Podcasts about Israelites

Jesus is our Advocate today. That's the good news we'll hear in Micah's final message to the Israelites as he calls all nations to listen. Instead of lodging a charge against them, God asks them, “What am I guilty of?” and then reminds them of His care for them throughout history.

What's the deal with the lying prophets in Jeremiah 14? In today's episode, Emma Dotter talks with Watermark member, David Szymanski, about Jeremiah 12-15. David talks about God's justice and consistent character in response to our sin and how, just like Jeremiah called the Israelites, God calls us back to himself. 

Welcome to Day 2686 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Holy War” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2686 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2686 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 9th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.' If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.' Today, we will read through chapter nine: “Holy War.” The Bible is a controversial book. People who don't see it as the Word of God often object to what it says. But some parts of the Bible make even Christians uncomfortable. Israel's war to conquer the Promised Land is a case in point. Why? Mostly because of the killing. It seems indiscriminate and far too thorough. Why was it necessary to kill entire populations in some cities—men, women, children, and even livestock? Why not let the inhabitants surrender? Wouldn't it be better to exile them than to slaughter them? There's an answer to those objections—but I've discovered that the answer seems to make Christians as uncomfortable as the problem. You can only understand the rationale and motive of the conquest accounts when you see them through the supernatural worldview of an Israelite. Israel's Supernatural Logic The battles for the Promised Land were framed by two factors, both deeply rooted in Israel's understanding of their world as not only the abode of humankind but also the prize in an unseen spiritual war. We've talked about both of them already, but let's review. One factor is the fallout from the events at the Tower of Babel, when God decided, after the nations rebelled against him, that he no longer wanted a direct relationship with the people of those nations. Instead, he assigned members of his divine council, the sons of God, to govern them (Deut. 4:19–20; 32:8–9). Afterward, he called Abraham and enabled him and his wife Sarah to have a child (Isaac), from whom the people of Israel would come. We learned in Psalm 82 that these lesser gods became corrupt. They allowed injustice. People came to worship them instead of the Most High God. Thus, they became enemies of God and his people, Israel. Since some of those nations were within the land of Canaan, which God purposed to give to his nation Israel after the exodus, Moses and the Israelites believed the people who occupied those lands were their mortal enemies and their gods would do all they could to destroy Israel. The second factor was even more frightening for the Israelites. It's best explained by what happened when the Israelites arrived at the border of Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan to report on the land and its inhabitants. The spies came back with evidence that the land itself was wonderful—it flows “with milk and honey”—just as God had told them (Num. 13:27). But then they dropped a bombshell: “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it...

We delve into one of the most disturbing stories in the Bible, found in the book of Judges. We examine the tragic tale of a Levite and his concubine leading to a gruesome conflict within the tribe of Benjamin, a civil war, and the eventual abduction of Israelite women by other Israelites. God's law has been ignored, and the people continue to spiral into sin.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @biblelitTwitter: @bible_litFacebook: @biblelitEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.org Want to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out ou...

Some contracts come with fine print—but God's covenant with the Israelites of the Bible was crystal clear: choose obedience and live in His blessing. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans shows how deception and distraction can detour us from our purpose—and how God's grace can bring victory, even if we've signed the wrong deal.

Have you ever felt ensnared by past trauma, as if it looms over your present and obscures your future?  You're not alone. We all carry the burden of past hurts, but there's solace in God's love and compassion.In this enlightening discussion with Reagan on The Revelations Podcast, bestselling author Susie Larson opens up about her ongoing journey with the scars of past trauma and how she felt she was always bracing for impact.  Through her own battle, she offers a ray of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest times, God's love shines brightly. Susie also offers practical steps on overcoming past trauma, allowing us to embrace God's healing, fortify our faith, and rejuvenate our spirits.Join us for a conversation about healing and wholeness as we delve into Susie's narrative, the miracles of God, and her new book, "Waking Up to the Goodness of God,-40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness" in this episode.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Gain insight into how the enemy acuses us of our past sins and trauma and how to fight for our God given healing.Learn how the Scripture can help us recognize God's miracles, embrace his mercy, and cherish his kindness, even amid adversity.Discover the protective power of imprinting your hope and faith in God so you can learn how to let go of past trauma and start your journey to healingBecome Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | YoutubeSeason 3 Episode 2: Your Adversary, the Devil, Prowls Around Like a Roaring Lion (ft. Susie Larson)Check out these other books by Susie LarsonWaking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Toward Healing and Wholeness: Amazon | Baker Book House (with cards)Closer Than Your Next BreathStrong in BattleFully AliveBible Verse:Psalm 107:6Proverbs 18:21Hebrews 4:2Connect with Susie: Website | Susan Larson Live on Faith RadioThis Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[03:27] How God Redeemed Susie's StorySusie shares her journey of experiencing multiple traumatic events, including violence and sexual assault, and the fear she lived in even after knowing Christ.Despite facing health issues and financial problems, Susie realized she felt disappointed and bitter towards God so she wrote "Waking Up to the Goodness of God" to focus on His goodness.The default to fear, doubt, and self-preservation hinders us from receiving God's goodness. [14:56] Susie: “When you are in self-preservation, when you are in bracing for impact when you're living with elbows locked, you can't at once receive from God. You will not see goodness when it comes, you won't because your eyes are on the trauma.” Hear more about Susie's battle against life's curveballs when you tune in to the full episode. You can also check out Susie's first episode with us as a guest in Season 3 Episode 2.[19:01] The Recipe for VitalitySusie emphasizes that she has gained more in Christ and highlights the importance of thinking rightly about God to receive His blessings.Living in self-preservation prevents us from experiencing God's miracles and goodness; we must work on our hearts to receive His answers.Deep rest in purposeful faith is vital for soul replenishment and engaging in our faith restores peace.[26:53] Learning From The Past's MistakesScripture invites us to remember God's work and trust Him with our lives, avoiding self-preservation despite fears.Recognizing God's daily mercies and expressing perpetual awe for His kindness can strengthen and restore our souls. [30:44] Susie: “His mercy is what covers us time and time again. We should be in perpetual awe of the kindness of God, the mercies of God. It's because of His great love we are not consumed. His compassions never fail, his mercies are new every morning.”The Israelites were quick to forget God's care for them and were quick to turn away from Him because of fear. Susie also battled fear her whole life. However, she learned to face them through God's strength.[33:00] The Power of Words and DeclarationsFaith declarations are our statement of who God is, that God loves us and will fulfill His promises to us.Brain retraining is meant to help us identify ourselves as sons and daughters of God.Both of these practices help interrupt rogue thoughts by being spoken aloud. Speak your declarations over your life especially those that resonate with you.[39:07] Slaying Your Inner CriticUnresolved hurts and self-contempt create opportunities for the enemy; resolving them in God's love closes these openings.Seek support to process unresolved hurts in the light of God's love and trust the Holy Spirit to guide and correct them.[40:37] Susie: “When you allow those hurts, those hard parts of your story to go unresolved in light of God's love, they're like open loops and they're opportunities for the enemy to accuse God and accuse you.”[43:24] Imprinting Your Hope, Faith, and Belief in God in Your HeartSusie is always striving to get closer to God. Recently, she attended a conference with Dr. Reimer. The conference became a safe space to bring out these unresolved pasts into God's light.Despite new traumas, remembering God's love and focusing on Him allows us to see through the enemy's lies.Keep your hope alive and you'll eventually learn how to let go of past trauma. Remember who God is, trust that He is good and that He loves you.About SusieSusie Larson is an author, speaker, and host of the popular radio show, Susie Larson Live. She has over 20 published books and devotionals and reaches millions of people worldwide as a host and a speaker. Through her work, she helps others find God's love and hear His calling. Connect with Susie on her website.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. This episode is all about strengthening your faith and trust in God even as you struggle through the most difficult times in your life.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts.  

