Podcasts about lord god

In this episode, I'm gonna take you through some powerful messaging frameworks that call out those empowered buyers. Those 'lurking' right now in your audience.  These frameworks will allow you to convert strangers (and yes, even lurkers) into buyers. You will the be equipped to craft your own disruptive content - THE most POTENT piece of content you've ever put out into the world.... ...so you sign a new client, THIS WEEK! >> WANT THE GOOGLE DOC I talk about in this episode? DM 'MESSAGING' to me on IG at: https://www.instagram.com/judyweberco ➡️ Want a proven system to predictably hit $10K months? Check THIS out: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MzjoF3-tR4QZJyseJ5yKugVD52RzULZyYJhPpqNg5f8/edit?usp=sharing   BTW: It's not too late to jump into the Christian CEO Millionaire (get access to ALL replays & resources): https://www.judyweber.co/millionaireceo Next Steps:

Welcome to Day 2 of the Christian CEO Millionaire. Watch to discover: the offers every 7-figure business has the highest-selling types of offers (that buyers crave, and pay a premium for) the spiritual building of a Christ-centric business Let's map out a customized strategic plan to scale your million dollar business!

Ready to lean into the limitless power of Christ, like never before?  GREAT!  Are you willing to be: stretched? triggered? convicted? Because that's what's required to get to your next level…. Watch as we address: - what it takes to make million dollar impact -- AND million dollar income - how to end your money drama, forever! - how to tap into the God-appointed in-demand authority you are, right now - 2 journal prompts to uncover you 'identity gaps' preventing you from stepping into your 'category of one' authority - today - 5 ways you've given away your power (so you can reclaim your position in the marketplace as a thought leader and groundbreaking trailblazer) It's not too late to jump into the Christian CEO Millionaire: https://www.judyweber.co/millionaireceo Next Steps:

You're Exactly Where You Need to Be (DIVINE PLACEMENT) | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Tuesday, 8 July 2025   Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: Matthew 11:20   “Then He began to defame the cities in which they occurred – the most of His miracles – because they reconsidered not” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus referred to His conduct, having come eating and drinking, which was contrasted to how John conducted himself. He then noted that wisdom is justified from her children. His next words begin to explain the severity of ignoring this wisdom, beginning with, “Then He began to defame the cities in which they occurred.”   The word oneidizó, to defame was previously seen in verse 5:11. It is derived from oneidos, to reproach or disgrace, a word probably akin to onoma, name. Thus, a defaming is indicated.   The cities to be mentioned were part of Israel. They were thus filled with Jews who thought that their cultural makeup and national identity were what made them acceptable to God, regardless of their hearts and actions. Jesus will correct them on this as He continues.   Matthew, intending to show why Jesus' words to these cities are justified, next notes what it is that occurred in them, which is “the most of His miracles.”   The Scriptures concerning the coming Messiah were read in synagogues. The people would have talked about what the Messiah would have been like as they gathered for feasts and other events. When Jesus came and began performing His miracles, most of which were in the surrounding cities, they should have recognized Him and turned their minds. However, it next says, “because they reconsidered not.”   The people saw the miracles He performed, but they didn't heed the words He or John had uttered. Both of them proclaimed the same words to the people –   “And in those days, comes John the Baptist, proclaiming in the desolate of Judea, 2 and saying, ‘Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!'” Matthew 3:1, 2   “From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say, ‘Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!'” Matthew 4:17   There was to be a turning of the mind, a reconsideration, concerning their conduct before the Lord. However, Jesus will reveal the true situation of the conduct of these cities.   Life application: Jesus is the Word of God. He spoke words on the Father's behalf that were to be heeded. A spoken word that is heard but not heeded means the speaker's intent behind the words has been ignored. James says –   “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25   This appeal from James, and the rebuke of the cities by Jesus, were not something new for the people of Israel. They were told to heed the word and do what it said. At the time of Ezekiel, the Lord spoke, saying –   “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.' 31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. 33 And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” Ezekiel 33:30-33   Israel failed to heed and went into exile. Even while in exile, they ignored the word through Ezekiel. Jesus came with the final message to the people under the law. A new covenant was coming. In rejecting Jesus' call to reconsider, they rejected His message.   Today, we have been given instructions about how to conduct our lives in relation to God. First, we are to accept the gospel, receiving by faith what God has done through Jesus. But that is not the end of our responsibilities.   We are to learn the word and apply it to our lives. Those who go to church and hear the word but who then leave without allowing it to mold them have missed the point of going to church. And it may be that the church doesn't even properly present the word.   Our lives are short. We should make every effort possible to use our time wisely, learning the word and applying it to our walk. Don't just be hearers of the word, but doers. In this, God will be pleased.   Lord God, thank You for Your word that can safely guide us through this troubled walk of life. May we wisely accept its teachings and faithfully apply them to our lives. In this, You will surely be pleased. Be with us in this walk, O God. Amen.

