Podcasts about Lord

We know the reasons to be grateful. We know we have the Lord. And still, circumstantial burdens seem to block the joy we are reaching for. Psalm 90:14 expresses the longing precisely: satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. The answer to blocked joy, it turns out, is not a change of circumstances — it is a change of heart. Continuing to cry out to God for joy, casting every anxiety on Him, trusting that He hears the righteous when they call — these practices create the conditions for something remarkable to happen. Not an improved situation, but a shifted soul. Weeping may last through the night, Psalm 30:5 promises, but joy comes with the morning. Keep asking. Be expectant not of a shift in circumstances but of a shift in spirit. God has done it before, and He will faithfully do it again. Bible Verse "Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."— Psalm 90:14, BSB Ponder Today Blocked joy is not the same as absent faith. Knowing all the reasons to be grateful and still feeling weighed down by burdens is a deeply human experience. Bringing that honest tension to God rather than hiding it is the right and faithful response. Joy is restored through a change of heart, not a change of circumstances. God's answer to a prayer for joy rarely arrives in the form of improved situations. It arrives as a shift in perspective, a softening of the heart, and a fresh awareness of His goodness already present. Keep praying for joy even when it feels far away. The consistent, persistent cry for gladness is itself an act of faith. God hears the righteous when they call, and He delivers. He has done it before and He will do it again. Cast every anxiety on Him, because He cares. First Peter 5:7 is not a suggestion for the big things only. Every unsettling circumstance, every sorrow, every fear about what a new season will feel like — all of it belongs in His hands. Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5 does not promise a short night. It promises that the night ends. Be expectant — not of a shift in what surrounds you, but of a shift in your soul and spirit as God faithfully fills what feels empty. A Prayer for You Today Father God, I long to feel Your joy every day. Truly, I have every reason to be full of gladness in You, yet too often the world weighs me down. Unsettling circumstances and sorrowful situations surround me, and I let them overshadow the goodness You give. Help me fix my eyes on You every morning. Help me keep praying for eyes to see You and Your abounding blessings throughout my day, so that regardless of the sadness I feel or the difficulty I face, above all, my heart will see and be full of You. You are where I find my joy, and You are always with me. Thank You, Jesus. Amen. Don't Miss an Episode If today's prayer helped shift your focus from blocked circumstances to the God who can change your heart, we'd love to stay connected. Subscribe to the LifeAudio newsletter at LifeAudio.com for daily prayers, devotionals, and more content to help you find joy in Him no matter what surrounds you. Want More? Sign up for our free newsletter, The Good Word, for weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement delivered right to your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel on Mt. Carmel. He dared them to call on Baal to...

St. Rosalia walked away from a noble Sicilian family to live alone in a cave — then saved a plague-stricken city five centuries later. Rosalia gave up wealth and an expected marriage to live hidden in a cave on Monte Pellegrino, seen by no one, known only to Christ, until her death around 1166. Nearly 500 years later, in 1624, her relics were discovered and carried through plague-stricken Palermo in procession — and the plague stopped. "I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Monte delle Rose, and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ." Want to keep living Rosalia's story after the episode ends? Grab our free Family Pack — a saint calendar with daily challenges, feast-day activities, family discussion questions, and more — free for email subscribers, so your family can follow along together: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along  

However wise and discerning you are, there will be things that the Lord hides from you. Pastor Colin talks about why this is.

Artificial intelligence does more than raise technical questions; it presses the deeper question of what it means to be human. Camden Bucey speaks with Jason Thacker, author of The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, about human dignity, the image of God, and the crucial distinction between a human person and a machine.They consider how Christians can receive technology as a tool under God's providence without confusing imitation with intelligence, convenience with communion, or productivity with personal worth. The conversation also explores how technology forms its users, why embodied life and genuine relationships matter, and how transhumanism redirects the human longing for life beyond death toward technological self-salvation.Against both utopian promises and dystopian fear, Thacker points to the sufficiency of Scripture and the hope of the risen Christ. Christians can engage emerging technologies wisely because human identity is given by the Creator, human dignity cannot be earned or erased, and Christ remains Lord over every age.Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:19 Meet Jason Thacker 03:24 From public policy to AI ethics 06:05 Teaching ethics, philosophy, and technology 09:53 AI's anthropological challenge 12:58 What has changed since The Age of AI? 14:55 Humanizing machines and dehumanizing people 19:55 The image of God and human dignity 25:39 AI companionship and simulated relationships 28:11 How technology forms and disciples us 34:00 Embodiment, materialism, and personal identity 42:20 Transhumanism and the longing for immortality 48:35 Engaging Pope Leo XIV's AI encyclical 53:22 Technology as ecological change 54:43 Scripture, Christian hope, and the futureLearn more: https://reformedforum.org/ctc975

2 Timothy 4:9-22 (NKJV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin wrap up Season 7 and 2 Timothy by looking forward to entering Christ's heavenly kingdom.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=26698The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Love to hear from you; “Send us a Text Message”When Christians ask where the answer to the evils of the age must begin, the first reply cannot be “they.” It must be “with me.”I have attended a lot of funerals this year—not as many weddings, and still fewer baptisms. It's a sign of the times. Death it seems is still mandatory, the others optional...or so we think. So, my dear friends, I want to begin with the words Saint John Paul II prepared for the hour of his death.In his testament, he wrote: Totus Tuus ego sum—I am all yours. It was the language of belonging entirely to Jesus through Mary. He placed his last hour, his Church, his homeland, and the whole human family into her hands. He quoted the Lord's warning: “Watch, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Then he added the words that still pierce: “I thank everyone. I ask forgiveness of everyone. I also ask for prayers, so that God's mercy may prove greater than my own weakness and unworthiness.”[1]This is the voice of a shepherd who knew the times are hard, as is our need for grace, and was never afraid to say so. Yet across the years, I still hear his great summons: “Be not afraid!”The world is hurting...Subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What's one concrete step you can take today to stop standing idle and enter the vineyard?Visit Claymore Milites Christi and Download the Battle Plan Outline! Support the show

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" [0:00:00] Echoes of Zion - "A Charge to Keep I Have" [1 A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify, a never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky. 2 To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill, O may it all my pow'rs engage to do my Master's will! 3 Arm me with watchful care as in Thy sight to live, and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give! 4 Help me to watch and pray, and still on Thee rely, O let me not my trust betray, but press to realms on high.] [0:03:47] Poole Brothers - "A Charge to Keep I Have" - Wade in the Water [https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28548] [0:08:09] Rev. Johnny L. “Hurricane” Jones - "A Charge to Keep I Have" [0:14:20] King Sisters - "Jesus is Mine" [0:20:57] The Good Samaritans - "Let Jesus Fix It For You" [0:25:33] Taylor Brothers of Miami - "I Need to Work" [0:30:25] Gospel Interns - "I Am on the Battlefield" [0:34:43] Mighty Echos - "Work I Done Speak for Me" [0:40:38] Brother James Elam - "When He Call Me" [0:43:37] Dixie Travelers - "Rain" [0:45:21] Clarence Smith - "Got a Lot To Be Thankful For" [0:50:02] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/168162

"If only I had wings like a dove that I might fly away and find rest... But I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me." Psalm 55:7, 17 Do you find yourself in the same spot as David? Whether it's just a season or you've been feeling it for a while, Fr Mike Schmitz reminds us to attend to the honest desires of our heart. We are not called to run away from responsibility, but if you're feeling burnt out or discouraged where you're at, it's time for a good conversation with the Lord, trusting that He will take care of you.

Collapsed roads strand thousands beyond easy reach in flood-ravaged Nepal, while a 25-year counterterrorism review asks whether America is ready for threats armed with drones and AI. A prenatal screen can raise life-and-death questions before diagnosis. Plus: an electrician spends six hours trapped inside a 130-foot truck-stop sign, musicians make joy from wind and steam, Daniel Suhr considers the leverage behind Seattle's narrowly averted teachers strike, and the Thursday morning news.Support The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donate.Additional support comes from Cedarville University—a Christ-centered, academically rigorous university located in southwest Ohio, equipping students for Gospel impact across every career and calling. Cedarville integrates a biblical worldview into every course in the more than 175 undergraduate and graduate programs students choose from. New online undergraduate degrees through Cedarville Online offer flexible and affordable education grounded in a strong Christian community that fosters both faith and learning. Learn more at cedarville.edu, and explore online programs at cedarville.edu/online.From World Watch. A 10-minute daily news program that explores current events for students 5-12th grade. This high-energy show connects learners to the present, history and communities around the world. Join 40,000 Christian families that utilize World Watch as a tool to foster curiosity and have conversations about today's news as a discipleship rhythm within their families. “Whatever the news, the purpose of the Lord will stand!” First time? Take advantage of a 30-days free trial at worldwatch.news/podcast. Not ready to sign up? Check out a free episode at get.worldwatch.news/free-episode. And from Boyce College—a Christ-centered education built on the truth of God's Word. Every student—no matter their major—takes 30 hours of Bible and theology, learning how to think biblically, live faithfully, and lead with conviction. Formed from the 160-year legacy of Southern Seminary, Boyce College prepares students for maximum faithfulness in the world, the workplace, the church, and the family. Learn more at boycecollege.com

If you feel vulnerable, you can say to God, “Lord, help me. I'm not even sure how to pray.” Trust that he will respond and will help you.

"You want some change in your life? Start praying." -Maxetta Gadd For anyone who's felt disconnected from their body. Tried to control their way into freedom. For anyone who's wondered if it's too late to start again. Pull up a chair and listen in as Alisa sits down with our friend, Maxetta Gadd, for a real, honest conversation about the winding road back to truth. Maxetta gets real about the tension of knowing the truth but still finding yourself walking in lies. She shares the real struggles in her body and how missing out on opportunities to live life fully with the people she loves led her to make a bold change. Surrender. What followed wasn't a quick fix or a perfect before-and-after story. It was a deep surrender that began changing the way Maxetta understood her body, her habits, her relationship with food, and the Holy Spirit's role in her everyday life. Truth was revealed. And it started with prayer. This isn't a story about having it all together. It's a story of surrender. About discovering that what you thought was discipline could actually become delight. And about coming back to a community that will remind you who you are when you forget. Because it's never too late to start again.   Watch this episode on Youtube! Head over to the Revelation Wellness YouTube channel to watch the full conversation.   Connect with Maxetta: Follow along for encouragement, honesty, a reasons to keep saying yes to the life God has given you. Instagram: @maxettagadd   Curious about the community Maxetta found? Here are a few of the places we talked about in this episode to help you take your next step: Looking for a community running toward the Lord? Join RW+: Find your people, get moving, and grow in your faith and health together. Revelation Wellness Instructor Training: Learn how to lead others to health and wholeness through Christ. Learn about Instructor Training Revive: Come find your people, reconnect with God, and experience what happens when we make space for transformation. Registration for the 2026 retreat has closed. Learn about Revive

How can speaking to God in a new way invite us into a deeper way of seeing and hearing from Him? What role can poetry play in helping us communicate with our Creator?For pastor and author Tyler Staton, the words penned on a page during his cancer journey were never intended for anyone but himself and the Lord. Yet he discovered that the way he communed with God through scribbles in a tattered notebook offered a powerful invitation for all of us—to notice God's presence in both the ordinary moments and the difficult circumstances of our lives. Paired with Scripture, Tyler's book, After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayer, explores the beautiful intersection of poetry and prayer, offering a meaningful way to examine our lives while paying closer attention to God's presence within them.In this episode, Davey and Tyler discuss how we can better recognize God in the everyday, why it is so important to grieve our losses, and the role spiritual practices play in carrying us into the presence of God amid our pain.If you've ever struggled to find the words to speak to God, this conversation offers an invitation into the creative and poetic language that can help you feel seen, understood, and accompanied in your suffering. Website: https://www.tylerstaton.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylercstaton/ Episode 362: Spiritual Practices in Wilderness Seasons with Tyler Staton https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast1/episode-362 Book: After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayerhttps://amzn.to/42WUl3P Not living the story you expected? Pain changes us but doesn't have to define us. Discover where you are on your healing journey and get a personalized pathway for your next steps: nothingiswasted.com/starthere Looking for help in navigating the valley of pain and trauma? Our Nothing is Wasted coaches can help: nothingiswasted.com/coaching SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app (https://tinyurl.com/RONSeedsApp) and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bible Story, Jesus performs the first of many miracles at a wedding in Cana. By the request of his mother, Jesus blesses a wedding by turning water into wine. Although the guests are not aware of this miracle, the servants and disciples know, and awe at the humble power of Christ. They knew even more that he was the promised Messiah. This story is inspired by John 1:35-51, John 2:1-11. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 2:9 from the King James Version.Episode 177: As Jesus was walking by the shore of Galilee, two of John's disciples started following Him. One of these was Andrew, who quickly went to get his brother Simon. As Jesus continued on into the city, He called a man named Phillip to follow Him, and Phillip in turn went to tell his friend Nathanael about finding the Messiah. A few days later, Jesus and His followers were at a wedding in the nearby city of Cana. There, he performed the first of His signs.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word” by Kirk Meyer The post 246. The Book of Proverbs, Part 75 (Proverbs 22:17-29) – Pr. Will Weedon, 9/3/26 appeared first on The Word of the Lord Endures Forever.

