Podcasts about jesus christ himself

Delivered by Vivian from the Parish of Saint Thomas the Apostle in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indoensia. Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a.17-24a; Rs psalm 33: 2-3.10-11.18-19; Matthew 10: 1-7.LOST SHEEP Our meditation today is entitled: LostSheep. We do not feel strange or out of context about sheep often mentioned inthe scriptures, or expressed by Jesus Christ Himself, that refers to all of usas His followers. Even now, the intention is broadened to include all thebelievers living in this world as the sheep of the Lord. What God desires toall is that none of these all be lost. There is a fish in a pond that islonely, and has never joined other fish. He tends to hide behind rocks. Hispresence is unknown to others. A turtle passed around the rock and rebuked thefish: "You are a lost sheep. You are in here, but you make yourself lost,so you are alienated of this world." This simple illustration wants to giveus a hint about the loss and alienation of people in this world, even thoughthey are actually in the world, especially among those who love them. Suchlosses, in the understanding of living togetherness and social life, are oftenreferred to the marginalized or abandoned people in our society. The Scripturesand Jesus Himself say that they are the lost sheep. They must be sought, foundand brought home to the loving kindness of God the Father. In a particular point of view, theMother Church is very concerned and sad about her lost sheep. The universalchurch, the Local Church of the Dioceses, the territorial Church of theparishes and the most basic Church of our families, feel how painful suchlosses of their members. There are sheep who are lost because of the manychoices and offers of worldly manifestations directing them to the wrong paths.There are sheep who are excluded because of their evil behavior towards othersand are denied being part of the Church. There are sheep who abandon theirfaith and enter into other beliefs. There are sheep who deliberately andquietly move away or disappear from togetherness and brotherhood in the Church. What the Lord Jesus revealed in Histime about lost sheep, then the apostles were sent to bring them home, is areality that is very relevant to our situation. Each of us is supposed to carryout that mission. We take that responsibility with the aim of bringing back thesheep that have been away and lost. A disconnected relationship because of sinand evil that disowns one another, must be rejoint, as exemplified by Josephthe son of Jacob who was in Egypt, reunited with his family from Canaan. Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O generous and kind Father, kindly look at us and restore us fromthe sins that alienate us from each other. Hail Mary full of grace ... In thename the Father ...

Delivered by Nia from the Parish of Good Shepherd in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Isaiah 66: 10-14a; Rs psalm 66: 103a.4-5.6-7a.16.20; Galatians 6: 14-18; Luke 10: 1-12.17-20.THE SACRED NUMBER The title for our meditation today is:The Sacred Number. In the scriptures there are many numbers that are used toindicate important meanings about God's plan and work. One of them is number 70(or 72 according to other tradition). In the holy Gospel this Sunday, it issaid that Jesus Christ appointed and sent 70 of His disciples. Their duty wasto become servants of the Word of God. The number 70 was also used by Moseswhen he chose 70 elders to assist him in leading and taking care of the peopleof Israel during their wandering in the wilderness. The body of Sanedrin, theleadership of Israel as a nation, is a composition of council with 70 members.In Jesus' time, this number of 70 was a symbol to indicate that in this worldthere were 70 nations. Therefore Jesus sent the 70 disciples to each nation asapostles of the good news of God to them. The assignments for the mission wereindeed given priority to the 70 discipels. But we need to be honest that thecontents of the mission in the form of Jesus' commandments also apply to us. Inevery commission rite of the Eucharistic celebration and worship services, weare always sent to our Christian missions. The contents of the mission are inthe form of instructions on how we can carry out tasks as messengers of theLord. A messenger of Jesus must be a person who uses smartness andintelligence. This element requires that each messenger must have basicknowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church that havebecome our sacred traditions. A messenger must equip himself withthe fullness of love, a form of selfless love, so that in every form ofself-sacrifice, he truly presents Jesus Christ Himself. The messenger is willedby God as a peacemaker, because it is a way to achieve a common living togetherwhere there is a life that is just, harmonious and solid. A messenger isexpected not to depend his life on mere worldly facilities and goods, such asmoney, clothes and food. All that, according to the Lord Jesus, is alreadyavailable in places and people to whom the messengers associate in theirmissions. Therefore the messenger needs to prioritize a simple lifestyle,meaning he depends entirely on divine providence. In essence, a messenger works not forprofit, but for saving souls and for the glory of God. But Jesus emphasizesthat if people do not accept all the preaching, ministry and work of themessengers, they are actually provide punishment for themselves and their ownlives. Let's pray. In the name of ...O most loving God, may we grow and renew ourselves as your trusted messengers.Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Galatians 1: Gospel Clarity, Conditional Love, and Personal Theology In this episode of the Exploring More Podcast, Michael Thompson and SJ Jennings continue their series through the book of Galatians, focusing on Paul's bold defense of his apostleship and the uncompromising unity of the gospel. Writing with passion and urgency, Paul confronts distortions introduced by the Judaizers—reminding the Galatians that his commission comes not from man, but from Jesus Christ Himself. The conversation moves from historical context to personal reflection, as Michael and SJ examine how cultural expectations, church upbringing, and performance-based faith can cloud our understanding of grace. They explore how many believers, knowingly or not, come to believe that love must be earned—when in fact, the gospel declares it's freely given. This episode also introduces Zoweh's Base Camp, a new online resource hub offering devotionals, podcasts, and discussion guides to support deeper connection with God and others. Whether you're exploring Galatians in a group or on your own, this resource is a companion for your healing and restoration journey. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own personal theology and motivations: What's driving your faith—grace or performance? What version of love did your story teach you to believe? We hope you enjoy this episode and invite you to connect with us!

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion with Pastor Ben Carlson as he dives into one of the Old Testament's most intriguing figures: the Angel of the LORD. In this episode, Ben presents compelling scriptural evidence and theological insights to explain why he believes the Angel of the LORD is none other than a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ Himself. From the burning bush to Gideon's encounter, we explore key passages where this mysterious figure appears, examining the profound implications for our understanding of God's character and the continuity of His redemptive plan throughout history.   Below are the links for Pastor Ben's four part blog series on the Angel of the LORD: https://cbtseminary.org/what-does-the-angel-of-the-lord-mean/ https://cbtseminary.org/where-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-found-ben-carlson/ https://cbtseminary.org/who-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-ben-carlson/ https://cbtseminary.org/why-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-important-ben-carlson/   For more information about CBTS visit: https://cbtseminary.org  

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion with Pastor Ben Carlson as he dives into one of the Old Testament's most intriguing figures: the Angel of the LORD. In this episode, Ben presents compelling scriptural evidence and theological insights to explain why he believes the Angel of the LORD is none other than a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ Himself. From the burning bush to Gideon's encounter, we explore key passages where this mysterious figure appears, examining the profound implications for our understanding of God's character and the continuity of His redemptive plan throughout history.   Below are the links for Pastor Ben's four part blog series on the Angel of the LORD: https://cbtseminary.org/what-does-the-angel-of-the-lord-mean/ https://cbtseminary.org/where-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-found-ben-carlson/ https://cbtseminary.org/who-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-ben-carlson/ https://cbtseminary.org/why-is-the-angel-of-the-lord-important-ben-carlson/   For more information about CBTS visit: https://cbtseminary.org  