Mother Miriam Live - 7/30/25 - Cardinal Sarah's Homily On The 400th Anniversary Of The Apparitions of St. Anne In Today's Show: Cardinal Sarah's homily on the 400th anniversary of the apparitions of St. Anne The significance of the golden calf to the Israelites. What is the meaning of artwork depicting Jesus extending his first two fingers of His right hand? What must the church do to get back to the scriptures in obedience to Jesus Christ our Lord? Can we continue to use NFP methods if we no longer plan to have children?

Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann Seeking God's Face in Everyday Situations, Part 1 Series: Prayers That Shape Us Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10–13 Episode: 1394 In Jeremiah 29:10–13, God promises restoration to the exiled Israelites, assuring them that after seventy years in Babylon, He will fulfill His promise and bring them back to their land. He declares His intentions with the well-known words: "For I know the plans I have for you"—plans for peace, hope, and a future, not for harm. God invites His people to seek Him wholeheartedly, promising that when they pray and seek Him with all their heart, they will find Him. Key themes include God's faithfulness to His promises, hope in exile, and the call to seek God through prayer and wholehearted devotion.

David finally becomes king after many years of waiting: The Israelites didn't really want David as king initially, but why? David's bad decision with the Philistines Joab, the thorn in David's side Jerusalem finally becomes the property of Israel   There are so many other things P40 does! Check it out: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

In this week's message, we explore the journey of trust through the lens of Numbers 21:4-9. The Israelites' struggle in the wilderness mirrors our own battles with impatience, discontentment, and lack of faith. We're reminded that complaining against God is more than just grumbling—it's a sin that reveals our distrust in His promises. The bizarre incident with the bronze serpent becomes a striking metaphor for our own need for healing from the venom of sin. Just as the Israelites had to look upon the raised serpent to be saved, we too must look to Christ on the cross for our salvation. This parallel, highlighted by Jesus himself in John 3, emphasizes that our ultimate healing comes not from our own efforts, but through faith in God's provision. As we reflect on this, we're faced with two important questions: Where in our lives are we failing to trust God? And how can we turn our complaints into confessions and our doubts into devotion?

There's a kind of sorrow that makes even music impossible. The Israelites felt that when they were taken from their home and exiled to Babylon. One of their ancient songs even says, They hung their harps on the weeping willow trees, too brokenhearted to sing. Maybe you've felt that kind of grief also—the kind that steals your song, that makes joy feel like a distant dream. But grief is not the end of your story. There is someone who sees every tear, who promises that one day, He will wipe every tear from your eyes. Jesus is inviting you to come to Him. You just have to respond. Jesus, I need You. Hold me in this pain. Heal my heart. I tell you, Jesus will welcome that prayer. He welcomes you. He will never abandon you in your pain. Always remember, there is hope with God. I'm Andrew Palau. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:4 radio.hopewithgod.com

Have you ever wondered why God gave the Israelites specific rules about what they could and couldn't eat? Deuteronomy chapter 14 might seem like just a list of do's and don'ts, but at its heart, it carries a powerful message: God calls His people to be distinct and set apart for Himself. This chapter begins with a bold reminder: “Ye are the children of the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 14:1). It's a profound truth—we are chosen, created, and deeply loved by God. With this identity comes a call to live differently than those around us, from the way we grieve to the food we consume, and even in how we manage our resources. While we no longer follow the dietary laws of the Old Testament, the underlying message remains unchanged: God's desire is that our lives clearly reflect our relationship with Him. We are called to holiness, not merely by following rules, but by letting our actions demonstrate our love and commitment to God. Join us in this episode of the Woman at the Well Ministries podcast as Erika Klose explores Deuteronomy chapter 14, centering on verse 2: “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” Let's discover together how God's call to holiness and distinct living is just as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.   Scriptures Mentioned in this Episode Deuteronomy 14  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+14&version=KJV  1 Timothy 4:4 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+4%3A4&version=KJV  Acts 10:15 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10%3A15&version=KJV  1 Peter 2:9 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2%3A9&version=KJV  Matthew 5:17–18 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A17-18&version=KJV  1 Corinthians 6:12 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A12&version=KJV  Did you enjoy this podcast? Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can listen to us on all major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Google Podcasts,  YouTube, and Podbean. Check out Kim's latest Bible Bit book on Amazon! Do you want to bring Kim Miller to your church, upcoming retreat, or conference? Contact us! This podcast is brought to you by Woman at the Well Ministries and is supported by our faithful listeners. To support this podcast, please visit our support page. 

Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. Blessed the men whose strength you are! They go from strength to strength. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:47-53, today's readings).Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age.”Jesus makes a comparison of the kingdom of heaven that the disciples would have been intimately familiar with. The bad catch that is thrown away would have particular meaning to them as well as the good, which they put into buckets. Jesus shares this parable to bring to mind the end of the age, the final judgment. To discern good and bad in relation to the end of the age is to know God's will and move forward with it in the present moment, just as the Israelites moved forward whenever the cloud of the LORD's glory rose among them on their journey in the desert. “But if the cloud did not lift,” we hear in Exodus, “they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward.” In his Word and in the glory of his resurrection, Jesus is with us as we discern through prayer and move throughout the day.God, help me take to heart the parables as they apply to today's events. Open my eyes to the coexistence of good and evil in the world and their separation in the final judgment. To take from the parables what Jesus says to me as a follower is to trust in his every word. As the Israelites watched for the cloud to rise before the day's journey, I want to see your glory made manifest as I give witness to your kingdom through my life. “Blessed the men whose strength you are!” the psalmist sings. “They go from strength to strength.” Strengthen my desire, Lord, to make myself a dwelling that calls attention to your glory. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Islington Baptist is a church for the Islington and wider Newcastle community sharing the life-changing message of Jesus. Our sermons and Bible teaching is a central part of our gatherings.Romans 9:1-291  I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:“I will call them ‘my people' who are not my people;    and I will call her ‘my loved one' who is not my loved one,”26 and,“In the very place where it was said to them,    ‘You are not my people,'    there they will be called ‘children of the living God.'”27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,    only the remnant will be saved.28 For the Lord will carry out    his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:“Unless the Lord Almighty    had left us descendants,we would have become like Sodom,    we would have been like Gomorrah.”

What happens when you've done all you can—and it still isn't enough? In this first message from the Elisha: Living the Impossible Life series, Stephen Davey teaches from 2 Kings 2 and 4 to show how God moves when His people are out of options. You'll learn how Elisha responded when his hands were tied, facing crises that demanded divine help. From poisoned waters in Jericho to a desperate widow's cry, every story begins in human weakness and ends in God's power. Stephen also turns to Exodus 14 to show how the Israelites responded when they were trapped between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea—reminding you that your natural instincts of panic, blame, and despair must be replaced with confidence in God's wisdom and timing. You'll discover three key applications: predicaments develop trust, trust leads to seeing God's power, and God's power always results in praise. When your plans fall apart, you're not forgotten. You're being invited to experience the faithfulness of God in a deeper way. This episode will help you shift your mindset from panic to peace, from striving to surrender. Because when your hands are tied, your heart can still triumph.

