what happened: Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! And he said, Here I am. He said, Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham would have followed through with killing his one and only son had God not stopped him because no longer did he put God in a box He was too big for any boxes because now He knew His God. What was Gods response? He simply reiterated His covenant promise: By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice (Gen. 22:16-18). Why did God command Abraham to sacrifice his son, and why did He refer to the child as, your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac (v. 2)? The significance lies in the foreshadowing of a greater Son who would come from Isaacs lineageJesus Christ, Gods own Son. In other words, Isaacs story points forward to a future sacrifice on another mount known as Golgotha, God the Father would do what He prevented Abraham from doing: He would slaughter His only unique Son, whom He loved, for the sins of the multitudes to redeem a people for himself by the blood of the greater and more perfect Isaac! While the "lesser Isaac" was confused and unsure of the purpose for the wood he carried, the "greater Isaac," Jesus Christ, carried a wooden cross fully aware of why He was doing it and with unwavering commitment to die in our place as the Lamb of God. Where God provided a ram to spare Isaac, Jesus willingly became our substitute, submitting to the Father's will and taking on the penalty for our sins. Isaac had to be bound before being placed on the altar, but Jesus embraced the cross freely, allowing sinful men to bound Him to the cross on our behalf. Oh dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is the true and better Isaac of whom the Scriptures testify: God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). [1] Johnny Cash,A Boy Named Sue,performed by Johnny Cash, written by Shel Silverstein, recorded at San Quentin State Prison, 24 Feb. 1969, released onAt San Quentin,Columbia Records, 1969. [2] Now Sarai, Abrams wife, had not borne him a child, but she had an Egyptian slave woman whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please have relations with my slave woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Gen. 16:12)

Genesis 17 | Pastor Greg Genesis 17 shows God appearing to Abram, calling him to “walk before Me and be blameless,” changing their names to Abraham and Sarah, and unilaterally establishing an everlasting covenant to be their God and give their descendants the land. The covenant's sign is circumcision (on the eighth day), and the promised heir is Isaac (“laughter”), though Ishmael is also blessed; Abraham responds in immediate obedience. The passage underscores that God's promises to Israel are irrevocable (not “replaced” by the church) and that His faithfulness to Israel anchors our assurance as believers. Overall, it highlights grace-driven covenant, humble identity, and trust that God accomplishes what He promises despite human weakness. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from October 15, 2025 - Greg Opean - Thursday, October 16, 2025

Genesis 17 | Pastor Greg Genesis 17 shows God appearing to Abram, calling him to “walk before Me and be blameless,” changing their names to Abraham and Sarah, and unilaterally establishing an everlasting covenant to be their God and give their descendants the land. The covenant's sign is circumcision (on the eighth day), and the promised heir is Isaac (“laughter”), though Ishmael is also blessed; Abraham responds in immediate obedience. The passage underscores that God's promises to Israel are irrevocable (not “replaced” by the church) and that His faithfulness to Israel anchors our assurance as believers. Overall, it highlights grace-driven covenant, humble identity, and trust that God accomplishes what He promises despite human weakness. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from October 15, 2025 - Greg Opean - Thursday, October 16, 2025

What did Ishmael do?

A — About: Jeremiah 41 recounts Ishmael's betrayal and murder of Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor, plunging the remnant of Judah into fear and chaos. Despite the destruction, it shows that God's hand still governs history—even through tragedy and dispersion. B — Best Verse: Jeremiah 41:18 – "Because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had murdered Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land." C — Call to Action: Trust God's sovereignty even when His plan seems hidden. Do not run to worldly "Egypts" for safety, but wait upon the Lord—He remains faithful through confusion and loss.