Title: The Lawyer Vs. The Tentmaker Text: Acts 24:1-21 FCF: We often struggle defending ourselves with wrong motives or beliefs. Prop: Because God's providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, we mut not fear for ourselves but defend the gospel against attack. Scripture Intro: ESV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 24. In a moment we'll begin reading in the English Standard Version starting from verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last time we saw Paul delivered safely from a plot on his life. Now this Roman prisoner has been transported to Caesarea to face his accusers before the governor of Judea, Antonius Felix. But Paul is still not out of danger. What will the apostle face in this trial? Will Felix be reasonable? Will his accusers even show up? Let's look. Stand with me to give honor to and focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Creator and Designer of the Universe and all that is within it, we humbly come before You today to seek clarity. We often face the ridicule, mockery, and disdain of those who are deceived. We often are slandered and maligned, labeled with unkind and unfair labels. Yet we confess and believe that You, our Lord, are the Designer and Maker of all that is. We confess that You have promised that all things work for the good of Your people. And so we must confess that even these things are for our good. Help us Lord to learn from Your servant Paul today. Help us to trust Your infallible plan. We pray this in Jesus' name Amen. Transition: Let us get right to the text this morning to find out what happens to Paul in Caesarea. I.) God's providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, so we must not fear false accusations. (1-9) a. [Slide 2] 1 - And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. i. Although the Chief Priests, the Elders, and the Sanhedrin were ready to execute a scheme to kill Paul with very little preparation, to actually bring a Roman suit against Paul would be far more difficult than simply killing him. ii. Paul stayed in Herod's Praetorium for 5 days while Ananias gathered some Elders who would go with him as well as one other important member of their entourage. iii. Although the ESV calls him a spokesperson here, more likely, as other translations indicate, Tertullus was an attorney specializing in Roman Law. iv. His name is Latin, so we recognize that he is probably not a Jew. Certainly not a Jew from Judea. v. So, in the 5 days between Paul's move to Caesarea and his accusers actually arriving, they have been quite busy. vi. They have hired an attorney and have formed their Roman case against Paul. vii. So, what is their case? viii. Well before we get to hear about that, Let's spend some time talking about Felix. Afterall, that is how Tertullus starts his prosecution of Paul. b. [Slide 3] 2 - And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 - in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 - But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. i. Although it would be easy to see this as Tertullus' attempt to butter up Felix, we should recognize that Tertullus is a professional orator and attorney. Nothing he says in these opening remarks are without some purpose. ii. Certainly, part of that purpose would be to ingratiate Felix to their cause. iii. We actually still have some of this in our legal system. We refer to the judges as “Your Honor” and it is generally wise to be on the good side or at least not be on the BAD side of a judge even in our legal system. iv. But Tertullus has built a legal case against Paul and everything he says to Felix about Felix is designed to bring stark contrast between the judge and the accused. To the extent that for the judge to find Paul guilty is because Paul is the opposite of Felix. v. In the text we see a great many things spoken that present Felix in quite the positive light. vi. But what do we know about this man? Was he really a good governor? How long did he serve? And what was his track record? vii. Much of what we know about Antonius Felix is taken from the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus. viii. Although their accounts of the man are not completely consistent on some details, the fact of the matter is that largely both historians agree on a few key facts. 1. First, Felix was formerly a slave along with his brother Pallas. a. Pallas was a friend and confidant of the Emperor Claudius and was freed from slavery by Cladius' mother. b. Along with Pallas Felix too was freed. c. So his freedom was given on account of someone else. 2. Second, Felix married three times in his life. And because of those marriages he advanced in power and authority. a. His first wife was the daughter of Marc Antony and Cleopatra and his third wife was Drucilla the daughter of Herod Agrippa the First. b. So, once again, because of others he advanced into positions he did not earn. 3. Third, in the situation we spoke of a few weeks ago where Ananias, the high priest of Israel, was sent to Rome for excessive brutality against the Samaritans – you guessed it, Felix was in the middle of this too. a. The man who was governor of Samaria at that time took all the blame instead of Ananias. He was exiled. And guess who took his place? Yep. Felix. b. Again, he was given a position, he did not earn. 4. Finally, both Josephus and Tacitus agree that Felix' governing of the province was marked by increasing unrest and brutality. a. Tacitus says “with savagery and lust he exercised the powers of a king with the disposition of a slave.” b. In AD 55 he put down an Egyptian man who claimed to be the Messiah. We've already talked about this some since Paul was thought to be that man by Lysias. c. Felix put down this Egyptian with mercilessness and brutality. d. And generally speaking, the Jews hated Felix. He continually did things to frustrate them and took rather liberal approaches to their laws. This infuriated especially the Pharisees who had a rather conservative view of scripture. ix. So, in light of this background, what are we to make of Tertullus' words about Felix? x. He says that they are thankful to Felix because he has brought much peace and many reforms. xi. Either Tertullus is just lying or, what is more likely, is that this just shows us the cunning and wickedness of Ananias and the spiritual leaders of Israel. xii. Even though Felix was merciless, savage, and brutal being recognized by even Roman historians as being barbaric – Ananias had no issues with his rule. And that is kind of that problem, right? xiii. Ananias and Felix are two peas in a pod. xiv. Furthermore, the attributes ascribed to Felix are the exact opposite of the charges they are about to bring against Paul. xv. So, what are those charges? c. [Slide 4] 5 - For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world i. Felix is described as a bringer of peace, but Paul is described as a plague. A blight. One who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world. ii. This first charge against Paul is a rather unfair assessment of Paul's history over his missionary journeys. iii. Paul certainly had been involved in a number of riots and angry mobs but we can accurately say that he never instigated them nor did he perpetuate them. iv. In many cases we see Paul leave a city, many times by his own choosing, in order to avoid further unrest. v. We also would point out that it was actually the Jews in every case who started the aggression then hunted Paul down following him from city to city in order to continue to stir people up against him. vi. So, this first charge is exactly backward. Paul incited no riots… the Jews simply hated what he said so much that THEY stirred up people against him. vii. And there is a good bet that Felix knows that this is actually the way it was. Why? viii. The Jews were notorious for causing riots and issues in the Roman Empire for decades. Since before the Romans even controlled Judea. ix. We should also observe how absolutely insignificant this charge is to Paul or Felix at this particular time. x. Even if it were true that Paul started riots in various parts of the Roman Empire, that really has no bearing on this trial before Felix. xi. Even if Felix wanted to find him guilty, he would have to investigate reports from various locations about these incidents. xii. This is why Paul's defense focuses on what has happened in the last few days not in the last several years. Because that is all Felix can really focus on anyway. xiii. But this charge has done its damage. It has compared Felix the peacemaker to Paul the troublemaker. xiv. Paul is starting riots everywhere and Jerusalem is just another in a long list. xv. As we know, Rome doesn't look too kindly on rabble rousers and riot makers. That he is a riot-starting-plague is a serious charge against him. xvi. What is the next charge? d. [Slide 5] and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. i. A second charge brought against Paul is connected to the first. ii. Paul instigates these riots among the Jews because he is the ringleader or peddler of the heresy known as Nazarene. iii. This charge comes somewhat closer to being an issue Felix must deal with since Rome had granted Judaism a special status among religions that could be practiced in the Roman Empire. iv. If the Nazarene teaching of The Way is indeed a heresy of Judaism, then it would not have the same freedoms that Judaism had been given. v. But is Paul really the ringleader? vi. As Paul will go on to testify in future trials, the ringleader is very clearly the Risen Jesus of Nazareth. He is merely a servant of this Jesus. vii. But the fact that he is the leader of this heresy is actually a secondary matter. Paul will go to great lengths in his response not to combat the idea that he is the leader of this group but to deny that it is a heresy of Judaism. We'll get there in a few minutes. viii. Tertullus said that Felix had, through masterful providence, designed many reforms which reinterpreted cultural and religious laws for the better of the people. But Paul is charged with being a leader of a heresy that leads to nothing but riots and unrest. e. [Slide 6] 6 - He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. i. Here is the final charge laid to Paul and it is also related to the previous two. ii. Paul is a plague and incites riots among the Jews because he is the ringleader of the Nazarene Heresy and the proof of that is that he tried to profane the temple with his heretical teachings. iii. This is the charge that could really get him killed. iv. Roman practice throughout the empire was to support the worship of local deities and the prevention of the desecration of any temples or gods. v. They were remarkably syncretistic. And although the Romans did not generally allow the Jews to execute their criminals. When it came to temple desecration the Romans would allow them to execute those who violated their law. vi. So here we see the Jews are fighting for their right to protect their own temple and enforce their own religious laws. vii. This is what is at stake. viii. Felix knows this. ix. If this charge is proven to be true, and Felix does not allow the Jews to execute Paul… then tensions would no doubt continue to rise between Rome and the Jews. x. This is as much a political move as it is a legal one. xi. Of course, what they failed to bring with them is evidence and witnesses… something Paul will point out in his defense. f. [Slide 7] [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7 But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.] i. Every word on the screen is omitted from most modern translations of the bible. Some put the text in brackets with a foot note explaining that there is doubt about the inspiration of these words. ii. It boils down to textual criticism and understanding how we harmonize manuscripts from different times and in different manuscript families. iii. Within the discipline of textual criticism there are several rules or guidelines we follow to determine which manuscripts are closer to the original autographs. iv. [Slide 8] In this particular case, every rule points to this section not being written originally by Luke. v. Most likely it was added in at a later date to attempt to provide commentary on how the Jews may have seen the events unfold. g. [Slide 9] 8 - By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” i. The final point that Tertullus makes is to abdicate their role as accusers to produce any evidence for their claims and grant that to Felix. ii. This is actually not all that uncommon in Roman cases. iii. As we study Roman culture, Felix would have had absolute authority to not only do the work of Judge and jury but also to do the work of detective. iv. And Tertullus is saying that if Felix cannot substantiate their claims against Paul by interrogating him, then it is Felix's failure to interrogate him properly. v. And here we see some subtle pressure put on a man that everyone knows doesn't deserve the position he is in. h. [Slide 10] 9 - The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. i. Again, this clues us in to the fact that Tertullus is probably not Jewish. ii. If he was, we are left to wonder who these Jews are. iii. But because he wasn't, the Jews present at this trial are the High Priest and the Elders who had made the journey to Casarea to accuse him. iv. In any case, it seems like the case is closed. v. There are three charges, all of them with serious consequences if they are found to be true. vi. All Felix has to do is say the word and Paul will die. i. [Slide 11] Summary of the Point: What is God's will for Paul? It has been revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus came to him that night in the barracks of the Anatolian Fortress, just after the debacle of the Sanhedrin trial. Jesus told him that he must have courage because just like he bore witness to the gospel in Jerusalem, he must go and do the same in Rome. God is getting Paul to Rome. And yet we see in this text a top-notch attorney has just laid out three charges against Paul all of which could earn him serious penalties and even death. Paul's life hangs on a thread. But we know better. It isn't just that God will prevent this from keeping Paul from going to Rome… but my friends as the weeks go on we will see that these charges will actually serve to get Paul to Rome. Once again, we are reminded that the providential and sovereign hand of God is always working all things according to the counsel of His will. There is nothing that happens that He has not already foreordained. So what does that mean for us? We must not fear what wicked men say about us when they slander us and accuse us falsely. Transition: [Slide 12 (blank)] So what does not fearing men's false accusations look like? If Paul is given a chance to speak, will he just quietly say, “I am trusting the Lord to bring me to Rome safely.” And then sit down? Let's see what Paul does. II.) God providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, but we must make a defense of the hope that we have in us. (10-21) a. [Slide 13] 10 - And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. i. Paul is invited by the governor to speak. Felix needs to hear his side of the case, especially since Tertullus invited Felix to examine him. ii. Paul begins by acknowledging Felix's last decade of service in the area. iii. Because he has had such a long tenure, Paul feels confident and even happy to bring his defenses before him. Hoping that he will be reasonable. b. [Slide 14] 11 - You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 - and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. i. Paul pivots and exploits the failure in the first charge against him. ii. Their charge was he had caused riots all over the Roman Empire with Jews. iii. However, Paul points out that he did not do so in Jerusalem only 12 days ago. iv. In this he recognizes that Felix has no jurisdiction or concern about things that have happened in the distant past in other provinces. v. What he is concerned about is what has happened most recently in his province. vi. And most recently, Paul did not cause any issues in the temple, in the synagogues or even in the city itself. vii. Further Paul invites Felix to verify this. viii. There is some question about how to interpret Paul's 12 day comment. We can talk about it more on Thursday, but the best way to see it is as if Paul was saying, “I only spent a total of 12 days in Jerusalem, which isn't enough time to start a riot.” ix. In this way, Paul effectively defeats their first charge. x. They say that I am a plague and a riot maker among the Jews. xi. But I spent 12 days in Jerusalem and neither had time to start a riot nor can they produce one witness to accuse me of stirring up crowds in the temple, the synagogues or even in the city itself. xii. In other words, if this is all related to me being some kind of heretical religious zealot, I am doing a pretty poor job at peddling my beliefs. c. [Slide 15] 13 - Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. i. Paul