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Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comJohn 9 Jesus heals a man who is blind from birth. As the Light of the world, Jesus puts clay on the man's eyes and renews his sight. The Pharisees question the man as to what has happened, and the man announces Jesus as a prophet. The Jews then call in the man's parents, confirming he was born blind. They will not believe in Jesus and are determined to discredit the miracle. They speak to the man again, and he proclaims the Healer to be from God. The Jewish leaders then put him out of the synagogue. Jesus finds the man and reveals Himself to be the Son of Man, and the healed man worships Him. Jesus then teaches that Pharisees who think they can see will always be blind and in sin.  The blind man's healing leads to these words of Jesus: “For judgment I came into the world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” For all who are humble and in need of Christ, He brings light and restoration. The blind man represents all sinners, in need of opened eyes by the power of Jesus. If He has restored us, we should openly and passionately worship Him as the Son of God. But those who think they see without Him will not come to him for healing. All who choose to reject the glory of Jesus will be revealed in the end as blind and lost in darkness.  Dear Lord, You have shown amazing mercy in sending Your Son, the perfect Light, into this world of darkness and sin. He relentlessly seeks those who know that they need Him. Father, we pray for an ever-present need for the Light of the world in our lives. We are often blind and drawn to the shadows. Will You please make Jesus the Light to our path and the One who shows us the way? Give us the wisdom to see Him and follow Him. Purge from our hearts any arrogance, pride, and disbelief that would keep us from our Savior.  Thought Questions: -       The man's blindness created a circumstance for God to act. Are you open to seeing your struggles as opportunities for Christ to work? -       The healed man worshiped Jesus. Do you believe Jesus is worthy of your worship? How does that look on days other than Sunday? -       The Pharisees would not believe no matter the evidence. What creates that sort of blindness and how do you avoid it?

A Sermon for Passion Sunday Hebrews 9:11-15 by William Klock William Coffin Coleman.  He was a travelling salesman.  He was in his dark hotel room one night and looked out the window.  This was before the days of electrification.  He saw a blindingly bright lamp in a window across the street and had to know what it was.  He walked across the street, knocked on the door, and found out that the lamp—one that ran on pressurized gasoline—was made by a small local company.  Within days he'd tracked down that little company and bought it.  That company would become the Coleman Lamp Company and pretty soon those blindingly bright lamps—the “Sunshine of the Night” as they called it—would be selling across North America and the technology would be adapted to lanterns you could carry with you.  With a Coleman lamp there was no more fumbling around or straining your eyes in the dim light of a wick lantern.  In fact, it'd be crazy to go back to those old kerosene wick lanterns.  A Coleman was not only brighter, it was also safer.  Back in the 20s and 30s displays would show a table lamp mounted on a rotating arm.  Around and around it would turn and it would never go out and it would never start a fire.  You couldn't do that with a kerosene wick lantern. With that in mind, think of our Epistle from the book of Hebrews.  Hebrews is sort of like a biblical Coleman lamp display, except here the writer of Hebrews holds up the New Covenant for his fellow Jews and turns it around and around to show all the ways it's better than the Old and how you'd be a fool to want to go back to the Old.  Matt talked about this in his sermon last week—although without the Coleman illustration.  Last week's Epistle from Galatians highlighted just how tempting it was for Jewish Christians to fall back into the old way—the old covenant way—of doing things.  Some of this was that it was simply the life they knew.  When they became Christians they didn't stop being Jewish.  But there were also Gentiles now coming into this messianic movement.  The unbelieving Jews didn't like that.  As far as they were concerned Gentiles were unclean.  And so these Jewish Christians were shunned by their friends and family and even kicked out of their synagogues for associating with Gentiles.  It got worse as the Jews began to actively persecute the Church.  Jesus had given these new Jewish believers so much more than they'd had in the old covenant, but it was easy to think only about living for the day.  For Jewish Christians it was tempting and it would have been easy to simply drift away from the church and fall back into old covenant Judaism.  And so the writer of Hebrews urges them not to do that.  Despite the persecution, what they have now in Jesus is so much better than what they had before.  The old covenant gave a promise of a new world and a new life in the Messiah.  In Jesus, the Messiah has finally come and he's fulfilled that old promise.  He's inaugurated the new world and the new life.  In Jesus we take part in the fulfilment of God's promises and that's worth it, no matter the cost. To make this point the writer of Hebrews takes us back to the tabernacle, the precursor to the temple in Jerusalem.  Look at Hebrews 9:11-14.   But when the Messiah arrived as a high priest of the good things that were coming, he entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands (that is, not of this present creation), and not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood.  He entered, once and for all, into the holy place, accomplishing a redemption that lasts forever.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the sprinkled ashes of a heifer, make people holy (in the sense of purifying their bodies) when they had been unclean, how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who offered himself to God through the eternal Spirit as a spotless sacrifice, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God!   The tabernacle.  Think back to the book of Exodus.  The Lord rescued his people from their bondage in Egypt and at Mt. Sinai, in the wilderness, he gave him the law, written on stone tablets.  At the same time he also gave Moses very detailed instructions for building the tabernacle—the tent complex where the people would worship the Lord and present their offerings and sacrifices. That tent, the tabernacle, was built to mimic Eden as we see it in the first chapters of Genesis.  The imagery used to decorate the tabernacle was meant to invoke the idea of a garden.  At the core of the tabernacle, as you progressed from the camp of the Israelites into the outer court of the tabernacle and then into the centre of it was the holy place, where only the priests went, and then beyond that was the most holy place.  That was where the ark of the covenant was kept.  It was God's throne room.  That was where the cloud representing the glory of the Lord rested—God in the midst of his people.  But no one was permitted into the most holy place.  Sin and uncleanness cannot enter the presence of the Lord.  Only once a year did the high priest enter the Lord's presence to offer expiation for the sins of the people. Sinners cannot enter the presence of our holy God.  This is why Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden.  But there in the wilderness, as God's plan of redemption began to move forward, he instructed his people to build this tabernacle so that they could once again know him, so that they could live with him in their midst.  It was a partial undoing of the consequences of sin.  Adam and Eve had once lived in the most holy place, in God's presence.  That's what Eden was about.  They were to live and to serve in God's presence, cultivating his garden.  And as they were fruitful and multiplied, the garden, that holy place would grow—until it filled the whole earth.  Because of their rebellion, Adam and Eve were driven out from God's presence.  But in the wilderness the Lord helped Israel to build a model of that most holy place, he took up his residence in it, and he gave the people a law by which they could live on the periphery of that manifestation of his glory.  They couldn't enter directly into his presence, but whereas Adam and Eve were driven away, in the tabernacle, the Lord now drew his people near.  It was the beginning of something good.  The beginning of renewal.  The tabernacle, the law, the whole old covenant were good things.  They reminded God's people of his promise to one day set all of creation to rights and to restore his people fully to his presence.  It was a light in the darkness. The problem for Israel was that in the day-in and day-out activity of living around the tabernacle, of living the law, and of routinely making sacrifices and offerings, it became very easy to forget that all of this pointed to a greater reality and a greater fulfilment.  These things were like the dim light of a wick lamp.  The tabernacle, the sacrifices, the law were never meant to be a permanent arrangement.  The point was never for God's people merely to camp out around the place of his presence, merely to be able to get close to the Holy of Holies.  The goal was to return to Eden itself, to return to a life in the presence of the Lord.  God and humanity brought back together; heaven and earth rejoined.  A far greater light was coming.  As Christians we're, too, often guilty of forgetting God's end goal.  We come to the Lord's Table on Sundays, we gather with our brothers and sisters for worship, and we make it very routine and hum-drum, forgetting that what we have here is a down-payment on the full inheritance that Jesus will be bringing with him when he returns—of resurrection and new life and of living fully in the presence of the Father. This is what the writer of Hebrews is getting at when he talks about Jesus as our great high priest of the good things to come.  The tabernacle was a good thing, but it pointed to better things, just as the Lord's Supper is a good thing, but points to something even better.  And Hebrews says, as our high priest, Jesus entered not in to the most holy place of the tabernacle.  No.  At the cross Jesus entered into the true, the real holy of holies—the one of which the holy of holies in the tabernacle was only a representation and only a shadow.  In his death, Jesus entered the real, the actual presence of his Father.  The good news is that because Jesus has entered the Father's presence as our great high priest, since he has made purification for us, we're now ourselves welcomed into the Father's presence as well. Again, in the face of hostility and persecution, many Jewish Christians were tempted to just go back to the old way of doing things.  In their day the temple, the great building of stone on the mountain above Jerusalem, had replaced the tabernacle, but it was laid out on the same plan and served the same purpose.  The temple and the sacrifices were good things.  Why not just do things the old way?  The Lord had commanded them, after all.  Why risk persecution by joining with Gentiles to worship Jesus?  And so Hebrews reminds them: as good as the temple was, Jesus went to the real place the temple represents.  The temple was a model that pointed to the heavenly reality.  When Jesus takes us into the heavenly reality, how can we possibly justify going back to the model? Jesus as our great high priest entering the most holy place naturally leads us to the second point Hebrews makes here about the new covenant and how it's better than the old.  The priests of the old covenant entered the most holy place of the tabernacle once every year.  We're told here that Jesus entered once and for all time.  The old sacrifices were good until the next time you sinned.  The sacrifice that Jesus made at the cross is good forever.  Why?  Because when the old priests went into the holy of holies they took with them the blood of goats and calves.  Jesus entered the presence of the Father with his own blood. This was hard for many Jews to understand.  The Messiah was supposed to triumph over Israel's enemies and reign forever.  He wasn't supposed to die, let alone die the most humiliating death imaginable at the hands of their pagan overlords.  Maybe the Messiah would be their great high priest, but priests make sacrifices.  They aren't supposed to be sacrifices themselves.  That's what bulls and goats were for.  And yet, it's all there in Israel's scriptures—if you know how to look at it.  And that's what Hebrews is about. So, first, the Old Testament sacrifices taught the people to trust the Lord.  To offer a sacrifice is to give up something valuable.  This is a principle throughout the law.  The sabbath, for example, taught people to give one day a week to the Lord.  The gentiles scrambled for a living six days a week, but not God's people.  The sabbath taught them to trust in the Lord's provision.  Think of the manna in the wilderness.  Five days they gathered what they needed, but on the sixth day the Lord provide an extra measure to see them through the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was an act of faith.  And so was the tithe.  The gentiles held on to everything they got, but God's people gave him the first tenth—not the last, not what was left over—but the first tenth of everything.  It was an act of faith and he provided. But the animals sacrificed for the people in the temple took things a step further.  They reminded the people of the cost of sin.  Because of their sin, Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, cut off from the tree of life.  Brothers and Sisters, sin puts us outside the presence of our holy God. Sin separates us from the source of life.  Sinners die.  The only way back into the presence of our holy God is by the shedding of blood.  And that's the second point made about sacrifice here.  Redemption from sin requires the death of another in our place.  The animals sacrificed in the temple were costly sacrifices, but they were also imperfect sacrifices.  They were dumb and unwilling.  They served only until the next sin was committed.  And they brought the people only into the tabernacle or the temple.  For the people to be truly cleansed from sin, for the people to enter into the Holy of Holies would require an even costlier sacrifice. Those sacrifices pointed to Jesus.  In Jesus, God himself took up our flesh—he became one of his own people.  He did that so that he could represent them.  He became like a second Adam.  And so Jesus obediently and willingly gave his life for them—and for us.  He was the costly sacrifice—the spotless lamb, the best of the flock.  As our representative, he took on himself the death that we deserve.  This is why we can say, as we do in the Lord's Supper, that by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world has been made.  This is why we can pray that by his flesh and by his blood our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood.  The blood of animal sacrifices gave a superficial cleanness to people who had been defiled by their sin, but Jesus' blood doesn't just make us superficially clean.  It purifies us from the inside out.  And so we can also pray that as his body and blood make us clean, we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.  By his blood we can finally enter the Holy of Holies, we can finally be restored to the presence of our holy Creator. And that gets at the third point made here—the third way in which Jesus' sacrifice is better than the old sacrifices and the new covenant is better than the old.  The sacrifices of the old covenant were shadows pointing to the real sacrifice.  The holy of holies in the temple was a shadow of the real holy of holies, not just the heavenly presence of the Father, but it looked forward to the day when Creation will finally be set to rights, when heaven and earth will finally be joined together and humanity can once again live in God's presence, just as Adam and Eve did before they sinned.  The cleanness and atonement offered by those old sacrifices was a shadow of the atonement and the cleanness offered by Jesus.  Jesus didn't just enter the central room of the temple in Jerusalem to offer the blood of an animal on our behalf.  Jesus, who is both God himself and our perfect human representative, entered into the actual presence of his Father with his own blood shed at the cross.  In doing that he offers a sacrifice that washes us clean from sin to the very core of our being. Somehow the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, Hebrews says, purifies our conscience from dead works so that we can serve the living God.  Brothers and Sisters, through Jesus we are transformed.  Chapter 6 introduced this language of “dead works”, but it refers to our repentance from our old pagan and sinful ways and also, for the Jewish Christians, from the obligations of the old covenant and its temple and sacrificial system.  As good as those things were, as God-given as they were, Jesus now offers something better.  Jesus' sacrifice undoes our sin once and for all.  Through him we have access to the presence of God.  What we lost when Adam sinned we now have back—or at least we have the down payment of it and hope for its fullness in the future.  Jesus washes us clean with his blood and having purified us for the presence of God, he makes us his dwelling place, his tabernacle, as he fills us with the Holy Spirit.  And the Spirit then sanctifies our hearts and our minds, making them holy again so that we can serve the living God just as Adam did in the garden.  Jesus, by his sacrifice, not only leads us into the holy of holies to know God's presence, but in giving us the Spirit he also makes us—you and me and, collectively his Church—the holy of holies: God's presence in us. Verse 15 stresses again that this is all and only through Jesus: For this reason, Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant.  The purpose was that those who are called should receive the promised inheritance of the age to come, since a death has occurred which provides redemption from transgressions committed under the first covenant.   Jesus is the mediator.  There's no other way.  Even the old way—the way of the tabernacle and the sacrifices—that God once gave is now defunct.  It's been fulfilled.  The thing to which it pointed, the thing for which it was preparing the people, the new thing has finally come in Jesus. Imagine a frozen river.  The first time Veronica and I went to Montréal the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers were frozen.  We were driving across the bridge from the west end of the island where the two rivers meet and we saw a Jeep cruising over the ice back towards Montréal.  The ice was that thick.  You can do that in the middle of a cold Québec winter, but when Spring comes the bridge is the only way across.  Try driving your car on thin ice—or try driving on water—and you'll die. In Jesus, Spring has come to the world.  In Jesus a bridge has been provided across the water.  The law was perfectly good in its time, just as the ice was safe to drive on if you wanted to cross the river in January, but the time has passed for that.  If you want to cross the river now the bridge Jesus provides is the only way.  Hebrews was written to people who feared persecution for following Jesus.  They were used to driving on the ice and despite the fact that it was now melting and thin, they were still tempted to keep driving on it.  Last week in our Epistle from Galatians we read about the Judaisers.  They were insisting that to follow Jesus the Gentiles had to be circumcised, follow the right dietary rules, and observe the Sabbath.  They still said they were following Jesus, but it doesn't work that way.  That's like telling everyone how perfectly good the bridge is while trying to drive your car across the thawing river.  The ice is melting.  The time for those old ways has passed.  Jesus offers something better and his way is now the only way. Brothers and Sisters, do our lives demonstrate faith in Jesus as our sole mediator?  While you and I may not be tempted to go back to the law or the temple or the old covenant sacrifices, we have our own pasts to which we often hold more tightly than we may realise.  We profess faith in Jesus, but we still haven't repented of all of our old loyalties, all of our old ways of doing things, all of our old sources of security.  We profess Jesus, but we still find satisfaction in sin and in self.  We say we trust Jesus, but we still look for security in work and in money.  We say we trust Jesus, but we often evaluate ourselves not based on what he has done for us, but on what we think we've done for him.  Friends, it's like giving people directions to the bridge, while we ourselves are sitting in our cars with the engine running, nosing our wheels into the water and thinking we'll somehow get across the river.  Lent is a time for us to look around, to take stock, and to evaluate our situation.  Easter is only two weeks away.  It's a reminder that in Jesus Spring has arrived.  The river isn't frozen anymore.  We need to let go of the old ways of life and follow Jesus across the bridge. Yes, to follow Jesus means challenge and sacrifice, but Jesus is better in every way.  He and he alone has redeemed up from death to serve the living God. Let us pray: Gracious Father, we thank you this morning for the sacrifice you have made in the death of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  In Jesus the price of our sin has been paid once and for all.  By his blood we are washed clean through and through.  Strengthen our faith, Father, that we might trust fully in Jesus as our only mediator.  Open our eyes to the areas of life in which we've failed to repent, and give us the faith to entrust those things to you.  We ask this through him, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