Genesis 16 | Pastor Greg This chapter shows Abram (mid-80s) and Sarai (mid-70s) growing weary of waiting for God's promised child; Sarai urges Abram to sleep with Hagar, and Hagar conceives Ishmael—igniting jealousy, mistreatment, and years of fallout. Yet God meets Hagar in the wilderness, names her son, and reveals Himself as “the God who sees” (El Roi), showing tender care for the wounded even amid human failure. The message lands simply: believe God's love, wait on His timing, don't “help” His promise through the flesh, and remember He sees, hears, and keeps His word—even when we make a mess. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from October 8, 2025. - Greg Opean - Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Genesis 16 | Pastor Greg This chapter shows Abram (mid-80s) and Sarai (mid-70s) growing weary of waiting for God's promised child; Sarai urges Abram to sleep with Hagar, and Hagar conceives Ishmael—igniting jealousy, mistreatment, and years of fallout. Yet God meets Hagar in the wilderness, names her son, and reveals Himself as “the God who sees” (El Roi), showing tender care for the wounded even amid human failure. The message lands simply: believe God's love, wait on His timing, don't “help” His promise through the flesh, and remember He sees, hears, and keeps His word—even when we make a mess. Packinghouse's Wednesday night worship service from October 8, 2025. - Greg Opean - Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Some people remain in a state of spiritual infancy and do not come to the maturity required to take the whole counsel of God. Instead, they persecute those who are born in the Spirit, as Ishmael persecuted Isaac. If you walk in the Spirit and are led by Him, you will encounter Ishmaels until the day you die. Recognize that the power of the One who has given you His Spirit is greater than the power of the spirit of Ishmael and those who come against. The Spirit of God is able to overcome. VF-2118 Galatians 4:29 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

An overwhelming military force descends on Ishmael, Faolan, Stasya, Walter, and Mitch, as the world remembers that a place called Chester, Illinois exists. Music: Three Chain Links - Magic Hour Peter Rudenko - 5:00 AM Scott Buckley - The Fury Natus - Cure Alexander Nakarada - Foam Rubber Headlighter- At the Crime Scene Neuron Spectre - Full Moon Overdrive (2018 mix) Alexander Nakarada - Headless Horseman Josh Woodward - She Dreams in Blue (Instrumental Version) City-Hunter - UNATCO - Orange Edition White Bat Audio - Journey Into the Black Myuu - Cornered Kai Engel - At the End Everyone Dies Alexander Nakarada - Nomadic Sunset (2019) Matty M - Make Chugging Great Again! Director's Note: The ORPHEUS Protocol is supported by our generous backers on Patreon: Visit http://www.patreon.com/orpheusprotocol for details. If you enjoy The ORPHEUS Protocol, please consider dropping us a review on iTunes. This is the best way for us to reach a broader audience. The ORPHEUS Protocol releases Monday, provided no community medical emergencies have taken Rob too much away from their desk. 

Angela Buchdahl, renowned senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City, speaks openly about empathy, Israel, and the “most painful experience” of her rabbinic career.

Friday Bible Study (9/26/25) // 2 Kings 25: 22-30 (ESV) //Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah 22 And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor. 23 Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.Jehoiachin Released from Prison27 And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed[a] Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. 28 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king's table, 30 and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived.Footnotesa. 2 Kings 25:27 Hebrew reign, lifted up the head ofWebsite: https://mbchicago.org FOLLOW US Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others TO SUPPORT US Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... #2kings #DanielBatarseh #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #versebyverse #church #chicago #sermon #bibleexplained #bibleproject #bibleverse #bookbybook #oldtestament #explained