confronts the other two charges against him with the same general statement. ii. They are unable to prove anything that they have accused him of. iii. They cannot prove that he is the ringleader of the Nazarene heresy, nor can they prove that he attempted to desecrate the temple. iv. But Paul doesn't want to allow them to get away with calling those who follow Jesus, heretics. d. [Slide 16] 14 - But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 - having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 - So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. i. This is actually a brilliant defense used in some of the more famous Roman cases we have documented. ii. The person without admitting to a crime does confess something about themselves that vindicates them. iii. What is Paul saying? iv. Although I am certainly a follower of The Way, The Way is not a heresy of Judaism, but is rather the next step in Judaism. v. It is verified by the law and the prophets which spoke of this time in Judaism where the Messiah would come and give a New Covenant. vi. And a key part of that New Covenant is the belief that both the just and the unjust will be raised from the dead. vii. Now it is clear that Ananias would not believe in the resurrection. He was a Sadducee. viii. But some of the Elders Ananias brought with him no doubt were Pharisees. ix. Really his defense here is that he has not created a heresy of Judaism or another faith altogether, instead he is following what has been prophesied… the real Judaism is following Jesus of Nazareth because He died and rose again just as He said He would. x. And in this way Paul's conscience is clear. He is not doing this for money, for power, or prestige, but because the Fathers of Israel and the prophets spoke of this long ago. e. [Slide 17] 17 - Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 - While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— i. Again, Paul is just clearly proclaiming that he is Jewish. ii. After several years being away, he came to give to the poor (probably the financial relief package he had collected from Asian and Greek churches to bring to the church of Jerusalem). iii. It was while he was being a good Jew, having been purified, in the temple, a place he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to do, that they found him. iv. And there were no crowds around him or tumults at all. v. Until what? vi. Until some Jews from Asia. vii. But that's the problem right. viii. Paul actually interrupts himself here… f. [Slide 18] 19 - they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. i. Absent from these witnesses are the Jews who actually stirred up the crowd against Paul. ii. Where are they? iii. Tertullus wasn't in the temple that day. Ananias wasn't in the temple that day. The Elders of Israel weren't there. iv. Where are the Jews from Asia who were there? Why are they not present to make an accusation? v. Why indeed. vi. Paul is aiming for the dismissal of the case here. vii. How? viii. In Roman law, a witness who abandons their responsibility to bring an accusation against someone in court would actually be guilty of a crime themselves. ix. In that case the charges levied without a plaintiff are dismissed and in most cases the trial is dismissed as well. x. But if the charges against him weren't seen personally by the Jews present, what is their experience with Paul? What crimes have they observed him do? g. [Slide 19] 20 - Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 - other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.' ” i. Paul points out that these men should speak concerning what they found him guilty of at the trial before the Sanhedrin. ii. And there lies the rub. iii. That trial was a debacle. iv. They broke out into a theological dispute and brought NO charges against Paul except for theological disagreements. v. Disagreements where SOME OF THEM even AGREED with Paul. It can't be heresy if some of the ruling religious council of Israel agree with what he says. vi. Certainly, at this trial of the Sanhedrin, they did not mention any of the charges which they brought to Felix this day. vii. The only thing they had against him was what he had said bout the resurrection of the dead. viii. Paul points out that the only reason he is on trial is because they want Rome to solve this sectarian dispute between the Jews and the Christians. ix. And that is a great defense… because Rome has no interest in doing that. x. Paul deftly points out in his defense that none of the charges he has been formally accused with were personally witnessed by anyone present at the trial that day. xi. What does that mean? xii. It means that this should be… case dismissed. It is actually a fairly easy decision for Felix to make. xiii. But… we'll wait until next week to find out what he decides. h. [Slide 20] Summary of the Point: God is working in this trial. God is using the false accusations against Paul and really against Christianity to move Paul down the road to Rome. But Paul does not sit idlily by and trust the Lord passively. Instead, he actively trusts the Lord by giving a defense for the hope he has in him. Tertullus made a huge mistake, guided by God's hand. That mistake was to bring into the trial the reputation of followers of Jesus. If this trial was only about Paul… perhaps Paul remains more passive. But Tertullus makes this about the church and if he makes it about the church, he makes it about the gospel. Paul defends the gospel. He flips the script and explains how the followers of Jesus are rooted in the same scriptures and prophets that the Jews also claim and shows how he has not been the cause of trouble but that these Jews are making accusations that they are unwilling to back up in a trail setting. Thus, Paul provides a positive example that when we are falsely accused, we must give a defense for the hope we have in us. We must contend for the gospel. Conclusion: So, CBC, what have we learned today and how then shall we live? Whare are some basics of faith and practice we should observe through this. Basics of Faith and Practice: In many ways, knowing how the book of Acts ends helps us to understand the primary point of teaching or doctrine that Luke is revealing throughout all the events of Paul's journey to Rome. But verse 11 of chapter 23 is the interpretive guide for how we are to apply that doctrinal truth. God's providential hand is guiding Paul through many twists and turns to arrive in Rome at precisely the right time. Meaning that even this strong case against Paul raised with false accusations by a professional attorney is part of that plan God has for Paul. But Jesus' words to Paul help us to know what to do when we are in situations where we don't know the details of God's plan but do know the end of God's plan. God's plan for us, His children, those who are in Christ, is to save us from death and resurrect us to life eternal in His Son. And so our response to every threat, every false accusation, every bad thing we face must depend on those promises which the Lord has given us. In the text today we recognize two specific responses. First is to not fear false accusations of men. Other New Testament writers encourage us to continue living godly lives so that these accusations will bring shame to our accusers and glory to our God the Father. The second response is to defend the gospel from misrepresentations or false accusations. But let us seek to apply these things more specifically this morning. 1.) Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God's providence includes false accusations from wicked people. a. Through the church age, the forces of darkness, working in conjunction with man's natural wickedness, have levied countless false charges against God's people. b. Even a cursory reading of John Foxes' book of martyrs displays that through every age of the church wicked men have hunted down and within the legal government system brought to bear against God's children charges which they did not commit. c. Many times, this led to imprisonment, torture, and even death. d. If God is all knowing, He would have known of these plans of the wicked. e. If God is all powerful, he could have orchestrated events to keep His people from being in such a position. f. If God is all good, he would be highly motivated to not allow injustice to be executed upon His people. g. But because all these are true, we must conclude that God's hidden plan, which He has made since before the foundation of the world, even includes when people falsely accuse us of wrongdoing. h. Once again, I won't belabor the point, because it will continue to come up… i. But the only option we have as bible believing people is to affirm that God providentially orchestrates all events in our lives to accomplish His hidden will. j. Because we know He is all powerful, all good, and all knowing, this must be true. k. What does this mean for us? 2.) De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not fear what wicked men may do through false charges and injustice. a. We as Americans have a particular hatred of injustice, impingement on our freedoms, or being labeled as guilty when we aren't. b. That is why our legal system was designed to assume the innocence of a person unless it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that we are actually guilty. c. Our culture is shifting to declare guilt and innocence by popular opinion rather than by a court of law, but there is still a tenacious desire in us to defend or prosecute those we feel are innocent or guilty. d. Along with this we might grow fearful or even angry when we are accused of something that we did not do. e. We have all heard stories of people who were convicted in a court of law for doing something which earned them a life sentence or even the death sentence, only to discover 20 years later new evidence that the person did not actually commit the crime. f. Stories like these fuel the fear that we might be misrepresented or even slandered for doing something we didn't do. g. But affirming that God providentially moves in all the events of life to accomplish the counsel of His will allows us to take a step back and do as Jesus instructs in the sermon on the mount. h. Rather than expressing fear or anger over false charges, we should instead rejoice for suffering these false accusations against us. We should rejoice for having the opportunity to suffer for the sake of Christ. i. We don't need to fear what men may do to us or what crazy schemes they may concoct to cancel us. j. We need only to trust the Lord who knows all our ways and has a plan that He has already accomplished to save us from this life and resurrect us to life eternal. k. Of course, God's sovereign decrees dwell in the paradox of human responsibility. And that is the nature of our next application. 3.) Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that trusting God's sovereign providential hand means to do nothing. a. Paul rises in defense here. b. We'll get to why he does this in a moment but for now let us just recognize that Paul acted. c. Paul did not sit back and decline to speak because he knew he would get to Rome since Jesus said it would be so. d. If God told us that we would go to Africa tomorrow and lead someone to Christ, but we never booked a flight or did anything to get ourselves there, well that is just plain disobedience. e. God telling us what will be does not give us liberty to do nothing. f. Instead, just like it always does, belief that God is telling the truth requires us to obey as if it is true. g. Because of this, if we are in the same position as Paul we must… 4.) Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must be ready to give a defense for the hope we have in us. a. While I cannot say that it is morally wrong or a sin to defend ourselves against false charges, I can say that we don't see that happening here for Paul. b. Not really. c. Paul doesn't debate that he isn't the ringleader of the Nazarene Heresy. He doesn't debate that he was involved in riots. d. But he does debate the charge that Christianity is opposed to God's law. Because that cannot be allowed to go unchecked. e. Paul very clearly outlines how he as a follower of Christ did not start a fight in Jerusalem, he was in the temple following the law. f. He says that The Way is rooted in the same Fathers and prophets that all his accusers believed in too. g. For the sake of the gospel and the reputation of Christ followers, Paul makes his defense. Certainly, this vindicates himself to some degree, but it is obvious his aim is greater than that. h. We too must be laser focused on what is important. i. Again, I do not think it is wrong to defend ourselves or even make a legal defense for ourselves if we are accused falsely. But, our primary goal in every instance in life is to make much of the gospel of Jesus Christ and if necessary, contend for it. j. Sadly, oftentimes we care more about defending ourselves than we do the gospel or our gospel witness. k. Natural man is well equipped to defend himself. And this is often our default setting. l. But it takes a spiritually mature person to defend themselves righteously and also prioritize the Kingdom of God in their defense. m. Paul strikes that perfect balance in our text today. And we must strive to emulate him. 5.) Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” In God's courtroom all men are judged by a perfect and just God. a. Though our courts have some of the fairest rules in place to assure that only the guilty are punished for their crimes, the fact of the matter is that the judicial system, even in this nation, is full of injustice. b. It may happen in our lives that we will be falsely accused and though we make a strong defense we are imprisoned or even killed for something we did not do. c. But the Christian worries little about this life. They know that in God's courtroom, the only courtroom that really matters, they will be declared righteous, not of themselves, but on the account of Christ who became their sin so that they might become the righteousness of God. d. We find comfort in the kingdom that is coming… not in the kingdom that is. 6.) Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The gospel produces a law keeping and blameless church. a. Paul finds it especially necessary for followers of Christ to be known as people who follow the law of God and draw their teachings from the Fathers and the Prophets. b. In our time the gospel has been reduced to a magical prayer that you pray which God is somehow obligated to honor because you said the right words. c. But Paul defends the godly and noble character of the church. Why? d. Because God's true children are godly and holy people. e. In Matthew 7 Jesus talks about those who in the midst of being cast from his presence object on the grounds that they had done mighty works in his name. But Jesus still rejects them because as He says, I never knew you. f. And then the clincher… you lawless ones. Or you lawbreakers. g. You see although the gospel certainly tells us that we cannot earn God's grace or forgiveness and that only Christ can purchase our salvation…. The gospel also clearly teaches us that those who are truly saved are being conformed into the image of Christ. We are, as I said a moment ago, the righteousness of God. h. The fact of the matter is that no man will enter the kingdom of heaven if they purposefully continue to violate God's law. i. So, my friends, if you are here today and you have prayed a prayer – but your life is still lived intentionally violating God's law… then you must realize that you have no hope. j. Those whom the Lord has set free are free indeed. Meaning free not only from the penalty of sin but from its power as well. Let me close with a prayer recorded in the Didache (did-ah-kay) which is a very early record of church worship and teaching. We give thanks to you, Father, for your holy name which you made to dwell in our hearts. Thank you for the knowledge, faith, and immortality which you made known to us through Jesus your Son. To you be glory forever. You, Lord Almighty, created all things for your name's sake, and gave people food and drink for their enjoyment, that they might give thanks to you. And you have blessed us with spiritual food and drink and eternal light through your Son. Above all we give thanks to you that you are mighty. To you be glory forever. Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love, and gather it together in its holiness from the four winds to your kingdom which you have prepared for it. For yours is the power and the glory forever. Let grace come and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If any one is holy, let them come! If any one be not, let them repent. Maranatha-our Lord, come! We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Benediction: May the Lord of Hosts be with you So that you will become greater and greater still, Until you receive that crown of life Which the Lord has prepared for those that love Him. Until we meet again, go in peace.