I Will Be Joyful In God My SaviorHabakkuk 3:17-19 "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”The theme for mentoring this month is Finding Joy in the Struggle. I was looking through some scripture verses that had to do with finding joy in the struggle this morning, and this verse came up. This verse is a favorite of mine because there is a lot going wrong for the people in this verse, and yet they chose to find joy in the Lord anyway.  The things mentioned here are not small things.  It might not seem like a big deal to us, as how many of us eat figs anyway?  However, it was a big deal at the time.  The people who wrote this depended on those crops not just for food, but also for their livelihood.  If they did not have figs, grapes, or olives, what would they sell at the market to get the other things they needed?  The verse says the fields produced no food.  What could they eat if they had no fruits or vegetables?  Normally, I would say at least they have animals to eat.  However, the verse also says, no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.  I can't even imagine what I would do if I were in their circumstances.  This verse is basically saying that they had nothing.  They had no food, they had no animals, and if they didn't have any of that, then they didn't have anything to trade with to get the other things that they needed.  I know that we often think our situation can't really get any worse; however, for these guys, I would say that it really couldn't get much worse.  How did they react to these dire circumstances?  Did they yell and scream at God?  Did they question Him and ask Him how dare He take it all away?  Did they turn away from God? No, they didn't do any of those things.  In that very same sentence, they said, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”Wow, that is incredible.  Don't you wish you had their strength?  Don't you wish you felt the same way on your worst days?  I will rejoice in the Lord.  Not, I will trust the Lord, not I will be ok with the Lord, I will rejoice in the Lord.  What did they have to rejoice about?  Then it goes on to say I will be joyful in God my Savior.  I was about to ask you what they had to be joyful about, and then the words “in God my Savior” rattled around in my head.  They weren't joyful because of their circumstances; they were joyful because of God, their Savior.  They knew God was going to save them.  They didn't know when and they didn't know how, but they relied on the fact that God was their savior and if He saved them before, He would do it again.  Why is it so hard for us to remember this?  What came to mind was, maybe we haven't seen Him save us before.  What if we have never needed saving before, and so we don't know that He will save us this time.  If this is what you are thinking, rest assured that whatever God has done to those who have come before us, He will do to us.  If He has saved His people in the Bible, then He will save us.  Those are our people.  Remember Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Because Jesus saved His people in the Bible over and over again, we know He will save us.  We also know that because of His promise in Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  God will use all things for our good.  The problem is, we don't want to wait for it.  We want things to happen when we are ready, or when we think we are ready.  When are we going to come around to the fact that God's timing is perfect?  If things are going wrong for us, God's got a plan.  He might not have planned for you to get yourself into this trouble, but as soon as He saw you headed there, He came up with a plan to fix it. That is what He does.  We mess up, and He fixes it.  I truly hope He doesn't get tired of doing that.  We would be lost without Him.  Let's say that we are able to come to grips with our situation.  We acknowledge that God is doing His thing, and although we don't know how it will work out, we know it will work out. Then what do we do?  We still need to figure out a way to lessen our pain so we can live to make it through to the other side.  The people in this verse decided that, although these terrible things were happening, they were going to rejoice in the Lord.  Do you think you could persevere in this difficult time?  Do you think you could not only keep hope in the Lord, but also rejoice in the Lord?I am currently reading a new book titled Built Through Courage by Dave Hollis. In this book, Dave talked about something that I thought was a really cool idea to help us get through some really difficult times.  I know some of you are either really struggling, or you have loved ones who are.  Dave was talking about how he and Rachel, his wife at the time, had a couple that mentored them at the beginning of their relationship. This couple had a very strong faith.  The wife in this couple had a massive stroke after just having a baby. She survived it but was now confined to a wheelchair.  Dave asked her how they could still have so much faith after something so tragic had happened.  They said they relied on a scripture verse.  That scripture verse is the same as today's verse, Habakkuk 3:17-19.  This woman, who was now struggling with so much, took this verse and made it her own.  Here is what her version of the verse said:“Though I cannot walk, and I am confined to a wheelchair.  Though my face is paralyzed, I cannot smile.  Though I am extremely impaired and cannot take care of my own baby boy, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.  I will be joyful in God my savior.”The author of the book I am reading, Dave Hollis, had not heard this scripture before.  When he heard this story, he was in the middle of a divorce he did not ask for and was transitioning out of a company he ran with his ex-wife.  Everything he knew to be true about his identity was changing, and he didn't know what to do about it.  Dave decided to also adopt this verse and make it his own.  Here is Dave's verse:“Though my marriage has come to an end, and my future looks different than I thought it would.  Though this blank paper I have been handed to imagine what's next fills me with equal parts fear and excitement.  Though my identity both at home and at work is shifting under my feet, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.  I will be joyful in God my savior.”What is it that you are going through?  Whatever it is, would it help you to write your own version of this verse?  Would it help you to read that verse daily to remind yourself that God is your Savior?  Let's not forget that important part of the verse.  I will be joyful in God, my savior.  Reading this every day can give you a reminder that you are not alone and that you are not in charge of fixing everything yourself.  God is your savior.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to your episode today.  Lord, we thank you that we have food and the things we need to get through the day.  Lord, we thank you for these beautiful verses, and I hope we all get to rewrite them to fit our own lives.  You are our Savior, Lord God, please help us to remember!  Lord, help us to rejoice in you during the hard times.  Help us lean into you and not turn away from you.  We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen.  Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you, just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I had a prophetic image of us being in a great flood of his divine mercy, being carried forward into this new year, and just surrounded by this great rising tide of his glory and his grace going forward.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Finding Jesus in Unexpected Places // Jesus the Winemaker John 2:1-5 (ESV)“On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus was also invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.' And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.'”  John 2:6-12 (ESV)“Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.' And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.' So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.' This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.” John 21:25 (ESV)“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” Isaiah 25:6-9 (ESV)“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 (ESV)“Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Jesus' Actions… Honored Others  Announced His Kingdom  Provided Joy