A Child | Promise of Home | Part 1 As we step into the final month of the year, we also enter the season of Advent — a time to anticipate with hope and prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ! This morning, we began our Advent sermon series, Promise of Home, with a message from Senior Associate Pastor Pete Bowell. The words of Isaiah 9:6 remind us of the incredible promise fulfilled in Jesus: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This week, let's pause and reflect on this awe-inspiring truth: the God of heaven and earth, in His great love, left His throne to redeem the world — to redeem us. And He came to us in the humblest way, as an infant, bringing peace and enduring hope to a weary world. We invite you to join us in preparing our hearts for Christmas. You can worship with us on Sunday, December 8 and Sunday, December 15 at: West Creek | 8, 9:30, and 11:15am The Lodge | 9:30 + 11:15am Livestream | 9:30 + 11:15am We'd also love for you to come home to HOPE for Christmas! You can reserve your free tickets for one of our Christmas Eve services at the link in our bio

Dave and Monica Hickman are entrepreneurs whose leadership has been marked by believing that Jesus doesn't want a relationship with us; he wants to be one with us. The Hickmans founded SocialHub, a business in North Carolina that creates community-building events for luxury apartment communities and they share some of their journey in this episode about how this new perspective to their faith and work has influenced how they lead. This shift from a constant striving to "be closer" to Jesus to recognizing an inherent unity that already exists—a concept also grounded in John 17—has had practical implications in their personal lives and in modeling their understanding of unity with Christ in a business context. Highlights On proximity to Jesus: “For me, all the striving was just neutralized because you're starting from the finish line. Instead of this journey that so many of us are used to of praying to receive Christ... the next steps in your Christian journey was to get closer and closer to Jesus over time. And while that's motivating to some degree because you're working towards something, it can also be really detrimental to your spiritual health as well, and turning you into just a Christian workaholic of always trying harder. And I think that's why Jesus always would point to our hearts. But it's not quite as sexy as saying to someone like, 'Hey, you already have everything that you could ever get.' You're as close to Christ now as you will ever experience between here and new creation. So now it's learning what's true of you having already arrived, learning what's true of you as 'the beloved Son in whom he loves, in whom he's well pleased,' that declaration over Jesus." - Dave Hickman On the art of hospitality: "I think just who we are as people and really driving hospitality, connecting people, enjoying life with others has kind of flown not only from us but from our staff, because they're just so amazing and they really do care for people. And I think that is really what sets us apart in the industry. Not only being able to create unique experiences for people on site but welcome them in a warm way, showing respect, being kind, being a good person." - Monica Hickman Resources Download the episode transcript. Closer Than Close: Awakening to the Freedom of Your Union with Christ by Dave Hickman How Charlotte startup SocialHub plans to grow across the Southeast "Until the unlimited, unbridled and unrelenting love of God takes root in our life, until God's reckless pursuit of us captures our imagination, until our head knowledge of God settles into our heart through pure grace, nothing really changes.” - Running on Empty by Fil Anderson Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? See more great resources at Denver Institute for Faith & Work or find us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @denverinstitute

- Trump has a 30 point lead in the betting markets as Kamala's campaign collapses - Trump's entire administration looks to be filled by Zionists - Will Trump put America first, or ISRAEL first? - Brief history of the US empire: Global pillaging, violence and theft - America could shatter into 4-6 smaller nations - Trump could end up being president of NOTHING - Democrats will REFUSE to recognize Trump as their president - Interview with Steve Quayle on spiritual warfare, transhumanism, deep state and more - Mike Adams Sermon #91 - Acts Ch 5 - Peter and the Apostles RESIST Jewish threats and preach JESUS For more updates, visit: http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport NaturalNews videos would not be possible without you, as always we remain passionately dedicated to our mission of educating people all over the world on the subject of natural healing remedies and personal liberty (food freedom, medical freedom, the freedom of speech, etc.). Together, we're helping create a better world, with more honest food labeling, reduced chemical contamination, the avoidance of toxic heavy metals and vastly increased scientific transparency. ▶️ Every dollar you spend at the Health Ranger Store goes toward helping us achieve important science and content goals for humanity: https://www.healthrangerstore.com/ ▶️ Sign Up For Our Newsletter: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html ▶️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport ▶️ Join Our Social Network: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger ▶️ Check In Stock Products at: https://PrepWithMike.com

This podcast about the signposts of life would be easy to just end by saying oh Jesus is going to come back and he's going to take His church back to heaven and all of them folks who are not a part of the church it's just going to be burnt up along with Satan in hell. And we will forever live in our Laodicean state, you know lukewarm, lackadaisical, laid back don't really have any cares, we going to go up to heaven and play on harps and eat and enjoy life the same type of life we live down here we going to enjoy there, the same pleasures that we had down here we'll clean them up a little bit you know because we're in heaven and this is going to be the new blissful-wonderful life to come. Friends, I would be lying to you if I told you this. That will not the case, the church/God's people must go through the tribulation here. Later be changed, May I remind you that:The tribulation is not a walk in the park. But will be in the words of Jesus: "For there shall be great tribulations, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21) read it. It will be very violent, it would be incredibly stressful, and it will be the saddest chapter in the history of Earth. But this is our reward for worshiping Satan and sin, for these many years. You might say: I'm not worshiping Satan, I don't serve sin, well, let me ask this question: Who do you worship or who do you serve? Are you worshiping God according to God's Word? See this tribulation is the signpost where God separate the sheep from the goat. (Matthew 25:33-46) uh-oh, more homework read it. Remember our final signpost will be when we arrive from Heaven and live eternally with Jesus Christ here on Earth!Contact: heavensprayerlink.com, we love to pray with you, God bless you. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heavensprayerlink/support