What is the last Day? Is there a last day upon the earth. Was Jesus speaking of a physical last day when He told them, recorded in John, He would raise them up IN THE LAST DAY. Here is another view of that. While there was a last day of the Old Covenant and the things that pertain to it, I believe Jesus Christ Himself is the last Day. When we come into Him, we come into a new day. This is not a natural day, and it doesn't require natural light to see, but we see in this day through the light of HIs Revelation.

https://media.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/content.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/J2025_06_21_Jesus_Christ_Is_Coming_Back_Soon_.mp3 June 21, 2025Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Saturday, June 21, 2025, and this is episode #9 in Series 2025. This episode is titled, “Jesus Christ Is Coming Back Soon!" If you are at all in tune with world events, you very likely have heard mention of an event called the Rapture. If not, let me explain to you what the Rapture is.The Rapture is an event predicted in the Bible whereby Jesus Christ Himself will appear in the air and gather together from the four corners of the earth all those who follow Him. It will be a sudden event and will leave those who are not raptured reeling in shock as to what happened.Let me read to you directly from the Bible as it describes this cataclysmic event in 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-3:"Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and security,' destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-3)Did you catch the words "peace and security"? Have you noticed that those words are being uttered all over the news every day and are being pronounced continually in meetings at the United Nations?Friend, Jesus Christ made this prediction over 2000 years ago, and we are now seeing it being fulfilled right before our very eyes. Should this not cause us to pause and consider?You may be saying, "Well, Dr. MaryAnn, I don't believe in the Rapture. In fact, I don't even believe in Jesus."I would say to you, "You are free to believe what you choose. But what you believe does not change the truth."For example, you could say to me, "Dr. MaryAnn, I'm going to climb up on my roof and jump, but when I do, I will go up instead of down."I would say to you, "I don't think you will go up when you jump off your roof. I think you will go down and possibly get hurt. There is a law of gravity that will cause you to go down when you jump. So, if I were you, I would reconsider my belief. But, of course, you are free to believe whatever you want to believe."But know this, my friend, whatever we believe has consequences. So be prepared to face the consequences of your belief that when you jump off your roof, you will go up.The same is true about the Rapture and the Bible in general. The Bible is God's inspired word. He directed different people in different centuries to write His Word. Despite the fact that those people for the most part didn't know one another and lived centuries apart, they all wrote the same truth expressed in different ways. Doesn't that tell you something?Bottomline, we will believe what we want to believe. But we had better make sure that what we are believing is the truth. Otherwise, we will end up where we don't want to be.There are numerous signs in the Bible of the Rapture. Some will say that the word "rapture" is not in the Bible. Actually, it is. It is found in the Latin Vulgate translation as the word "rapturo." "Rapturo" means "a catching away," which is exactly what the Rapture will be—a catching away of the people of God by Jesus Christ Himself.Lest you think this is far-fetched, so is the concept of aliens far-fetched. Yet, people have no trouble believing in alien invasions. Over the decades, the world has been programmed through movies and books to believe in aliens. In fact, once all Christ-followers have left the earth, their sudden departure will be attributed to an alien abduction of inferior creatures of a lesser consciousness. (As an aside, aliens are fallen angels who rebelled against God with Lucifer, now known as Satan.)Other signs of the imminent Rapture are the world's current focus on Israel and the M...

We appreciate you being here with us on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast. Revelation chapter 8 verses 6-12 will be the center of our attention in this lesson.The conditions of our present generation are not much different from the days of which Dr. Mitchell spoke. Is there hope for us in these days? There is indeed.God hears our prayers and being a just and righteous God will answers the weakest of us who know Him. Add to this the fact that Jesus Christ Himself and the Holy Spirit also intercede for the believer, we have great hope.Dr. Mitchell then goes on to speak of the seven trumpet judgements. In this lesson we cover the first four of the seven trumpets which the seven angels sound.Let's open our Bible and join Dr. Mitchell in Revelation 8 verse 6.

My wife has recently painted these words on a wall in our house as a reminder to us both: “Mightier than the waves of the sea, is His love for us!” (Inspired by Psalm 93:4). Please remember this. Mightier than the tempest you are facing is His love for you! - Chris Eyte Daily Meditation When life crashes over us like an impossible wave—unexpected illness, personal crises, or spiritual darkness—it’s easy to feel utterly hopeless. In this moving devotional, Chris Eyte shares his miraculous journey from the brink of death to full recovery after a brain bleed. His story is a testament that God truly makes the impossible possible. Rooted in Matthew 19:26, this reflection reminds us that even when our own strength fails, the “J Factor”—Jesus Christ Himself—steps in. His name, “God With Us,” is a promise that no situation is beyond His power or love.

It's Thursday, June 5th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Christian groups in India to speak out against persecution June 9 Christian groups across India are organizing a protest against persecution of Christians on Monday, June 9. The National Christian Front noted, “Our Christian brothers and sisters are enduring brutal attacks and growing intolerance from anti-social elements. This is not merely a Christian issue — it is a grave concern for humanity, for peace, and for the values enshrined in our Constitution.” Christians suffered over 600 incidents of violence and discrimination in India last year. The country is ranked 11th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of most difficult places to be a Christian. U.K. Christian groups calling for prayer on June 11 In the United the Kingdom, Christian groups are calling for a day of prayer on Wednesday, June 11 for protecting human life. This comes as lawmakers are considering bills to legalize assisted suicide.  Listen to comments from Ciarán Kelly, director of The Christian Institute.  KELLY: “This is a crucial time for our country. So, it's vital that Christians are asking the God, Who made Heaven and Earth, that He would overrule in all these things, to protect vulnerable people from this careless and callous bill.” In 1 Timothy 1:1-2, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” Trump overturns pro-abortion Biden rule In the United States, the Trump administration rescinded a pro-abortion rule on Tuesday that came from the Biden administration.  The rule tried to force hospital emergency rooms to offer abortions even if the state restricted them.  Matt Bowman, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, said, “Doctors—especially in emergency rooms—are tasked with preserving life. The Trump administration has rolled back a harmful Biden-era mandate that compelled doctors to end unborn lives, in violation of their deeply held beliefs.” Trump raises tariffs on steel imports President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to raise tariffs on steel imports. The order doubles tariffs on steel and aluminum coming into the country from 25% to 50%. The levy will affect steel exporters in Canada, Mexico, and many countries in Europe. However, the tariff on steel from the United Kingdom remains at 25% as the U.S. and U.K. work out a trade deal.  Dust from Africa's Saharan Desert hits America Over the weekend, a massive plume of dust made its way to Florida all the way from the Saharan Desert in Africa.  Such dust plumes are known as the Saharan Air Layer and typically cross the Atlantic each year. The current plume is the biggest one to reach the U.S. so far this season. It measures nearly 2,000 miles wide and 750 miles from north to south.  The dust can diminish air quality but also creates spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  Only 1 in 100 Evangelical pastors leave ministry annually A report from Lifeway Research found that only 1 out of 100 Evangelical pastors leave the ministry each year.  This low rate has remained steady for the last 10 years despite many pastors acknowledging their work is very demanding and even overwhelming.  Scott McConnell with Lifeway Research said, “The rate of pastors departing the pastorate is steady and quite low given the demands of the role. Many of those leaving the pastorate feel they are moving at God's direction to another role of ministry.” In 2 Timothy 4:2, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” The American Miracle movie shows God's intervention in U.S. The Left insists that there's nothing special about America. But a new docudrama contends that God inspired its founding.  The American Miracle – Our Nation is No Accident hits the silver screen in 1,000 theaters nationwide for 3 days only -- Monday, June 9th through Wednesday, June 11th. Inspired by Michael Medved's bestseller, this exciting, entertaining, and edifying motion picture experience was created in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  ‘ Medved appeared on The 700 Club. MEDVED: “America is no accident. All of our most important leaders, from Washington to Lincoln to Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt -- all of our leaders have understood that America has a divine purpose.” Consider God's protection of George Washington – the Father of our Country -- in a ferocious battle in 1755 during the French and Indian War. During the Battle of Monongahela, 69 of 70 officers were either killed or wounded. Washington was the only officer who was not shot off his horse.  In fact, two horses were shot from underneath him. Yet he lived. Even a Native American chief later said they couldn't touch Washington. Shockingly, after the battle, he found numerous bullet holes in his jacket and bullet fragments in his hair, but he was miraculously unscathed. No wonder they called him “Bulletproof.”  Visit the website https://americanmiraclemovie.com/, watch the trailer, click on Tickets, and type in your zipcode to get tickets for next week at a theater near you. Watch the trailer. Worldview listener in Florida speaks up On Wednesday, I was delighted to receive 23 emails at Adam@TheWorldview.com about what listeners enjoy about this newscast. Amy Cool from St. Cloud, Florida wrote, “I like that I can trust The Worldview newscast to report the truth from a Biblical perspective. I like the Scriptures referenced as they pertain to a particular story because it shows the relevance of the Bible to our life today. That's often hard for people to see when they haven't grown up in a home where the Bible was read or explained.” 14 Worldview listeners gave $1,420 to fund our $123,500 annual budget Toward this week's $30,875 goal to fund one-fourth of The Worldview newscast's annual budget by this Friday, June 6th, 14 listeners stepped up to the plate on Wednesday by 7:15pm Central last night.  Our thanks to Grace in Duncanville, Texas, Greg in Rochester, New Hampshire, Andy in Santa Barbara, California, and George in Carrollton, Missouri – each of whom gave $25. We also appreciate Jalynn in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Jon in Granger, Indiana, and Steven in Jacksonville, Florida – each of whom gave $50. We're grateful to God for Nancy in Peabody, Massachusetts, Kevin in North Bend, Oregon, and Robert in Plano, Texas – each of whom gave $100. And we appreciate the generosity of Paula in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana who pledged $10/month for 12 months for a gift of $120, Dawn in Troy, Montana who gave $150, Amy in Seminole, Texas who gave $300, and Dawn in Smithville, Texas who pledged $25/month for 12 months for a gift of $300. Those 14 listeners gave a total of $1,420. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please.  (Drum roll sound effect) $6,352 (People clapping sound effect)  We missed our goal of 20 donors by just 6 donors. That means by this Friday, we still need to raise $24,523.    Whether it's Thanksgiving or Christmas, we churn out a weekday broadcast 52 weeks per year. It's a commitment we're glad to make, but we need help to cover the cost. Would you prayerfully consider investing $100 per month for 12 months into this ministry, helping to pay for the work of the six-member Worldview team?  If 20 of you made that pledge we would hit our Friday, June 6th goal one day early. Just go to TheWorldview.com and click on Give on the top right.   And click on the button that indicates a recurring donation if you want to give monthly. Thanks for investing your resources into this media ministry that champions the truth.  Our plumbline is Jesus Christ Himself. Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, June 5th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