Trusting God to Guide Us Through Painful UnknownsWhen life feels like a dark, uncertain path, Isaiah 42:16 reminds us that we are never walking it alone. In this deeply personal devotional, Jennifer Slattery shares how God restored her marriage and led her and her husband through a season of brokenness they couldn’t fix on their own. Through Scripture and raw testimony, we’re reminded that God will guide you, even when the road ahead is unfamiliar and painful. His promises hold firm—even when we can’t see what’s next. ✨ Highlights: God lights the way in darkness – Isaiah 42:16 offers hope for those feeling lost or stuck. Faith in hard times leads to spiritual healing – God doesn’t just show the way, He walks with us. Healing in marriage is possible – Even toxic patterns can be restored by divine intervention. We don’t have to have it all figured out – Trusting God through uncertainty brings peace and direction. God’s promises are personal – He meets us in our pain and leads us forward with grace.

My friend, Larry, was a pilot. And awhile back he was asked by a client to fly their corporate, cabin class plane from one metropolitan area airport to another. That flight should take about 15 minutes, and he thought, "Well, I could do that." His only commitment was several hours later to lead prayer meeting at his church that night, so he felt like there was plenty of time to get that job done. He was preparing to land at the airport, and as he looked at all of his controls, he noticed that five different indicators had gone on...all telling him that his front landing gear wasn't down. Well, he called the tower at the airport, and they said, "Well, why don't you fly by and we'll take a look at it." And they confirmed sure enough he didn't have any front landing gear. So he made a second approach, worked with the switches and controls, and hoped that would work. But no, he had to report to the tower all the lights are still on; five indicators saying he didn't have any front landing gear going down. He requested to be able to go back to his home airport, and as he did he was flipping his switches back and forth. Nothing was happening. He tried several aerial maneuvers to shake it loose and that didn't work. He called for his mechanics to be able to communicate through the tower and read slowly to him from the manual for his plane. He tried everything the manual said. Nothing worked! Now, he had three hours of fuel when he started, but he was running low now. So he went up to a level where he could put it on automatic pilot. It was dark, it was starting to snow now, and he thought, "Should I let my wife know about this?" He said, "Well, there's really no reason to alarm her." He looked for tools while it was on automatic pilot and he worked with those. Again, nothing worked, including nothing his mechanics read to him from the manual. He had ten minutes of fuel left. He thought, "Man, this is going to be $400,000 if I crash land. Oh yeah, and I don't know about me." He was low on fuel, hoping there would be no fire, so he began to prepare for the crash landing. He secured all the loose items, pulled the fire extinguisher pin in case there was a fire, harnessed himself in, and made the approach for his landing. All the indicator lights still on, his landing gear still not down and what happened next is what might happen just before you are about to crash. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Our Eleventh-Hour Lord." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Exodus 14:9. The Jews are at the Red Sea, and it says, "The Egyptians, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they encamped by the sea." Okay, we're in a big jam here, right? But it says, "Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong East wind." You've got the Red Sea behind you, the enemy closing in. And then, just at that last moment, the waters parted. Oh yeah, about Larry, my pilot friend, we left him preparing for a crash landing. Nothing had worked - flipping switches, maneuvering, manuals, waiting. And so, as he made that approach, he simply said, "Lord, I need a miracle." He threw that switch one more time. He'd thrown it hundreds of times, and this time every light indicating trouble with his landing gear went off. He said, "I'm coming in! I've got full gear." They said, "Fly by" in the tower. He did. They turned the high light beams on. They said, "Hey, your landing gear is down!" He said, "I know." And he landed safely. The crowd said, "What happened?" He said, "A miracle of God." Oh, and he made it to his prayer meeting, too. Larry experienced it, Moses and the Israelites did, and maybe you will right now - our eleventh-hour Lord. He often comes through at the very last moment. There's never any doubt that He will, but it's that waiting that makes you wonder. Why? So we'll get to the end of our resources; so He can grow your faith like a muscle by stretching it. So He can demonstrate His power in a way where only God could get the glory. And so He can dramatically show His love to you. Maybe you've got your back to the Red Sea, the enemy's closing in and every solution has failed. Why don't you surrender completely to your Savior right now and cry out to Him, "Lord, I need a miracle." And you will be a candidate for that eleventh-hour Lord.

What happens when you've done all you can—and it still isn't enough? In this first message from the Elisha: Living the Impossible Life series, Stephen Davey teaches from 2 Kings 2 and 4 to show how God moves when His people are out of options. You'll learn how Elisha responded when his hands were tied, facing crises that demanded divine help. From poisoned waters in Jericho to a desperate widow's cry, every story begins in human weakness and ends in God's power. Stephen also turns to Exodus 14 to show how the Israelites responded when they were trapped between Pharaoh's army and the Red Sea—reminding you that your natural instincts of panic, blame, and despair must be replaced with confidence in God's wisdom and timing. You'll discover three key applications: predicaments develop trust, trust leads to seeing God's power, and God's power always results in praise. When your plans fall apart, you're not forgotten. You're being invited to experience the faithfulness of God in a deeper way. This episode will help you shift your mindset from panic to peace, from striving to surrender. Because when your hands are tied, your heart can still triumph.

The world constantly tells us, “You just need a little more.” But what if real peace isn't found in having more, but in learning to need less?What comes to mind when you hear the word “wealth”? For some, it means freedom. For others, it brings anxiety and pressure. Today, Jeff Manion joins us to explore how we can cultivate contentment in a culture that always craves more.Jeff Manion is the Teaching Pastor at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he has served for over 40 years. He is also the author of several books, including Satisfied: Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption.Why Wealth Confuses UsIn a world that constantly urges us to acquire more, climb higher, and chase the next upgrade, contentment often feels elusive. But what if true satisfaction isn't found in accumulation, but in learning—learning to trust, to remember, to let go, and to live fully in the present? Contentment is not something we're born with—it's something we must learn. And we're learning it together.Let's be honest—wealth can be confusing. One day, we're living simply out of necessity, and the next, after years of doing the right things—avoiding debt, saving diligently, and giving generously—we find ourselves in a season of financial stability. You'd think contentment would come naturally at that point. But surprisingly, it doesn't.Learning contentment in a season of sufficiency is often more challenging than in a season of scarcity. When we experience financial security, the temptation to trust in our own strength rather than God's provision becomes a real concern. This isn't new—it's the same struggle the Israelites faced in Deuteronomy 8. After years of daily dependence on manna in the wilderness, God warned them not to forget Him once they entered the Promised Land. He reminded them: “Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deut. 8:18). That warning is for us too.The Danger of the “There and Then” MentalityContentment is rooted in the present, not the future. And yet we often believe we'll only be at peace "there and then"—when the vacation arrives, the mortgage is paid off, or the kitchen is finally renovated. But if we can't be fully alive to God and the people around us now, there's no guarantee we will be later.We don't stumble into contentment—we learn it. The Apostle Paul, writing under house arrest, said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Phil. 4:11). His circumstances didn't determine his joy. His peace wasn't tied to his comfort. And ours doesn't have to be either.Sometimes the path to contentment starts by taking inventory—literally. For many of us, stuff multiplies without our awareness. A drawer of unworn t-shirts, a shelf of unused dishes, boxes of forgotten CDs…they add up. We can begin the journey toward contentment by shedding excess.A simple practice, like giving away five items a day for seven weeks, can bring clarity and peace. Not because we're pursuing minimalism for its own sake, but because we're reminding ourselves that joy isn't found in our possessions—it's found in a life uncluttered by distraction, filled with God's presence and purpose.Escaping the Comparison TrapComparison is a thief of joy. Whether or not Teddy Roosevelt actually coined the phrase, it's undeniably true. In our digital age, we don't just compare lives—we compare carefully curated highlight reels. This distorts our view, convincing us we're missing out when in fact, we're richly blessed.Comparison shifts our focus from gratitude to scarcity. And scarcity suffocates generosity. When we believe we never have enough, we become unable to see the abundance God has already given us—abundance meant to be shared.Generosity is one of the most effective ways to break money's grip on our hearts. Paul's charge to Timothy echoes through the centuries: “Command those who are rich… not to put their hope in wealth… but to put their hope in God… to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:17–18).When we give, we reflect the heart of our generous God—first in creation, then in Christ. And as we open our hands, we discover joy not in what we keep, but in what we release for the sake of others and the glory of God.Passing on the Legacy of ContentmentWe long for our children and grandchildren to experience true satisfaction. But contentment isn't just taught—it's caught. When our families see that our greatest joy is not in acquiring new and better things but in reflecting the generosity of Christ, they begin to understand that there's a story far bigger than material success.We want them to see us delight in giving, not just spending. To notice our peace when things don't go our way. To recognize that the content life isn't a small life—it's a deeply rich one, rooted in grace and lived with open hands.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have around $1.5 million in total assets and $500,000 in available funds. Given the current tax environment, I'm considering whether now might be a strategic time to withdraw from my pre-tax retirement accounts and pay the taxes. I'm currently living on Social Security and pension income and haven't needed to tap into my savings yet.I'd like to open an account for my great-grandchildren, who are currently 3 years old and 18 months old. I've been looking into a universal life insurance policy, but would appreciate guidance on the best way to save for their future—possibly to help with education expenses.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Satisfied: Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption by Jeff ManionSavingForCollege.comWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