John Owen was a puritan who lived in the United Kingdom, the most published author of the 17th century, and considered by many as one of the most important theologians produced by the West. One of his most famous lines ever penned comes from his book, The Mortification of Sin, which was first published in 1656. Mortification simply means to put to death. Owens entire book is really a treatise on Romans 8:13, for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Owens condensed this verse into 9 words: Be killing sin or sin will be killing you. Now you may be thinking, Pastor Keith, you said that God loves us too much to leave us as we were. Pastor Keith, you said: Jesus loves His Church too much to leave her the way He found her. Pastor Keith, I thought Ephesians 1:19 was for me and that the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe is the power of the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave and now that same power dwells in me so that I can live the Christian life well? So, what is this business of needing to kill sin because it may kill me? John Owen was right when he wrote of our sin problem, that it is always acting, always conceiving, and always seducing and tempting.[1] Where is that in the Bible? It is all over the Bible, but it is in Galatians 5:17, For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing what you want. It is in Romans 7:23, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my bodys parts. Even though you can rejoice in your salvation, you still find yourself in places you do not want anyone else to hear, and maybe inwardly you are crying and begging as you grope for words: Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death (Rom. 7:24)? Owens wrote, Every lust is a depraved habit or inclination pushing the heart toward evil.[2] And, if you are honest, you know the terror of the truth of those words as you sit here today and the last thing you want is to feel more guilt over your failures, but instead want help and encouragement as you desire to press forward! There are two words in Ephesians 4:25-32 that I believe will offer you some help and encouragement this morning. The first word is ridding (apotithēmi) and is linked to the sins we were once slaves to. The other word is grief (lypeō) as it relates to the Holy Spirit. But first, let begin by first turning our attention to the word grief because if you can appreciate verse 30, what it means to rid ourselves of sin and how we do it, this will make more sense. Grief is Evidence that We Belong to God There are two types of grief that proves that God made you alive together with Christ. There is the grief the Holy Spirit experiences over your sin and the grief you experience because of your sin. Now that you are a Christian, the grief you experience over your sin is different than the kind of grief you experienced before you became a follower of Jesus. It is a grief that comes by way of being alive with Christ and no longer dead in your offenses and sins (2:1). When you were dead in your sins, you were also a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3)! Now that you are alive with Christ, you are a child of God! Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma (Eph. 5:1). You are not just a child of God, but a beloved child of God! Your grief over sin is different because you are now able to love Jesus in the way the apostle Peter described in his epistle: though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Pet. 1:8-9). Your grief over your sin is the kind of thing James wrote about: Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (Jas 4:810). If you are born again, you grieve over your sin because of the ways it affects your relationship with God, which is the type of grieving that was impossible when you were dead in your sins. There is another grief that is addressed in Ephesians 4:30, and it is the grief the Holy Spirit experiences over your sins. The reason why your sins grieve the Holy Spirit is because you who were once an enemy of God are now a child of God. Your sins grieve the Holy Spirit in the same way the sins of a child grieves the heart of his mother and father who loves their child and are committed to that child. God as a Trinity is eternally invested in your redemption: the Father chose you for redemption, the Son redeemed you for salvation, the Holy Spirit seals you to powerfully keep you and all of it was motivated by love! We see the same work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in Romans 5:1-5, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom. 5:15) The Holy Spirit is grieved over our sins because His sealing and indwelling is evidence of, the love of God poured out within our hearts. Kent Hughes said of the Holy Spirit: He comes to us in the clay of our sinful humanity, and though the walls are covered over with spiritual leprosy, he indwells us.[3] He does not just indwell us, He has come to stay! This is one of many reasons why Paul could write Romans 8:1, Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 4:30 doesnt end with the command, Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God but concludes with a promise: by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. If you are still confused over how this is good news, consider Philippians 1:6, For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus. It is because the Holy Spirit seals us and dwells within us with power that we are able to sing: No guilt in life, no fear in deathThis is the power of Christ in meFrom life's first cry to final breathJesus commands my destinyNo power of hell, no scheme of manCan ever pluck me from His handTill He returns or calls me homeHere in the power of Christ I'll stand The One who dwells within you and seals you for the day of redemption is the Holy Spirit of God. He is not a power, a force, or a character trait of God; the Holy Spirit is a Person, and He is God Almighty! Christian, because God loves you, the Holy Spirit can be grieved by you. The Holy Spirit is the Promise that We Can Live for God The reason why the Holy Spirit can be grieved is not only because He loves you, but because He has provided you with all that you need to say no to sin. Some of you are passively waiting to gain victory over sin in your life as though there is some magic recipe needed for you to successfully conquer certain sins in your life. Listen, when it comes to victory over sin, there is no easy button you can push! This might shock some of you, but to gain victory over your sin, you must be willing to fight against your sin. There is a list of sins Paul provides in verses 25-32, but do not think that this is an exhaustive list or that the sins listed are worse than others that are not listed. What is provided in these verses are examples, and dare I say it, examples we tend to feel better about than other sins. The point for why the apostle lists these sins is that we are to rid ourselves of them. We are to rid ourselves of falsehood (v. 25), sinful anger (v. 26), theft (v. 28), unwholesome talk (v. 29), ungodly virtues (vv. 31-32). We are to rid ourselves of deceit because God is truth and the devil is the father of lies (Deut. 32:4; John 8:44). We are to rid ourselves of ungodly anger because it does not leave room for the kind of mercy, love, and grace we received from God (see Col. 3:12-13; Matt. 18:21-35). We are to rid ourselves of theft because it feeds our idolatrous hearts into thinking what belongs to God, and how He has blessed others, really belongs to us. We are to rid ourselves of unwholesome talk because what comes out of our mouths really comes out of the heart (Matt. 15:17-19). We are to rid ourselves of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice by replacing those sins with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. What does it mean to rid ourselves of these sins and how do we do it? Well, for starters, do not for a second think that Paul is telling us to do these things to keep our salvation. Bryan Chapell rightly said of these verses: We are not to live to secure grace but to live out the grace that God secured for us.[4] In light of the grace that God secured for us and the power that resides within us from His Holy Spirit, we are able, and we must, rid ourselves of these sins that threaten us. When we were dead in our sins, we were unable to rid ourselves of the sins of our flesh, but after God made us alive with Christ, He gave us a new nature and empowered us to fight our sins and to win against them. This is one of the reasons Jesus called Him the Helper: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever (John 14:16). The word for rid in Greek is apotithēmi. The ESV translates this word put away. The NIV translates this word, put off. The previous version of the NASB before the 2020 update even translated this word, lay aside. All three ways are legitimate ways to translate apotithēmi, but I think the NASB2020 is better! Ridding yourselves of falsehood, sinful anger, theft, unwholesome talk, and ungodly virtues. Be truthful, exercise righteous anger when necessary, work hard and live generously for the good of others, and use your words for the glory of God and the edification of those around you! The same Greek word is used in Hebrews 12:1-2, Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, lets rid [apotithēmi] ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and lets run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Do more than just lay aside your sin, do more than just put it off, do more than put it away; get rid of it! Throw it aside! Put it to death! Why? Because it is dangerous! Just because you are a Christian and have the Holy Spirit, do not be passive about it. Treat it as something venomous and deadly! Your desire to lie, to give into anger and rage, to take that which does not belong to you get rid of it and put it to death! Your unwholesome talk dressed up in gossip, the words you use to tear down others, the poison that comes out of your mouth with cunning words used to get your way, or any other unwholesome speech get rid of it! Put it to death! Why? Because it is deadly, thats why! Be killing sin or it will be killing you. Later in his book, The Mortification of Sin, Owens wrote: If sin is subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we are slothful, negligent, and foolish in this battle, can we expect a favorable outcome? There is not a day but sin foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed upon. It will always be so while we live in this world. Sin will not spare for one day. There is no safety but in a constant warfare for those who desire deliverance from sins perplexing rebellion.[5] How do you get rid of the sin that threatens you? Well, for starters, confess it and get radical about not visiting that sin again. If you keep running back to your sin, find someone who you can talk to and will hold you accountable. God saved you from your sins and idols for a freedom only available in Him. You may be in bondage to a sin or sins, but they have no claim over your life. If you are a man, seek the help of your brothers; if you are a woman, seek the help of your sisters. You have all of the Holy Spirit you will ever need for a power over any bondage that you feel trapped in, but know that you belong to the Body of Christ and your sanctification is a community project. Some of you have grown so calloused to your sin because you have surrendered to it; it is time to stop grieving the Holy Spirit and live in the reality of your new identity in Jesus: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Amen. [1] Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way Its Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing; 1995), 88. [2] John Owen (Abridged by Richard Rushing), The Mortification of Sin (Eas Peoria, IL: The Banner of Truth Trust; 2020), p.33. [3] R. Kent Hughes, Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1990), 148. [4] Bryan Chapell, Reformed Expository Commentary: Ephesians (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing; 2009), 219. [5] John Owen (Abridged by Richard Rushing), The Mortification of Sin (Eas Peoria, IL: The Banner of Truth Trust; 2020), p.11.

If you knew the peace you could have in Jesus    For more about Gloribites https://linktr.ee/Gloribites  

In August of 2003, the Church of the Holy Cross in New York City was broken into twice. In the first break-in, thieves made away with a metal moneybox that had been resting next to a votive candle rack. Three weeks later, vandals escaped with something much more valuable: they unbolted a 4-foot long, 200-pound plaster Jesus from a meditation area, taking the statue of Christ, but leaving behind his wooden cross on the wall. The church caretaker, David St. James, confessed his bewilderment at this: "They just decided, 'We're going to leave the cross and take Jesus.' We don't know why they took just him. We figure if you want the crucifix, you take the whole crucifix." In other words, David St. James was saying, "If you want Jesus, you take his cross, too." It only makes sense if you want Jesus, the cross is a part of the deal; that's one of the many reasons why Jesus is so amazing! For the Christian, the cross of Christ represents love, grace and forgiveness. You take Jesus and his cross. But what about your cross? If you follow Jesus, you have a cross as well...at least that's what Jesus says. "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." ~ Mark 8:34 There are a lot of people who are fans of Jesus; they agree with some of the things he says, they appreciate the love and forgiveness...they even wear a "Jesus Is My Homeboy" t-shirt! However being a disciple of Jesus isn't about agreement or fandom...it's about self denial, allegiance and loyalty. Here's why this matters according to Jesus: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." ~ Mark 8:35 Intuitively we think that by preserving our lives we save them, yet according to Jesus by surrendering our lives, our passions and even our desires over to the cross (our own cross) we will find life. So the question we all have to wrestle with is this: Will I take Jesus, his cross and my cross too? To better understand what this looks like in your life, make sure and listen to part six of Come, Follow, Me.

What God wants is almost irrelevant because of man's will. The Bible is full of broken Scriptures. So much is in our control. We do what we want to do, which may or may not be God's will. God does not intervene because of our prayers. We are allowed (and required) to partner with God to affect outcomes in this life. Christians are "more-than" when we develop our relationship with God; not because we say it, but, because we obey. We are afraid of the consequences of being sold out to the Word of God in our ear. ***62: Jesus Is Attacked In JerusalemJohn 10:22-39Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Dedication, which occurred in the winter time. While he walked on Solomon's Porch, a part of the temple, the Jews came around him and said: “How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them saying: “I told you, and ye believe not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” Those around him picked up stones to hurl at Jesus, who said: “Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?” They answered Jesus: “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” Jesus replied to them: “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, “Ye are gods”'? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, who the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest'; because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.” Thereupon the authorities sought to arrest Jesus, but he eluded them.

Plainly speaking the name of “Jesus,” Yahshua, Yahawashi, Messiah, Jesus, Yahawah, are all synonyms. The definition of a synonym "Words that have the same or similar meaning." The Bible Prophesied that Christ would be called by many names: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 In this message I go through some of the names that Christ have been called throughout the bible and through history including "David." Nonetheless, no one on the planet can doubt, that "There Is Something About The Name Jesus." This full video which is 30+ minutes long is available on my Exclusive Channel (Subscribe at https://ministries.leodunson.com/checkout/subscribe) there I go into another prophecy about the name of Jesus: “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 1:11 What name is great amongst the gentiles? Send a Tithe, Donation, and/or Offerings at: https://leodunson.com/donate/Cash App $LeoDunson - https://Cash.App/$LeoDunsonBecome a Member! - https://ministries.leodunson.com/checkout/subscribe “Gods Laws, Commandments, & Statutes” (Book): https://tinyurl.com/33j95pbc“Precept Upon Precept” (Book) on Amazon at: https://tinyurl.com/z2uu46ez Subscribe to support Leo Dunson Ministries to gain access to "Exclusive Content" & Early Release videos: https://ministries.leodunson.com/checkout/subscribe Connect with Leo on https://www.facebook.com/LeoDunsonjrConnect with Leo on https://www.instagram.com/LeoDunsonConnect with Leo on https://tiktok.com/LeoDunson #Jesus #JesusChrist #yashua #Bible #Israelites #LeoDunson

Our inherited traditions hamper our ability to hear Jesus. There are gods many. Modern thought uses the "god of the gap" theory as a precursor to scientific understanding, forcing a contrived choice of belief in god or science. In this chapter, the religious leaders allowed their expectations and traditions as justification to disregard the works of Jesus. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16:13 (KJV)“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1:9 (KJV)***62: Jesus Is Attacked In JerusalemJohn 10:22-39Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Dedication, which occurred in the winter time. While he walked on Solomon's Porch, a part of the temple, the Jews came around him and said: “How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them saying: “I told you, and ye believe not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” Those around him picked up stones to hurl at Jesus, who said: “Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?” They answered Jesus: “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” Jesus replied to them: “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, “Ye are gods”'? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, who the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest'; because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.” Thereupon the authorities sought to arrest Jesus, but he eluded them.