Some weeks the news makes it impossible to look away. This is one of those weeks. Mia sets aside her pre-recorded episodes to talk about what happens to our hearts when we watch society celebrate something that is clearly evil, and what we are actually supposed to do about it.   This is not a hot take. It is not an opinion episode. It is an honest conversation about staying tender when everything around you is pushing you toward a hard, cold heart, and about why prayer is the real battleground when the comment section feels like the only option. Mia talks about guarding what you let into your spirit, why children and mothers are under such heavy attack right now, and how to stay on mission when the world feels like it is unraveling. The episode closes with a full prayer over babies, over children, and over mothers who are struggling in the dark. If you have been carrying grief, anger, or numbness this week, this one is for you.   Timestamps Time Topic 00:01 Welcome, and why this episode replaced the ones already recorded 00:54 What moments like this reveal about our collective moral compass 01:22 The Bible told us this was coming: evil called good, people loving themselves 02:18 Why this is not an opinion episode 02:47 Protecting those who cannot defend themselves 03:12 Philippians 4:8 and guarding what you scroll past 03:39 Knowing your limits: why Mia will not go down certain rabbit holes 04:36 Staying sensitive to evil without being consumed by it 05:06 When society celebrates evil, and how God still uses it to draw people in 06:18 Why people run toward God after seeing evil 06:49 Pray for the children. Pray for the mothers. 07:18 The real danger for believers: a hardened heart 08:17 Those sweet lives are with Jesus, and there is still a way home 08:45 Becoming your own moral compass 09:11 How a culture of self spills over into how we treat children 10:40 The movement of agreement is more alarming than the act 11:35 Why we cannot argue anyone into seeing it, but we can pray 12:04 Why the enemy targets the smallest and purest among us 13:00 The response is not more hate. The response is prayer. 13:29 If you are on the other side of this, here is the invitation 14:23 You cannot hold the Holy Spirit and celebrate evil at the same time 14:52 Praying over mothers, and what to do about intrusive voices 16:14 Righteous anger, and where to aim it 17:14 What Mia does not claim to know, and what she does know 17:40 There is always a way out, and we still get to choose 18:38 Nobody is too far gone 19:32 How a hardened heart quietly kills your prayer life 20:02 Leading well from whatever platform you have 21:00 Gather your people and pray 22:27 Fight in prayer instead of fighting in the comments 22:56 Full prayer over babies, children, and mothers 25:19 Closing encouragement and what is coming next   Scriptures Referenced Quoted directly Philippians 4:8 (03:12) - Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, think on these things. Mia's filter for what she lets into her feed and her spirit.   Referenced and paraphrased throughout Isaiah 5:20 (01:22, 22:27) - Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (01:22, 08:45) - In the last days people will be lovers of themselves, proud, without natural affection. John 10:10 (03:39, 12:04, 26:17) - The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came so we could have life, and have it abundantly. Romans 3:23 (13:29) - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 (13:29) - The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (13:55) - Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (17:40) - God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but will provide a way out. Romans 10:13 (19:02) - Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (19:02) - The still small voice. James 4:7 (14:52, 16:14) - Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Philippians 2:9-11 (15:22) - At the name of Jesus every knee will bow. Ephesians 6:12 (13:00, 19:32) - Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. Philippians 4:6-7 (24:21) - The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Luke 12:7 (26:17) - Even the hairs on your head are numbered. Psalm 139:13-16 (26:17) - You knit me together in my mother's womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You are not a mistake.   Call to Action Summary 1. Guard your heart and your feed. Do not consume every piece of evil available to you. You cannot unsee what you see, and a spirit worn down by images of harm is not a spirit ready to do what God called you to do. Use Philippians 4:8 as a filter.   2. Refuse the hardened heart. The temptation right now is to go cold, write off society, and stop caring. That is the loss. A soft heart is what keeps you praying, and a hardened heart is what quietly ends your prayer life.   3. Go to battle in prayer, not in the comment section. Pray protection over babies and children, in the womb and out of it. Pray over mothers, including mothers who are pregnant, overwhelmed, or walking through postpartum depression. Pray that they hear God's voice instead of the enemy's. If you know a mother in that place, tell her to call on the name of Jesus, and pray over her yourself.   4. If you are far from God, come back. Nobody is too far gone. Open your Bible. Get into a church. Read what God says about how He feels about children, and about you. It is not too late to get right with Him. Gather your people. Whatever your circle is, family, team, small group, business, bring them together and pray over the children and the mothers out loud.  

(Luke 24:13-24) Companionship and communication make every journey so much better. In this study we learn to make the most of the human relationships God gives us in our homes, and also to develop a deeper relationship with Christ. (10211260903) Join Scott Pauley's study through Scripture this year. Find resources for every book of the Bible by Dr. Pauley and Enjoying the Journey at enjoyingthejourney.org/journey-through-scripture/. Whether you're a new believer or have walked with the Lord for years, you'll find thousands of free devotionals, Bible studies, audio series, and Scripture tools designed to strengthen your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and help you stay rooted in the Word of God. Explore now at EnjoyingTheJourney.org. Extend the Work Enjoying the Journey provides every resource for free worldwide. If you would like to help extend this Bible teaching, you may give at enjoyingthejourney.org/donations/

Can you imagine being known as a true friend of God? On this episode of Believer's Voice of Victory, Pastor George Pearsons and Aubrey Mitchell examine what it means to develop a covenant friendship with the Lord through the examples of Moses, Abraham and Jesus' own words to His disciples. Learn how spending consistent time with God strengthens your relationship with Him, deepens your understanding of His love, and allows you to enjoy the daily companionship He has always desired for His children. Tune in to this episode and discover how spending time with God can transform your friendship with Him into the most meaningful relationship of your life.Mentioned in this episode:BVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link HubBVOV Podcast Link Hub

Fall asleep to special Psalm devotionals at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.sleeppsalms.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tonight's prayer is from Psalm 136:1. Welcome to "Sleep Psalms with Bishop T.D. Jakes," a tranquil oasis of serenity for your weary soul. In each episode, you'll embark on a soothing journey guided by the wisdom of the most popular book of the Bible, the book of Psalms. Bishop T.D. Jakes' calming voice and gentle prayers will lull you into a peaceful state of mind, perfect for restful sleep or deep meditation. Allow each profound devotional soothe your soul every night. Let the verses of the Psalms cradle your thoughts and provide solace, allowing you to drift into a night of tranquil slumber. Let the Lord be your shepherd tonight, and fall asleep to God's word. Join us as we embark on a profound exploration of these timeless scriptures, nurturing both your spirit and your dreams.Download the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pray.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ app for more Bible stories to last a lifetime. To learn more about Bishop T.D. Jakes visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tdjenterprises.com/⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Gospel Bracelet – You can change people's lives by sharing the Good News of Jesus. These bracelets are a simple and clear way to do that. They've been used as an evangelism tool for nearly 200 years! For this bracelet, each of the 5 colors stand for a single word which gives a starting point to tell part of the Gospel story. Red is for blood – the blood of Jesus's death on that cross takes away our sin. White is for purification – Jesus did not stay dead. And just like Jesus came back to life, God can make us new people without sin. Green is for growth – just like you grow up as a human, you grow in your new spiritual life in Jesus. And last, but certainly not least, gold is for heaven – Jesus's people will be with Him forever. In heaven, there will be no more pain, no more sadness, and no more sin. Thank you for stepping out in faith to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each bracelet comes with a description card and check out the video below for deeper explanations behind each color. Get one for you and a friend!    Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping! *Limit two per person* Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Read OnlineThe scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” Luke 5:33–35Though most of the scribes and Pharisees rejected the ministry of John the Baptist, here they attempt to use his discipline of fasting as a weapon to criticize Jesus. But our Lord, perceiving the hollowness of their accusation, turns it into an opportunity for divine revelation. He discloses to them, and to us, a profound truth about His identity: He is the Bridegroom.By doing so, Jesus draws from the rich prophetic imagery of Isaiah and Hosea, which portrays God as the divine Spouse of Israel. Isaiah declared, “As a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you” (Isaiah 62:5). Hosea, speaking the word of the Lord, proclaimed, “You shall call me ‘My husband'… I will betroth you to me forever” (cf. Hosea 2:18–22).Jesus is not merely using a poetic image. By calling Himself the Bridegroom, He reveals a nuptial mystery: Christ comes in the flesh to unite Himself to His Bride, the Church. The proper response to His presence is not fasting in sorrow but rejoicing in the wedding feast. Fasting will have its place, but only once the Bridegroom is taken away, which is a prophetic reference to His Passion.This exchange exposes not only the Pharisees' superficial religiosity but also unveils a central mystery of salvation: In Christ, God draws near in spousal love. To follow Him is to enter into a covenant of joy and grace.Though nuptial imagery might seem more naturally relatable to women, it expresses a truth that transcends gender. Just as “a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Genesis 2:24), so each soul is called to a transforming union with Christ. This is not merely symbolic; it is a real and spiritual union. We are called to become His Mystical Body. Saint Paul captures this mystery when he writes, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:19–20).Traditionally, this union has been described as Mystical Marriage or Divine Union. Saint Teresa of Ávila favored the image of Mystical Marriage, emphasizing the soul's intimate, spousal love for Christ. Saint John of the Cross more often spoke of Divine Union, highlighting the complete transformation of the soul in God. Though they use different terms, both describe the soul's ultimate vocation: perfect union with Christ.In Heaven, when this Divine Union is fully realized, fasting and other penitential acts will be unnecessary. During Jesus' earthly ministry, the disciples did not fast because the Bridegroom was with them—an extraordinary grace unique to those three years. But after He was “taken away,” fasting took on a new importance, becoming a participation in His Passion and a preparation for the Wedding Feast to come.Reflect today on the glorious end to which you are called: union with Christ, your Bridegroom. This journey requires sacrifice, so fasting and penance remain essential. Yet when we keep our eyes fixed on the joy of Divine Union, every sacrifice becomes lighter and a joyful embrace of love. The difficulty of fasting and penance is overshadowed by the union they help bring about. Resolve to fast, to pray, and to stay close to Christ, the Bridegroom of your soul. He is the faithful Spouse who will never abandon you.Bridegroom of Your Church, You came to enter into union with us, Your sons and daughters by grace. By Your Incarnation, You wedded Yourself to humanity, and through Your Passion, You purified Your Bride, the Church. As I journey toward the Wedding Feast of Heaven, purify me now through acts of penance and prayer, so that my soul may be ready for the Divine Union to come. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Jesus Reproves the Scribes and Pharisees, by Iulian RosuSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 20–21; Psalm 11; Revelation 8 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this September 3rd episode, Hunter guides us through Ezekiel 20–21, Psalm 11, and Revelation 8. Today's readings confront us with difficult images of rebellion, violence, judgment, and a world experiencing the consequences of turning away from God. Ezekiel announces the coming sword, while Revelation gives us the frightening imagery surrounding the opening of the seventh seal and the sounding of the trumpets. Yet right in the middle of these unsettling passages, Psalm 11 reminds us where our hope is found. The righteous Lord loves justice, and the virtuous will see his face. Then something remarkable happens in Revelation. Heaven falls silent. Before the Lamb, there is nothing left to say. Today's devotion invites us into that silence and asks us to look again at the face of God revealed in Jesus. At Calvary, Christ enters into the violence and judgment of this world, not answering violence with violence but overcoming it through self-giving, radically forgiving love. God's dream for creation is not destruction. It is reconciliation, restoration, and shalom. Even when the darkness around us seems overwhelming, we are invited to train our hearts to see what God sees and trust that Christ is making all things new. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Terror and the sword, and the face of God. How sobering these passages are. Ezekiel cries out about the sword that is coming upon a world caught up in rebellion. Revelation gives us images of terror and judgment. The prophets will not allow us to pretend that violence, idolatry, injustice, and human rebellion have no consequences. A world bent on destruction eventually experiences the fruit of its own way. But before we despair, the psalmist speaks: "The righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face." His face. That is what God desires. Relationship. Communion. Face to face. God is not intent on destruction. God is intent on drawing his creation into the fullness of life with himself. Yet our violence, pride, fear, and idolatry blind us to his face. Then Revelation gives us this extraordinary scene. The Lamb breaks the seventh seal. And heaven falls silent. There is awe. There is mystery. There is the recognition of everything that is unfolding. Sometimes silence is the only appropriate response when we begin to see the depth of what God has done in Christ. The psalmist asks, "Why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety'?" Where do we flee when the world seems overwhelmed by violence? Where do we go when terror and the sword seem to surround us? We fly to Christ. We fly to Calvary. That is our mountain of safety. At Calvary, the Lamb of God enters completely into the violence of his rebellious creation. And what does he do? He does not strike back. He does not answer violence with greater violence. He stretches out his hands. He forgives. Through his self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love, Jesus enters death itself and breaks its power from within. This is the face of God. Look at Jesus and see. God's dream is not endless destruction. God's dream is a world restored. Humanity reconciled. Creation healed. Enemies becoming friends. The broken made whole. The lost brought home. Shalom. Jesus has come to accomplish this, and God's dream for his creation will not fail. The darkness around us may be easy to see. Violence is easy to see. Fear is easy to see. Division and despair are easy to see. But faith trains our eyes to see something more. Faith teaches us to see what God sees. It teaches us to look at the Lamb and believe that his love is stronger than death. Paul could see the day when Christ would be all and in all. John could see a multitude gathered around the throne. The prophets could see swords becoming plowshares. They were learning to see God's dream. And so must we. Let us fix our eyes on Christ. Let us train our souls to recognize his face. Let us receive his peace, his joy, his forgiveness, and his life. And then let us go into this frightened and divided world as ambassadors of his radically reconciling love. Sometimes the appropriate response is simply silence. To stand in awe before the Lamb. To see his face. To receive his love. And then to become what we have received. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Jesus invites Peter and the first disciples to join him and become fishers-of-men. (Lectionary #434) September 3, 2026 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