Have you ever wondered if God is really speaking to you—or how to actually hear Him? In this intimate and powerful episode, Petia Kolibova Burns shares three deeply personal stories from the last 48 hours that prove God is always speaking—through people, through Scripture, and through unexpected confirmations. From a prayer answered within the hour to a spontaneous prophetic word during worship, to a direct confirmation from her husband's Bible study mentor—this episode is a living testimony that God hears, sees, and responds. Petia also opens up about her current season of life: being pregnant, caring for a toddler, and choosing faith over fear as she navigates this time of inward reflection and growth. Whether you're feeling spiritually dry, doubting your path, or just craving connection with God—this episode will remind you that your Father is near. Always. What You'll Learn: - 3 unexpected ways God spoke to Petia in 48 hours  - Why staying in the Word matters (especially when you're overwhelmed)  - How to recognize confirmation from the Holy Spirit through others  - The power of sharing your testimony unapologetically  - How to stop looking back at “Egypt” so you can enter your promised land  Bible Verses Mentioned: - The Psalms (exact reference not mentioned, but referenced in the context of comfort and protection)  - Reference to the Israelites looking back at Egypt (Exodus 16, Numbers 11)  Listener Challenge: Reflect on your own life—where has God already answered you? Where might He be speaking right now through people, scripture, or situations? Stay in His Word and make room to listen. Resources & Links:

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that sometimes, helping someone in our family means giving something up. Aaron and Hur gave up their comfort, time, and energy. Exodus 17:11-12 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

We continue our sermon series Summer in the Sand, where we explore how God works in the lives of people navigating sandy and difficult places—just like He did throughout Scripture. From the Israelites wandering the desert to prophets and apostles sent on uncertain journeys, the wilderness has always been a place of challenge and transformation. In this series, we're discovering that God is still at work in our lives today, even when the path ahead seems unclear or uncomfortable. In this sermon, we journey with Philip in Acts chapter 8 as he heads out on the road to Gaza. There, he encounters an Ethiopian dignitary wrestling with questions about God. In a seemingly random moment, God orchestrates a divine appointment that leads to life-changing transformation. Just like Philip, we too are called into unfamiliar or inconvenient situations—places where we may not understand the “why” but are asked to trust and obey. Will we be open to God's leading, or will we cling to comfort and miss His power at work? 

Where the Israelites saw giants, Caleb remembered God's promise to them. His faith was larger than what he saw before him. Caleb is a great reminder that we should not let our "but" hold us back! STAY CONNECTED Website: www.oasisphx.comFacebook: Oasis Community ChurchInstagram: @oasisphx

Have you ever felt like everything you've ever loved has been taken away? Like the place you called home is no longer yours? The ancient Israelites knew that pain well. They were forced from their homeland, exiled to a foreign place, grieving the loss of everything familiar to them and they asked, How can we sing the songs of the Lord in a foreign land? Maybe you know that kind of sorrow—losing someone you love, feeling like a stranger in your own life, wondering if hope will ever be possible again. Well, there is someone who meets us in our grief. His name is Jesus. If your heart is aching, you don't have to bear it alone. Simply say to Him, Jesus, will you please forgive me? Walk with me in all of this pain of my life. Take over. Show me Your love. Always remember, there is hope with God. "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." Psalm 147:3 radio.hopewithgod.com

What happens when God's patience finally runs out? Ezekiel 6-7 provides a sobering glimpse into divine judgment as we explore God's response to Israel's persistent idolatry.The ancient Israelites had established "high places" throughout their land – mountain shrines and valleys filled with pagan statues where they burned incense and even sacrificed their children to false gods like Molech and Baal. After centuries of warnings through prophets, God's patience reached its limit. Through Ezekiel, He pronounces a devastating judgment: worshippers will be slain before the very statues they pray to, cities will become waste, and death will come through sword, plague, and famine.Throughout these graphic prophecies, one phrase echoes repeatedly: "Then you will know that I am the Lord." This declaration appears seven times in just these two chapters, and a remarkable 63 times across Ezekiel's book. God's judgment serves to demonstrate His uniqueness and sovereignty – there are no other gods.Yet even in judgment, mercy appears. God promises to preserve a remnant who will remember Him during exile and loathe themselves for their former idolatry. History confirms this worked; when the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity, idol worship had been purged from their national life.These ancient warnings speak powerfully to our modern context. While we may not bow before carved images, the idols of money, sex, power, and self can just as effectively displace God from our hearts. The God who judged ancient Israel still takes sin seriously today.Join us as we wrestle with these challenging passages and discover how they illuminate both God's holiness and the redemptive purpose behind His judgments. Subscribe now to continue exploring how these ancient prophecies reveal timeless truths about our relationship with God.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

This Shabbat, journey with us through Parashat Mattot-Massei as we explore the questions: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? In a portion that at first glance seems like just a list of ancient place names, we uncover something: each stop along Israel's wilderness journey tells a story—of struggle, lessons learned, deliverance, and divine love. Like the Israelites, our lives are marked not just by locations, but by transformation. We remember our past, recognize our identity as beloved of God, and fix our eyes on the Kingdom of Heaven—the Land of Promise where there is fullness of healing, shalom, and the presence of God.