White smoke graced the sky over the Vatican. The catholic faithful and the world then knew that the successor to the deceased Pope Francis had been elected by the conclave of cardinals. The new pope was none other than:ROBERT PREVOST, 69 YEARS OF AGE.There was nothing remarkable or new about the election of this pope as there had been several hundred before him, except for one thing. Robert Prevost was an AMERICAN and consequently became the very first American pope in the history of the catholic church. That was a surprise to some, even shocking to others.Robert Prevost was from Chicago, Illinois. He grew up a baseball fan and his team was the Chicago White Sox. I wonder what he thinks of them these days, a sad sack of a baseball franchise, losers year after year. Prevost rose through the hierarchy of the church as priest, bishop, cardinal, special advisor to Pope Francis, and gained notoriety among the cardinals of the church throughout the world because of his close relationship with Pope Francis.Now, the world and the catholic faithful wonder what this man really believes, how he thinks, what his social and political values are, and whether or not he will continue the somewhat progressive policies and decision making of Francis or lead the church in a different direction. Conservative cardinals had called for the election of the new pope in the mold of John Paul II, a bold conservative pope, returning the catholic church to its roots, heritage, tradition, but those cardinals were very much in the minority. They indicated to the conclave of cardinals that they strongly felt:“We desperately need a man of the spirit.”That plea, however, fell on deaf ears.One cardinal eloquently stated that our culture (American) and the world at large is one SICK AT HEART. We are, said he:DIVORCED FROM THE MYSTERIOUS AND THE SACRED.The real power of the church, convincingly spiritual in nature, has been eroded, resulting in a church fragmented, attendance at mass down and the rituals and traditions in a state somewhat of disrespect and in some sense unnecessary. All of thatsuch vocal cardinals hoped would change with the election of the new pope, RobertPrevost, who will be known to the world as:POPE LEO XIVAnd more from the conservative element in the conclave of cardinals. Said one:“The last thing we need is for spirituality to be updated, modernized, maderelevant to our alienated souls.”Which of course means that the church needs to return to roots and not re-modernize.The roman catholic church and the long line of popes harken back in a line to Peter, aGalilean fisherman, who became a passionate disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ who, inPeter's conversion, told him that he would no longer fish for fish but that he wouldbecome a:FISHER OF MEN,And, Jesus said, that upon this rock I will build my church. It seems as though thissmall, minority group of cardinals was hoping and praying that the new pope wouldhave as a burning priority the call to all men that they, like Peter, would becomefishers of men, strong believers in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, the real head of thechurch, and the son of the Living God. Now, it is up to Pope Leo XIV to show the worldwhether that will be so.The first words of this new pope were encouraging. They were as follows:“PEACE BE WITH YOU! DEAREST BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THIS WAS THEFIRST GREETING OF THE RISEN CHRIST, THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO GAVE HISLIFE FOR THE FLOCK OF GOD. I, TOO, WOULD LIKE THIS GREETING OF PEACE TOENTER YOUR HEARTS, TO REACH YOUR FAMILIES AND ALL PEOPLE, WHEHEVERTHEY ARE.”This new pope wants all humankind to believe in the:RISEN CHRISTAmen.Vatican experts however have said that Cardinal Prevost had very similar values toFrancis, having been made a cardinal by Pope Francis. Those priorities were thechampioning of the poor and more which others have said indicate a socialistic form ofbelief and frame of mind. Time will tell.President Trump congratulated Robert Prevost and hoped to meet the new pope, whileJD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, also congratulated Leo XIV andoffered his prayers that God would bless him in his important work.Vatican experts have compared Pope Leo XIV's championing of the poor and themigrants, especially those who made their way to America illegally or not, to that ofPope Francis. Said one Vatican expert:“He's (Robert Prevost) right out of Francis' playbook.”If so, that will come as a disappointment to the conservative element in the catholicchurch and in the conclave of cardinals. It is very probable that Pope Leo XIV willfollow very much in the footsteps of Pope Francis.Vatican experts have also theorized that the church has long hesitated to name anAmerican pope because of the United States' status as a global superpower. They fearthe concentration of power. However, they do believe that Pope Leo XIV will have aglobal perspective and tend to the needs of the global church.Time will tell. The catholic church faces some pressing issues including migration,wars, climate change, inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics, women in church leadership, andthe Trump presidency which Pope Leo XIV eschews and has shown disagreement andeven disrespect for President Trump. He made a somewhat encouraging statementabout the western media as follows:“Extraordinarily effected in fostering within the general public enormoussympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.”Leo XIV also said that he opposes ordaining women which will be disappointing tomore modern catholic elements.The bottom line of course, especially to evangelical and born-again Christians, is thatthe head of the church, the real church, is none other than:JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.Everything that matters about Christianity comes from Him and is about Him,including the salvation process. Conservative Catholics want the church (and the newpope) to return to conservative principles, the real roots of the church, and to becomea spiritual force and not a political one. Today, say church experts, everything turnspolitical or becomes involved, and in the case of the catholic church, the real missionbecomes watered down. We should hope that this new pope will once again emphasizeand reprioritize the most essential belief in all of Christendom, and the church ofJesus Christ, that HE is the cornerstone, the rock, the central force in all ofChristendom.

By Victor T Hou - Ephesians 2:19-20 says: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and the members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” In this message, we

In all the world, there are almost countless ways people try to find God. Some people are drawn to the mystical, while others chase after the practical. Does it work?God knew we would all look to fill the void in our spirits, the one put there when man first sinned. He also already knew what our escape route would be, the path back to Him.Romans 10:9–10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” The so-called “Roman Road” is in reality a face-to-face with the Living God. Jesus Christ Himself is our aim, and our benefactor. He loved us so much that He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin. It's very simple really. God accepted the sacrifice and raised His precious Son from the dead. Now, it is there waiting for us to accept that great and priceless gift.Let's pray.Lord, we complicate things sometimes, but your salvation is a simple choice, and it is free. Blessed be your name forever and ever! In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

In our study today we learn that Love is the bond between believers and the truth is the foundation for that bond. Jesus Christ Himself is the truth, God manifest in the flesh. Here is Dr. Mitchell to continue our study in 2John verses 2-6.

In episode 741: The Hidden War Beyond Sight, Brandon joins to share his extraordinary lifelong journey—one marked by eerie encounters, unseen forces, and a battle between darkness and light. From childhood encounters with shadowy figures that moved with eerie intelligence to sleep paralysis attacks that felt more like interdimensional assaults, his experiences defy simple explanation. The terror escalated with scratches, whispers, and the inescapable sense that something was always watching. Then came the stadium lights, impossibly massive, stretching across a nightmarish horizon. Were they beacons? However, Brandon's journey didn't end in darkness. He stumbled into astral projection, battled a shapeshifting entity masquerading as his daughter, and found himself face to face with a towering, radiant figure—Jesus Christ Himself. What message did He bring? From demonic torment to divine intervention, Brandon's story is one of spiritual warfare in an age where the veil is thinning. What happens when the supernatural refuses to stay hidden? And more importantly… what side are you on? Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/join The Confessionals Social Network App: Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrh Google Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZ My New YouTube Channel Merkel IRL: @merkelIRL My First Sermon: Unseen Battles Sasquatch and The Missing Man: merkelfilms.com Merkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.com SPONSORS SIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionals UNCOMMON GOODS: uncommongoods.com/tony GHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tony CONNECT WITH US Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com Email: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.com MAILING ADDRESS: Merkel Media 257 N. Calderwood St., #301 Alcoa, TN 37701 SOCIAL MEDIA Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/ Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7h Show Instagram: theconfessionalspodcast Tony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcas Twitter: @TConfessionals Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel Produced by: @jack_theproducer OUTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Otherside of The Sun YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify

"When we speak His name, when two or three are gathered together, Jesus Christ Himself is right there." --Pastor Omar Ellison ******* Find more information on our website: https://www.saltandlightcovenant.com/

By Jeff Lockhart - Eph 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Eph 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, Eph 2:21 in whom the whole

by Elder Chris McCool, Pastor (preached on March 2, 2025) Today we turn to another practice that is peculiar to the Primitive Baptists: the foot washing service. Jesus Christ Himself gave us this example when He knelt down after the institution of the communion service and washed the disciples’ feet. He tells us that we...

Jesus is ever the focus of our attention through His Unchanging Word.If you know you need the living savior, Jesus Christ Himself , begin a conversation with him now in prayer and thank him for dying for your sins and for his forgiveness. And tell the Lord Jesus you want to receive him as your own savior and ask Him to come into your heart, and He will. Jesus Himself said, "He that comes to me I will certainly not cast out!" He has never turned down anyone. Now let's continue in1Jn.3:2 with Dr. Mitchell as he once again focuses our attention on the love of the Savior.