The first Avengers movie (2012) has a special place in my heart for many reasons; the primary reason for why I love this movie is because I kept Nathan from school half the day on a Friday morning on opening day to surprise him by seeing it in Imax. The second reason why I love the first Avengers movie is because it is one of the all-time great movies with great storytelling building up to one of the greatest superhero films on screen. A third reason why I love this movie is because of the theological and redemptive overtones throughout the film. There is a scene in the film when Loki, the primary antagonist in the film, makes his first public appearance in Stuttgart, Germany before a crowd of hundreds where he delivers one of the great lines in cinema on human freedom before he is confronted by the iconic comic book hero symbolizing what we believe about freedom in Captain America. Just before Loki is confronted, he said something that resonated with me: It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity.You were made to be ruled.In the end, you will always kneel. There is truth in Lokis words and the scene in the movie, in my opinion, captures what we believe about freedom with the villains words: You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel. It is as if to say that any powerful person or being that demands the bowing and kneeling of anyone is immoral. Yet, it is from the very words of holy Scripture that say of Jesus: For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:911). So, what do we do with the tension we feel over Lokis words, what history seemingly has taught us, and what we read in the Bible? I believe 1 Samuel 8:1-9 and Isaiah 44:8-10 helps resolve that tension for us, and it is to 1 Samuel we now turn our attention. The King Israel Wanted Samuels story is a fascinating one that we cannot explore today, but there are some things that you need to know to make sense of 1 Samuel 8. His mother, Hannah, could not get pregnant and begged God for a son; in a prayer Hannah offered up to God, she made the following vow: Lord of armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head (1 Sam: 1:11). When Hannah made that vow, she lived in a time in Israels history when Eli the Priest interpreted her pleading with God for being drunk which sheds some light upon the kind of passionless and empty prayers he was used to experiencing. While Hannah begged for a son that she could give back to the service of the Lord, Elis two sons hung out outside the place where people would come to worship God at the tabernacle where they disrespected the worship of God while they slept with the women who served at the doorway of the tabernacle, and they did this all while Eli, as a priest over Israel, knew about it (see 1 Sam. 2:12ff.). The spiritual climate of Hannahs day was, in the words of the final verse in the book of Judges: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Jud. 21:25). So, Samuel was born to Hannah, and just as she vowed, she dedicated her son to the service of God. Samuel loved God and served Him as His appointed judge, as well as a priest and prophet before all of Israel. Samuel would serve as Israels final judge before Israel demanded a king to rule over them. Which brings us to 1 Samuel 8:1-9. Samuel was a man of God who stands out as being uncompromising in his devotion to God. It would be easy to read 1 Samuel 8 and miss the three paradoxes that surround Israels demand for a king; the paradoxes include the names and location of Samuels two sons, the hypocrisy of everyone surrounding Samuel, and who the people really wanted to rule over them. Paradox #1: Samuels sons were a walking paradox that served as a living parable of Israels relationship with God. Samuels sons were named Joel and Abijah; Joel means Yahweh is God and Abijah means My father is Yahweh. Yet, both of Samuels sons who were commissioned as judges over Israel, were not known for living as though they really believed Yahweh was their God or that they identified as belonging to Him in the same way a son belongs to his father. We are told that they, turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice (v. 3). The elders who represented Israel asked as though they were disgusted by Joel and Abijahs behavior. Israel as a nation may not have been characterized by dishonest gain, receiving bribes from other nations, or perverting justice, but do not miss the indictment upon Israel as a nation given by the same God Samuels sons rejected: Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this dayin that they have abandoned Me and served other gods (v. 8). The takeaways from the first paradox: First, just because you think someone elses sin is ugly does not mean that your sin is no more repulsive in the eyes of God. What matters is not whether your sin looks better than the sins of others, but what God thinks about your heart. Secondly, we do not know what kind of father Samuel was, but you can be the godliest parent on planet earth and even that may not be enough for your child to want to walk in the ways of God. It is important to note that unlike Elis two sons whose sins were before their fathers eyes, Samuels sons lived over fifty miles away and Samuels ways were very different than the wicked ways of his two sons. Paradox #2: Samuels two sons did not live up to their name in the same way that Israel did not live up her name. Remember that Jacobs name means, heel-grabber and that he was known for the ways he manipulated his father and older brother Esau into receiving a birthright that was not his to take. It wasnt until he wrestled with God and was then renamed only after he yielded his life to God, that his name was Israel, and its meaning is simple: He who strives with God. Yet, Israel as a nation was not known for striving with God but walking away from God to the gods of the nations. Many years later following Israels demand for a king, the prophet Jeremiah would declare on behalf of God: Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living waters, to carve out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jer. 2:12-13). The takeaway from the second paradox: Israel thought their greatest need was what the world had to offer while ignoring the only source that was able satisfy their deepest longings and remedy their greatest problem, which had to do with the human heart. Sin-begotten kings cannot solve the problems of sin-begotten people. Paradox #3: Israels demand for a king like the other nations was a vote of no-confidence in God as King over their lives. This could not be more obvious. The irony in Israels demand for a king was not the desire for a king, but the kind of king they believed would solve the problem of the heart. We know that the desire for a king was not the issue because in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God gave Israel the prescription for the kind of king they would one day need; there are seven characteristics listed in Deuteronomy 17 that the king needed to have to qualify to rule over Israel as king. The king would be a person like them who Yahweh would appoint over them. The king would be a person from among their own people. The king would be a person who truly loved Yahweh. The king would be a person whose security and strength rested in Yahweh. The king would be a person who loved the Law and the Word of Yahweh. The king would be a person who would obey the Law and Word of Yahweh. The king would be a person who would seek to serve his people for their good and the glory of Yahweh. Because Israel wanted a king like the nations, they would not get the kind of king described in Deuteronomy 17. The kind of king Israel would get is described in 1 Samuel 8:10-20. The irony is that Israel did not ultimately reject Samuel as a judge, but God as their King. The takeaway from the third paradox: The One Israel needed most is who they seemed to want least. Israel wanted what the nations had and refused the good that God had for them. Israel believed that their rejection of God would give them freedom, but it would ultimately result in a greater bondage and burden that would lead to greater sorrows. The King Israel Rejected It wasnt Israels desire to have a king that was so bad, but the kind of king they wanted. The king that they wanted was one like what the other nations had. They wanted a king they could chose, a king whose splendor and glory came from the strength of his army, a king whose glory rested in his gold and silver, and a king who was attractive just like the kings the other godless nations had. What they ultimately wanted was the same thing Adam and Eve wanted that the serpent offered: they wanted autonomy from the God of Samuel. This is the kind of thing we are warned about in Holy Scripture: Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 John 2:15-16). When Adam and Even looked at the forbidden fruit as they were tempted by the Serpent of old, we are told: When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate (Gen. 3:6). Under the surface of Israels demand for a king like the other nations was the foolish belief in the same old lie, but only with different dressing. After Adam and Eve bit into the fruit what they got was shame and death. According to 1 Samuel 8:10-20, with the king Israel wanted and demanded, he would take from them what they have and give them a greater burden they were never meant to bear. What was Samuel to do with the demand of the people? He brought it before the Lord in prayer. Samuel had faithfully served Yahweh and the people all of his life; it is understandable that he took the demand for a king personally. However, it was not Samuel, as the Lords servant, that they were rejecting: And the Lord said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them (v. 8). What kind of King is Yahweh? Oh, we are told of the kind of King He is in Isaiah 44:6-8, This is what the Lord says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; And, let him confront Me Beginning with My establishing of the ancient nation. Then let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none. The One Israel so eagerly rejected was Yahweh as King of Israel. The God who overwhelmed Pharaoh with 10 plagues, parted the sea, and delivered Israel through the wilderness is the One Israel was willing to trade in for someone like pharaoh. Israel demanded a sin-begotten task master in place of the Redeemer. The people demanded something the godless nations produced in place of the One true God whose Israels very existence was owing to Him. Oh, the crazy rational of sin and how it is seen in Israels desire of a man from the dirt in place of the God who is the Rock! So, God gave Israel the desire of their hearts by giving them a man by the name of Saul and boy was he a train-wreck spiritually! If Israel had only waited! If they had only trusted in the One who establishes nations and removes them, who declares things that are coming and events that are going to take place, and had they stood on the promises of the true King of Israel as their Rock rather than on the sifting sand of worldly hopes! Gods intention for Israel always included a King, for hundreds of years before Samuel was born, an ancient promise to one of the tribes of Israel was given: As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your fathers sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lions cub; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares to stir him up? The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the rulers staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Gen. 49:810) If Israel had waited, they would have gotten a king. Not the king of Genesis 49:8-10, but one like him an imperfect prototype, but a king who was a man after Gods own heart. Instead, Israel got 40 years of Saul, just as their forefathers got 40 years in the wilderness for their sin. Eventually Israel got David who seemed to check all the boxes, the kind of king God prescribed in Deuteronomy 17, but he was only an imperfect foreshadowing of a greater King that would come from his descendants. The King We Need The story of humanity is one of broken cisterns that can hold no water, a story of rejecting a Greater Glory for lesser glories, a story about mans desire for the kings of the earth, and every time we end up with shame, 40 years in the wilderness, or worsewe end of with a Saul when we could have had a David. What are you settling for? What wilderness have you found yourself in because you have settled for lesser glories in place of the Greater Glory who is the God you were born to know? What Saul have you settled for when you could have had a David? Can I leave you with something that ought to encourage you? What God had for Israel was greater than even David! King David was part of the plan, but he was not the end-goal of that plan. What Israel could not see was that God was moving time, space, and kingdoms to introduce to the world a greater King. A King who would reign on Davids throne forever (2 Sam. 7:12-16), a King whose light would light up the darkness of sins dark cloud (Isa. 9:2), a King who would come as the ultimate Lamb for the purpose of reigning as the rightful Lion of Judah, and on the first Christmas His voice would be heard in the form of a newborn infants cries: For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). He would be sent by Yahweh. He would be a descendant of David as fully human (and fully God). He would be the Son of God with a love for Him unparalleled by any other. He would humble with an absolute dependance upon God as His Father. He would live in perfect dependance upon the Law of God with an absolute love for the Word of God. He would be born not to be served, but to serve, to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Oh, dear brothers and sisters that One born on the first Christmas and laid in that manger for lowly shepherds to see and wandering Magi to seek was the One, born King of the Jews (Matt. 2:2); born on Christmas was the Redeemer, the Lord, the One who is the First and the Last the Living One. We were indeed meant to be ruled, but ruled by a Good King. Amen.