Weariness Is A Weapon But God Wants to Move • Friday Service If you'd like to support the ministry, please visit: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Learn more at: www.PastorTodd.org Ezekiel 37:4-5 (NKJV) “Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.'” Amos 5:23-24 (NKJV) “Take away from Me the noise of your songs… But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Galatians 6:4 (NKJV) “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” Revelation 12:10 (NKJV) “…the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize…” Matthew 7:5 (NKJV) “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Monday, 7 July 2025   The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children.” Matthew 11:19   “He came, the Son of Man, eating and drinking, and they say, ‘You behold! A man, a glutton, and a winebibber! A friend of taxmen and sinners!' And it is justified, the wisdom, from her children” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted that John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said he had a demon. He continues with, “He came, the Son of Man, eating and drinking.”   Jesus is referring to Himself in the third person, contrasting His life to that of John. As noted in the previous commentary, “eating and drinking” signifies more than just the act of eating and drinking, but doing so in a social setting. Whereas John would refrain from such things, Jesus welcomed them. For example –   “Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.' 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, ‘He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.'” Luke 19:1-7   Understanding this, Jesus continues, saying, “and they say, ‘You behold! A man, a glutton, and a winebibber! A friend of taxmen and sinners!'”   Two new words are introduced here. The first is phagos, a glutton. The second is oinopotés, a winebibber. It is derived from oinos, wine, and pinó, to drink. Both words will only be seen again in the comparable passage in Luke 7.   As in the account of Zacchaeus, Jesus went into the houses of those whom the Pharisees and Sadducees would never enter. He ate and drank what was put before Him without any objections.   Seeing this, the judgmental sort called him a glutton and a winebibber. This shows the utter folly of their thinking. John, who refrained from any such thing, was said to have a demon. Jesus, who openly associated with those shunned by the elites, is accused of inappropriate behavior.   Neither had committed any infraction of the law, and yet, they were arrogantly dismissed as being something they were not. As such, those saying such things had made themselves the standard of what is acceptable and what is not, ignoring the fact that it is the Lord, through the law, who set the standards of what was acceptable in the society.   As for the words, “they say,” it is the same thought from the previous verse –   ... and they say he has a demon! ... and they say, “You behold! A man, a glutton, and a winebibber!”   The words reveal who “this generation” in verse 16 is. It is not referring to John and Jesus, but to the Jews who stood accusing them –   Vs. 17 ...they say, “We piped to you and not you danced. We bewailed to you and not you breast-beat.” Vs. 18 ...and they say he has a demon! Vs. 19 ...and they say, “You behold! A man, a glutton, and a winebibber!”   Jesus is making a one-to-one comparison of those in His example and the Jews who stood around, finger-pointing at the lifestyles of John and Jesus. Because of this, Jesus concludes the thought with, “And it is justified, the wisdom, from her children.”   Another new word is seen here, dikaioó, to render just or innocent. It is that which is upright because of meeting a proper standard. Jesus is saying the wisdom, that which is divinely set forth by God, and which seems so arbitrary in how it is displayed, meaning in the conflicting, changeable conduct between John and Jesus, is proven upright from their actions.   Both Jesus and John were within their rights to live their lives as they desired while adhering to the Law of Moses as the guide for Israeli society. Despite one living in a certain way while the other lived in a completely different manner, they performed their roles before God in a way that He accepted and that brought Him glory.   Life application: Jesus' words show that God can and does work through different means and allowances to meet the set goals of the plan of redemption. John was used while living the life of an ascetic. Jesus lived His life associating with the outcasts, dining with them, etc. The two seemingly contrary lifestyles merged to form a part of God's unfolding redemptive narrative.   This is like the doctrine of dispensationalism. People have a problem with it because it seems fickle. In the dispensational model, God works one way with one group of people and another way with another group. As such, it seems arbitrary, and it appears that His plans are conflicting and changeable.   Such is not the case. The wisdom of God expresses itself through these various methods to form a whole. Bread doesn't just pop into existence. It first grows as wheat. The wheat is harvested and processed. It is then ground in a mill. After that, it will be mixed into dough. From there, the dough is placed in an oven. Once the bread is finished, butter is slathered all over it, and the family enjoys it as a part of dinner.   Each step of the process is different, and yet, a final anticipated result is realized. This is akin to how God's dispensational plan works from beginning to end. It is a step-by-step process, each dispensation unique and different from the others, culminating in eternal fellowship between God and His creatures. Peace and harmony are restored and realized.   Lord God, Your wisdom is on display in everything around us. The movement of the stars, pollination by the bees, males and females forming a couple... each of these and an infinite number more things reveal Your wisdom. It is also seen in Your word, which explains to us how we can be reconciled to You through Jesus. Thank You for such wonderful wisdom, leading to hope and restoration. Amen.