From Fear to Faith: Crossing Life's Spiritual Jordans explores the transformative journey of the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River. This powerful message examines how God moves His people through three significant spiritual transitions that apply directly to our lives today: from fear to faith, from shame to honor, and from wilderness to promised land. Discover why God commanded circumcision when the Israelites' enemies were already paralyzed with fear—revealing the principle that God values obedience over opportunity. Learn how God's perfect timing protected His people during their most vulnerable moments, and how this applies to your spiritual journey today. This teaching unpacks the deep significance of God rolling away the reproach of Egypt, transforming 40 years of wandering and shame into honor and purpose. Understand the powerful truth that God's faithfulness isn't dependent on our performance, and how the covenant promise remains intact despite our failures. Explore the significance of the Israelites' first Passover in the promised land and the cessation of manna, revealing how God's provision adapts to our circumstances—extraordinary provision for extraordinary times, ordinary provision for ordinary times. Learn to recognize God's hand in both miraculous moments and everyday blessings. The message concludes with practical applications for moving from fear to faith in your own life, addressing questions like: Where are you placing your trust? What shame are you carrying? How are you recognizing God's provision? Are you seeking God on His terms? Perfect for anyone feeling stuck in fear, carrying shame from past mistakes, or wandering in a spiritual wilderness, this message offers biblical insight on how God specializes in removing what we cannot remove ourselves—sin, shame, and guilt—and replacing it with honor, victory, and a new identity in Him. Keywords: spiritual transformation, overcoming fear, faith journey, shame to honor, God's promises, spiritual growth, Joshua 5, Jordan River crossing, divine timing, covenant faithfulness, identity in Christ, God's provision, wilderness experience, promised land, spiritual maturity

In this sermon, Pastor Mack Jarvis teaches about the Passover as the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt and what that last plague of judgement means for us today, as it foreshadows the Passover Lamb, who would take away the sins of the world.

Stepping Into Your Destiny: A Call to ActionIn this inspirational sermon delivered at Tampa Life Church, Pastor Tes Stewart from Spirit of Pentecost in Ontario, Canada, emphasizes the importance of faith and action in fulfilling God's purpose for one's life. He reflects on the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, highlighting their obstacles and God's interventions at the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Pastor Stewart challenges the congregation to move beyond their fears and step into their own 'Jordan River,' symbolizing the barriers they face. He calls for a commitment to action and deeper faith, urging listeners to step into their purpose and destiny, even in the face of uncertainty.00:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks00:43 Honoring Pastor Tisdale and Personal Ties01:44 Introduction to the Sermon: Step In02:25 Scripture Reading: Joshua 3:1303:59 Relating the Exodus Story15:52 Facing the Jordan River21:09 Call to Action: Step Into Your Destiny28:27 Concluding Prayer and Invitation

In this episode, Dutch & Tena talk about the TikTok crazed Labubu dolls and how most mainstream toys are rooted in the occult. Tune in to hear our full discussion.Check out our website:https://www.therealistthevisionary.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-realist-the-visionary--3304218/support.

In these dark times, we must fight evil with the most powerful weapons we have.The Rosary is foremost among them.Join the Great Rosary Campaign today at: www.GreatRosaryCampaign.com.The Great Rosary Campaign is a yearlong mission for the conversion of cultural leaders. We will announce a weekly call to pray every Sunday for specific fallen-away Catholics and non-Catholics.THIS WEEK of the Great Rosary Campaign, we will pray for the conversion of Charlie Kirk, the conservative political activist and founder of Turning Point USA.The SUGGESTED PENANCE this week is a 24 hour water fast, adjusted for your state in life.Countless Saints and Popes have told us that the Rosary is incredibly powerful for three things in particular:Keeping the FaithMoral renovationConversions of non-CatholicsThe Great Rosary Campaign is also based on several biblical themes and principles.First, PRAY FOR OUR BRETHREN. “Pray for one another…” (Jas. 5:16). “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10).Second, PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:43-44).Third, PRAY FOR ALL MEN, PARTICULARLY LEADERS AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, or kings and all who are in high positions…” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).Fourth, GOING INTO BATTLE WITH THE ARK. When the ancient Israelites came to Jericho, God didn't tell them to besiege the city. Instead, He told them to march around it with the Ark of the Covenant seven times, and on the seventh the walls would fall. We will now "march" in prayer for seven days with the New Ark of the Covenant, Our Lady, through the Rosary. We pray in hope that on the seventh day, a day especially devoted to Our Lady (Saturday), extraordinary graces of conversion will be given to those we are praying for.Fifth, EVANGELISM AND APOLOGETICS = LOVE + ARGUMENTS + PRAYER + PENANCE. Ultimately it is God who reveals Himself to a soul, and empowers them to say "yes" to Him by His grace. He chooses to use us, but He does not have to. We must remember that as we evangelize and defend the Faith, our arguments will be fruitless unless informed by love (charity), and reinforced by prayer and penance.Sixth, RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL. “Do not return evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing" (1 Pet. 3:9).Sign up to take part in the Great Rosary Campaign today: www.GreatRosaryCampaign.com

While the Israelites were in exile in Babylon, they were encouraged to depend on the Lord. As Babylon was defeated and the Israelites were allowed to return to their homeland, the Lord encouraged them to depend on Him. Just like the Israelites, we are spiritual exiles living in a world that is not our home. But in God's infinite wisdom, He has us here is a sinful world for a reason. While we are here, we are called to build, trust, and pray, not a physical house, but a spiritual house with it's foundation on Jesus Christ. We have to trust the Lord and depend on God.

God heard Israel's cry for help and responded. He used the Burning Bush to send Moses to free the Israelites. See what this teaches us about how we can live sent as Jacob McKlarney shares.Welcome to New Life Online! We are so glad you are here! Learn more about New Life at http://newlife.church. Fill out a Digital Connection Card to ask specific questions at http://newlife.church/connect.

The story of David and Goliath is not about us overcoming our obstacles but about how Jesus has killed the real Goliath—sin and death. He is the true and better David. We are the Israelites who were saved by God's King. We are called in to His victory and salvation for the glory of His Name.Sermon Preached by Bryan Martinez on July 27, 2025Foothill Church exists to glorify God by living as disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus.https://foothill.church Learn about our For the Sake of His Name 2-Year Discipleship Journey:https://foothill.church/FTSOHN

Hear Joni talk about a verse that always makes her think twice. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Exodus 16:4-35 - In this message, we look at the principle of trust—rooted in Sabbath-keeping and daily dependence on God—through the Exodus 16 manna narrative. The contrast between the Israelites' fear-driven grumbling and God's consistent, gracious provision reveals how trust is cultivated through obedience and rest.

God is a good God who has so many great things for each of us.But WE need to boldly push past resistance, and take our promiseJoshua was now leading the Israelites, and God told him it was time to get up, be courageous, and to take the Promised Land!