Think for a moment of the piety of the Madonna when the angel told her that the Spirit would overshadow her. What sentiments of humility, confidence and courage! At the very moment when she understood that God had given her His heart, that is, His Son, she gave herself to God. Her soul was flooded with charity, so she could say with the sacred spouse, "...My heart trembled within me, and I grew faint when he spoke." [Sg:5:4] As far as we are concerned, we receive a similar grace in Communion, because not an angel but Jesus Christ Himself assures us that in it the Holy Spirit descends on us. Heavenly power covers us with its shadow and the Son of God really comes to us. He can say that He is conceived and born in us. Truly then, the soul can respond with the Madonna, "I am the servant of the Lord; let is be done to me as you say." [Lk 1:38] (Spiritual Directory, Art. 12) The post St. Francis de Sales Novena – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ (Joseph Smith History 1:1-26) with Dr. D. Todd HarrisonLast time we listened as God give powerful testimony that the early Christian Church fell away into darkness and apostatized from the Biblical truth. (This of course has always been very clear in multiple New Testament verses, and therefore should not have come as a surprise to anyone.) God further testified that He had called Joseph Smith to be His Prophet upon the earth, and gave to him a commandment to restore the original Christian New Testament Church. Following the reorganization of the Christian Church on April 6, 1830, God declared that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth." By true and living, God was saying that not only is the theology and doctrine as taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the most biblically accurate and correct when compared to that taught by all the other churches, but that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only "living" church that Jesus Christ is personally leading, guiding, and directing today through communication with His current prophets and apostles. Join us this week, as God continues His testimony. This week, God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ command the Prophet Joseph Smith two times not to join any church that was then upon the earth in the year 1820 (10 years before the restoration of Christianity). Jesus Christ Himself declared that all churches in 1820 "were wrong." He then stated "that all their (non-biblical) creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” God stated such important facts in a very clear and concise manner in which He did not wish to cause any confusion. Yet, we still see His great love for humankind. Notice, that while he did call all other churches "wrong," declared that all of their pastors, teachers, and leaders were "corrupt," and stated that "all of their (non-biblical) creeds were an abomination in his sight," He did not condemn all of their leaders, and all of their followers to Hell. Because of God's great love for us, His children, "He does not desire any to perish, but all to have everlasting life." That is the very reason why after so many centuries of darkness and apostasy, He choose to restore the Christian Church to the earth, so that all mankind can now participate in the covenants and ordinances that lead back to His heavenly presence.After watching this video with a sincere heart, and with a desire to want to learn more, I would invite those of you who have not yet become Christians by taking upon yourselves the name of Jesus Christ through baptism by those who hold the proper authorization or priesthood of God, to find out how you can exercise faith in Jesus Christ, and enter into a covenant with Him by clicking on the following link: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/requests/missionary-visitI know that God will bless you greatly if you will do so.

Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. (Philippians 2:16 NLT) Of all of the people who went into the various portions of the Promised Land that God had allotted to the Israelites, Caleb was the only one who successfully drove out all his enemies. And he did it at the age of eighty-five. Caleb had a strength that never waned because he had a love for God that never waned. Caleb went to Joshua and said, “So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said” (Joshua 14:12 NLT). He had asked for one of the most treacherous areas in the land, Hebron, which was known for its rugged terrain and fierce opponents. Yet the Bible goes on to say, “So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land. Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel” (verses 13–14 NLT). Maybe there is another reason Caleb wanted Hebron. The very word Hebron means “love, fellowship, communion.” This was the place where Abraham met with God face to face. That is what Caleb longed for. While others longed for Egypt, Caleb longed for Hebron. While others looked back, Caleb looked forward. And while others wanted to please themselves, Caleb wanted to please God. That is a key to finishing well. You’re always moving forward spiritually, seeking to grow spiritually, and never looking back. Anyone who is running a race knows that you can’t look back. It’s hard to run while you’re looking over your shoulder. You’ll tend to stumble over your own feet. If you want to finish well, then you have to keep looking forward. Don’t look over your shoulder, and don’t look behind you. Keep moving forward. Every day we should be seeking to grow stronger spiritually and grow more and more like Jesus. Corrie ten Boom was a great woman of God who went through incredible suffering in a Nazi extermination camp for hiding Jews in her home. She said, "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest." That is the key. Keep looking forward. As Hebrews 12:1–2 encourages us, “And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (NLT). Jesus Christ Himself is watching us. He is the one who will give us the strength to finish this race. People will let you down, and circumstances will disappoint you. Keep looking to Jesus. He is the one you need to finish the race for. Keep going. Run the race of life. Don’t give up. Don’t slow down. We need to keep our focus and remember what our objective is. Let’s finish well. Invest in evangelism in 2025! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.”’ (Matthew 1:23 NLT) For some, Christmas isn’t the happiest time of year. It can be the most dreaded time of year, because it reminds them of something. It might be the loss of a loved one, or it might be another loss of some kind. But Christmas can be a lonely, painful time. Yet the essential message of Christmas is that Immanuel has come to us. And the name Immanuel means “God is with us.” We read in Matthew 1:23, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (NLT). That is really the essence of the Christian life: God is with us. Jesus knows what it is like to be lonely. When He walked this earth, He probably was the loneliest man ever to live. Yes, He constantly had throngs of people around Him. But on that final day, those multitudes were gone. Even His own, handpicked disciples deserted Him. And as Jesus hung on the cross, suspended between Heaven and Earth, God the Father momentarily turned away as Christ bore all the sins of the world. He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46 NLT). Jesus will comfort us in our lonely moments. He says, “I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you.” That is His promise to the children of God. We are never alone again. Without question, one of the most remarkable teachings in the Bible is that Jesus Christ Himself will enter and live in the human hearts of those who put their trust in Him. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:23 NLT). That is an amazing statement when you think about it. God the Father and the Son are saying they want to make their home with us. All other religions essentially say, “Do.” “Do this and maybe you will be more spiritual.” “Do that, and maybe you will get closer to God.” But Christianity can be summed up in one word: “done.” Why? Because it is God living His life through us. God is with us. Jesus said to His disciples, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). He also said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT). God is with you. That is the message of Christmas. You are never alone again. Maybe your marriage fell apart and you feel alone. Know this: God is with you. Maybe your children have forgotten about you in this Christmas season, and the pain is sharp. Know this: God is with you. Maybe you’re isolated and by yourself. Know this: God is with you. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, God is with you. Invest in evangelism in 2025! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Christmas, join us in celebrating the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ Himself!

The beauty of the Good News is that when we receive the Savior of the world, we not only receive salvation but also Jesus Christ Himself.

Jesus replied, ‘All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.' (John 14:23 NLT) Being a Christian isn't merely trying to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Being a Christian is having Jesus Christ Himself taking residence in our hearts and living inside us. It's what distinguishes the Christian faith from any other belief system. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:23 NLT). That is an amazing statement when you think about it. God the Father and God the Son are saying they want to make their home with us. And in Revelation 3, Jesus said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (verse 20 NLT). It's interesting that Jesus made this statement to the church of Laodicea. Jesus essentially was speaking to people who were probably in the church and going through the motions of Christianity, but for all practical purposes, they didn't have a relationship with Him. A few verses earlier, Jesus said to them, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (verses 15–16 NLT). In other words, “Lukewarmness turns my stomach.” Thus, Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” It's hard for us to appreciate the significance of that statement in our fast-food culture. We are used to quick meals. In fact, we have developed into an art form the ability to eat while we're driving. But in Jesus' day, there was no such thing as takeout. A meal took much longer back then. Dinner was the main event of the evening, where you sat down with friends and family. You took your time to relax, share the events of the day, and bare your hearts to one another. So, when Jesus said, “I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends,” He was saying, “I want to have fellowship with you, and I want you to relax and be honest. I want to spend a lot of time with you.” Is Christ at home in your heart? The apostle Paul wrote, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong” (Ephesians 3:16–17 NLT). Is Jesus Christ an honored guest in your home, or is He a permanent resident? He wants to be the latter. Jesus doesn't just want to be home for the holidays. He wants to live in your heart all year. — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Mitchell shows the motive for living the Christian life in 1st Peter chapter 1 beginning at verse 18. Dr. Mitchell focuses on the finished work of Christ, on His precious blood for the redemption of each person. This redemption was not bought by either silver or gold which both soon fade away. Jesus Christ Himself is our redemption. Remember how the Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 1:30 that God made Christ Jesus to be to us wisdom, both righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Dr. Mitchell then concentrates on the love for the brethren which is to be fervent. This is possible because of a purified heart due to obedience to the truth. So this pure heart is possible because of being born again from the living and abiding Word of God. On the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, let's turn with Dr. Mitchell, to 1st Peter 1:18.

Today, Pastor Ken will be explaining how the Old Covenant was a shadow or copy of the better covenant to come. The lives of animals could never remove sin; the life of an animal is not a sufficient substitute for a human life. The blood of bulls and goats was a temporary appeasement until the final, ultimate blood covenant was made by Jesus Christ Himself – the God-Man. God's promise of eternal blessing is given only on the basis of faith in the saving blood of His Son, Jesus- which is the New Covenant.

Brian Davies joins host Elizabeth Pittman on this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to preview his new book, Captivating Conversations: How Christians Can Reclaim the Lost Art of Listening. During the episode, Brian talks about how we can use Jesus as our model for being good listeners and asking good questions as Christians in today's world. Pre-order the book at cph.org/listen. Available October 22. Show NotesAre you a good listener? Many people believe that they are but, when asked if they believe others are good listeners, the answer is usually no. Perhaps we all can learn to be better listeners. And there's no better model than Jesus Christ Himself. Listen to the episode now as Brian Davies talks about his new book where he takes readers on a journey of sitting back, opening your heart, and learning how to truly hear what others are saying. Brian discusses what it really means to be a good listener, how we can bring the Gospel to others by learning to really hear what they are saying, and more. About the GuestBrian Davies serves as pastor of Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Grayslake, Illinois, and as chaplain for the Grayslake Fire Department. Rev. Davies graduated from Concordia River Forest (now Concordia Chicago) in 2002, studying communications and biblical languages, and then went on to earn his master of divinity at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He and his wife, Beth, have three children: Kate, Megan, and Luke.