Caller Questions & Discussion: Dr. Sheri explains why ambiguity can make us anxious and how a frightening choking incident reminded her that control is an illusion. All we have is right now. Taking life moment by moment can help us manage anxiety and uncertainty. When I read Proverbs 3:5-6, why do I have to trust anyone? It says to trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart. Am I using this verse to protect myself? God didn't command us to trust in anyone but Him but to love others. I've been separated from my wife for over 3 years, and my 18-year-old son with ADHD and learning disabilities lives with me. How do I help him launch? A fear always comes over me at sundown. I emigrated from Mexico when I was 7 and left my grandfather. I think my fear became worse because I always waited for someone to come home as I looked out the window.

Have you ever wondered if God really hears the prayers of His people when the world seems to be falling apart? Or how the strange imagery of Revelation 8 would have been understood by the first Christians who knew the Old Testament Scriptures? On this week's episode of Real Talk Christian Podcast, Chris Fuller walks through Revelation 8, exploring the seven trumpets, the prayers of the saints, and the powerful connections to the Exodus, the prophets, and the Day of the Lord. Grab your favorite hot beverage and join us as we dive in.   //Resources Used In This Episode// Revelation 8, Revelation 5, Revelation 6, Revelation 7, Revelation 4, Revelation 8:1, Habakkuk 2:20, Zephaniah 1:7, Revelation 8:2, Luke 1:19, Matthew 18:10, 1 Kings 22:19, Isaiah 6, Exodus 19:16, Joshua 6:20, Joel 2:1, Revelation 8:3–5, Psalm 141:2, Luke 1:10, Revelation 6:9–10, Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel 1, Psalm 18, Mark 1:14–15, Colossians 2:15, Revelation 8:6, Revelation 8:7, Exodus 9:23–25, Exodus 7:14–25, Exodus 7:20–21, Joel 2, Genesis 1, Romans 8:19–22, Ezekiel 38–39, Revelation 8:8–9, Jeremiah 51:24–25, Exodus 7, Daniel 7, Revelation 18, Revelation 8:10–11, Revelation 1:20, Jeremiah 9:15, Jeremiah 23:15, Exodus 15:22–25, Revelation 8:12, Isaiah 13:9–10, Joel 2:10, Matthew 24:29, Exodus 10, Ezekiel 32:7–8, Joel 3:15, Amos 8:9, Revelation 8:13, Deuteronomy 28:49, Hosea 8:1, Isaiah 5:8, Isaiah 5:11, Isaiah 10:1, Matthew 23:13, Matthew 23:14, Matthew 23:15, Matthew 23:16, Matthew 23:23, Matthew 23:25, Matthew 23:27, Matthew 23:29   //Other Episode You Might Enjoy// https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/298-revelation-6-the-opening-of-the-seals/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/297-revelation-the-lamb-and-the-scroll/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/296-revelation-7-hearts-of-7-churches/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/295-revelation-think-again/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/142impending-evil-how-do-we-handle-the-last-days-a-look-at-2-timothy-31-5-part-1/   // Helpful Links // https://www.youtube.com/@realtalkchristianpodcast The Christian Standard Bible: https://csbible.com Lifeway Christian Resources: www.lifeway.com Got Questions?: www.gotquestions.org Dwell Bible App: https://dwellapp.io Cross Formed Kids from Ryan Coatney: https://www.crossformedkids.com RTC Quick Links: https://linktr.ee/realtalkchristianpodcast RTC Online: www.realtalkchristianpodcast.com Twin Valley Coffee:  https://www.coffeehelpingmissions.com Revive festival : Music Festival | En Gedi Music Fest | Leonidas, MI (myrevivefest.com) Let Them Live: https://letthemlive.org South Side Baptist Church - https://www.southsidesbc.org/ Hope Coffee - https://hopecoffee.com/ Isaiah 6 Ministry - https://linktr.ee/isaiahsix?utm_source=qr_code

Anxiety never comes from the Lord. So the second I feel that tightness show up in my chest, I already know something true about myself. I am thinking about my life in a way that God does not want me to think about it. Period. Because if I were thinking about it the way He wants me to, I would be at peace. This episode is one question I want you to start asking faster than you are asking it right now. Not "Lord, take this away," but "Lord, what do you want me to know about this?" About this toddler. About my husband. About my body. About this house. I asked Him something this morning and He said, "You already know. You just doubt what I have already told you." Ooh, burn, Lord. We talk about why we are not reaching for Him sooner (we do not actually believe we could be at peace all the time), the grace you have to ask for before He hands it to you, what Fulton Sheen was doing in basically every talk he ever gave, and why Daniel in the lions' den and Mary at the foot of the cross were both at peace. WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE: The micro moment prayer: the second you notice tightness, throw your hands up and say "Lord, I invite you into this. Come be with me right now." Why anxiety is information and not a verdict. It tells you your thinking is off, not that your life is off The real reason we do not run to Him faster: we have never met a person who is at peace all the time, so we quietly decided it is not available to us Eight out of ten minutes. You will lose it. The win is how fast you come back Feeling powerless is the worst feeling there is, and being able to stay calm in any situation is one of the most powerful You are not done when you hear the sentence. Your job is to practice it, or your brain will spiral right back in two hours The gifts of the Holy Spirit were designed to be asked for. Wisdom, counsel, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, fear of the Lord. Ask Being at peace does not mean being peaceful. It means receiving. It means "this is okay right now and I can handle it" The surprise pregnancy test, the teenager going through it, the adult child who left the Church. You can be at peace today, in that EPISODE TIMELINE: (estimated at 5-minute marks, no timestamps in the transcript, confirm against audio) [00:00] – Hope when you feel anxious, trapped, stuck or frozen, and inviting the Lord into the micro moment [05:00] – "Lord, what do you want me to know about this?" Why anxiety never comes from Him, and what Mary has to do with our unbelief [10:00] – Eight out of ten minutes, and why staying calm is the most powerful you will ever feel [15:00] – Cheeky Jesus, the sentences He actually gives me, and writing them down so I can practice them [20:00] – My real morning (I do not pray first thing), redirecting my brain, and asking for grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit [25:00] – Fulton Sheen, the beatification, and why all his talks end the same way. At peace is not peaceful. Daniel, Mary, Joseph and the donkey [30:00] – Who I belong to, true freedom, and an invitation to the Catholic Mom Reset LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED: Join the Catholic Mom Reset: www.catholicmomcalm.com/reset Fulton Sheen beatification, plus the conference with Arthur Brooks the day before (Sterling will have a table, come say hi): www.fultonsheenconference.com/ CONNECT WITH STERLING JAQUITH: Website: https://catholicmomcalm.com Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholicmomcalm

The Proverbs say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but many modern teachings focus on the love of God while leaving out the importance of fearing God. In this episode, Rabbi shares how a healthy fear of God keeps us on the right path. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate   **** TEACHING NOTES -   https://djj.show/0d8   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

In this captivating episode of the Meditative Prayers podcast, hosted by the insightful Zach Clinton and accessible on Pray.com, we delve into the profound practice of prayer—a journey that deeply resonates within our Christian community. Throughout our spiritual sojourn, there are moments when connecting through prayer and communing with the Divine becomes our foremost desire. These moments not only enrich our faith but also invigorate our relationships, propelling us towards our individual spiritual goals. The comforting truth remains unwavering: with the Lord as our constant guide, we possess the innate ability to experience the transformative power of prayer, discovering renewed hope and purpose in our spiritual odyssey. Drawing deep inspiration from sacred scriptures, we embark on an exploration of this profoundly human and spiritual journey.For those seeking guidance on their path of faith and desiring a deeper connection through prayer, we extend a heartfelt invitation to explore the Pray.com app. By simply downloading it today, you can embark on a transformative journey of faith and resilience, firmly anchored in the unwavering presence of the Divine. Together, let us wholeheartedly embrace the incredible potential for spiritual communion within us, finding boundless inspiration and strength during our shared spiritual pilgrimage. We invite you to join us in this enlightening episode as we venture toward a profound understanding of the power of prayer, and discovering the extraordinary sense of fulfillment that resides within each one of us.Embracing the practice of praying before slumber is more than just a routine; it's an avenue to recenter your heart, aligning it with God's purpose. Let Pray.com's Meditative Prayer be a nightly companion, deepening your bond with the Almighty and settling your spirit for a serene night's rest.Zach Clinton is from the American Association of Christian Counselors, for more information please visit: https://aacc.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does your soul actually need for self-care?Psalm 19 gives a surprising answer: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.”In this episode, John Ortberg explores why God's instruction isn't meant to burden us, but to help make us whole. Our souls become divided when our thoughts, desires, values, words, and actions pull in different directions. God's Word shows us what is good and helps bring our lives back into alignment.John also shares how memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 helped him confront anger and resentment in his own life. Sometimes soul care is as simple as taking one piece of God's Word and asking Him to help us actually live it.Go ahead and take the walk, light the candle, or get the massage. But don't miss the deeper invitation:Let God revive your soul.In this episode: Psalm 19 • wholeheartedness • internal integration • 1 Corinthians 13 • Dallas Willard • becoming whole#Psalm19 #JohnOrtberg #SoulCare #SpiritualFormation #Psalms #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith

#10MinuteswithJesus ** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him. ** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end. ** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance. 10-Minute audio to help you pray. Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God. Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24–26 NLT) Attention is becoming a scarce commodity in our modern culture. Attention spans have become alarmingly short. Algorithms are constantly being tweaked and perfected to keep people’s focus on their screens. As a result, many people have little attention to spare for others. How often do you find yourself talking to someone who isn’t listening—or who’s giving you considerably less than their full attention? And when you call them on it, the conversation usually goes something like this: “Did you hear what I just said?” “Yes.” “What did I say?” “Uh, something about something that happened.” We may be tempted to wonder if we face the same challenge with God. He is the Sustainer of the universe, after all. Given the infinite number of things that concern Him, we may question whether we have His full attention. And when things aren’t going well for us, we may start to doubt that He’s even aware of our struggles. Maybe Joseph felt that way at times. After all, he was only human. He had done all the right things, even after his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery. He had resisted the advances of Potiphar’s wife. And what did he get for being a person of integrity? He was falsely accused of sexual assault and thrown into an Egyptian prison. How easily Joseph could have thought, “This is just great. You serve the Lord, you do what God wants, and this is where it gets you. If I had given in to Mrs. Potiphar, I wouldn’t be here right now. I would be living in the lap of luxury. But here I am, suffering!” Of course, this would have been a shortsighted reaction. The truth is that God’s full attention was on Joseph, not just on his immediate circumstances, but on his long-term potential. God’s plan wasn’t for Joseph to be comfortable every day of his life and fully informed of what the future held. His plan was for Joseph to save countless people from famine and to set into motion the events that eventually would lead the people of Israel to the Promised Land. Joseph was the ideal person for the job because he was willing to be still in even the worst circumstances. To look for the opportunities that presented themselves in prison. To use his God-given skills in surprising ways. Even in the quietness of prison, Joseph was not outside God’s attention. He certainly didn’t understand everything that was happening to him. But he recognized that his circumstances were part of his preparation. He trusted that God was equipping him for something greater. We too can have that confidence. Numbers 6:24–26 says, “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace” (NLT). The idea is that the Lord gives us His full attention. Be still and let that amazing truth give you comfort in both good times and bad. Reflection question: What does it mean to you to have God’s full attention? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Thursday, September 3rd, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Iranian Muslim leaders killed 33 Christian ministers recently Iranian authorities have killed at least 33 Christian ministers in the past few months. The pastors were serving with Iran Alive Ministries, a Texas-based organization that supports house churches in the country. Authorities also arrested 131 Christians associated with the organization. Some of them are now on death row.  Despite this persecution, the ministry reports 5,849 Muslims have converted to Christianity this year. Iran Alive founder Hormoz Shariat  told the Baptist Press, “Christian prisoners consider prison as their place of ministry and they are leading many people to Christ.” The Apostle Paul was also a witness in prison. Acts 16:25 says, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Iran-American War reaches sixth month The war between Iran and the United States continued into its six month last week. The United States carried out strikes on Iran's southern coast on Tuesday. Iran fired on U.S. bases in the region. It's the biggest exchange between the two countries since July, according to Reuters.  Despite ongoing conflict, oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz have rebounded to about two-thirds of pre-war levels.  Christian convert from Iran received asylum in Canada A Christian convert from Iran recently received asylum in Canada after being deported from the U.S. Twenty-seven-year old Artemis Ghasemzadeh entered America in 2024. If returned to Iran, she would face extreme persecution. International Christian Concern noted, “Refugees fleeing religious persecution have traditionally been granted asylum on American soil, but they faced more stringent border and refugee laws under the Trump administration. Ghasemzadeh pursued asylum in Canada after lawyers advised her that the United States was unlikely to allow her to return.”  Litigation over the Abortion Kill Pill delated until after midterms Litigation in the U.S. over the abortion kill pill is being delayed until after the midterm elections in November.  The case began last December. Florida and Texas challenged the original approval of the abortion drug mifepristone in 2000 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  However, a federal judge paused the lawsuit on Sunday until at least December 1. If successful, the lawsuit would make the abortion drug unavailable in all states. Florida removing all Flock cameras Florida is removing all Flock cameras from state roads. Flock cameras automatically read license plates and capture vehicle data for law enforcement, neighborhoods, and businesses. The Florida Department of Transportation recently revoked permits for license plate readers, including Flock cameras along highways. The cameras are the subject of privacy concerns across the nation, especially alleged misuse of the cameras by police officers.  Listen to comments from Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. DESANTIS: “I'm all about having law enforcement have tools to be able to hold criminals accountable. I think that's important that we do that. No one's been stronger on law enforcement than me. But I don't want to have this become a surveillance state.” American church attendance up Churches are seeing more people attend worship services in recent years. A new survey from Lifeway Research found 54 percent of U.S. Protestant pastors report a growing church. Thirty-percent report a plateaued church. And 16 percent report a declining church.  Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, noted, “Given the trajectory of many churches before COVID, we expected to see more pastors reporting declines in attendance. However, we continue to see a majority of pastors saying their attendance is higher than two years ago.” Archeological proof that Christ's tomb in garden And finally, recent archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem support biblical accounts. Francesca Stasolla is an archaeology professor at the Sapienza University of Rome. Last year, she led an excavation focused on the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The site is believed to be the location of Jesus' crucifixion and the empty tomb. The area was used as a stone quarry before Roman occupation. Later it was used for agriculture and tombs. The archeological effort discovered ancient seeds and pollen there. Stasolla told Fox News Digital that the pollen and seeds date to “between the use of the quarry and the Roman age, when the area had a funerary use”, meaning it was used for burying the dead. This aligns with the New Testament. John 19:41 says, “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, September 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Original Postdate: September 5, 2024 === Gospel Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. Reflection When we experience gifts that flow seemingly natural through us, it's really difficult to understand which part of our effectiveness in the world is due to our own energy and our own understanding, our own discipline. Or is it purely a gift from God? Well, the key, it's both. But human beings have a hard time keeping themselves in balance when God is using them to accomplish great deeds. We need to be careful of not falling into the trap of thinking those deeds come from us, and not just through us. Closing Prayer Father, over and over again we see people who have authority and responsibility and a position of power, getting caught up in it and ending up being not the instrument that God can use any longer. Keep us grounded in the humility that God is the source of all that we can accomplish when it comes to building his kingdom. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

God's Family and God's Home Ephesians 2:19-22 paints a beautiful picture of who we are in Christ. Now that we have been brought near to God through Christ, we are part of God's family and we are the very dwelling place of God. This is true for any and all that come to God through Christ.  Ephesians 2:19-22   19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.   Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/ The Listener's Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com Connect with John: Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram Email - john@johnwhittaker.net If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, X, via email.

It’s easy to lose track of time without realizing where it went. A few minutes on social media becomes an hour, notifications interrupt meaningful conversations, and endless content competes for our attention. Technology can be a helpful tool, but when our phones, screens, and constant stream of information begin controlling our attention, they can quietly pull us away from God, our families, and the people and purposes He has placed in front of us. Ephesians 5:15-16 calls us to walk wisely and make the best use of our time. Redeeming our time doesn't necessarily mean eliminating technology—it means becoming intentional about what receives our attention. When we create space to pray, read Scripture, invest in relationships, and serve others, we begin using our time for something greater than simply staying busy or entertained. God has given us the gift of time, and we can ask Him for the wisdom and self-control to spend it in ways that honor Him and help us live faithfully. Highlights Why smartphones, social media, and constant information can quietly steal our time and attention What Ephesians 5:15-16 means when it calls us to make the best use of our time How technology can become a distraction from God, family, and meaningful relationships Practical ways to develop healthier screen-time habits and greater self-control Why intentional time with God should be protected from digital distractions How fasting from technology can help reset our attention and priorities Encouragement to redeem the time God has given us for His glory and the work He has called us to Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: Redeeming, Not Wasting, Our Time By: Emily Rose Massey Bible Reading: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV). As a millennial, I find myself reflecting upon a time before the technological boom we seem to be facing, specifically before AI, smartphones, and social media. I remember taking a walk or riding my bike after school without the anxiety of accidentally leaving my phone at home. I remember the excitement of turning in my disposable camera from the school dance and then looking through my friends’ photo albums when I was hanging out at their house. I remember soaking up the most mundane moments without feeling the need to document them. Some of that could very well be what it was like to be younger, but I cannot ignore how much the simplicity of life has become more complicated and distracted with these portable devices that seem to control us and steal our time. About six months ago, I started to feel convicted about the lack of self-control regarding my screen time with my phone, so I purchased a little device that literally turns your phone into a brick when your phone hovers over it, depending on how much you want to limit its functionality. You can customize specific functions and apps that you want to limit, and for me, it was quite simply shutting down my social media usage. After six months of using this limiting device, I can see how it has helped me create healthier habits that have helped me prioritize my time more wisely. Instead of my phone controlling me, I have been able to start controlling it and using it as the tool that it is. My prayer to the Lord is “I want to be found faithful.” I have asked Him very frequently how I can use my time to glorify Him and be a fruitful disciple of Jesus. The Apostle Paul lovingly warns the church at Ephesus: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV). Intersecting Life & Faith: If the days were evil during Paul’s day, they most assuredly are evil today! Although our cellphones, tablets, laptops, etc are not evil, I do believe we need to be cautious as to how much time we are devoting to them. We need to be aware of where we are directing our focus. We need to be attentive to what is capturing our attention that may be causing us to make unwise choices. For me, the distraction from my phone was keeping me from intentional time with my sons and causing me to become captured by covetousness and discontentment with the swath of influencers pushing product after product. As we live in the great information age, we are bombarded with opportunities to fill our time and our minds with so many things that can so easily replace our time of fellowship with the Lord, as well as distract us from the very thing He has called us to do: make disciples! Perhaps you may not have an issue with technology distracting you from the Lord- praise God! Stay strong and be an accountability partner for those around you who are easily pulled away from the things of God because of the ever-increasing information age and the age of social media influencers promoting materialism and vanity. But if you are like me (a stay-at-home/work-from-home mom) and you are finding yourself with limited time to spend with Jesus in prayer and the Word, I challenge you to ask the Lord if there is something you can arrange in your schedule to allow better time management. Also, ask Him if He would like for you to fast (technology, that is), something that could be causing division between you and Him. Devote specific time every day to spend some quiet time in fellowship with God and reading your Bible, without your cellphone or iPad within reach- turn them off during that time and perhaps put a timer on the most-used apps that you access throughout your day. You might just need extra help with self-control, like me! Be thankful for the benefits of the tools and global connections that technology brings us, but don’t allow technology to rob you of your connection to Jesus or distract you from all the blessings He has put right in front of you. We have been given the precious gift of time here on this earth; let’s not waste our time but redeem it all for God’s glory! Further Reading: Matthew 6:33 Hebrews 12:1-2 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode we examine Jesus' account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 and present it as a true event rather than a parable. The episode explores ten points about the reality of hell, emphasizing that death is followed immediately by a person's eternal destination. The account also describes a permanent separation between the righteous and those in torment, portraying hell as an actual and eternal place from which there is no escape. The rich man in Luke 16 remembered his family and understood that his brothers needed to repent, yet Abraham explained that those who refuse to listen to Scripture will not necessarily believe even if someone rises from the dead. We share accounts of near-death experiences and additional testimonies, but the central message remains the authority of God's Word. We encourage listeners to take Jesus' warning seriously, turn from sin, receive Him as Lord and Savior, and choose the path of life and salvation. For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries please visit us at: https://soulchoiceministries.org/  You can find more of Bill's teachings at: BillWieseTV-YouTube

Morning Offering, September 3, 2026 is brought to you by The Catholic Company https://bit.ly/4qVmJhNFrom Daniel's fiery furnace to Christ the true High Priest, this reflection reminds us that worship isn't only for peaceful moments, but also for the times when we feel hemmed in on every side.Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com Garth Heckman EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE THEIR DAD PROUD. How? By being creative in how we perform.    John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16 both identify Christ as the one through whom all things were created. This connects creative imagination directly to the person of Jesus, not just an abstract "God"   Quit thinking “I'm not creative”. As a follower of Jesus you have THEEEE creator living inside you. Everything that God has created… that force is in YOU.    Every kid who's ever built a blanket fort, drawn a picture of a purple dinosaur riding a skateboard, or invented a game with rules that make sense to absolutely no one but them — is doing something profoundly theological. They're being and acting and operating in exactly who they were made to be.     Point 3: God's Creativity Is Extravagant, Not Efficient   GOD'S MIRACLES WERE ALWAYS ABUNDANT. Fish and Bread - more Peter catches the fish in the net - more Creative Miracles are always MORE!      Psalm 104 is an extended poem celebrating creation, and verse 24 is the summary line: "How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”   Here's what's easy to miss: God didn't need this much variety. He could have made one kind of tree, one kind of bird, one kind of fish, and called it "sufficient."  THATS WHY…. there are over 350,000 known species of beetles alone — and that's before you get to everything else crawling, swimming, and flying on this planet. Every snowflake that's ever fallen has had a unique crystalline structure. No two fingerprints on earth are identical. God didn't design creation efficiently. He designed it abundantly.   Here's a brain drop… he wants your creativity to produce abundance!    GOD DOES NOT ASK US TO CREATE PERFECTLY OR EFFICIENTLY - JUST CREATE AND WATCH HIM MAKE IT ABUNDANT WHEN IT IS TO SHOW OFF HIM! 