God Knows the Way—Seek Him & Find Your Answer | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Matthew Week 99   Leviticus 23:1-2 ESV   The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.       1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV   20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.       Romans 8:11 ESV   11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.       Leviticus 23:33-34, 42-43 ESV   33 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”       Isaiah 12:2-3 ESV   2 “Behold, God is my salvation;   I will trust, and will not be afraid;   for the Lord God is my strength and my song,   and he has become my salvation.”   3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.           “He who has not seen the rejoicing at the place of the water-drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life…there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illumined by the light of the place of the water-drawing. Men of piety and good deeds used to dance before them with lighted torches in their hands, and sing songs and praises. And Levites without number with harps, lyres, cymbals and trumpets and other musical instruments were there…(Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sukkah 51a and 51b)       John 1:14a ESV   14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,       John 7:37-38 ESV   37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”       2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 5 ESV   For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,       5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.      

Sunday, 6 July 2025   For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.' Matthew 11:18   “For, he came, John, neither eating, neither drinking, and they say he has a demon!” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus gave an example of what “this generation” is like, saying, “We piped to you and not you danced. We bewailed to you and not you breast-beat.” He continues now with, “For, he came, John, neither eating, neither drinking.”   The meaning here is more than just his limited diet, which is recorded in Matthew 3:4 –   “And he, John, had his apparel from camel's hair, and a leathery girdle around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.”   The thought of eating and drinking extends to social life, where eating and drinking are a part of the natural course of human interaction. In other words, John's life was that of a prophet preparing the way for the Lord. He did this in the wilderness, living a life of austerity and isolation.   In this state, someone may have come and said, “I'd like to talk to you about your message, come and join us at our meal tonight.” This is something John would have likely refused, maybe offering them a bowl of dried locusts instead and saying, “Join me here for a meal. This is where I belong.”   John limited his diet and everything that goes along with eating. Parties, feasts, dinner invitations, etc., would all have been shunned by him. Therefore, because of this obscure and difficult to understand lifestyle, Jesus next says, “and they say he has a demon!”   This is what it says about the demoniacs in Chapter 8 –   “And He, having come into the beyond, into the country of the Gergesenes, two ‘being demon possessed,' they met Him, coming out from the tombs – exceedingly dangerous – so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way.” Matthew 8:28   They lived in an area shunned by others, cut off from the normal ways of life. Because John was somewhat like this, instead of recognizing him as a prophet and grasping the importance of his ministry, they accused him of having a demon.   Life application: One of the traits that is often seen in people who are exceptional in their field is eccentricity, even to the point of being thought to suffer from mental instability. People with great intellects who have made some of the most profound discoveries in their occupations have been considered unconventional, and their lives troubled.   Van Gogh, da Vinci, Nietzsche, Hemingway, Tesla, Mozart, Bonaparte, Byron, Freud, Einstein, and so many others were, at times, close to being off their rocker. Van Gogh cut off his own ear, something not normally thought of as a sign of sharp mental acuity.   Fortunately for them, their skills in their professions were recognized and they were appreciated, despite their often-bizarre behavior. If you come across someone who seems a tad eccentric or doesn't fit into the traditional paradigm that society has set, don't underestimate him or dismiss him outright. It may be that his focus is so poignantly directed that the normal rules for social behavior don't interest him.   At the same time, he may be as crazy as a loon, so don't just assume that everyone who is odd is a genius.   Lord God, may our judgments about those we encounter always be carefully considered. First and foremost, may we look at each person as an individual who needs Jesus. If we remember this, surely we will see them in a different way than if we judge by mere appearances. Help us to look for Your image in those we encounter. Amen.