A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity St. Matthew 5:20-26 by William Klock In last Sunday's Gospel we were with Jesus and Peter in that fishing boat as Jesus preached to the crowd on the shore.  I said that I had a pretty good ides the sorts of things Jesus was preaching, because both Matthew and Luke preserve versions of his favourite sermon about the kingdom.  Today's Gospel gives us a snippet of Matthew's version of that sermon.  In Matthew 5:20 Jesus says to the gathered crowd, “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  In the words leading up to this, Jesus was preparing the people to hear this.  He talks about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world and a city set on hill and a light held high on a lampstand for everyone to see.  “That's how you must shine your light in front of people!” he says, “Then they'll see what wonderful things you do, and they'll give glory to your father in heaven.”  Do your works, does you the way you live make people take notice and give glory to God?  That's a tough one, isn't it?  And then, just in case people might be thinking that Jesus came to do away with the law and the prophets: “Don't suppose that I came to destroy the law or the prophets,” Jesus said, “I didn't come to destroy them.  I came to fulfil them!  I'm telling you the truth: until heaven and earth disappear—and since that won't happen this just means never—not one stroke, not one dot, is going to disappear from the law until it's all come true.  So anyone who relaxes a single one of these commandments, even the little ones, and teaches that to people, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.  And anyone who does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  And this is where Jesus says those words, “Yes, let me tell you: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”   Because Jesus was doing and saying so many things that a lot of people thought weren't right, I suspect some people thought that Jesus was teaching an easier way to the kingdom.  The Pharisees were mad because he didn't seem to keep the law with the same zeal that they thought everyone should, but I suspect there were others who thought Jesus was offering them a way to God without all the spiritual rigor and rules.  Just this week I found myself talking to someone who had left an orthodox, biblical church a few years ago and is now worshipping at a United Church.  The reason: “They aren't so strict.  They let people be themselves.  They aren't so bound to the Bible.”  In other words: The United Church offers a way to God that you can follow on your own terms.  I suspect some people thought Jesus was doing a sort of First Century Jewish version of that.  And so Jesus makes it clear that this is not the case.  No, just the opposite in fact.  Not even the Pharisees with all their zeal for torah, not even they meet the standard.  Later in the sermon he'll go on to talk about the wide and narrow way that will lead Israel to destruction and the narrow gate that few can find and the narrow and difficult way beyond that leads to the kingdom.  No, Jesus hasn't come to relax the standard.  Not at all. But before we can go on we need to ask a couple of questions.  When Jesus talks about “righteousness”, what does he mean?  Well, for the Jews “righteousness” was bound up with torah, with the law and with God's covenant.  A righteous person was someone who was faithful to God and to the covenant and that meant, fundamentally, that he was faithful in living the law that God had given his people. The name “Pharisee” means “separated one”.  That's what Israel was supposed to be.  The Lord had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt to be his people and he gave them a law, he gave them torah, as a way of life that would separate them and that would make them distinct from every other people on earth.  When the nations looked at Israel they were supposed to be moved to give glory to God.  But for most of their history, the Israelites didn't do a very good job of being that separate and distinct people.  They were selective in their obedience.  They worshipped idols.  And so just as he cast Adam and Eve out of the garden and out of his holy presence, the Lord cast out Israel and sent her in exile to Babylon.  Righteousness means “covenant faithfulness” and if Israel wasn't going to be faithful to the covenant, then in order to be faithful himself to the covenant, the Lord would have enact the covenant curses that he promised would befall his people if they didn't keep their end of the covenant—if they were unrighteous. As I've said before fairly recently, the Pharisees knew all of this.  More than that, they believed that the exile was, after a fashion, still ongoing.  Because Israel was still ruled by pagans and because the Lord's presence had never returned to the temple.  They desperately wanted an end to Roman rule and even more than that, they prayed for the Lord's return.  But that wasn't going to happen as long as Israel was still unfaithful—still lacking in righteousness.  So the Pharisees decided to set an example.  They weren't just going to obey the law as best they could; they were going to live their whole lives as if they were priests in the temple.  They wouldn't just keep themselves from sin.  They'd keep themselves ritually pure at all times.  They were ready for the Lord to return.  If only they could get everyone in Israel just as ready!  But not everyone in Israel was as interested in righteousness as they were.  There were a lot of people who just weren't as serious about God's law as they were.  But worse were the compromisers—the Jews who gradually assimilated to the pagan ways of the Greeks and Romans and the people who willingly and knowingly became traitors to the covenant: tax collectors and sinners. Think of it this way: The Pharisees saw themselves in the midst of a culture war.  And they knew it wasn't the first time Israel had faced a culture war.  And so their heroes were the righteous men of Israel's past culture wars.  One of those heroes was Phinehas, one of Aaron's grandsons.  In the book of Numbers we read how Balak, the King of Moab, had hired a prophet to curse the Israelites.  But the prophet, Balaam couldn't do it.  Every time he opened his mouth to curse the Israelites, the Lord caused blessings to spill out.  So Balak, instead, sent a bunch of beautiful Moabite women to infiltrate the Israelite camp and to entice the men of Israel to worship the Canaanite god Baal with them.  Isreal's first culture war.  The men were enticed into sexual immorality and then into idolatry—those two always go hand-in-hand.  But Phinehas, came upon one of the Israelite men in flagrante delicto with one of these women.  Filled with holy zeal, Phinehas grabbed a spear and ran them both through together.  That was the end of Israel's first culture war and Phinehas became a hero for his righteous zeal. But much more recently, the Pharisees looked back on the heroes of the Maccabean Revolt—about 160 years before.  In those days Judah was ruled by Greeks.  And the Greeks just sort of thought that because their culture was so superior to everyone else's, everyone would just assimilate given the chance.  Think of Gus in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  “There are two kinds of people: Greeks and everyone who wish they was Greek.”  But no matter how many temples or gymnasiums the Greeks built, the Jews wouldn't assimilate.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes had enough of it and finally outlawed the law.  If you circumcised your son, you and he would be executed.  He defiled the Lord's altar by sacrificing a pig on it.  In Second Maccabees we read a horrific story of seven brothers and their mother who were tortured and gruesomely martyred when they refused to eat pork.  Jews were forced to offer sacrifices to Zeus.  Mattathias Maccabeus was watching as one Jewish man caved into that pressure.  The writer of First Maccabees tells us how Mattathias burned with zeal for the law, just like Phinehas had.  He ran forward and killed the man at the altar, then turned and killed the King's soldier.  That would kick off a revolt against the pagan Greeks.  But the Maccabean revolutionaries didn't just go after their foreign rulers; like Mattathias they went after compromising Jews as well. They were the inspiration for the Pharisees.  The Pharisees didn't have that kind of power.  They couldn't force anyone to keep the law or to keep it better.  But they had the same kind of zeal.  They desperately wanted, they prayed for the Lord to return to Zion to destroy the Romans and all the other unrighteous pagans—and all the compromisers like the tax collectors and sinners in Israel, too. And—getting back to Jesus peaching on the hillside—and Jesus now says that even that kind of zeal, that kind of righteousness isn't enough to get folks into the kingdom.  In other words, to the people who were coming to Jesus thinking he was making it easier—kind of like some modern liberal spirituality that you can shape to your own liking—Jesus says, “No.  I didn't come to make it easier.”  But then he condemns even the Pharisees.  They were the most righteous people around and even they weren't going to make the cut.  So what now?  Imagine all the people holding their breath to hear what Jesus is going to say next.  They really, really want to know.  Before he ever started preaching, they'd seen him doing all the Messiah things: casting out demons, healing the sick and the blind and the deaf.  They knew without a doubt that the God of Israel was somehow acting in and through Jesus, so they had to think that when he preached, he preached with authority and he spoke for God.  He's got their attention now.  Now they want to know what it means to be more righteous than even the Pharisees. So Jesus goes on and says, “You have heard it said to the people of old, ‘You shall not murder'; and anyone who commits murder shall be liable to judgement.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement; anyone who insults his brother with foul and abusive language will be liable to the lawcourt; and anyone who says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to the fires of Gehenna.”   And Jesus keeps going on like this.  If we skip down to 5:27—picking up just were today's Gospel ends—Jesus says something similar about adultery.  “You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you: everyone who gazes at a woman in order to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  On and on.  Divorce falls in Jesus sites too: Divorce is wrong.  Marriage is a life-long covenant.  Tell the truth, he says, and you won't need to make oaths for people to believe you.  The law commanded justice and put limits on retaliation, but Jesus says, “Don't resist evil with violence”, “turn the other cheek”.  “When someone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat, too.  When someone forces you to go one mile, go a second one with him.”  And in verse 43 Jesus puts a cherry on top of all this.  They knew that the law was about loving your neighbour, but then they got the idea that the only people who were their neighbours were their fellow Jews.  Love your neighbours, yes, but hate your enemies—people like the Romans, the tax collectors, and the sinners who openly rejected God's law and covenant.  Love your neighbours.  Pray for God to smite your enemies.  And Jesus says, “No!  I tell you: love your enemies!  Pray for people who persecute you!”  Why?  “So that you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven.”   Do you want to have a share in the kingdom?  Do you want to be a child of the Father?  Do you want to know how to have a righteousness—a covenant faithfulness—greater than even the Pharisees?  Do want people to glorify God when they see how you live?  Then love the way that God loves.  That's what righteousness has always been about: it's been about a people that conforms to the heart of God.  Righteousness is about sinlessness, but it goes deeper than that and that's what the Pharisees and so many others in Israel had forgotten even though it was there all along: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbour as yourself.” Brothers and Sisters, this is what kingdom people look like in a culture war.  They love the way God loves.  This is the narrow gate, this is the difficult path that leads to the kingdom and life with God.  It's hard.  All we have to do is look around us.  Things haven't changed much since Jesus preached this two thousand years ago.  We're in the middle of a war ourselves and it seems like Christians are prone to the same two failures.  There's a ditch on either side of the road.  You fall into the ditch on this side when you give in and compromise.  Whether it's the Judeans who went along with the Greeks, leaving their sons uncircumcised, eating pork, and making offerings to Zeus or the Christians today who give up and buy into the pagan world's notion that love is whatever you make it, anything goes, and we can all live and fellowship with God on our own terms.  Brothers and Sisters, compromise with a godless and anti-gospel culture isn't the way.  Jesus didn't come to make it easier to get into the kingdom, but there are a lot of people and churches today who think that the answer to the culture and to dwindling interest in the gospel is to lower the bar and to make it easier to think of yourself as a Christian.  Appealing to the cultural moment might get you a few followers in the short term, but it will land you in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing your teeth just as surely as the opposite error will. The opposite error—the ditch on the other side of the road—is Phariseeism.  And that happens when we forget that the gospel wins not through violence and force but when Christians love the way that God loves.  Brothers and Sisters, no amount of compelling, force, violence, or political power will ever move the heart of an unbeliever to give glory to God because of what they see in us.  But in the midst of a culture war it's very easy for God's people to think that seizing the reigns of power is the answer.  We'll do anything, compromise just about anything, team up with just about anyone no matter how ungodly they are, to get our hands on that power.  And we can do it all with a zealousness like that of Phinehas or Mattathias that feels so right.  We try to meld Caesar and Jesus together, forgetting that Caesars bloody and violent way is the opposite of the gospel, which conquers through love.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same trust in horses and chariots.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same time trust in political power.  Jesus demands our allegiance and our trust—all of it and without compromise.  And it's when we give him that full allegiance that we have the loving heart of God.  It's when we're willing to follow Jesus as we turn the other cheek, as we give both our shirt and our coat, as we go the extra mile, even as we go to our own deaths, it's then that world takes notice and give glory to God.  That's how the gospel captivates hearts and transforms the world. Brothers and Sisters, that's the narrow gate and the difficult path.  Don't give up on righteousness when the going gets tough.  And never forget that law is ultimately about loving God and loving our neighbours—everyone—the way God loves them—enough to give his own son.  Love them as God does—even your worst enemy—even to point of sacrifice.  That's how God once captivated your heart and it's how he will captivate theirs. Jesus stresses just how important this is.  Going back to the end of our Gospel in Matthew 5:23 he says, “So, if you are coming to the altar with your gift and there you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift right there in front of the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother.  Then come back and offer your gift.”   We probably miss the significance of this.  To go to the temple in Jerusalem to make an offering to God was the peak of righteousness, of covenant faithfulness.  This took precedence over everything else.  No one.  No. one.  Would go to Jerusalem.  And remember, Jesus is preaching in Galilee, a three day's journey from Jerusalem.  No one would trek all that way, carrying their animal for sacrifice or buying one at an exorbitant price at the temple, wait their turn, and then standing there with the priest ready to make the sacrifice, suddenly realise they needed to go all the way back home to make something right with a brother or a sister.  Yes, I think Jesus is using a bit of hyperbole here, but he wants to drive his point home, because this is how people—especially the Pharisees thought.  If you were doing it for God, nothing else mattered.  Think of the priest and the Levite in Jesus' parable, leaving a man for dead on the side of the road lest they become ritually impure.  For all their talk of loving God, they'd forgotten just how much God loves us and they'd failed to live it out.  That's why they grumbled when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.  They'd forgotten that all of heaven rejoices over a sinner who repents. No, says Jesus.  Never think that you're honouring God if, at the same time, you're failing to love your neighbour the way God loves him.  Never think you're doing God's work if, at the same time, you've compromised his call to faith and to faithfulness.  Never think you're building the kingdom if, at the same time, you're compromising its principles.  Instead, stop what you're doing and make things right.  Go back and love your neighbour.  Reconcile and make things right with him.  Remember that you serve the God who gave his son out of love in order to reconcile sinful you to himself.  Have that kind of love in your heart and let it shape every thing you do. Brothers and Sisters, every Sunday we recite those words of Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Don't just mindlessly say those words.  Be shaped by them.  Love God and love your neighbour with everything you've got and then you will have that righteousness greater even than that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Let's pray: O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In Nehemiah 8, we see how the Israelites gathered eagerly to hear and understand God's Word after returning from exile. Their experience teaches us that truly understanding Scripture leads to reverence, conviction, joy, and spiritual hunger. When we comprehend God's Word, it transforms us—moving us from sorrow over sin to the strength found in God's joy. To grow in understanding, we need regular reading, proper explanation, a willing heart, and practical application. Making Scripture a priority isn't just about knowledge; it's about allowing God's truth to change how we live.