I talk about the importance of playing deliberately before playing Zee Shaman on the ladder. You can find the deck import code below the following contact links.  You can follow me @blisterguy on Twitch, Bluesky, and Youtube. Join our Discord community here or at discord.me/blisterguy. You can support this podcast and my other Hearthstone work at Patreon here. # 2x (0) Witch's Apprentice # 2x (1) Beaming Sidekick # 2x (1) Fire Fly # 1x (1) Glacial Shard # 2x (1) Platysaur # 2x (1) Wailing Vapor # 2x (2) Gallagio Goon # 2x (2) Holy Eggbearer # 2x (2) Prize Vendor # 2x (2) Skywall Sentinel # 1x (2) Warden Maiev # 2x (4) Hijacked Securitybot # 1x (4) Tiny Pal # 2x (5) Envoy of the End # 1x (5) The Curator # 1x (6) Mug'Zee # 1x (6) Ultraxion # 1x (8) Al'Akir, Lord of Storms # 1x (10) Deathwing, Worldbreaker #  AAECAfGKBwjTngb0qgfQvweC1Aeb1AfQ2weI3Qff5QcLntQE7eYG15cH4J0H7awHsbAHj74HycAHydsHyOUH5v0HAAA=

Jesus Christ is not merely part of history—He is its focal point, the Beginning and the End, worthy of all glory, honor, majesty, and praise. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to John's extraordinary vision of the glorified Christ in Revelation. Jesus stands among seven golden lampstands representing His churches, reminding us that the Church exists to shine His light faithfully into a dark world. John sees Christ in overwhelming majesty: clothed with authority, perfectly holy, seeing all things, speaking with supreme power, and prepared to judge with righteousness. His Word penetrates the deepest places of the heart, and His face shines with glorious brilliance. This is the risen Lord who knows His Church completely—and whose return should shape how we live today. That urgency lies behind Christ's messages to the seven churches of Revelation. His words include warning, correction, encouragement, conviction, and invitation. And one of His most searching challenges concerns our love for Him. It is possible to defend Biblical Truth, pursue good works, and still allow our affection for Jesus to grow cold. Accurate theology and faithful service can never replace wholehearted love for the Savior Himself. If your love for Christ has weakened, His invitation remains open: confess, repent, and return. Rekindle your first love, order your life in light of eternity, and live today with the joyful expectation that your glorious King could return at any time. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, forgive me for setting my eyes on the things of this world rather than You, my Redeemer. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