The first Avengers movie (2012) has a special place in my heart for many reasons; the primary reason for why I love this movie is because I kept Nathan from school half the day on a Friday morning on opening day to surprise him by seeing it in Imax. The second reason why I love the first Avengers movie is because it is one of the all-time great movies with great storytelling building up to one of the greatest superhero films on screen. A third reason why I love this movie is because of the theological and redemptive overtones throughout the film. There is a scene in the film when Loki, the primary antagonist in the film, makes his first public appearance in Stuttgart, Germany before a crowd of hundreds where he delivers one of the great lines in cinema on human freedom before he is confronted by the iconic comic book hero symbolizing what we believe about freedom in Captain America. Just before Loki is confronted, he said something that resonated with me: It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity.You were made to be ruled.In the end, you will always kneel. There is truth in Lokis words and the scene in the movie, in my opinion, captures what we believe about freedom with the villains words: You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel. It is as if to say that any powerful person or being that demands the bowing and kneeling of anyone is immoral. Yet, it is from the very words of holy Scripture that say of Jesus: For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:911). So, what do we do with the tension we feel over Lokis words, what history seemingly has taught us, and what we read in the Bible? I believe 1 Samuel 8:1-9 and Isaiah 44:8-10 helps resolve that tension for us, and it is to 1 Samuel we now turn our attention. The King Israel Wanted Samuels story is a fascinating one that we cannot explore today, but there are some things that you need to know to make sense of 1 Samuel 8. His mother, Hannah, could not get pregnant and begged God for a son; in a prayer Hannah offered up to God, she made the following vow: Lord of armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head (1 Sam: 1:11). When Hannah made that vow, she lived in a time in Israels history when Eli the Priest interpreted her pleading with God for being drunk which sheds some light upon the kind of passionless and empty prayers he was used to experiencing. While Hannah begged for a son that she could give back to the service of the Lord, Elis two sons hung out outside the place where people would come to worship God at the tabernacle where they disrespected the worship of God while they slept with the women who served at the doorway of the tabernacle, and they did this all while Eli, as a priest over Israel, knew about it (see 1 Sam. 2:12ff.). The spiritual climate of Hannahs day was, in the words of the final verse in the book of Judges: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Jud. 21:25). So, Samuel was born to Hannah, and just as she vowed, she dedicated her son to the service of God. Samuel loved God and served Him as His appointed judge, as well as a priest and prophet before all of Israel. Samuel would serve as Israels final judge before Israel demanded a king to rule over them. Which brings us to 1 Samuel 8:1-9. Samuel was a man of God who stands out as being uncompromising in his devotion to God. It would be easy to read 1 Samuel 8 and miss the three paradoxes that surround Israels demand for a king; the paradoxes include the names and location of Samuels two sons, the hypocrisy of everyone surrounding Samuel, and who the people really wanted to rule over them. Paradox #1: Samuels sons were a walking paradox that served as a living parable of Israels relationship with God. Samuels sons were named Joel and Abijah; Joel means Yahweh is God and Abijah means My father is Yahweh. Yet, both of Samuels sons who were commissioned as judges over Israel, were not known for living as though they really believed Yahweh was their God or that they identified as belonging to Him in the same way a son belongs to his father. We are told that they, turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice (v. 3). The elders who represented Israel asked as though they were disgusted by Joel and Abijahs behavior. Israel as a nation may not have been characterized by dishonest gain, receiving bribes from other nations, or perverting justice, but do not miss the indictment upon Israel as a nation given by the same God Samuels sons rejected: Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this dayin that they have abandoned Me and served other gods (v. 8). The takeaways from the first paradox: First, just because you think someone elses sin is ugly does not mean that your sin is no more repulsive in the eyes of God. What matters is not whether your sin looks better than the sins of others, but what God thinks about your heart. Secondly, we do not know what kind of father Samuel was, but you can be the godliest parent on planet earth and even that may not be enough for your child to want to walk in the ways of God. It is important to note that unlike Elis two sons whose sins were before their fathers eyes, Samuels sons lived over fifty miles away and Samuels ways were very different than the wicked ways of his two sons. Paradox #2: Samuels two sons did not live up to their name in the same way that Israel did not live up her name. Remember that Jacobs name means, heel-grabber and that he was known for the ways he manipulated his father and older brother Esau into receiving a birthright that was not his to take. It wasnt until he wrestled with God and was then renamed only after he yielded his life to God, that his name was Israel, and its meaning is simple: He who strives with God. Yet, Israel as a nation was not known for striving with God but walking away from God to the gods of the nations. Many years later following Israels demand for a king, the prophet Jeremiah would declare on behalf of God: Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living waters, to carve out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jer. 2:12-13). The takeaway from the second paradox: Israel thought their greatest need was what the world had to offer while ignoring the only source that was able satisfy their deepest longings and remedy their greatest problem, which had to do with the human heart. Sin-begotten kings cannot solve the problems of sin-begotten people. Paradox #3: Israels demand for a king like the other nations was a vote of no-confidence in God as King over their lives. This could not be more obvious. The irony in Israels demand for a king was not the desire for a king, but the kind of king they believed would solve the problem of the heart. We know that the desire for a king was not the issue because in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God gave Israel the prescription for the kind of king they would one day need; there are seven characteristics listed in Deuteronomy 17 that the king needed to have to qualify to rule over Israel as king. The king would be a person like them who Yahweh would appoint over them. The king would be a person from among their own people. The king would be a person who truly loved Yahweh. The king would be a person whose security and strength rested in Yahweh. The king would be a person who loved the Law and the Word of Yahweh. The king would be a person who would obey the Law and Word of Yahweh. The king would be a person who would seek to serve his people for their good and the glory of Yahweh. Because Israel wanted a king like the nations, they would not get the kind of king described in Deuteronomy 17. The kind of king Israel would get is described in 1 Samuel 8:10-20. The irony is that Israel did not ultimately reject Samuel as a judge, but God as their King. The takeaway from the third paradox: The One Israel needed most is who they seemed to want least. Israel wanted what the nations had and refused the good that God had for them. Israel believed that their rejection of God would give them freedom, but it would ultimately result in a greater bondage and burden that would lead to greater sorrows. The King Israel Rejected It wasnt Israels desire to have a king that was so bad, but the kind of king they wanted. The king that they wanted was one like what the other nations had. They wanted a king they could chose, a king whose splendor and glory came from the strength of his army, a king whose glory rested in his gold and silver, and a king who was attractive just like the kings the other godless nations had. What they ultimately wanted was the same thing Adam and Eve wanted that the serpent offered: they wanted autonomy from the God of Samuel. This is the kind of thing we are warned about in Holy Scripture: Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 John 2:15-16). When Adam and Even looked at the forbidden fruit as they were tempted by the Serpent of old, we are told: When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate (Gen. 3:6). Under the surface of Israels demand for a king like the other nations was the foolish belief in the same old lie, but only with different dressing. After Adam and Eve bit into the fruit what they got was shame and death. According to 1 Samuel 8:10-20, with the king Israel wanted and demanded, he would take from them what they have and give them a greater burden they were never meant to bear. What was Samuel to do with the demand of the people? He brought it before the Lord in prayer. Samuel had faithfully served Yahweh and the people all of his life; it is understandable that he took the demand for a king personally. However, it was not Samuel, as the Lords servant, that they were rejecting: And the Lord said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them (v. 8). What kind of King is Yahweh? Oh, we are told of the kind of King He is in Isaiah 44:6-8, This is what the Lord says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; And, let him confront Me Beginning with My establishing of the ancient nation. Then let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none. The One Israel so eagerly rejected was Yahweh as King of Israel. The God who overwhelmed Pharaoh with 10 plagues, parted the sea, and delivered Israel through the wilderness is the One Israel was willing to trade in for someone like pharaoh. Israel demanded a sin-begotten task master in place of the Redeemer. The people demanded something the godless nations produced in place of the One true God whose Israels very existence was owing to Him. Oh, the crazy rational of sin and how it is seen in Israels desire of a man from the dirt in place of the God who is the Rock! So, God gave Israel the desire of their hearts by giving them a man by the name of Saul and boy was he a train-wreck spiritually! If Israel had only waited! If they had only trusted in the One who establishes nations and removes them, who declares things that are coming and events that are going to take place, and had they stood on the promises of the true King of Israel as their Rock rather than on the sifting sand of worldly hopes! Gods intention for Israel always included a King, for hundreds of years before Samuel was born, an ancient promise to one of the tribes of Israel was given: As for you, Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your fathers sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lions cub; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares to stir him up? The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the rulers staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Gen. 49:810) If Israel had waited, they would have gotten a king. Not the king of Genesis 49:8-10, but one like him an imperfect prototype, but a king who was a man after Gods own heart. Instead, Israel got 40 years of Saul, just as their forefathers got 40 years in the wilderness for their sin. Eventually Israel got David who seemed to check all the boxes, the kind of king God prescribed in Deuteronomy 17, but he was only an imperfect foreshadowing of a greater King that would come from his descendants. The King We Need The story of humanity is one of broken cisterns that can hold no water, a story of rejecting a Greater Glory for lesser glories, a story about mans desire for the kings of the earth, and every time we end up with shame, 40 years in the wilderness, or worsewe end of with a Saul when we could have had a David. What are you settling for? What wilderness have you found yourself in because you have settled for lesser glories in place of the Greater Glory who is the God you were born to know? What Saul have you settled for when you could have had a David? Can I leave you with something that ought to encourage you? What God had for Israel was greater than even David! King David was part of the plan, but he was not the end-goal of that plan. What Israel could not see was that God was moving time, space, and kingdoms to introduce to the world a greater King. A King who would reign on Davids throne forever (2 Sam. 7:12-16), a King whose light would light up the darkness of sins dark cloud (Isa. 9:2), a King who would come as the ultimate Lamb for the purpose of reigning as the rightful Lion of Judah, and on the first Christmas His voice would be heard in the form of a newborn infants cries: For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). He would be sent by Yahweh. He would be a descendant of David as fully human (and fully God). He would be the Son of God with a love for Him unparalleled by any other. He would humble with an absolute dependance upon God as His Father. He would live in perfect dependance upon the Law of God with an absolute love for the Word of God. He would be born not to be served, but to serve, to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Oh, dear brothers and sisters that One born on the first Christmas and laid in that manger for lowly shepherds to see and wandering Magi to seek was the One, born King of the Jews (Matt. 2:2); born on Christmas was the Redeemer, the Lord, the One who is the First and the Last the Living One. We were indeed meant to be ruled, but ruled by a Good King. Amen.

This week, we look at the story of Zacchaeus, whose short stature is the subject of many a Sunday school song and story!  But the story is more about the effect that Jesus has on people, and we learn of the gracious mission of Jesus:  “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  May we celebrate the grace and love of our Lord, and learn from Zacchaeus and his changed life!  Luke 19:1-10 Preaching: Pastor David Burke Visit our website at www.fremontpres.org Email us at podcast@fremontpres.org

Colossians 1:15-29 The Why: (1) Jesus is God (2) Jesus is First (3) Jesus is All and The What: Reconciliation (1) Jesus For us v15-20 Jesus is God For us Jesus is First For us Jesus is All For us (2) Jesus In us v21-23 (3) Jesus Through us v24-29

The Great Reverse For the session to be discussed on September 3, 2023 Matthew 16:21-28 David Cassady Nikki Hardeman David Adams Crystal Shepherd Today we are presented with a difficult comment by Jesus: “For those who want to save their life will lose it. Those who lose their life, for my sake, will find it.” […]

February 26, 2023                                                                                                 Faith Full Week 8 There is a Better Way!“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” —Jesus“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord."The greatest enemy to the life you want may be the life you're living." Craig GroeschelPeople of the Way:Goal was to live and love the wayJesus lived and loved.Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres… When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew11:28-30Dallas Willard –“A disciple or apprentice, then, is simply someone who has decided to be with another person, under appropriate conditions, in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is.”Be with JesusBecome like JesusDo what he would do if he were you“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 msgDiscussion questions:Describe your ideal Day off.On a scale of 1–10, how fulfilled are you right now? Whatmakes you say that?Consider how Jesus lived. What stands out to you the most about His way of living?What area in your life looks most different from Jesus' life?What's one way you can start living more like Jesus in that area?