God heard Israel's cry for help and responded. He used the Burning Bush to send Moses to free the Israelites. See what this teaches us about how we can live sent as Jacob McKlarney shares.Welcome to New Life Online! We are so glad you are here! Learn more about New Life at http://newlife.church. Fill out a Digital Connection Card to ask specific questions at http://newlife.church/connect.

Walk On: Failure Numbers 13-14 Pastor Christopher Ek The book of Numbers tells the story of what happened to the Israelites between leaving Egypt and entering the Promised Land. But is not just a story of God moving them from point A to point B, it is the story how they matured and grew in faith. Listen this week as we learn about what was simmering under the surface of their lives and how it led to their biggest failure in the wilderness. 

Passover — Review of Lesson #5 of the 3rd Quarter of 2025 -The Sabbath School Lesson study guide can be found here:— https://ssnet.org/lessons/25c/less05.html— https://www.adultbiblestudyguide.org/archives— https://sabbath-school.adventech.io/enThe title of this quarter's theme is: Exodus: Journey to the Promised LandFor the next 13 weeks (July to September 2025), we will look at the principles that God manifested towards Moses and the children of Israel, as He brough salvation and deliverance to them, in accordance with the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  But beyond just delivering the Israelites from bondage, God sought to establish a covenant relationship with them.  We will study this progression during this quarter.Related Podcasts:— The Call of Moses— Prepare for Exodus— Trouble before Deliverance— The Plagues— Be Careful What You Ask ForRelated Podcasts at TrueWisdom:— Instruction vs History, Part 1— Instruction vs History, Part 2— Instruction vs History, Part 3— Pharoah's Heart HardenedText UsSupport the showPlease send your questions or comments to: BibleQuestions@ASBzone.comWe often refer to "The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study," a Bible Study resource which outlines core concepts shown in the Scriptures that will help you to better understand many Biblical themes and doctrines. We have done a whole podcast series on these principles which can be found at BibleStudy.ASBzone.com/357512/8572886.God's Precious Word is a condensed, 9-part series based on the same resource. Check out these awesome Bible Maps! Lastly, we recommend that you check out https://TrueWisdom.buzzsprout.com for a related Bible Study podcast, in a different format, co-hosted with Robert Baker.We pray that all of these resources will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies.