Saturday, 5 July 2025   and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' Matthew 11:17   “...and they say, ‘We piped to you and not you danced. We bewailed to you and not you breast-beat'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus began a description of those He calls “this generation,” equating them to children sitting in the markets addressing their companions. Of them, Jesus continues with, “and they say, ‘We piped to you.'”   This is a new word, auleó. It signifies “to play the flute,” and thus, to pipe. It is derived from aulos, a flute. There is a piping in the markets by the children, expecting a response from those around them. Despite their hopes, it next says, “and not you danced.”   It is a second new word, orcheomai, to dance. It is the etymological ancestor of our modern word orchestra. The word is derived from orchos, a row or ring. One can think of people forming up in ranks or circles, dancing when an orchestra plays.   There was the hope of people joining the flute players by dancing, but that did not come about. Next, He says, “We bewailed to you.”   It is a third new word, thréneó, to bewail. It is derived from threō, to cry out loud. These children tried a different tactic to get a response. Instead, Jesus next says, “and not you breast-beat.”   A fourth new word is used, koptó, to chop. It is a part of the standard way of mourning in the Middle East, where the breast is beaten or chopped at when great sadness or anguish takes place. Despite the bewailing, there was no response from the hearers of the flutists.   Life application: The reason for having public presentations is to elicit a response from the public. People naturally want others to join in such things. When there is no response, feelings get hurt.   This is especially so because when someone is leading in the presentation, there is a sense of elevation of importance. A few guys who have drumming, guitar, and keyboard skills can become rock stars with people cheering them on, throwing money their way, and fawning over them as if they are gods.   Preachers can captivate large crowds and, at times, can become cult-like figures. To not show adoration to such people means one is uninterested or simply neutral in what they are presenting.   Jesus is making a point about a situation that was happening in Israel at His time. He will explain His words in the next couple of verses for those who think they should be heeded and why they were not.   As Christians, it is best not to get overhyped about the status of others, elevating them to some perceived position that actually does not exist. Each person is of value. Playing the guitar may be great to listen to, but a guitarist who can't fix plumbing is no help at all when the pipes burst.   We tend to place too much value on people with skills that have no real value. So a person can catch a football! Does that make him a hero? If not, why do we almost fervently want to be around such a person? Why would we want his autograph?   Let us consider where our priorities should lie, not getting caught up in the hype of society.   “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,' and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,' or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,' 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” James 2:1-4   Lord God, help us to think clearly about the status of others, understanding that people are people. Those we should gravitate towards should be those who are humble, respectful, and who hold You in the highest esteem. May our thoughts about those around us always consider the character of the person as being of true value. Amen.  