When the darkness inside seemed unstoppable, only Jesus could silence the demons and restore Mary to life.Mary, tormented by seven demons, is on the verge of losing herself when she encounters Jesus, who casts out the demons with His authoritative word. In a moment of divine intervention, Jesus not only frees her from her torment but offers her a new life of hope and purpose through following Him.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 11:28, from the King James Version.Download the ⁠Pray.com⁠ app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Sam Hamstra, Lead Pastor of Anthem Church, a fast-growing, multi-ethnic and multi-generational church serving Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. Anthem became an independent church in March 2020—the same week the world shut down—and has since grown to multiple locations and thousands of people. In this conversation, Sam shares how clarity around mission, values, discipleship, and vision has helped Anthem develop a distinct ministry culture and sustain healthy growth. Does your church know exactly who it is and how it does ministry? Are your leaders aligned around a shared playbook—or are you borrowing someone else's model without adapting it to your context? Sam offers practical lessons on creating organizational clarity that shapes everything from calendars to leadership development. Move from imitation to innovation. // Sam is quick to acknowledge how much Anthem learned from churches and networks that came before them. But even before Anthem launched, he began recognizing that another church's model could not simply be copied and pasted into Northwest Indiana. The local culture, demographics, ministry environment, and people were different. Healthy leaders learn from others while also doing the harder work of discerning what God is uniquely calling their church to become. Clarity takes courage. // Copying an established model feels safe because leaders can see evidence that it works somewhere else. Developing your own approach requires greater faith because the outcome is less predictable. Sam believes churches must have the courage to move into that uncertainty. Rather than endlessly chasing the next successful strategy, leaders should prayerfully identify the unique blueprint God has given their church and commit to it. Define your “way.” // Inspired by Patrick Lencioni's The Advantage, Sam and his leadership team spent roughly nine months working through five foundational questions: Why do we exist? How do we behave? What do we do? How do we live? Where are we going? Their answers eventually became what they call “The Anthem Way”—a framework that brings clarity to mission, values, discipleship, spiritual formation, and long-term vision. Mission and vision are not the same thing. // Anthem's mission is to lead people to know Christ and make Him known. That mission remains constant because it flows from the Great Commission. Vision answers a different question: where is God taking this particular church? Separating those ideas has helped Anthem distinguish between the timeless calling of the church and the specific future they believe God is leading them toward. Let your discipleship pathway drive the calendar. // One of the biggest benefits of clarity has been simplifying Anthem's yearly ministry calendar. Instead of allowing every ministry to bring new ideas and events to the table, leaders evaluate opportunities through their defined discipleship pathway. The result is greater focus and consistency. Sam says their annual rhythm has remained largely the same for years, helping both staff and attenders understand what comes next. Boring can be a strength. // Churches often feel pressure to constantly create something new, but Sam has learned that repetition can be one of the greatest drivers of health. Anthem maintains a weekly prayer gathering, predictable discipleship rhythms, and recurring ministry events rather than continually reinventing the calendar. The goal is not novelty. It is consistency around the few things the church believes matter most. Create intentional invite moments. // Anthem builds four major invite opportunities into its annual rhythm: Easter, a Summer Kickoff, Homecoming, and Christmas. These predictable moments give the congregation specific opportunities to invite friends and family. Sam has seen the church grow following these events because people know when the church is intentionally creating space for them to bring someone who may not normally attend. Values have to become behaviors. // Anthem's core values include “We Love People,” “We Choose Joy,” and “We Bleed Passion.” But Sam emphasizes that values only matter when people can see them lived out. Loving people means creating a culture where people can belong before they behave. Choosing joy means approaching ministry with gratitude rather than obligation. Bleeding passion means refusing to settle for the status quo and remaining willing to change as God leads. Use clarity to protect multisite culture. // As Anthem expands to additional locations, the Anthem Way provides clear boundaries for what must remain consistent. Sam is not claiming Anthem's approach is the only way to do church, but he does believe it is important for every one of their locations to understand and embody Anthem's distinct way of doing ministry. That documented clarity gives leaders freedom while protecting the culture across campuses. Check out Anthem Church’s About page to see how their story, mission, values, and discipleship pathway fit together. You can also follow @SamHamstra and @ThisIsAnthemChurch on Instagram. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. Really looking forward to today’s conversation. This is a funny one because literally yesterday I was talking to a church in a coaching call. We were talking about this exact issue that we’re going to unpack today. They’re wrestling with these things. I know that this is going to help you. So you’ve tuned in for a great conversation today with Sam Hamstra. Super excited to have him. He and his wife, Taylor, they founded Anthem Church in March 2020 with a vision and heart to lead people to know Christ and make them know known. Rich Birch — Over the past few years they have seen this mission become a reality, continues to grow. It’s a multi-ethnic, multi-generational family made up of thousands of people from all walks of life in Northwestern Indiana, Chicagoland, and beyond. It’s one of the fastest growing churches in the country. So honored that you’re with us today, Sam. Welcome.Sam Hamstra — Rich, so honored to be with you. This is a full circle moment for me. I’ve been following you for quite some time. So super honored to be on your on your show.Rich Birch — Oh, come on. That’s I’m glad you’re here. We, we’ve got a lot to learn from you today. So March, 2020, it’s one of those dates that sticks in all of our brains. Cause like, we all know, what were you doing? March 15th, 2020. We all can say exactly what we’re, where we were. That’s a wild month to, to launch.Rich Birch — It’s funny because I keep bumping into people who are telling a similar story. They’re like, we started during the pandemic, right at the beginning, right after that sort of thing. Give us a picture today and kind of from that moment all the way on to today, kind of bring the story, bring us, tell us a little bit about Anthem. Give us a flavor of the church.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so we currently today we’re headquartered in Hammond, Indiana, which when we say Indiana, different people have different thoughts. But we’re we’re actually butting up to Chicago.Rich Birch — Yep.Sam Hamstra — Joking around right now, we’re going to be the future home of the Chicago Bears soon.Rich Birch — Nice.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. But um yeah, so we’re headquartered in Hammond. Our second location is in Merrillville, Indiana, about 30 minutes from here. So currently um our family’s grown to about 2,500 people in English. And we also have a Spanish service as well. And God’s done a phenomenal work over a six-year time frame.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so we did launch in March of 2020. Our first Sunday was the same Sunday the world shut down.Rich Birch — Wow.Sam Hamstra — And so the third week of March was our first service on the internet.Rich Birch — Dude, that’s amazing.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — That’s incredible.Sam Hamstra — Yes. So in God’s divine plan, kind of underneath our origin story, we we were actually a part of a church in Tinley Park, Illinois. We were a location of that church called Christian Life Center.Sam Hamstra — And our senior pastor and I, Pastor Jerry McQuay, we had been having an ongoing conversation about him making us independent, which is a whole long story. And he decided to really lean into what he believed God was doing in our lives and in this region and made us independent in God’s divine plan. That started in March of 2020. Rich Birch — Wow.Sam Hamstra — And so we transitioned from being a multi part of a multi site church a location up to being independent in March. And yeah, we started with nothing. We didn’t have any cameras, didn’t have anything. I called our media guy and said, do you have anything at your house? And he brought it. Yeah.Rich Birch — What gear you got in your basement? Yeah, that’s amazing.Sam Hamstra — Yeah and he he brought a camera from his house. And yeah, that’s how we started. One continuous shot streaming online. And that was the start of Anthem Church in March of 2020.Rich Birch — Wow. Yeah, that’s amazing.Sam Hamstra — So God’s done a great work.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s amazing. That’s incredible. That’s cool to hear and fun to see where it’s come, you know, since then. When you look back on that experience, you know, a lot of what you’re trying to define in those early days of a church, you’re trying to bring clarity to like, what is our approach? And part of what we do is you know, we there’s ah there’s, I think, some good copying and pasting. You’re like, hey, here’s the way they do it over here. Maybe we could try a little bit that. But then eventually you start kind of coming up with your own way. You kind of birth your own a approach, playbook, you might call it. Rich Birch — When did you start to feel… ah the kind of transition from, hey, I just want to do it like in this case, either CLC or another church over there. And you started to realize, hey, there’s something unique here at Anthem. And we got to try to define some of that. Talk us through maybe from um a timeline point of view or from a revelation point of view, like, oh, this is kind of things I started to see. Talk us through what that looked like.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so about two years before we launched Anthem, God started to really kind of do a work in our heart just on unique DNA. And we were coming out of like heavily influenced by ARC, Church of the Highlands, and learned so much from there.Sam Hamstra — And we’re seeing just how like clarity really was so important on where we’re going.Sam Hamstra — And so we were coming in there and I just was really praying and seeking the Lord on, okay, this is great. But in our context here, there’s some some differences, there’s some nuances.Sam Hamstra — This is, um we’re over here. what What does this look like here? And so really took the foundation of that and started looking at what does this look like? So when we started Anthem, it was with the thought of, we really want to lean into this unique blueprint of how God designed us and what God has called us to here. Sam Hamstra — So it really started from the jump from from day one. And so but it was a couple years ahead of time to say, OK, this is great. Let’s let’s use this. Let’s we’ve been imitating. Let’s imitate now move to a little bit of innovation and what the Lord would have for us.Rich Birch — Yeah, and there’s obviously there’s like an art and science to that, right? There’s like the, the yeah, insert whatever church, Church of the Highlands is fantastic. They’re doing a great thing, but you’re not Birmingham, Alabama. And you know and so there’s cultural differences, there’s community differences, there’s different resources and all that. That’s like the kind of science-y part of it. Rich Birch — But then there’s the art part of it, which is a little bit more… like intuitives, it’s like vibes, that kind of thing. How did you discern, okay, what are those things that we should be thinking about that are different that you start, or maybe things you started to see, evidence you started to see like, oh, maybe this isn’t working, just importing. Was there evidence of that that you saw?Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so like, and it was like small things, you know, just on approach to Sunday service. Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — You know, like, hey, this is open door, we don’t do this on Sunday. And we had just been starting to see like pretty early on, we’re we’re reaching lost people through like a hard approach to the gospel.Sam Hamstra — And it was just like, it wasn’t really seeker sensitive. Rich Birch — Sure.Sam Hamstra — It wasn’t, not saying they are, but just, it was just a little bit different in in our context where people were coming from. On the multi-ethnic side, it was just some approaches being super intentional with sounds, sights, all of that in in our context. And so, and even on the discipleship model, you know, groups, what kind of groups are we doing? How are we setting these up?Sam Hamstra — And so it was definitely like these nuances in the different categories, I would say, of discipleship that we started to pay attention to. That that was really the start, I think, of innovating what we have now.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool. Why do you think so many of us just reach for someone else’s model rather than doing the longer, harder, deeper, like it’s more annoying work to try to define you know our own thing and and then ultimately to document it which we’re going to get to here. what What did you actually do to kind of try to codify that? But why do you think we avoid that as leaders?Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so I think on one end, what’s established, you can see that the model works. And so um there’s great success you’re seeing. I mean, it’s working everywhere. And so I think it’s safe. And so deep down, it’s like this is established. I see it work. And so I can kind of press play on this. And and I know to a level that this this works. Sam Hamstra — And so it takes courage to do something that you haven’t seen before. Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — And deep, deep down, i think in our hearts, to me, that’s probably foundational thing. It’s like, man, I haven’t really seen this so his is going to require some courage, require some faith to press into the unknown.Rich Birch — Right. Right. Sam Hamstra — And so I do think that unknown word leads to some different decisions sometimes.Rich Birch — Well, and your church is an interesting um example just because it’s grown so quickly. I, you know, even in the… the lead up to it, I was thinking about, you know, the word, the term church plant.Rich Birch — Like, I don’t know when that term, you know, I was talking with a church that had been around for 30 years and they’re a big church. They’re like 20,000 people. And they, the lead pastor was like, well, we still think of ourselves as a church plant. And I’m like, yeah, I don’t at some point you stop being a church plant and just be, you start being a church. Rich Birch — And I think actually this is one of those, one of those differentiations is when you start saying, okay, like we’re going to, we believe that kind of God’s called us to this unique thing. There’s something in there. You built something that I think you call the Anthem Way. Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — Walk us through what that is. How does it function? What is the Anthem Way? Help us understand that.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so this was actually birthed in an odd place. I was reading “The Advantage” by Patrick Lencioni,…Rich Birch — Yeah. Sam Hamstra — …and he was talking about organizational health, and one of the keys is clarity. Rich Birch — Yes.Sam Hamstra — And I had I have kind of, I’m somewhat of a mutt in church in my upbringing. Rich Birch — Love it.Sam Hamstra — So I’ve been in a lot of different environments and seen to a lot of different things. And so it was really just kind of like looking like, how can we just be crystal clear on who we are, where we’re going and different things. And so I read that book and in that book, he actually laid out these questions that he was like kind of pointing to every successful organization needs to answer.Sam Hamstra — And Iwas kind of seeing that with some of the stuff I’ve been hearing. And I’m like, and there’s a couple of missing pieces for me that he pointed to that I thought was so important in church world that I would actually point to that have been some of the biggest things I think that have been what I would call probably the secret sauce of what we’ve seen as far as clarity. Sam Hamstra — Just the separation of something simple, but the difference between mission and vision, you know, why we exist compared to where we’re going. And so, yeah, I read that book and in there he laid out questions that you need to answer. I took that to our leadership team and we wrestled with these probably for about nine months. Sam Hamstra — I’m just going back and forth on wording, how we say things. question by question in five different questions. We answered those and we gave it a name called the Anthem Way. And so that was the foundation, but I want to give credit where credit is due. It came through the book, The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni. Yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, no, that’s great. That’s fantastic. And I, you know, one of the things I love that you’ve hit on here is I’ve talked in other contexts that our vision, well, this is the problem with with vision, mission stuff is it’s like, first you have to have a conversation. How do you define vision? How do you define mission?Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — But the big thing that we’re called to, the big idea, it comes from Jesus, right? We’re supposed to reach people and grow them up in in in relationship with him. All churches should have that as their core. That is at the core of what we do. Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — But getting clear on how we do that, you know, these other questions I’m assuming has helped give you a bit of a more of an edge, something that’s a little bit different. Do you want to rattle through the five questions… Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — …and maybe some high level, I know we can’t get into all the detail, but kind of high level how you’ve answered it. And then the follow-up I’m going ask you is, which are those couple that have given you what you think are the biggest distinctives around Anthem… Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Okay. Rich Birch — …that kind of that that kind of, um you know, that provide that edge that’s a little different, you think.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. So five questions and I’ll rattle them off quick. But so first one is why do we exist? Mission – the mission question, um which you just said it, I 100% agree, you know, every church really is called to the same thing. Let’s make disciples who make disciples, the Great Commission is still our first priority.Sam Hamstra — And so the way we say that is to lead people to know Christ and make them known. That was something we just prayed into language. We want to share language that people could really rally around. Sam Hamstra — Next question is how do we behave? The values question. We wanted to boil down in our culture those not aspirational values like truly who we are. So we boil those down to three things and wrestle with the language a lot. We wanted them actionable, but we choose joy. We love people and we believe passion. Sam Hamstra — And those all have disclaimers and really feed into our culture of what we call multi-everything. We love people from all walks of life, belong before you behave, and all that falls in there.Sam Hamstra — What do we do? Patrick Lencioni was talking about how that’s really your your business definition, so to speak, not for external use, but internal. We answered that with, we provide defined discipleship pathway.Sam Hamstra — It’s what we do day in and day out. It’s why we wake up in the morning. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We’re not a country club. We’re not here to make money, we’re a church and and this is this is how we do, like what we do to ah to reach our why.Sam Hamstra — How we live is the spiritual question for us. We wanna make disciples. So we wanted to be able to weigh spiritually what a disciple is. And so we looked at Acts 2:42, which we felt like was a really good, definition of these handles on a disciple. And so we have five kind of disclaimers on what we want to see in our people at our church. And we offer resources on those, but from daily devotion to prayer to we share our Jesus story. How do you testify? How do we share? How do we make Christ known?Sam Hamstra — And then the last one is where are we going, which is the vision question. And we’ve we’re wrestling with the timing right now. We currently have a 10 year vision statement, which is just kind of pointers on like, this is where we believe God is taking us as a people.Sam Hamstra — And so those five questions are give us the framework for what we call the Anthem Way. What I’ve seen, as basic as it sounds and in our context. And I don’t know if this resonates with anybody. One of the most frustrating meetings I had in church context was the yearly calendar meeting.Rich Birch — Yeah, so true.Sam Hamstra — And I just felt like everybody was coming every year with their own ideas. Some of them had to do with our mission, some didn’t. And these are just in past experiences. And so it just felt like everybody was trying to, and some, you know, just different reasons, good, bad, indifferent.Sam Hamstra — And what what gave me great clarity was to look at our defined discipleship pathway and say, this is how we create our calendar. And um that’s been one thing that has simplified everything for us.Sam Hamstra — So every year in the last six years, our our yearly calendar flow has been the same. And our people are starting to understand it. The next steps fall within it when we even, you know, baptisms, we’re doing it this time. And So that’s been one thing is basically that sounds like what do we do?Rich Birch — No, no, that’s good. I like it.Sam Hamstra — I found a lot of confusion on that in the past, on like, how do we do groups? How do we have services? To define everything within that in the discipleship pathway, to me has been life-giving, not only for us as a team, but as as our church as well.Rich Birch — Yeah. Pull that apart a little bit more. I think, because I think this is where we fall down on this type of work is, you know, and, and I know it’s none of the people that are listening in, but there are churches that like, they do a retreat and we’re like, we’re going away. We’re going we’re reading Lencioni. We’re going to define the five questions. We even make a snappy poster and we put it up on the wall. And then we go back to business as usual. It’s the same thing we’ve always done. But you’ve been able to make the connection there, particularly with the calendar.Rich Birch — Maybe talk us through, give us some examples of how this work is shaping, how you’re actually defining, you know, how you operate as a church.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so one example I would say is prayer. I had somebody call me and I like to think our prayer culture is strong. And they said, how did you get your prayer culture strong? And I said, well, this is really mind blowing. We have a weekly prayer meeting.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Sam Hamstra — And so because of that, and and still as the lead pastor still today, I take responsibility for leading that because I believe it’s it’s a high value for the church. Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — So it’s on the calendar. We you know And we’re not adding to it. It’s just 6 p.m. to 7 every Thursday. And we support it, which I think is the secondary layer behind that because it’s important. Now we have staff support. We have worship team support. We’re, we’re like staying very focused, on a few things rather than getting broad and going to a retreat and saying, this is a silver bullet. I don’t think there, I think the whole thing is a silver bullet, the whole pathway.Rich Birch — Right. Sure.Sam Hamstra — And so we always say, you know, I took this from somebody, but, you know, we want to be Ruth’s Chris, not Ponderosa. We want a one page menu and we really want to just do that.Rich Birch — Yep.Sam Hamstra — And it might even get boring. And we we’re trying to learn that boring is good.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Boring stuff grows churches. I love it.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — One of those five is sharing Jesus. Every disciple has one mission, to make Christ known. We don’t keep the gospel to ourselves. We share it through our words, our actions, our lives, wherever we go. We carry the hope of Jesus to a world that needs him.Rich Birch — Unpack some ways that that value drives behavior at the church, that actually drives calendaring and and you know what you’re talking about, that sort of thing.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so deep, you know, we always want to empower everybody to be inviters and not just share. I think the key word in that is share your Jesus story. You know, we have to be people who understand how to share a testimony outside the four walls with it, you know, with a pretty quick invite to be like, hey, come be part of this community if you don’t have a community.Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — And so that is really through calendaring. We that’s really probably intrinsically baked into what we’re doing. So anytime I bring a guest to church, I’m saying it from the pulpit. And this is my friend. They’re here. I invited celebrating those through baptisms.Sam Hamstra — We let people testify of so you’re hearing stories of that. And then really resourcing people to make Christ known by sharing their story, teaching them how to do that.Sam Hamstra — So In the context of the calendar, um you know I took this from your playbook, sir, so thank you. We wanted to create four big events in our flywheel… Rich Birch — Yep. Love it. Sam Hamstra — …that are big invite events, that these are the moments where you need to bring 10 people. Rich Birch — Right. Sam Hamstra — We have found in our calendar since day one that we are seeing people respond to that and our church grows after every single time we do a big event. Rich Birch — That’s great.Sam Hamstra — And so we’re we’re doing four quarterly things.Rich Birch — Are those are those four the same every year? Are they, are they, yeah.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, yes.Rich Birch — So what are they? What are those four? If you don’t want me asking.Sam Hamstra — So, you know, Easter, of course… Rich Birch — Yep. Sam Hamstra — …summer kickoff was something we just created… Rich Birch — Yeah, great. Sam Hamstra — …to start the first Sunday of June. We rented a football field and we just say, bring everybody. We don’t… Rich Birch — That’s great. Sam Hamstra — …in our culture here, this is one thing, like, we’re like, we don’t shrink in the summer. This is a great time to grow.Rich Birch — Keep going forward. Yep. Love it.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. And then we created something years ago called Homecoming, just, you know, it was really show up Sunday, invite day. Rich Birch — Yeah. Yep. Sam Hamstra — And then Christmas. Rich Birch — Love it.Sam Hamstra — So those are our four homecomings in November on the calendar. It just kind of flows quarterly for us that way.Rich Birch — That’s great. I love it. Well, I love what we’ve seen in fastest growing church in the country, friends that are listening in, is, you know, lots of churches will get, they have two big days, Christmas and Easter. But what we see is the behavior that you’re doing, which is you kind of end up having to make up a couple other days where you’re kind of injecting energy. We’re recording this in the summertime. You know, lots of churches have pulled a page out of Life Church’s book around At the Movies. And they, at the movies is one of their biggest attended days of the year on the the front end of that.Rich Birch — It’s just made up. There’s no reason for you to come the first week of August… Sam Hamstra — Yeah, absolutely. Rich Birch — …but they’ve decided, hey, we’re going to do that. That’s great. So we’re going to link to your about page where a lot of this is on that that page.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — On the how our core values, how we behave: We love people. We bleed passion. We choose joy. There’s some unique stuff in there. So talk me through. We love people, I think could be universally true of lots of churches… Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — …but I’m not sure that every church would say we bleed passion. We choose joy. Talk me through those as how those are kind of a unique thing that is helping you define what it means to be Anthem.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so you know on the love people thing, is you do hear that a lot. And I found there’s a difference between hearing it than living it out. And in religious environments sometimes, you know, I think we all pray we wanna reach the lost until you reach the lost. Rich Birch — True.Sam Hamstra — And our first service, our first Easter Sunday here, we only had one door into our auditorium. And I still remember we had the whole back of the auditorium smelled like weed.Rich Birch — Oh, wow. Okay. Love it.Sam Hamstra — And it was like this tense moment, you know, like of like, okay, this is what we pray for.Rich Birch — Yes.Sam Hamstra — And kind of diving deep into that. So we really own that language within that of we belong before we behave. And so we’re, you know, you can come from all walks of life and we believe Jesus died for all people. So we love all people.Sam Hamstra — And then the we choose joy…Rich Birch — I love that. Before we move on, the thing I love about that… Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — …that you’re calling out, that I do think is a nuance that we miss in too many churches, which is oftentimes we say we want to reach people. But what that comes with is messy pastoral care, hard conversations, stuff that doesn’t make sense, and long nights. Like, it’s just hard. Rich Birch — And, um you know, if you’re, it’s easy to reach Christians from the other church across town. It’s hard to reach people who don’t normally journey in this stuff.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Yeah.Rich Birch — And I love I love that story, even of your opening weekend with the the smell of weed in the back of the room.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — I love it.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Definitely messy.Rich Birch — That’s great. Yes, yes, love it.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. You know, the “We choose joy” has just been, um i think one of the greatest testimonies we had was from somebody that just, it was their first time guest. So like, man, everybody feels like they’re the same here. Everybody’s so happy. And we just wanted to build in just this, we believe that, you know, joy should be a badge that every believer wears. It’s just been, you know, you go into the different environments and some people just, it seems like a chore to be alive.Sam Hamstra — And so we just wanted to drive in. This is a privilege to be part of what God is doing in the earth in this hour, even if it doesn’t look perfect. Rich Birch — That’s great. Sam Hamstra — And then with “We bleed passion”, um that’s really our way to say here, you know, if you’re looking for a place that’s content with status quo, you’re probably not going to like it here. We’re always going to be changing. We’re always going to be moving. We’re always going to be shifting. We always want to go with where the Lord is leading. And so we’re a sending church. Don’t get comfortable. There’s always going to be more services. There’s always going to be new churches. Sam Hamstra — So we tried to to really get that in the DNA from the front side.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. I love it.Rich Birch — I love that “we choose joy”. When I was at Liquid Church, are one of our three in this in this coupling was “Church is fun”. And you know the way we would talk about that is we would say, you know we we we say good news or we say gospel. We’re like, we should be gospel people or we should be good news people. Rich Birch — But what that actually means, how that actually should work itself out in our culture is when people interact with us, those people are a lot of fun to be around. Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Rich Birch — Because they’re redeemed people who have figured out, man, we’re following a God who loves us dearly. So what that should actually like, I love the way you’ve said it, we choose joy. Joy should be the natural outcome of our churches… Sam Hamstra — Yes. Rich Birch — …which is, again, that should not be rocket science, but it’s amazing how much that is a cultural difference or can be a huge cultural difference in many churches.Sam Hamstra — Yes. 100%. Yep.Rich Birch — That’s cool. So um you’ve been using this really throughout your how you develop leaders, how you onboard people, how you, you know, how do you come back to this time and time again? What are you using? How are you using these tools in your leadership development, in your raising up of volunteers, that sort of thing?Sam Hamstra — Yeah, so foundationally, I got to give credit where credit is due once again on this. I heard University of Kentucky’s baseball coach say this about culture, and it was like the best thing I’ve ever heard. He totally transformed his program, and he said it was culture at at the root of it. He said culture is every day. Culture is what you accept, and culture is what you reinforce.Rich Birch — It’s good.Sam Hamstra — And so we try to keep that in front of us as much as we can. It’s you know not something we just say we want to lead the way every day. So within these three, we actually just came out with 10 leadership values that all fit within those three…Rich Birch — Oh, that’s cool.Sam Hamstra — …that give a little more language to our leadership, like, you know, we love people, so we park in back. And so really speaking to the culture of, you know, we put other people first, we serve. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good.Sam Hamstra — And so, you know, we try to outdo each other. You know, I park about a half mile away from church on Sundays. We don’t we don’t do pastor parking, you know, or anything like that. umAnd so just, it’s every day.Rich Birch — Yes.Sam Hamstra — We do a value at every single one of our pre-service huddles on Sunday. So we’re taking those three values every Sunday, one, here’s what we’re doing.Sam Hamstra — And then Leadership Pipeline, we implemented this two years ago and we’re teaching our Anthem way across the board to a new set of leaders three times a year. And so we really zone in on culture a lot. We’ve just realized people coming from a lot of different places and what makes our culture, our culture are these distinctives. And so we’re teaching those and then really trying to walk them out. And the best testimony we’ve been hearing is people say, yeah, we see that in the leadership of the church. So that’s been really cool to hear.Rich Birch — That’s really cool. I love it. And friends, this just reminds me of the like such a foundational thing we’ve all got to get right and work on and then repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.Rich Birch — We’ve got to keep on top of this language and and just come back to it time and time again. So you’re multi-site, you’re you’re going to launch more campuses down the road. Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — How does this tie into that conversation around, you know, there can be in you know, some multi-site churches, there’s like this tension of uniformity, you know, versus autonomy. And like, how how does that how does how does your thinking work out with the Anthem Way in multiple locations?Sam Hamstra — Yeah. So I want to preface this with I’m new, so I am figuring this out in real time. Rich Birch — Sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah.Sam Hamstra — I’m coming from from being a campus pastor to now being in the position I’m in. We’re two years into our first ah plant location campus. So and we’ve seen it be successful.Sam Hamstra — But what we’ve agreed on is we are going to be uniform in the Anthem Way. So we’re choosing uniformity and everything that falls within that box of the Anthem Way. Um, and so that has been like the running lanes for us to define what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, the way we talk, the way we move, our style of church, um, and all of that. So that’s been, you know, we’ve been really struggling with, with, with what you just said, that uniformity versus unity versus, you know, autonomy. Sam Hamstra — And so, the Anthem Way is to become our framework on how we’re starting locations. And we feel like as long as everybody’s in sync with all, and it and it entails a lot, right? I mean, how we do church, our approach to a lot of things.Sam Hamstra — And so that’s been that’s been our overarching theme is we want to be uniform in this. Rich Birch — yeah that’s good. Sam Hamstra — And so that’s what we’ve been trying to make sure it’s documented, ready to go.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Yeah, that’s an interesting, that’s like a, we could have a whole other half an hour just on on on that issue.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — But one of the things we have seen over the long arc of the multi-site movement is churches that are choosing clarity and um and more, yeah, an understanding of, in your case, what is Anthem and how do we do what we do, those churches are the churches that, from my perspective, and not just statistically, are actually benefiting more from the multi-site movement. Rich Birch — The churches where they’re like, hey, let’s spend a lot of time. It can actually be the worst model because it’s like, we have a lot of people thinking about all the different ways you could potentially do church. As opposed to saying, no, no, like this is the way we’re not, we’re not saying this is the best way. We’re just saying it’s our way. We’re not saying that this is the only way to do it.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — We’re just saying this is the way we do it. And, um and we’re okay with that. We’re settled on on that as an issue.Sam Hamstra — Yeah. That’s good. That’s good.Rich Birch — That’s interesting. Is there anything that changed or that has changed as you, I realize you’ve influenced ben to this from the beginning, but like, has there been anything that has kind of changed as you got clearer on the Anthem Way over the over the years? You know, something you cut or improved or, you know, is there anything that jumps to mind on that front?Sam Hamstra — Yeah, we’re would I might use the word refined rather than changed. Rich Birch — Sure. Yep, that’s good. Sam Hamstra — I was just talking to our discipleship director this morning just on, you know, is there is there a small group model? So like our three kind of handles in our discipleship pathway are know Christ, grow in Christ, and and make Christ known.Sam Hamstra — And, you know, our small group model isn’t working. We added what we call the Mosaic School of Ministry, which is is another thing in Grow. And we’ve actually seen way more interest and success in that. And so, you know, we have a way higher percentage right now going through what we call a School of Ministry, which is classes and and discipleship then we’re getting in small groups. Sam Hamstra — And so we’ve been just kind of wrestling with that a little bit. Like, is that culture, is it good, is it bad? And so I think those those refining moments have have really changed. We started off, though, I feel soft saying this, but it worked in our context. But we would start every year with 21 days of prayer and fasting in the beginning. And do 21 days again in the fall.Rich Birch — Love it.Sam Hamstra — We’ve actually gone down to seven days to start the year. There’s seven days in the fall. We just feel like we’re seeing actually better results with more people getting involved just with those minor tweaks, just to say this…Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Sam Hamstra — …his is we’re we’re seeing bigger impact there. Rich Birch — Sure. Sam Hamstra — But so I think those refining things have been really good.Rich Birch — Has there been any of that refining that has come not from you, but from a member of your team? Like, has anyone called you out or called the church out on like, hey, like on prayer or on any of these where, you know, like when that’s happened in my life, I kind of like that. Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — I’m like, oh, well, that’s a pleasant thing that just happened there, even though it feels weird to be the person being called out.Sam Hamstra — Yeah.Rich Birch — Have you had any experiences like that?Sam Hamstra — Yeah. Yes. I’m laughing because, yeah, I’ve had quite a few. I could point to the one with prayer fasting. Rich Birch — Yes. So somebody on our team was like, hey, pastor, you know that there’s really no a place in the Bible where there’s a three week corporate fast. Rich Birch — Sure. Sam Hamstra — Yeah like where the whole church is coming together for three weeks and I’m like well I got a challenge, I’m gonna look. And I’m like sure enough you know, I’m maybe somebody could find it, but it was like these times and seasons where people come together for specific things of like, oh man you’re right. Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, love it. Sam Hamstra — So and so that was like one of those um yeah it’s it’s definitely happened quite quite a bit and so which I love that too and so it’s been such a blessing of solid team that feels free to speak when when they need to.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. Well, this has been a good conversation, just as we’re kind of coming to land. If you think about a church out there that feels like okay they’ve listened to this and they’re like okay, we maybe they’ve opened up your website. And they’re like, hey, we’re not as clear on this that as we could be, we need to get much clearer on that.Rich Birch — What’s kind of one first step that you would encourage people to take? What would be kind of the best first step towards getting clarity on this front?Sam Hamstra — Write the vision, make it plain so that he that reads it may run.Rich Birch — Dude, I love it. And with that, we end the episode. That’s fantastic. No, that’s great. Unpack that a little bit.Sam Hamstra — Um, you know, I for so much of my life, I was always looking to be so unique and so different. Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — And I felt like I just needed the next best thing. And it was wasn’t until I just locked into this is what the Lord has for us. And it might sound like somebody else it might look and that’s OK, but this going to be very unique to us. And this is what we’re doing. And just to be very clear on that and then just this is for me, but I get bored so easily. And to just, just not get bored and just keep doing the same thing in the same direction day after day.Rich Birch — Right.Sam Hamstra — And in that that flywheel, to use your words, it does work. And just to see that go and to to get very clear and and simple and and let people know where you’re going and just keep saying the same thing over and over is so life-giving.Rich Birch — That’s so good. So good.Rich Birch — Well, I really appreciate you being here today. If we want to send people anywhere online to track with you or to track with the church, where do we want to send them?Sam Hamstra — So first name, last name would be all my personal stuff. So @samhamstra, last name H-A-M-S-T-R-A.Sam Hamstra — And all church stuff is weareanthemchurch.com. And then weareanthemchurch on social as well.Rich Birch — Love it. So good. Appreciate that, Sam. Thanks so much for being here. Honored that you take some time to be with us today.Sam Hamstra — Yeah, thanks so much, Rich, my honor.