7-27-25 AM 'The Deformation of the Church'Sermon Text: Judges 17-18Theme: A cross section of the covenant community - a family, a priest, and a tribe -drift away from true religion into idolatry.I. The corruption of an Israelite family.II. The corruption of the Levitical priesthood.III. The corruption of a tribe in Israel.Rev. Ralph A. Pontier

Patrick answers a question from Ann: Why do some people write the word God without the "O" and they replace the "O" with a hyphen? and how can we guide our children to choose Catholic partners for marriage instead of partners from other faiths? Email – Abby – I am around Cyrus’s age and was taught that the Israelites and the Jewish people have continued to be persecuted. Is God still angry with the Israelites? Anna - Why do some people write the word God without the "O" and they replace the "O" with a hyphen? Ann - I got invited to a baby shower for my nephew's Girlfriend who is pregnant. Can I go? Julia - How do you keep your kids Catholic in this woke world we live in? Also how can we guide our children to choose Catholic partners for marriage instead of partners from other faiths?

The Israelites had turned away from the Lord, doing evil in His sight. Then the Midianites invaded Israel. They were cruel to the Israelites, leaving them no food, taking their cattle, goats and sheep. When the Israelites were close to starvation, they turned to their God, Jehovah, for help.So the Lord said to Gideon, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I Am sending you!” God is Jehovah M'Kaddesh, the Lord God Almighty Who Sanctifies. “I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” Exodus‬ ‭31‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬#kids, #storiesforkids, #biblestoriesforkids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #christiankids, #jehovahm'kaddesh, #thelordwhosanctifies, #thelordgodalmighty, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

From the archives - it's the best of “Navigating through Change” podcast - summer edition:How did the Israelites handle the many obstacles they faced in the wilderness? Hebrews 11:30 says, “By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell...” In today's devotion, Gene shares that when you're navigating change, you've got to live by faith -- moment by moment.

In this episode we look at the bitter waters of Marah that the Israelites came across after they'd come out of Egypt and were in the wilderness. We look at the significance of the waters being bitter and how it was a life of death situation that they found themselves in. We also look at how Moses cast the tree into the water, foreshadowing, the cross the waters were healed. When we put the cross into the midst of our bitterness, our bitterness can be healed too and made sweet!

In today's page of Talmud, Avodah Zarah 36, the sages continue their discussion on halachot pertaining to goods made by gentiles, and whether Jewish people can consume them. There's a larger discussion here, one about tradition and continuity. For further insight, we are including this week's episode of our sister podcast 'Sivan Says'. This week's double parsha, Matot-Masei, contains a list of 42 places the Israelites journey to on their route to the Promised Land. What can we learn from this long and detailed list? Listen and find out. 

Welcome to Day 2681 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Sacred Space” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2681 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2681 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 8th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.' If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.' Today, we will read through chapter eight: “Sacred Space.” The Israelites spent over a year at Mount Sinai. Why so long? They had already entered into a covenant with God and received the Ten Commandments. But they still had a lot to learn. It was one thing to promise to believe in and be loyal to the God of their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was another to know what God expected and what he was like. The Concept of Holiness Many of the strange laws and practices of the Old Testament are grounded in the need to teach people that God is unlike everything else. In his nature and character, he is unique; he is completely other than humanity and anything else. For Israel, that was a truth that had to be reinforced at all times. Otherwise, God might be thought of as ordinary. The biblical word for the idea of God's unique otherness is holiness. It means “to be set apart” or “to be distinct.” The concept isn't necessarily about moral conduct​—about the idea that we should behave a certain way to reflect God's distinct moral standards—though that is included (Lev. 19:2). God wasn't content to simply give Israelites an intellectual explanation of holiness. He wanted the concept of his otherness to permeate life in ancient Israel. The Bible tells us this was accomplished through rituals (symbolic acts) and by rules for approaching sacred areas. How Is God “Other”? The short answer to this question is “in every way,” but that's too abstract. The Bible is much more down-to-earth, and the rituals and rules for Israelite community living reflect that. For example, the Bible teaches us that God was not only the source of Israel's life—he was life. God is not of this earth, a place where there is death, disease, and imperfection. His realm is supernatural. Our realm is terrestrial. The earthly space he occupies is made sacred and otherworldly by his presence. The space we occupy is ordinary. God is the polar opposite of ordinary. In ancient Israel, these ideas were conveyed by the fact that people had to be invited and purified to occupy the same space as God. Many laws in the Old Testament regulate this purifying. Israelites could be disqualified (made “unclean”) from sacred space by a variety of activities and conditions. Having sex, losing blood, certain physical handicaps, and touching a dead body (human or animal) all rendered an Israelite unclean. Israelites were forbidden from eating certain birds of prey that ate from dead animals (e.g., vultures, hawks; Lev. 11:13–19) or animals that might be found on or inside a carcass (e.g., lizards, mice; Lev....

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comI Corinthians 10Israel's history serves as a cautionary tale for Christians. Despite experiencing God's blessings and deliverance, many Israelites fell into idolatry and immorality, leading to judgment. Paul urges the Corinthians to avoid similar pitfalls, warning against overconfidence and reminding them that no temptation is beyond God's help. He promises that God will provide a way of escape in every trial. Believers are encouraged to be mindful of their choices, particularly concerning eating food sacrificed to idols, and prioritizing the spiritual needs of others. Convictions of conscience hold great importance to God, and Christians must honor their own while also being considerate of others. Ultimately, Paul calls on them to do everything for God's glory, avoiding offense and seeking to build up others in faith through the demonstration of Christ's selfless love.Just as Israel crossed the Red Sea, we have been freed from bondage through the waters of baptism. Our leader is Jesus, who is greater than Moses. He is our source of spiritual nourishment and sustenance. However, like Israel, we can lose our deep relationship with God if we succumb to idolatry, immorality, or a lack of trust in the Lord. We must remain humble, reliant on God, and confident that He will strengthen us during times of temptation. God's people must move forward in faith together. Sharing in the Lord means we are all on this journey as one body. We must be patient, considerate of each other's conscience and needs, and devoted to helping one another stay saved. Eternal God, we know You led Israel out of slavery and toward the land of promise. We have read how many lost focus and succumbed to the impulses of the flesh, failing to receive the reward. Help us resist those temptations, support one another, and humbly rely on Your faithfulness to keep us strong. We vow to flee idolatry and dedicate our lives to You and Your people. Please help us cultivate the humility needed to deny ourselves and serve fellow believers. Guide us to do all things to glorify You and assist others in finding salvation in You. Thought Questions: -       Why did so many Israelites fall in the wilderness after being saved by God? What do you learn from their tragic example? -       “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” Why is pride so dangerous when it comes to facing the temptation to sin? -       In consideration of their neighbor, some did not eat certain meats. What liberties would you be willing to forfeit for the sake of Christians?