 It seems like since the Covid Virus that society, even families are so divided. By WHY? Today, I am going to show you why-FIRST by what the secular world of psychology and second by the biblical words of Jesus Christ Himself. Let's get started.Take an ONLINE Course at: www.EquippedAcademy.ComJoin The COMMUNITY at: StevenGarofalo.Locals.ComBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reason-for-truth--2774396/support.

October 14, 2024Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Story Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, October 14, 2024, and this is episode #18 in Series 2024. This episode is titled, "Are You Broken-Hearted?"A few months ago, I thought that the Lord was finished with this blog and podcast, but He had other plans. So here we are, happy to be back with all of our wonderful readers and listeners. Today I want to discuss the topic of broken-heartedness. Have you noticed that not many people are smiling these days? As I go about my daily life, I am struck with the looks of fear, hopelessness, and despair on the faces of those who cross my path. My heart goes out to them, because I know from personal experience that life does not have to be this way. You see, my friend, I used to be there myself. There was a time in my life when everything looked bleak. I felt stuck in a rut, with no way to get out. Nothing was going right. Not my job. Not my finances. Not my relationships. I was what you would call a "sorry case."So, what changed? Thanks for asking. I'd love to tell you. :)What happened was that I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.Now, before you stop reading or listening hear me out, please. Since you asked to know what changed, it's the polite thing to do on your part to wait for the answer to your question. After all, I'm taking the time to answer you. And to answer you gladly, I might add. :)Yes, I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Okay, Dr. MaryAnn. What exactly do you mean? Are you telling me that You met Jesus in person? I mean, did you bump into Him on the sidewalk? Did you run into Him at the library? At the grocery storet? What exactly do you mean?I mean that I met Jesus in a spiritual encounter that took place inside me for the first time in my life. And I have never been the same.Where did I meet Jesus?I met Him in the family room at a moment when I was at the end of my rope emotionally. How did I meet Jesus?Through a TV show being broadcast by Billy Graham.Holding the remote in my hand that night, I flipped through channels and found nothing that interested me. When I came upon Billy Graham, I decided to watch him because there was nothing better to watch, frankly. Plus, I had a certain respect for Billy Graham and thought it wouldn't hurt to watch and listen.Little did I know that during that TV program, I would meet Jesus Christ Himself.So, how did it happen?It happened when Mr. Graham looked right at me through the TV camera and spoke to my broken heart. He said words about me that He could not possibly know unless God had revealed them to him. He described exactly how I was feeling and the situation I was in. He saw my broken heart.Then Mr. Graham said something amazing. He said that Jesus was the answer to a broken heart. Since Jesus made the human heart, He was the only one who could fix it. Was I willing to have Jesus fix my broken heart?That pivotal night, almost 55 years ago, I told Jesus I was willing for Him to fix my broken heart. And do you know what?He did! So, if your heart is broken today, let Jesus Christ fix it. He is the only one who can. And how do you do that? By inviting Him into your life and receiving Him as your personal Savior and Lord. Pray this simple prayer with me now:Lord Jesus, I come to You just as I am. I admit that I am a sinner in need of Your mercy and grace. I repent of my sin, and I ask You to come into my life to be my Savior and Lord and to fix my broken heart. Thank You, Lord. I pray this prayer in Your Name. Amen.If you prayed this prayer sincerely from your heart, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at drmaryannn@maryanndiorio.com, and I will send you a free booklet titled After You're Born Again.In case you are not aware, I write heart-mending fiction that deals with the deepest issues of life. In my stories you will find characters just like you who struggle with what loo...

What would you do if you knew Jesus Christ Himself would speak at the next conference, but He didn't want you to travel there? Let's see what we can learn from 3 Nephi 19:3 today!  And grab study guides for the whole family here:  - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here:  https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSS - To get Kristen's scripture study guides click here: Kids Study Guide, Teens Study Guide, Combined Teens AND Kids Study Guides: https://kristenwalkersmith.com/start-here-scripture-study-guides/ Get our 365-day Book of Mormon daily devotional book: https://amzn.to/4016Xob Music by Bensound License code: BPUQ9E5DYFPVAAQA  

Order of Service: - Prelude - Matins (Morning) (pp. 109-119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 1, 2 - Ephesians 2:19-22: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. - Devotion - The Te Deum Laudamus (pp. 114-116) - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 3, 5 - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Laura Matzke (Organist)

Chaplain Don Moldstad was preacher for this service. Ephesians 2:19-22: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Chaplain Don Moldstad was preacher for this service. Ephesians 2:19-22: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Matins (Morning) (pp. 109-119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 1, 2 - Ephesians 2:19-22: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. - Devotion - The Te Deum Laudamus (pp. 114-116) - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 3, 5 - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Laura Matzke (Organist)

Order of Service: - Prelude - Matins (Morning) (pp. 109-119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 1, 2 - Ephesians 2:19-22: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. - Devotion - The Te Deum Laudamus (pp. 114-116) - The Kyrie (Lord have mercy) (pp. 116-117) - The Lord's Prayer (p. 117) - The Collect (pp. 118-119) - The Benedicamus (p. 119) - The Benediction (p. 119) - Hymn 486 - The Church's One Foundation: vv. 3, 5 - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Laura Matzke (Organist)

In all the world, there are almost countless ways people try to find God. Some are drawn to the mystical, while others chase after the practical. Does it work?God knew we would all look to fill the void in our spirits—the one put there when man first sinned. He also already knew what our escape route would be, the path back to Him.Romans 10:9–10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”The so-called “Roman Road” is in reality a face-to-face with the Living God. Jesus Christ Himself is our aim, and our benefactor. He loved us so much that He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin. It's very simple. God accepted the sacrifice and raised His precious Son from the dead. And now it is there, waiting for us to accept that great and priceless gift.Let's pray.Lord, we complicate things sometimes, but your salvation is a simple choice, and it is free. Blessed be your name forever and forever! In Jesus' name, amen.Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Pastor Greg reminds us of the importance of being United with our brothers and sisters in Christ and most importantly, with Jesus Christ Himself!

24_08_03 -Ep.323  - Run With Horses Podcast  - Connect – United with Jesus and His Family   Podcast: rwh.podbean.com Website: www.runwithhorses.net Youtube:  https://youtube.com/@rwhpodcast Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/RWHpodcast Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rwh_podcast Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RWH_podcast   **(28:00)** Last week we focused on the connection we have with Jesus and the church.  This week we continue along those lines and consider how the church can be intentional about helping people build their relationship with Jesus and His family.   Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is both incredibly simple and potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to live intentionally and on His mission. It's very cool that we can do that together!   Thank you for joining me today! If you are new to the show, you may want to check out our website, runwithhorses.net, and listen to some of the past shows to catch up. I have spent several shows focusing on a simple definition of the church and the current discussion we are having about a discipleship pathway is best understood in the context of the church. If you have been enjoying the show, I would appreciate it if you would leave a review wherever you are listening! And as always, your questions, comments and feedback are welcome. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net. And now, on with the show...   (27:00) ******* (27:00)   Habits - **Community**  Acts 2:41-47 -  > 41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.   Romans 12:4-5 -  >4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.    Ephesians 2:19-22 - >19Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.    (23:00) ****** (23:00)   MY WORKING DEFINITION OF CHURCH A CHURCH is a group of followers of Jesus who worship Him in spirit and truth, humbly offering their lives as living sacrifices, together living out the MISSION of Jesus as His witnesses TO THE WORLD, by sharing the gospel and making disciples through teaching obedience to His commands as they edify and EQUIP OTHERS to join them on HIS MISSION.   The discipleship pathway is an intentional plan to equip others to be on the mission of Jesus.   Don't forget the goals of the pathway. Clear goals are important. What are the goals of a discipleship pathway? a. self-feeding Christians b. everyday missionaries – everyone on the mission of Jesus c. disciple-makers d. pastors e. new churches f. all members of the church, shepherded well   We are still on the SECOND step in the Pathway;  ENGAGE, CONNECT, EQUIP, RELEASE   The church's role in connecting people to Jesus. What can the church do intentionally to help people connect their life, values, and purpose to Jesus? 1. Biblical teaching and preaching - the Bible is the foundation   a. Our identity in Christ-  >ACCEPTED I Am God's Child- John 1:12 I Am United with the Lord- 1 Corinthians 6:17 I Am Chosen and Adopted- Ephesians 2:3-8 I Am Complete in Jesus- John 4:1-45 I Have Direct Access to God Through Jesus- Hebrews 14:14-16 >SECURE I Am Free from Condemnation- Romans 8:1-2 and John 8:1-12 God Is at Work in My Life for His Glory and My Good- Romans 8:28 >SIGNIFICANT I Am Connected to Jesus as My Source of Life- John 15:5 I Have Been Called to Bear Fruit- John 15:16 I Am Seated with Jesus in Heaven- Ephesians 2:6 I Am God's Workmanship- Ephesians 2:10 I Can Approach God with Freedom and Confidence- Ephesians 3:12 REF (https://rootedministry.com/how-im-teaching-students-to-ground-their-identity-in-christ/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw5Ky1BhAgEiwA5jGujmbR95PXgQowc5t6NcSS8cXzKPrMbmAxT2k7yGq0Hb6T1fTk9EHcyhoC_E4QAvD_BwE)   b. The character and mind of Christ Philippians 2 - 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.    c. The mission of Christ Matthew 28:18-20 - Be and Make Disciples (followers of Jesus)   d. Healthy relationships aa. United in Christ bb. New family Answer the question, what does each believer need to grow to become more like Jesus and to embrace the mission of Jesus as their own?   2. Equipping and Training a. Spiritual gifts Romans 12:6-8  1 Corinthians 12:8-10    b. Spiritual disciplines >1. Prayer At least 25 times in the Gospels, we read of Jesus praying. According to Luke 5:16, Jesus prayed often by himself. In other words, He made a habit of it. >2. Fasting At the onset of His public ministry, Jesus took 40 days to fast in the wilderness. While it made His body weak, His spirit grew stronger. >3. Public Worship Luke 4:16 says that “on the Sabbath day [Jesus] went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” >4. Bible Reading Studying Scripture was an important part of Jesus' life. In fact, by age 12, He was already as biblically literate as the leading teachers (Luke 2:41-47). >5. Solitude and Silence Jesus regularly ministered in front of large crowds. But He also made a habit of getting away from time to time (Luke 5:16). In fact, He even encouraged His disciples to get away to a quiet place and rest (Mark 6:31). >6. Service In Mark 10:45, Jesus said His goal in coming to earth was not to be served but to serve others and to give His life for our benefit. REF (https://influencemagazine.com/practice/seven-spiritual-practices-of-jesus)   c. Practical ministry skills Answer the question, what training or skills does each believer need to carry out their role in the church and on the mission?   (00:00)  END PART 1 ******** (27:00)  BEGIN PART 2    3. Introduction to Personal Ministry a. Where has God placed you? Our individual stories are part of a much bigger Story.   Ultimately, this Story is not about us, but about Him.   God works in unexpected, unexplainable ways to accomplish His purposes.   God sovereignly and purposefully ordains and orchestrates the circumstances of our lives.   What we see now is not the whole story.   We can trust Him to write the story of those we love.   The challenges we face may be a part of God writing someone else's story.   Those who trust in Him will never be disappointed.   You can trust God to write your story… REF (https://openthebible.org/article/10-things-to-remember-about-gods-providence-in-our-lives/)   All this also makes a difference when we consider: b. Who has God put in your life? > Home > Work/ School > Community – The Art of Neighboring > Church Encourage everyone to see the relationships around them and bring Jesus into them.   4. Corporate Ministry a. How do we intentionally serve each other? One Another's of the NT Love one another (John 13:34 - This command occurs at least 16 times) Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10) Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10) Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16) Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) Be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5) Accept one another (Romans 15:7) Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16) Greet one another (Romans 16:16) Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25) Serve one another (Galatians 5:13) Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13) Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13) Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25) Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32) Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19) Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5) Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3) Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4) Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13) Teach one another (Colossians 3:16) Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18) Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13) Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24) Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9) Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10) Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5) Pray for one another (James 5:16) Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)    b. How do my gifts build up the body of Christ?  You are part of something bigger than than yourself! > Intro to church ministries > Prayer service, prayer focus > One Another's of NT > Intro to Small Groups - you can learn to help others grow, in individual relationships and in small groups or family units.   Help everyone ask and answer the question, what is my role in the local body of Christ? How does my church need my gifts?     (5:00) ********* (5:00)   DOCTRINE August – Jesus September – Holy Spirit   Jesus - God Incarnate Merriam-Webster: Incarnation - the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ "..at one point in time and space, God entered the world, in the person of Jesus Christ, as He had never done before or since. ...the doctrine of the incarnation means that God is in the world and at work there." - Millard J. Erickson   Hebrews 4:14- 16  - 14Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.   He knows us and our need. He can relate to us. He is the perfect one to represent us, as God He is able, as man He understand our need.   Hebrews 9:11-14 - 11But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?    He is the perfect High Priest who alone can offer the perfect sacrifice for our sins.       **(1:00)**   How is your church doing at helping new believers connect with Jesus in a real and meaningful way? Are relationships in the church growing and strong, able to handle the trials that always come our way? If we are too be intentional disciples of Jesus it is important that we make a genuine effort to live out the purpose of the church together.   Thanks for joining me again today! If you enjoyed the show you can listen to all the past shows wherever you listen to podcasts. A good place to start is at runwithhorses.net. You can also write me at norman@runwithhorses.net or leave a comment on the Run With Horses Podcast facebook page. Take time today to pause and thank God for His work in your life and keep running. (00:00)  