Our sermon title is: "Dining with Jesus" For more information about Redemption Church or to get in touch please visit our website at: https://www.christcommunityok.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCCRVOK If you would like to support our ministry you can donate at: https://bit.ly/c3okdonate

Our sermon title is: "Dining with Jesus" For more information about Redemption Church or to get in touch please visit our website at: https://www.christcommunityok.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCCRVOK If you would like to support our ministry you can donate at: https://bit.ly/c3okdonate

Speaker: Pastor Shane Michael Waldron Passage: Luke 1:26-38 Series: The Mothers of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Speaker: Pastor Shane Michael Waldron Passage: 2 Samuel 11-12 Series: The Mothers of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Speaker: Pastor Chris Weniger Passage: Select Passages from Ruth Series: The Mothers of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Speaker: Pastor Shane Michael Waldron Passage: Genesis 38 Series: The Mothers of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Life is Worth Living Television Show – Women As Objects Not Persons Sheen Catechism Lesson #12 – The Mother of Jesus   For more information about Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, please visit https://www.bishopsheentoday.com

Set Free John 8:31-36 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free'?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 1. Abide in Jesus – remain, wait, stay 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” John 15:4-5,8-10 2. Know Jesus Your Word > My Experiences 3. Be set free by Jesus “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13

How do you pray? Do you plead the blood of Jesus in prayer? The blood of Jesus speaks on your behalf, covers everything, and reverses every curse levied against you. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”—Revelation 12:11 There is power in the blood of Jesus! It expunges sin as if it was never there. As you pray in the Courts of Heaven, the enemy makes accusations against you trying to stop your prayers from getting answered. Satan is a legalist, and he uses things in your past to charge you with, stopping your breakthrough from getting through. In this podcast, Rabbi Curt Landry walks you through a prayer of applying the blood of Jesus to stop the enemy from stealing, killing, and destroying your health, relationships, and resources. He explains what the blood of Jesus does—forgives and protects—and the 5 things to plead the blood for…  Plead the Blood of Jesus For… 1.     Repentance 2.     Protection 3.     Health 4.     Provision and Deliverance 5.     Home and Family Stop allowing the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy in your life. Activate and plead the blood of Jesus today! It will change your prayer life. 

This REVING the Word is a faith-based workout that is a great way to train you heart while you train your body. Press play anytime you run, walk, hike or move your body! Let Alisa lead you in this coached, faith-based workout as she kicks off a new series teaching on the parables of Jesus. Today's REVING the Word starts us off with the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13. This one has you leaning in close to begin to understand and receive God's truth in soil of your heart. It's a powerful teaching! Registration closes June 9 for our brand-new faith and fitness program, Walking the Words of Jesus. We're inviting you into a time of worship and prayer for 21 days. The program provides you with daily 20 minute guided walking prayers, a Facebook group where you have access to coaching, weekly live training calls with Alisa, and great resources that help you learn correct posture and alignment to remain injury-free. Click here to sign-up today! --> Walking the Words of Jesus For more great resources that help train our hearts, check out these links: Spiritual Discipline for a Fruitful Life Soil of Our Hearts Be Still and Be Loved: Heart Focused Breathing Read how stories impact our brains (as referenced by Alisa in this episode) We love our Rev community and think you will too! Be sure to get connected with us at: The Official Revelation Wellness Facebook / Instagram / RevWell TV / Youtube   We LOVE your reviews! They really do help us spread the good news! Please consider leaving us one, and if we read your name on our show, we'll send you a free gift from the Revelation Wellness Store!    Playlist:  Is That Okay? - Social Club Misfits (3:50) Breathing (feat. Malou) - Ben Bohmer & Nils Hoffman (3:43) Just the Two of Us (Remix) - Gaston Aguero (3:30) Hiphip Chinchin (feat. Brenda Boykin) - Club des Belugas (5:37) Magnificent Trinity (Live) - Jonathan David Hesler & Melissa Hesler (8:57) What He's Done (Acoustic) - Passion, Kristian Stanfill, Tasha Cobbs Leonard (8:14) Into The Deep (Live) - Citipoint Worship & Chardon Lewis (5:26)

This REVING the Word is a faith-based workout that is a great way to train you heart while you train your body. Press play anytime you run, walk, hike or move your body! Let Alisa lead you in this coached, faith-based workout as she kicks off a new series teaching on the parables of Jesus. Today's REVING the Word starts us off with the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13. This one has you leaning in close to begin to understand and receive God's truth in soil of your heart. It's a powerful teaching! Registration closes June 9 for our brand-new faith and fitness program, Walking the Words of Jesus. We're inviting you into a time of worship and prayer for 21 days. The program provides you with daily 20 minute guided walking prayers, a Facebook group where you have access to coaching, weekly live training calls with Alisa, and great resources that help you learn correct posture and alignment to remain injury-free. Click here to sign-up today! --> Walking the Words of Jesus For more great resources that help train our hearts, check out these links: Spiritual Discipline for a Fruitful Life Soil of Our Hearts Be Still and Be Loved: Heart Focused Breathing Read how stories impact our brains (as referenced by Alisa in this episode) We love our Rev community and think you will too! Be sure to get connected with us at: The Official Revelation Wellness Facebook / Instagram / RevWell TV / Youtube   We LOVE your reviews! They really do help us spread the good news! Please consider leaving us one, and if we read your name on our show, we'll send you a free gift from the Revelation Wellness Store!    Playlist:  Is That Okay? - Social Club Misfits (3:50) Breathing (feat. Malou) - Ben Bohmer & Nils Hoffman (3:43) Just the Two of Us (Remix) - Gaston Aguero (3:30) Hiphip Chinchin (feat. Brenda Boykin) - Club des Belugas (5:37) Magnificent Trinity (Live) - Jonathan David Hesler & Melissa Hesler (8:57) What He's Done (Acoustic) - Passion, Kristian Stanfill, Tasha Cobbs Leonard (8:14) Into The Deep (Live) - Citipoint Worship & Chardon Lewis (5:26)

Andrew Klavan, Hollywood screenwriter and author, joined WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" radio program on Friday to discuss his new book “"The Truth and Beauty: How the Lives and Works of England's Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus." His new book: "The Truth and Beauty: How the Lives and Works of England's Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus" For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock,and @patrickpinkfile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Urban Dictionary; Optimystic is a combination of optimistic and mystical used to describe a person whose optimism transcends physical reality and therefore manifests a higher level of existence through higher thinkingDuring the pandemic, Keith stumbled into a weekly youtube special on Country artist Drake White's Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/drakew5/featured named Wednesday night therapy https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5U9ENwi51aOhDCwzRxGsTwMPlv-Xsu8PDrakes's weekly live performances provided a great deal of comfort and distraction to all that was happening around us. The more Keith listened the more he felt a personal connection to Drake and his words. On today's episode of Share The Struggle Podcast  Keith shares lyrics from some of his favorite songs and offers a personal perspective on them. "Drake White; lyrics song Giants For some it's a cigarette For some it's a blackjack bet For some it's playing Russian roulette With the bottle For some it's a broken heart Pink slip in a foreclosed yad Eighteen and a goodbye car Waving to her fatherWe all got giants, we all feel like a David Facing Goliath sometimes Well, they make us feel so small, back us against the wall But they don't know they're turning underdogs to lions So bring on those giants For some it's a locker room Makeup on bourbon bruise For some it's a Sunday pew Talking to Jesus For some it's the sound of goodbye A single seeing two pink lines Some people gotta stay high And some are scared of flyin Scared of trying, scared of dyingWe all got giants, we all feel like a David Facing Goliath sometimes Well, they make us feel so small, back us against the wall But they don't know they're turning underdogs to lions So bring on those giantswe all, we all got them skeletons in the closet  we all got them mountains worth climbingThey're testing our faith in defiance We all got giants, we all feel like a David Facing Goliath sometimes Well, they make us feel so small, back us against the wall But they don't know they're turning underdogs to lions"Drake White song lyrics for "It Takes Time"  "It takes time, you can't rush right through this life Time, no a crop don't grow overnight Time you gotta put the work in to get it right Lord it just takes time"Drake White song lyrics "Hurts The Healing""goodbyes Oh, they cut like knives This pain ain't nothing like I've ever known This heartbroke has got a hold and won't let go, no Even in the worst, I got a feeling Maybe the hurt's the healing Maybe the hurt's the healing"The only thing more inspiring than Drakes's song lyrics is his actual life story from suffering a hemorrhagic stroke while performing on stage to his to making the choice to be an inspiration and defat his situation. You can learn more of this story from his Ted Talk in Nashville Tennesse in 2020 https://youtu.be/VRbPDIlnDHk In March of 2022 Drake released his new album The Optimystic, the release of this album was backed by a tour that created an opportunity for Keith and Alli to meet Drake! Find all things Drake White @  https://www.drakewhite.com/All Things Loud Proud Americanhttps://www.loudproudamerican.shop/https://www.facebook.com/Loudproudamericanhttps://www.instagram.com/loud_proud_american/https://www.tiktok.com/@loud_proud_america

James Chapter 2 - Faith Without Love is Dead // Pastor Dominick Butler “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” ‭‭//James‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬// The work of God is to love. To love beyond natural ability or human assessment. Faith without love is dead. James chapter 2 is flooded with invitations and correction to bring us into a reality of His love that is transcendent to anything we have ever known. Many say they want to know God, but they aren't willing to love like He does. Teach us to love like You, Jesus For more info on Gold Street Garden; https://linktr.ee/goldstreetgarden