What if the missing piece in your life isn't success or status but brotherhood? In this episode, Drew Ishmael shares his journey from military struggles to spiritual rebirth and how radical truth and authentic community gave him a new sense of strength and purpose. His story shows what real leadership and transformation look like when faith and fellowship come first. Tune in to discover how F3 is reshaping men's lives from the inside out. Key Takeaways To Listen ForWhy the word “brother” carries weight and belonging for DrewThe 5 C's of leadership and the power of candor in brotherhoodDisruption, spiritual rebirth, and why the “old you” can't come backHow F3 cured “Sad Clown Syndrome” and why men need fellowshipWhy passivity in manhood is toxic and leadership requires being the thermostatAbout Drew IshmaelDrew, known in F3 as Power Clean, is a U.S. Army veteran with 22 years of service and two combat deployments. Once weighing over 360 pounds, he credits F3 with saving his life and helping him find his purpose in teaching and leading men. Drew has served as Regional Expansion Q, Weasel Shaker, and Nant'an for JeffCo in the St. Louis Mega Region, as well as a GrowRuck and Freedom Ops Trainer nationwide. Supported by his wife Sarah, a Sergeant Major in the Missouri National Guard, and their two adult children, Drew continues to inspire men with his motto: “I love you, and there is nothing you can do about it.Connect with DrewWebsite: F3 Nation   Connect With UsMaster your context with real results leadership training!To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate's team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.Follow Dr. Nate on His Social MediaLinkedIn: Nate Salah, Ph.DInstagram: @natesalah Facebook: Nate SalahTikTok: @drnatesalahClubhouse: @natesalah

Send us a textThis week we look at how Isaac grew up with Ishmael and how the flesh cannot live with the spirit. We also look at the land that was provided by God for the descendants of Ishmael according to Josephus. 

This week on Sustainability Now!, your host, Justin Mog, sits down at the farm table with LeTicia Marshall, an urban farmer with Bearfruit & Grow in southwest Louisville, and Kimberly "Kimmie" Ishmael, Policy Specialist with the Community Farm Alliance (https://cfaky.org). On the menu for today's hearty conversation is the FREE event coming up at LeTicia's farm: Policy on a Plate: A Farm Bill Story Wednesday, October 8th, 10:00am - 1:00pm, BearFruit & Grown Urban Farm, 5799 Pendleton Rd. Join the Community Farm Alliance and BearFruit & Grow Urban Farm for a hands-on, heart-forward journey into the programs that nourish our communities and protect our land—all powered by the Farm Bill! Come explore how policies like SNAP and conservation efforts come to life right here on the farm. Get ready for: A Scavenger Hunt Farm Tour – Discover hidden treasures and learn about food systems as you explore the farm. A Delicious Local Lunch – Refuel with fresh, locally-sourced bites. Real Stories from the Field – Hear directly from farmers and program leaders making a difference. A Quick & Curious Panel – Ask questions and dive deeper into the programs that shape our plates and our planet. This isn't your average policy talk—it's a celebration of community, culture, and cultivation. Perfect for food lovers, farm supporters, policy nerds, and anyone curious about how federal funding grows real impact. Don't miss this unique chance to connect, learn, and dig in! Learn more and find the link to register at https://facebook.com/communityfarmalliance LeTicia is an urban farmer and food justice advocate with Bearfruit & Grow, a black owned company in Louisville that opened for business on July 8, 2020 during the global pandemic. In addition to farm products, she offers community engagement, advocacy, and consulting. You can find her naturally-grown products at our local farmers market or contact her at bearfruitgardening@gmail.com to learn more about how you can participate in their curbside pickup/delivery services. Learn more at https://www.bearfruitandgrow.com/ As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at https://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at https://appalatin.com

Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away, but God still provides for them. Do Ishmael and his descendants have anything to do with Islam? What is the significance of the covenant between Abraham and Abimelech? Abraham plants a tamarisk tree and puts down roots, but he is about to face his biggest test yet. Cale looks at Genesis 21, 22.

Angela Buchdahl, renowned senior rabbi of Central Synagogue in New York City, speaks openly about empathy, Israel, and the “most painful experience” of her rabbinic career.

Have you struggled with infertility? You’re not alone. God has a plan for you. Cale looks at Genesis 21 and the birth of the promised son, Isaac. There appears some conflict, however. Ishmael plays with Isaac, but not in a nice way. Even though Ishmael is not the child of the promise, God still has a plan to bless Ishmael.

In our reading of Jeremiah today, Fr. Mike highlights Ishmael's insurrection against Gedaliah and Jeremiah's response. We also read about the defeat of Holofernes and the praise of Judith for her courage and virtue. Today's readings are Jeremiah 41-42, Judith 12-14, and Proverbs 17:13-16. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.