Jesus is THE Deacon of His Church - He calls Himself a Servant and calls all who follow Him to be servants as well. Two key passages I want to share with you are Matthew 20:20-28 & John 13 I. Who is a servant? Spiritual leadership is Servant leadership! 1. Generally speaking - Every believer 2. Specifically speaking - Office in the Church - Prototype in Acts 6 3. Singularly speaking - Jesus Christ Himself! Matthew 20:20-28; John 13:1-17; Isaiah 42:1 II. What is a Deacon? 1. About the word when used generally a. We are all “deacons” - 3 Greek words help us understand this 1. We are all diaconas - 2. We are all doulos - 3. We are all huperetes -

Does the account of the rich, young ruler in the gospels show that Jesus taught that we could obtain eternal life by keeping the commandments of the law to the best of our ability?It can seem that way--unless we really pay attention.Let's not gloss over the lesson Jesus taught not only to this rich, young man, but also to His disciples around Him and to us today.What are we trusting for God's acceptance? Jesus Christ Himself is the answer!Scriptures Referenced:Matthew 19:16-26Mark 10:17-27Luke 18:18-27*** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to serve the community. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!Mentioned in this episode:Affiliate Link: Answers In GenesisAnswers In Genesis is a Christian apologetics ministry that equips Christians to know and defend their faith effectively. They offer books and videos on creationism, evangelism, apologetics, homeschooling, and much more. Answers In Genesis is also home to the famous Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter.Answers In Genesis

Does the account of the rich, young ruler in the gospels show that Jesus taught that we could obtain eternal life by keeping the commandments of the law to the best of our ability?It can seem that way--unless we really pay attention.Let's not gloss over the lesson Jesus taught not only to this rich, young man, but also to His disciples around Him and to us today.What are we trusting for God's acceptance? Jesus Christ Himself is the answer!Scriptures Referenced:Matthew 19:16-26Mark 10:17-27Luke 18:18-27*** Castle Rock Women's Health is a pro-life and pro-women health care ministry. They need your help to serve the community. Please consider a monthly or one-time donation. ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!Mentioned in this episode:Affiliate Link: Answers In GenesisAnswers In Genesis is a Christian apologetics ministry that equips Christians to know and defend their faith effectively. They offer books and videos on creationism, evangelism, apologetics, homeschooling, and much more. Answers In Genesis is also home to the famous Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter.Answers In Genesis

Ephesians 2:19-22 The post Jesus Christ Himself the Chief Cornerstone first appeared on Affirmation Presbyterian Church.

Deacon Steve Greco joins us to talk about this amazing new film! Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist takes viewers on a global journey to uncover the transformative power of the Eucharist. Through discussions with Catholic leaders and heartfelt personal narratives, the film unveils the Eucharist as Jesus Christ Himself, eagerly desiring to fulfill our spiritual thirst with His boundless love. --------------------------------- Visit the website and learn more about the film HERE: https://jesusthirstsfilm.com/ --------------------------------- PATREON - Help support this podcast by becoming a US Grace Force PATRON here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=25398590 --------------------------------- PRAY THE ROSARY: The Joyful Mysteries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMAR9MEN1pE&t=656s --------------------------------- The Sorrowful Mysteries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHUkx66oAxE&t=311s --------------------------------- The Glorious Mysteries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg_JWsxS6EA&t=207s --------------------------------- The Luminous Mysteries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVL5CqBr3CA&t=198s --------------------------------- The Full Rosary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44zL1kFIvP8&t=1765s --------------------------------- Join our US Grace Force Facebook group: https://usgraceforce.com/ --------------------------------- Be Ready Emergency Preparedness Course: Be prepared to Care for and Protect your Family in times of Natural Disasters, Emergencies, Civil Unrest, Economic Collapse, and more. Sign up for the course HERE: https://brcoalition.com/ --------------------------------- Go HERE to check out the BR Coalition and get great training Body, Mind & Soul! https://brcoalition.com/ Become part of one of the fastest growing online Catholic Membership sites. --------------------------------- Get your hands on some great US Grace Force T-shirts! https://us-grace-force.creator-spring.com/ --------------------------------- The seven promises given to St Bridget of Sweden for those who devote themselves to her Seven Sorrows. 1. I will grant peace to their families. 2. They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries. 3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work. 4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls. 5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives. 6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother. 7. I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions. Mark 12:34Finally, we have the witness of one of the religious leaders, a scribe, who got it right. The passage above is the conclusion of the interaction with this scribe who asks Jesus which of all the commandments is the first and greatest. Jesus gives the twofold answer that we are to love God above all, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. The scribe then responds to Jesus' answer by saying, “Well said, teacher. You are right…” And then Jesus compliments this scribe with the quoted passage above.Recall that almost all of the Pharisees were continually rebuked by Jesus because of their self-righteous arrogance. The Sadducees were also chastised but often to a lesser degree. And now we have a scribe who outshines them all. The scribes were primarily functionaries who copied or created various liturgical and legal documents. Some of the Pharisees were also scribes. And most of the time, when Jeus condemned the Pharisees, He also condemned the scribes. But this scribe is different. This scribe appears to not only be interested in Jesus' answer but also manifests “understanding” of what Jesus said to him. Don't underestimate the importance of this gift of understanding. In order to truly understand that which our Lord speaks to us, we must be open. And openness requires humility. Humility is a virtue that is contrary to a “know-it-all” attitude. It's a disposition of mind and heart that listens to God speak, hears what He says, comprehends all truth by the gift of grace, and prayerfully submits to that truth. Humility enables us to look beyond ourselves for the answers to the most difficult questions in life. It enables us to turn to the one and only source of truth, Jesus Christ Himself. And the fruit of this humble openness is the gift of understanding. It's an understanding of the mysteries of life which is beyond our natural intellectual capacity. The grace of God is able to teach and form the humble soul and fill it with clarity of vision and an acceptance of the deepest truths. Reflect, today, upon Jesus' words to this scribe. “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Does Jesus also speak these words to you? Have you humbly sought out the answers to the many questions of life by turning to our Lord? More specifically, are you able to look at your life and rejoice in the fact that God has also given you His gift of understanding? If not, then look within and consider which questions you most need to bring to Jesus. Place them before Him and then listen, be open and be ready to respond when He speaks. Hearing and responding to our Lord will result in our Lord saying these same words to you. My Lord of all Truth, You look upon the humble souls with graciousness and mercy, and You reveal to them the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Please give me the gift of humility, dear Lord, so that I may always turn to You with every question in life. Fill me with the gift of understanding so that I may know how to love and serve You more faithfully each and every day. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Scribe Stood to Tempt Jesus By James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons

This episode sheds light on the role of the local New Testament church, its divine purpose, and the important role you can play as a member of a church. This episode uncovers the truth about the local church as more than just a building or a social club but rather a fellowship established by Jesus Christ Himself. We explore the church's larger mission as God's instrument to seek and save the lost, mirroring Jesus's self-sacrifice, commitment, and purpose on earth. This exploration extends to the understanding of 'The Great Commission', Jesus's last mandate to His church. We examine the five core parts of this divine assignment, revealing the broad picture of God's mission. Our message emphasizes that every believer should champion this purpose, sharing the Gospel to contribute to God's worldwide mission. This episode challenges you to introspect and discover your place in God's mission, using your unique talents and divine gifts to fulfill God's purpose. We address the significance of seizing present opportunities instead of excessively focusing on the future.

Because it is Jesus Christ Himself who makes us more like Him, it is crucial to spend quality time with Him and in His Word. In this message, Adrian Rogers reveals five factors that go into a meaningful quiet time. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/135/29