Powerful Morning Prayer For Financial Blessings & Favor | Blessed Prayer To Start Your Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Friday, 4 July 2025   “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, Matthew 11:16   “And to what I will liken this generation? It is like children in markets, sitting and addressing their companions” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus declared that he who has ears to hear should hear. That was stated in regard to John being the Elijah who was anticipated in the book of Malachi. Now, knowing that many will not heed His words, He addresses the crowd, beginning with, “And to what I will liken this generation?”   Who Jesus is speaking about in this verse and the coming verses is debated. Although getting ahead in the commentary, this must be determined at some point. Some see “this generation” of this clause as Jesus' comparison to John and Himself. Others see it in reverse, meaning Jesus is referring to Himself and John as the children calling out.   To understand further, Jesus continues, saying, “It is like children in markets, sitting and addressing their companions.”   Here, the word agora is introduced. It signifies the town square, but the term is then extended at times to signify a market or thoroughfare. Therefore, there are children playing. These are small children in view of all who come through, where the people are gathered. As they play, they address those around them, here called “their companions.”   As for who “this generation” is referring to, seemingly convincing arguments are given for both views. For example, the Pulpit Commentary says –   (1) Many modern commentators (e.g. Meyer; Trench,' Studies,' p. 148) insist on the grammar and on the historical order in which the complaints are made, and believe that the Jews correspond to the pipers and the mourners, while it is John that refuses to rejoice, and our Lord that will not be sad.   (2) But the more usual interpretation is preferable. For   (a) in an illustrative saying one has chiefly to regard its general sense;   (b) in verse. 18, 19 the action of John and of our Lord in “coming” corresponds to the activity of the children;   (c) this interpretation seems much more in accordance with the context. The verses are therefore to be understood as meaning- John mourned in urging repentance, our Lord rejoiced in gospel liberty and preaching, but both alike were only ridiculed by the Jews. Markets; marketplaces (Revised Version); for there is no thought of the children helping their elders in traffic. And calling (which call, Revised Version) unto their fellows. Addressing them, but not necessarily noisily (Luke 6:13; Luke 13:12). Matthew 11:16   Vincent's Word Studies says –   “The Rev. Donald Fraser gives the picture simply and vividly: ‘He pictured a group of little children playing at make-believe marriages and funerals. First they acted a marriage procession; some of them piping as on instruments of music, while the rest were expected to leap and dance. In a perverse mood, however, these last did not respond, but stood still and looked discontented. So the little pipers changed their game and proposed a funeral. They began to imitate the loud wailing of eastern mourners. But again they were thwarted, for their companions refused to chime in with the mournful cry and to beat their breasts....So the disappointed children complained: ‘We piped unto you and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn. Nothing pleases you. If you don't want to dance, why don't yon mourn?...It is plain that yon are in bad humor, and determined not to be pleased'” (“Metaphors in the Gospels”). The issue is between the Jews (this generation) and the children of wisdom, Matthew 11:19.”   