Series: Colossians: Supreme!Title: “How To Devote Yourself to Prayer”Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20; 4:2-6 (main); Matt 6:8-13; 7:24-27(Commentary helps listed at the end)Last week's Bottom line: When we gladly submit to God's design for our work life/career/vocation, we will thrive in the fullness of life.Bottom line: We devote ourselves to prayer by being watchful in, grateful for, and helpful to the mission God has called us to.Review Col 1:15-20Opening story:‘Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence,' -Spurgeon"Prayer is the way we can escape the gravitational pull of the flesh and enter GOD's orbit. It's the way we escape the atmosphere and enter into HIS space. It's the way we over come human limitations and enter into the extra-dimensional realm where all things are possible." Author unknownMark 9:23 “'If you can'?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”Bible in One Year 2021 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 235 • DevotionalThe Gracious Hand of GodThings happen to us. So much of life is simply the set of circumstances we find ourselves in.For example, our parents, our genetic design, the weather, much of our education and our government are all things that we experience as ‘happening to us'. In Greek grammar, these things are expressed in what we call the ‘passive voice'.However, we also make things happen. When I initiate an action and do something, this is expressed in the ‘active voice'.But Greek grammar also has a third voice – the ‘middle voice'. This is neither wholly active nor wholly passive. When I use the middle voice, I am participating in the results of an action.Christian prayer is spoken in the middle voice. It cannot be in the active voice because it is not an action I control, as in the ritualistic pagan prayers where the gods do our bidding.Prayer is not in the passive voice either, in which I'm at the mercy of the will of gods and goddesses.In Christian prayer, as Eugene Peterson puts it, ‘I enter into an action begun by another, my creating and saving Lord, and find myself participating in the results of his [gracious] action.'In one sense, the whole of the Christian life is prayer. We welcome God's gracious hand in our lives, and we participate in what he is doing in the world. God involves you in his plans. Of course, he could do it all on his own, but he chooses to involve you. He gives you freedom, yet he remains in control. -Nicky GumbelThe Power of PrayerArchbishop Justin Welby and Pete Greig (founder of 24-7 Prayer) have launched an initiative calling hundreds of thousands of Christians, of many churches and denominations to a great wave of prayer for the evangelisation of the nations during the week before Pentecost Sunday. The week culminates in beacon events in packed cathedrals and churches around the world over the Pentecost weekend. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, asked people to pray for three things: ‘That all Christians find new life in Jesus Christ… That all those you meet… might see something of Jesus… For the church to overflow with the reality of the presence of Jesus.'Pete Grieg has described it as ‘a groundswell; a movement from the grassroots up'. He said he had been very moved to hear of one boy who'd prayed for five friends, three of whom had since become Christians!Prayer is spiritual nutrition. Just as the body needs physical food, so the soul needs spiritual food. Prayer changes us. However, the Bible goes much further than this. Prayer is powerful. It is, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.' Prayer has the power to change circumstances, other people and even the course of history.Bible in One Year 2021 With Nicky Gumbel: Day 176 • DevotionalOf course, the Lord's Prayers are very instructive.Matt 6:9-13 is the Lord's answer to his disciples' question, “How do you pray?”John 17 is a lengthy example of Jesus praying on the eve of the cross.Context:Epaphras has visited Paul in Rome (who's in prison for sharing the gospel) to ask for help in dealing with the false teachers in the church of Colossae. Paul writes this letter to this church and sends it back with Epaphras.Transition: In a world that seems doomed and hopeless to change, we can be part of true and lasting change as we devote ourselves to God and his mission through prayer.My OutlineI. What? “Devote yourselves to prayer.” (4:2) How? By…“Being watchful”Watch yourself InwardlyOutwardlyWatch around the corner (locally)Watch around the world (globally)“Being thankful”To God.Pray with others.Ex. Prayer Team 6 (online and in-person)Say 3 things you're thankful for each day (Ann Voskamp, 1,000 Gifts book)To People.Being MissionalPraying for Open DoorsFor the message of the mystery of ChristFor clarity of the message, despite the chainsNote: Doesn't pray for his cell door to be openedPraying for wisdomFor the way to act towards outsidersFor gracious, salty conversationFor wisdom in those conversationsApplicationsBe watchful: inwardly and outwardly; pray with someone else daily (prayer, 8 am) even weekly; journal your prayersBe thankful: say aloud three things you're thankful for today every day; do this as family around the table ideallyBe missional: interceding: pray for others; pray for kingdom expansion (Open doors)Be an answerBe in conversationThis mindset of the great commandment and the great commission are seen in the Lord's supper where Christ calls us to look back, look up, look inside and look ahead. 1 Cor 11:23-26“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:23-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.11.23-26.NIVThis transitions us towards the Lord's Supper where we remember why we do all of this—because of what he did for us at the cross.ConclusionI heard about a preacher who preached the same sermon week after week after week. When finally asked by as people why he said I'll preach a new sermon when you all get this one. This point is clear: until we become doers of the word will be on a path of destruction as only hearers of the word.Matt 7:24-27 parable of how to build your family to thrive in a world of chaotic evil. This is Jesus' summary and fitting conclusion of application to his “sermon on the mount” which is essentially his kingdom manifesto. This is also appropriate for how to thrive in our vocation/work/career.Back to Jesus' parable about the 2 houses and the 2 foundations:“The assumption in Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish builders is that our homes necessarily have to endure a barrage of torrential storms.”“The assurance of his parable is that those who build their homes according to God's blueprint can withstand life's onslaughts.”In other words:Building on the world's philosophies will lead to family and societal collapse.Building on the Lord's blueprint will lead to stability, security and peace despite the devastating storms around us.Bottom line: When we gladly submit to God's design for our work life/career/vocation, we will thrive in the fullness of life.PrayLord's Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32OtherKent HughesV. Servants/Slaves/Employees (3:22-25)—Not advocating for slavery.Staying silent on this institution for the simple reason that there's a battle to be fought first that lays the foundation for victory later achieved.“Through the example of Christ, the apostles understood that the great rest need for social and cultural change was a spiritual transformation through the power of the gospel.” -Pace, p. 110VI. Masters/Bosses/Employers (4:1)—His purchase of our freedom/forgiveness establish his ownership of us.1 Cor 6:19-20; Romans 6:17-18Christ is our ultimate Lord and master, King and authority over all of us. He created us and redeems us!Christ modeled this by being equal to the Father and yet submitted to his command to come and die for us. Should we do any less?“Paul's instruction for masters and servants mirror his emphasis for all members of the household: ‘Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.'” (3:23)“This verse (3:25) summarizes and reiterates his general directive for all believers in v. 17” reminding us:WHAT we do matters “whatever you do”HOW we do it matters “do it from the heart” andWHY we do it matters “as something done for the Lord”What's your foundation: Rock or Sand?Sand—Worldview of entitlement, blame, and selfishness.Rock—Worldview of selfless, sacrificial love for all people surrendering al land gladly submitting to proper authorities starting with God at home.Hearing the word AND doing the word lead to growth in Christlike being and doing (character and competency) = FruitfulnessCross-referencesEphesians 5:21-6:9Matthew 7:24-27OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS:———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:Exalting Jesus in Colossians by Scott PacePreaching the Word: Philippians, Colossians and Philemon commentary by R. Kent HughesESV Global Study BibleBible in One Year by Nicky GumbelBible Knowledge CommentaryThe Outline Bible, WilmingtonPaul for Everyone, The Prison Letters, NT Wright's commentary on Philippians and ColossiansGospel Transformation BibleNIV Study BibleThe Bible Exposition Commentary, Warren Wiersbe

To view Paul's full notes (in PDF format), click here.To view Paul's slides (in PDF format), click here.Walking Through Life's StormsThe thoughts for this morning were triggered as I studied Psalm 46 and the fact that the only way, I believe we can manage to survive the “Storms of Life” is by actually putting into practice “Be still and Know that I am God” (v10a).Do we expect the storms of life or are they just for the bad people around us? I was taken back to the story of Job as well as the parable that Jesus told of the two builders.So should we expect “the storms of life” or do we hail from a rose-tinted glasses journey with Jesus where we will have a lovely life without any troubles. Quite simply NO WAY! In this fallen, damaged and wicked world troubles will come and following Jesus will not insulate you from them. Job 1-2Matthew 7:24-28Psalm 88:3Isaiah 43:1-2Matthew 8:23-27John 16:33Psalm 46Isaiah 2:4Romans 8:28Here is the challenge whatever we face the good the bad or the ugly – we need to seek our father God and draw close to Jesus to be willing to be still and make the time to share our heart and our worries with him. The to listen to His response and be reminded again and again just how much he loves and cares for each one of us.Romans 8v28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposeAs I was preparing, I was listening to the song WAYMAKER. The words “Even when I don't see it, you're working, even when I don't feel it you're working, You NEVER stop working”So, this morning we need to turn to God whatever we face and whatever we are going through.And turn to Jesus who died that all our sin and all our shame could be dealt with. So, that all our guilt could be removed. Today, whatever you have done – God's promise in Jesus is that it has all been dealt with.Whatever you face today & in the coming week Jesus is there to walk with you through it & when your strength fails to pick up and carry you. So, as we've been praying for those in Ukraine whose “Troubles” make ours fade. We need more of Jesus as Colossians reminds us Christ is all and Christ in us is all we need.For this I have Jesus - For the joys and for the sorrows, The best and worst of times, For this I have Jesus, For this I have Jesus, For this I have Jesus, I have Jesus (Repeat)QuestionsSo, this morning are you stuck in the midst of the storm? Do you need Jesus to still the wind and the waves?Are you ready to be “Be Still and know that I am God”?Are there things that are stopping you – do you feel God has let you down or forgotten you? Whatever it is you need God is here to meet with you afresh this morning.He wants you to know that whatever you face, whatever makes you feel unloved, whatever you would hear from that inner voice accusing you of – Jesus wants to tell you afresh that. He wants to come and wrap His loving arms around you and declare He loves you and wants you to know afresh His peace that passes all understandingPrayer"Jesus, I don't know what tomorrow may bring,let alone next week or the next decade.But today, knowing you and all you have done for me,I chose to follow you into the unknown.Amen"

We know two things about Nicodemus. First, he is a Pharisee, the Jewish sect that had begun as a reformation movement within Judaism. Second, he is a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. It's likely that he comes to Jesus at night to avoid being seen talking with Jesus. Although Jewish opposition towards Jesus is just beginning, Nicodemus doesn't want to risk his reputation. But he does show an openness to Jesus: “For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus then steers the conversation into one about spiritual rebirth. This leads to one of the best-known expressions of the gospel, John 3:16.Passage: John 3:1-21

Message from Youth Director Edgar Bear entitled "Fulfilled in Jesus" For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

Comprehending the Mystery of Godliness. Bruce R. McConkie. ACU Sunday Series. The Mystery of Godliness | Bruce R McConkie | 1985 https://youtu.be/EpXzTR-qNB0 157,736 views Jun 12, 2020 BYU Speeches 112K subscribers To us mortals, the infinite wisdom and power of God may always be, in part, a mystery. However, there are many things about His nature that we can know. This speech was given on January 6, 1985. Read the speech here: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bruce-... Read more about Bruce R. McConkie here: https://speeches.byu.edu/speakers/bru... Subscribe to BYU Speeches for the latest videos: http://www.youtube.com/c/byuspeeches Read and listen to more BYU Speeches here: https://speeches.byu.edu/ Follow BYU Speeches: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byuspeeches Twitter: https://twitter.com/byuspeeches Instagram: https://instagram.com/byuspeeches Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/byuspeeches © Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. "I rejoice in the privilege of presenting to the young and rising generation some basic concepts about the deepest and most profound doctrine of the gospel. It is the first principle of revealed religion, the great cornerstone upon which all else rests, the foundation for all of the doctrines of salvation. I shall speak of what the revealed word calls the mystery of godliness. If our vision is blurred where this doctrine and these concepts are concerned, or, if knowingly or unknowingly we have fallen prey to any of the false sectarian notions that abound with reference to them, our progress toward eternal life will be slow indeed. Comprehending the Mystery of Godliness A mystery, so the dictionary says, is “something beyond human comprehension.” Defining the word from a theological standpoint, it says a mystery is “an article of faith beyond human comprehension, as the doctrine of the Trinity.” How apt this illustration is! If there was ever something beyond human comprehension, it is the sectarian doctrine of the Trinity. This doctrine defines God and the Godhead as a three-in-one spirit essence that fills the immensity of space; it teaches that it and they are without body, parts, or passions; it acclaims that it and they are unknown, unknowable, and uncreated, and specifies, in the creeds, that unless we believe all these things we cannot be saved. It is true that finite man cannot comprehend his Infinite Maker in the full sense of the word. We cannot tell how gods began to be or from whence existent matter came. But we are duty-bound to learn all that God has revealed about himself and his everlasting gospel. If we are to gain eternal life we must come to know the Great God and his Only Begotten, whom he sent into the world. And this probationary estate is the appointed time to begin to know God, and to learn his laws, and thereby to start the process of becoming like him. If we do not so begin we shall never receive the promised reward. Because God stands revealed or remains forever unknown, and because the things of God are known only by the power of the Spirit, perhaps we should redefine a mystery. In the gospel sense, a mystery is something beyond carnal comprehension. The saints are in a position to comprehend all mysteries, to understand all doctrine, and eventually to know all things. These high levels of intelligence are reached only through faith and obedience and righteousness. A person who relies on the intellect alone and who does not keep the commandments can never, worlds without end, comprehend the mystery of godliness. There is probably more ignorance and confusion as to the mystery of godliness than there is about any other doctrine. As set forth in the three creeds of Christendom—the Nicene, the Apostles', and the Athanasian, which God himself said were an abomination in his sight—and as defined in the articles of religion of the various denominations, this doctrine is a mass of confusion and a mountain of falsity. Even in the Church, thanks to a lack of knowledge and to intellectuality and the worldly enticement to conform to the general beliefs of an apostate Christendom, there are those who have fallen prey to many false delusions about deity. By way of illustration let us note some of the problems. Who and What Is God? Is there a God? If so, who or what is he? Is he the laws and forces of nature? Or an image of mud or gold? Or is he Baal, the resurrected son of El to whom the Canaanites offered human sacrifices? Is he Allah or Buddha or the confusing and contradictory nothingness described in the creeds of Christendom? Is there such a thing as the Trinity in which the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three gods, and, yet one god, a god who neither hears, nor speaks, nor appears, as did the one worshipped by the ancients? Is God omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, or are these descriptive designations part of the legends of sectarianism? Are there three gods or one? Why does Jesus say his Father is greater than he, and Paul say Jesus is equal with the Father? Why the great scriptural emphasis on proclaiming that three gods are one, and that the Lord our God is one Lord?   Zach Williams, Dolly Parton - There Was Jesus (Official Music Video) https://youtu.be/37wV6D49iEY 28,810,460 views Apr 23, 2020 Zach Williams 828K subscribers Watch the official music video for “There Was Jesus” with Dolly Parton now. Listen to #ThereWasJesus everywhere: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/RescueSto... Check out my new Christmas album, I Don't Want Christmas to End: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/IDontWant... Connect with me: Email List: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/EmailSign... Facebook: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/facebookTm Twitter: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/ZWtwitterTm Instagram: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/ZWinstagr... Website: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/websiteTm There Was Jesus   Every time I tried to make it on my own Every time I tried to stand and start to fall All those lonely roads that I have travelled on There was Jesus   When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus   In the waiting, in the searching In the healing and the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces  Every minute, every moment Of where I been and where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it There was Jesus   For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness at a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus   On the mountain in the valleys (There was Jesus)  In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus) In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus) Always is and always was I never walk alone   There Was Jesus Every time I tried to make it on my own Every time I tried to stand and start to fall All those lonely roads that I have travelled on There was Jesus When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus In the waiting, in the searching In the healing and the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment Of where I been and where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it There was Jesus For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness at a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus On the mountain in the valleys (There was Jesus) In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus) In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus) Always is and always was I never walk alone Music by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton performing “There Was Jesus” (Official Music Video). #ZachWilliams #ChristianMusic #DollyParton