Noah was far from perfect, but he was a humble man, and protective of his family. He stands out among fathers in the Bible as a man who remained loyal to God, in spite of the wickedness of the world around him.Doesn't that sound a lot like life today? Fathers who choose to follow a life of faith are surrounded by temptation and downright evil in this world, but God is pleased by our devotion, and He has a plan for each of us — even when circumstances are frustrating or difficult. Genesis 6:5–8 says, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.' But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”The Bible tells us Noah, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, was a righteous man, and walked faithfully with God. For this reason, God chose Noah to build an incredible boat – the ark – that would save not only mankind, but every variety of living creature on the earth — from peril.Sometimes fathers feel like their job is a thankless one. They tackle the honey-do list on weekends, help with dinner, keep the kids in line, and help to wrangle them at bedtime...and they don't hear “thank you,” or “great job,” often enough. But God knows everything you do for your family, from breadwinning to caretaking and everything in between, and He takes delight in your devotion to your family, and to Him.Deuteronomy 30:2–3 says, “And when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.”Modern-day fathers can learn valuable lessons from Noah:God promises to bless and protect those who faithfully follow and obey him. A man who obeys the Lord will inspire faith in his children as well. Obedience is not a sprint but a marathon; It means a lifetime of faithful devotion, even (and especially!) when the going gets tough.Let's pray.Heavenly Father, thank you for calling out Noah's faithful obedience to you so many years ago, and for providing for the safety and provision of his entire family when the world had gone astray. Bless every father who hears this message, Lord, that they might grow closer in their walk with you, and inspire their children to follow in their footsteps. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