Comprehending the Mystery of Godliness. Bruce R. McConkie. ACU Sunday Series. The Mystery of Godliness | Bruce R McConkie | 1985 https://youtu.be/EpXzTR-qNB0 157,736 views Jun 12, 2020 BYU Speeches 112K subscribers To us mortals, the infinite wisdom and power of God may always be, in part, a mystery. However, there are many things about His nature that we can know. This speech was given on January 6, 1985. Read the speech here: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bruce-... Read more about Bruce R. McConkie here: https://speeches.byu.edu/speakers/bru... Subscribe to BYU Speeches for the latest videos: http://www.youtube.com/c/byuspeeches Read and listen to more BYU Speeches here: https://speeches.byu.edu/ Follow BYU Speeches: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byuspeeches Twitter: https://twitter.com/byuspeeches Instagram: https://instagram.com/byuspeeches Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/byuspeeches © Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. "I rejoice in the privilege of presenting to the young and rising generation some basic concepts about the deepest and most profound doctrine of the gospel. It is the first principle of revealed religion, the great cornerstone upon which all else rests, the foundation for all of the doctrines of salvation. I shall speak of what the revealed word calls the mystery of godliness. If our vision is blurred where this doctrine and these concepts are concerned, or, if knowingly or unknowingly we have fallen prey to any of the false sectarian notions that abound with reference to them, our progress toward eternal life will be slow indeed. Comprehending the Mystery of Godliness A mystery, so the dictionary says, is “something beyond human comprehension.” Defining the word from a theological standpoint, it says a mystery is “an article of faith beyond human comprehension, as the doctrine of the Trinity.” How apt this illustration is! If there was ever something beyond human comprehension, it is the sectarian doctrine of the Trinity. This doctrine defines God and the Godhead as a three-in-one spirit essence that fills the immensity of space; it teaches that it and they are without body, parts, or passions; it acclaims that it and they are unknown, unknowable, and uncreated, and specifies, in the creeds, that unless we believe all these things we cannot be saved. It is true that finite man cannot comprehend his Infinite Maker in the full sense of the word. We cannot tell how gods began to be or from whence existent matter came. But we are duty-bound to learn all that God has revealed about himself and his everlasting gospel. If we are to gain eternal life we must come to know the Great God and his Only Begotten, whom he sent into the world. And this probationary estate is the appointed time to begin to know God, and to learn his laws, and thereby to start the process of becoming like him. If we do not so begin we shall never receive the promised reward. Because God stands revealed or remains forever unknown, and because the things of God are known only by the power of the Spirit, perhaps we should redefine a mystery. In the gospel sense, a mystery is something beyond carnal comprehension. The saints are in a position to comprehend all mysteries, to understand all doctrine, and eventually to know all things. These high levels of intelligence are reached only through faith and obedience and righteousness. A person who relies on the intellect alone and who does not keep the commandments can never, worlds without end, comprehend the mystery of godliness. There is probably more ignorance and confusion as to the mystery of godliness than there is about any other doctrine. As set forth in the three creeds of Christendom—the Nicene, the Apostles', and the Athanasian, which God himself said were an abomination in his sight—and as defined in the articles of religion of the various denominations, this doctrine is a mass of confusion and a mountain of falsity. Even in the Church, thanks to a lack of knowledge and to intellectuality and the worldly enticement to conform to the general beliefs of an apostate Christendom, there are those who have fallen prey to many false delusions about deity. By way of illustration let us note some of the problems. Who and What Is God? Is there a God? If so, who or what is he? Is he the laws and forces of nature? Or an image of mud or gold? Or is he Baal, the resurrected son of El to whom the Canaanites offered human sacrifices? Is he Allah or Buddha or the confusing and contradictory nothingness described in the creeds of Christendom? Is there such a thing as the Trinity in which the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three gods, and, yet one god, a god who neither hears, nor speaks, nor appears, as did the one worshipped by the ancients? Is God omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, or are these descriptive designations part of the legends of sectarianism? Are there three gods or one? Why does Jesus say his Father is greater than he, and Paul say Jesus is equal with the Father? Why the great scriptural emphasis on proclaiming that three gods are one, and that the Lord our God is one Lord?   Zach Williams, Dolly Parton - There Was Jesus (Official Music Video) https://youtu.be/37wV6D49iEY 28,810,460 views Apr 23, 2020 Zach Williams 828K subscribers Watch the official music video for “There Was Jesus” with Dolly Parton now. Listen to #ThereWasJesus everywhere: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/RescueSto... Check out my new Christmas album, I Don't Want Christmas to End: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/IDontWant... Connect with me: Email List: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/EmailSign... Facebook: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/facebookTm Twitter: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/ZWtwitterTm Instagram: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/ZWinstagr... Website: https://ZachWilliams.lnk.to/websiteTm There Was Jesus   Every time I tried to make it on my own Every time I tried to stand and start to fall All those lonely roads that I have travelled on There was Jesus   When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus   In the waiting, in the searching In the healing and the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces  Every minute, every moment Of where I been and where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it There was Jesus   For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness at a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus   On the mountain in the valleys (There was Jesus)  In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus) In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus) Always is and always was I never walk alone   There Was Jesus Every time I tried to make it on my own Every time I tried to stand and start to fall All those lonely roads that I have travelled on There was Jesus When the life I built came crashing to the ground When the friends I had were nowhere to be found I couldn't see it then but I can see it now There was Jesus In the waiting, in the searching In the healing and the hurting Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces Every minute, every moment Of where I been and where I'm going Even when I didn't know it Or couldn't see it There was Jesus For this man who needs amazing kind of grace For forgiveness at a price I couldn't pay I'm not perfect so I thank God every day There was Jesus On the mountain in the valleys (There was Jesus) In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus) In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus) Always is and always was I never walk alone Music by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton performing “There Was Jesus” (Official Music Video). #ZachWilliams #ChristianMusic #DollyParton

Our sermon title is: "Joseph and Jesus" For more information about Christ Community Church or to get in touch please visit our website at: https://www.christcommunityok.com Facebook: @christcommunityok If you would like to support our ministry you can donate at: https://bit.ly/c3okdonate

Our sermon title is: "Joseph and Jesus" For more information about Christ Community Church or to get in touch please visit our website at: https://www.christcommunityok.com Facebook: @christcommunityok If you would like to support our ministry you can donate at: https://bit.ly/c3okdonate

Speaker: Shane Michael Waldron Passage: Psalm 118, Isaiah 28, Matthew 21, 1 Peter 2 Series: The Names of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Speaker: Shane Michael Waldron Scripture: Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34 Series: The Names of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Welcome to the Saturday, December 25th episode of The 7-Minute Cross Talk Bible Study titled: The Presentation of Jesus For this Bible Study, we are considering the words of this week's Gospel Lesson - Luke 2:22-40. If you desire further information, it may be requested from wordgiver@gmail.com. Would you mind passing on this podcast link if you know of someone who would benefit from this Bible Study? If the link to download the worksheet is not present within your podcast feed it may be downloaded at: https://servingjesuschrist.libsyn.com/ Scripture Quotations: New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995). This podcast is a ministry outreach of Our Savior's Lutheran in Argyle, Minnesota - United States. * * * * *

Introduction: Who is Jesus For? (Luke 2:1-21) Jesus is for people who make Him Priority . (Luke 2:7) Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent... Jesus is for who are actively Seeking Him. (Luke 2:8-16) Proverbs 2:3-5 - ...if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Jesus is for people who need a Savior . (Luke 2:11) Matthew 1:21 - She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. Mark 2:17 - "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Luke 2:1-21What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?In what ways have you made Jesus a priority in your life? Have you been guilty of giving Him leftovers? If so, what changes do you need to make?Why do you think God chose the shepherds to give the big birth announcement to?How would you explain to a non-believer what it means to “seek the Lord”?BreakoutPray for one another.

Speaker: Pastor Shane Michael Waldron Passage: Selected Scriptures Series: The Names of Jesus For more information about Rocky Mountain Presbyterian Church, please visit us at rmpca.org

Remember when CNN's homosexual “journalist” Don Lemon said, “Here's the thing, Jesus Christ—if ... you believe in Jesus Christ—admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this Earth”? Apparently, Lemon forgot these verses about Jesus: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Well, Lemon's at it again—that is, demonstrating his biblical ignorance. This time, in response to a question from Meghan McCain about the Vatican saying it won't bless same-sex unions... Read more...

The biggest problem people have with sanctification is that it seems too hard It's too intrusive It requires too much change, too fast, And the change ……is required for as long as we desire to keep the choice we made for Jesus • For some, it becomes uncomfortable because we feel like we are not allowed to do what we want to do. • We cant show love and affection to others the way that we want to • We cant enjoy some of the activities that we use to enjoy before we chose life • It becomes necessary to be careful of what we expose ourselves to • And so some get tired of the thought that people are telling me how to live my life And so in the process of applying the word of god to our lives, …….. We become uncomfortable, And we forget that the purpose of sanctification is holiness , and holiness is what god requires Saved sanctified and filled with the precious holy ghost, are only words ……if there is no life change

The biggest problem people have with sanctification is that it seems too hard It's too intrusive It requires too much change, too fast, And the change ……is required for as long as we desire to keep the choice we made for Jesus • For some, it becomes uncomfortable because we feel like we are not allowed to do what we want to do. • We cant show love and affection to others the way that we want to • We cant enjoy some of the activities that we use to enjoy before we chose life • It becomes necessary to be careful of what we expose ourselves to • And so some get tired of the thought that people are telling me how to live my life And so in the process of applying the word of god to our lives, …….. We become uncomfortable, And we forget that the purpose of sanctification is holiness , and holiness is what god requires Saved sanctified and filled with the precious holy ghost, are only words ……if there is no life change

Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. ~Jesus For more podcasts, videos, and articles, visit: www.christianityculture.com

John Macarthur's Demystifies the Blood of Jesus   For more than 30 years John Macarthur has been consistent in teaching that there is no saving power in the blood of Jesus Christ.  In 1976, John Macarthur said in an article he wrote entitled, "Not His Bleeding But His Dying": [i] "It was His death that was efficacious... not His blood ...Christ did not bleed to death. The shedding of blood has nothing to do with bleeding...it simply means death...violent sacrificial death... Nothing in His human blood saves ..." (John Macarthur and the Blood of Christ). (The 3 dots between phrases are how Macarthur was quoted and it doesn't represent something I left out.)   In a letter dated August 29, 1986 Macarthur said, "The blood of Christ is precious-but as precious as it is, His physical blood could not save." (John Macarthur and the Blood of Christ). MacArthur Minimizes the Blood The April 1986 edition of Faith For The Family quotes him as saying in a 1976 article entitled, "Not His Bleeding But His Dying:" "It was His death that was efficacious. . not His blood . . . Christ did not bleed to death. The shedding of blood had nothing to do with bleeding . . . it simply means death. ..Nothing in His human blood saves . . . It is not His blood that I love... it is Him. It is not His bleeding that saved me, but His dying." It is incredible to me, that a Christian minister would make such statements. [i]  http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/macarthur-blood.htm