When discussing all-time greats, Zaheer Abbas' place is without dispute. An illustrious international career coupled with a remarkable First Class journey in Pakistan and England, his 46,000 professional runs tell the story in a line. Add to the fact that he's the only Asian to reach 100 First Class centuries, and you know this man was a ton machine as well as a stylist. His new book, A to Zed, tells the tales of a life in the game so well spent. In this chat with Daniel Norcross at The Oval, he adds to this his dismay at the state of modern Pakistani cricket – and this was recorded before their current calamitous Test series. Buy a copy of From A to Zed here https://fairfieldbooks.co.uk/shop/from-a-to-zed/ Could you support the show? You can send us a Nerd Pledge or become a member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Stop snoring with 15% off a Zeus device, and they'll donate £50 to The Lord's Taverners: use code CLUBSNORER at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠zeussleeps.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your big NordVPN discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nordvpn.com/tfw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out the Lord's Performance Centre for activities and courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lords.org/lords/performancecentre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Morie Candles have an extra 5% off any existing promotion: click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠morie.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/discount/TFW5⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 15% off Step One clothes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.stepone.life/discount/TFW148⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Maurice Blackburn is Australia's leading social justice law firm. Contact them to ask about what you need: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mauriceblackburn.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ They can't harm you, if they can't find you! Use code FINALWORD and get 60% off annual plans: ⁠⁠incogni.com/finalword⁠⁠ Get yourself 10% off lovely ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Duncan Fearnley ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bats and kit with code TFW10 or 10% off BIG Boots UK boots and socks at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bigboots.co.uk/?ref=thefinalword⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠finalwordcricket.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Title track by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Urthboy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,Today, the Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church, and Saint Paul (1 Corinthians 3:18-23) remind us not to rely on worldly wisdom or boast in human leaders, because everything belongs to Christ.Also, the Psalm (Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6) teaches that the whole earth belongs to the Lord, and those who seek Him must come with clean hands and a pure heart.In the Gospel (Luke 5:1-11), Peter obeys Jesus, and after a fruitless night, receives an overwhelming catch, and he follows Him.Today's lesson points to trusting Jesus and lowering the nets again.Even when your own effort seems empty, obedience to His word can open the way to grace, humility, and mission.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• September 3, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Today's Promise: 2 Corinthians 5:9 What is your one big goal in life? Maybe it's to lose weight, save money, take that dream vacation, or accomplish something you've been working toward for years. Goals are important because they give our lives direction and focus. But what if there is one goal that should rise above every other goal?   Paul said, "We have as our ambition…to be pleasing to Him." After all the beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and persecution that Paul experienced, he never lost sight of his greatest ambition: pleasing the Lord.   What would change in your life if pleasing God became your one great goal? How would it affect your choices, your words, your attitudes, and the way you respond when life gets difficult?   In today's episode, we'll discover why pleasing the Lord is a goal worth pursuing for a lifetime. It reaches far beyond this life.

FOLLOWING JESUS If you are deciding to follow Jesus, click here: https://www.xrchurch.com/new-life-in-jesus   PRAYER You can share your prayer request or praise report by clicking here: https://www.xrchurch.com/prayer   JOIN US IN PERSON For location & service times https://www.xrchurch.com/visit   GIVE Your generosity is making a difference! To worship the Lord through your giving and support the growth of what God is building through Crossroads Church, click here: https://www.xrchurch.com/give

TEACHING TEXT: 1 Timothy 2,”2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”F.U.E.L.Faith“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 UnityJohn 17:23, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”EncounterMatthew 28:20” Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Liberty“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 Prayer WarriorThe practice of Prayer is the heart aligning with the will of the Father, which is the restoration of all things here on earth back into love and blessing under Him.THE PRAYER WARRIOR IS FUELED BY CONVICTION FOR GODS GLORY TO COVER THE EARTH.The warrior doesn't train their whole life to defend their living room; no, they go out and take ground, seek more battles, and fight on behalf of others in order to restore peace.Intercession – the act of pleading, praying, or intervening on behalf of another person.” we are taking the things we know about God to be true and then pointing them back at the world and asking for Him in those areas”.“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation... We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” — 2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 1 Timothy 2,”2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10“Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.” — E. M. Bounds “Come Holy Spirit”There is one goal in intercession: Work Hard in Prayer to see the Lord prevail.2 Chronicles 7:14,”if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”You and the Lord are working together to bring His will to earth.Genesis 1:28,” God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”Learn to love to work for the Lord in prayer.Young men and women of the faith are not spectators in his kingdom – once you have said yes to Jesus, He brings you fully in to participate in His work of creation restoration. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2The greatest accomplishment in intercession is His presence coming into places and bringing transformation for His glory.1 Corinthians 11:1,Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

Every girl has been uniquely created by God with gifts that can bless others and bring Him glory. Whether she's a creative thinker, a natural strategist, or someone who simply loves serving people, parents have the incredible opportunity to nurture those God-given strengths while helping their daughters remember that every talent is ultimately a gift from the Lord.  In this episode of Raising Godly Girls, co-hosts Melissa Bearden and Natalie Ambrose continue their conversation about raising entrepreneurial Christian girls by exploring the role of creativity, imagination, and innovation in God's design. Together, they discuss why childhood is such a valuable season for dreaming, experimenting, and learning through failure—and how parents can encourage girls to develop the confidence and resilience they'll need to faithfully steward their gifts for years to come.  Melissa and Natalie also share practical ideas for helping girls discover how God has uniquely wired them, whether through creative pursuits, strategic leadership, or relationship-building. Along the way, they remind parents that the goal isn't simply raising successful young women—it's raising daughters whose talents point others to Christ and whose identity remains firmly rooted in Him.  Whether your girl is designing handmade creations, organizing family projects, dreaming up new ideas, or simply learning how God has uniquely equipped her, this conversation will encourage you to celebrate her imagination while helping her steward it with wisdom, humility, and purpose.    Three Things to Consider:  Nurture your daughter's God-given creativity and imagination, giving her space to explore, experiment, and grow.  Encourage her unique strengths—whether creative, strategic, or relational—and help her see how God can use each one to serve others.  Keep her identity anchored in Christ so that every talent, opportunity, and success becomes another way to glorify the One who gifted her.    Scriptures Referenced:  1 Corinthians 12  Luke 14:28  Matthew 25:40    Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com.     To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org. 

This one's for warriors, not the faint of heart. We're activating our victory in Christ and confronting the enemy's schemes head-on. I take you into my own story: growing up with torment and inner destruction that started in childhood, chasing answers in the paranormal because I didn't know yet where real power lived. Then I met the Holy Spirit, and everything shifted. Now I'm passionate about being a bloodline breaker, ending generational curses so my lineage honors the Lord instead of repeating what came before. God has a plan for your life...and so does the enemy. The question is which one you're agreeing with. I break down four tactics the enemy uses against you: intimidation, fear, deception, and stolen destiny. Each one shows up different, but all of them are designed to make you feel powerless. I'll show you how to spot them and how to reclaim your authority through the blood of Jesus. Here's the truth: you can't control the enemy, and you can't control other people. You can only control you. Your healing, your freedom, that's what ripples out to your family and your community. Next week we pray over all of it. This week, we fight. The enemy's time is up.     TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:01 - Welcome to Wisdom's Table Introduction to the podcast and its purpose. 00:00:26 - Activating Victory in Christ Discussion on overcoming challenges and activating victory in Christ. 00:01:19 - Refusing to Break Exploration of resilience and standing firm against the enemy's plans. 00:01:50 - Personal Testimony Rachel shares her personal experiences with torment and the supernatural. 00:03:34 - Breaking Generational Curses The importance of being a bloodline breaker and the cost involved. 00:04:37 - The Enemy's Plans Introduction to the plans of the enemy and how to recognize them. 00:05:48 - Intimidation Understanding how intimidation is a tactic used by the enemy. 00:19:29 - Fear Discussion on fear as a natural response and how the enemy manipulates it. 00:21:13 - Deception The subtlety of deception and its impact on our lives. 00:22:28 - Stolen Destiny Exploration of destiny swapping and the importance of recognizing what we trade. 00:24:35 - Conclusion and Encouragement Encouragement to resist the enemy's plans and reaffirming our identity in Christ. 00:28:17 - Upcoming Prayer Episode Teaser for the next episode focused on prayer.