These arguments will be considered in the coming verses. However, a simple way to determine which view is likely correct is to look at the words “this generation.” In doing so, the likely view will be revealed. They are listed (as translated by the NKJV) as, Matthew 11:16, Matthew 12:41, Matthew 12:42, Matthew 12:45, Matthew 24:34, Mark 8:12, Mark 8:38, Mark 13:30, Luke 7:31, Luke 11:29, Luke 11:30, Luke 11:32, Luke 11:50, Luke 11:51, Luke 17:25, Luke 21:32, Acts 2:40. Note: Luke 16:8 is also close in thought to these verses. Likewise, other verses, such as Luke 9:41, though not using the term “this” still refer to the same generation in the same manner.   Reading those verses will reveal which view is most likely the correct one, even before all the verses related to Jesus' words here are completed. In fact, every other instance identifies the same particular category. If the words “this generation” here are not referring to what they are, it would be an outlier.   Life application: Although in Scripture there are times when words are used in a sense different from the more common rendering, it can generally be expected that selected words will be used in a consistent manner. In some instances, the consistency will help definitively identify what is being said or pictured.   Therefore, doing word and phrase studies is a very helpful tool when analyzing passages. Doing it from English translations may bring out false comparisons because translators often use the same word to translate different words, or they will use different words to translate the same word.   Such inconsistencies will cause an analysis to be off a bit. Doing word studies in the original languages is rather easy, but phrase studies can be a bit more difficult. At times, there are commentaries that have already done such studies, thus saving the effort. But even then, scholars can make errors. Therefore, if possible, it is still good to verify their work.   When reading commentaries, don't just hurriedly accept one because it sounds right. Reading those given above, the scholars have come to exactly the opposite conclusions. But if you were only provided with one of the commentaries, you might think that it sounds correct and agree.   However, with the two contrasting views, you can see that more thought and study are needed. As no commentary reviewed for this study analyzed the words “this generation,” it seemed like a logical point to check.   Expand on what you read. Consider what you come across. Think about what is being said and why the words are being provided by God in His word. Spend your time in the word wisely and check things out. It is a marvelous treasure of wonder and delight.   Lord God, help us to judiciously consider Your word, contemplating it from many angles and doing our best to determine what is right. May our conclusions be based on more than picking and choosing what we like or initially think, but on a careful analysis of what is presented. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

#608 Rahabs Faith, Devotional Life with Paul and Jeanne

Join Jay Aruga as he visits Our Lady of Consolation Parish, engaging with the community in a fun Bible quiz.Watch as he asks Lola to name three books from the OLD TESTAMENT for a chance to win a prize! This episode, featuring Bible stories, saints and miracles, is part of our 30k subscribers celebration, spreading joy with the Lord God.ALAM BA NG KATOLIKO ANG FAITH NILA? The HOLY HUGS Pillow GameshowGrab your HOLY HUGS pillow in the link below:https://lilymoms.com/product-category/holy-hugs/

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.Ezekiel 34:1-6Shepherd“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.John 10:1-6Strangers, Sheep, and Shepherds“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.John 10:1A shepherd in scriptures represents any spiritual leader who is called to lead, feed, and care for God's people.John 10 is Jesus' response to John 9 and the Man born Blind34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.John 9:34The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.Ezekiel 34:1-2, 4A stranger is anyone who operates in spiritual authority over another person without going through Jesus, with Jesus, and like JesusThe man who makes much of Christ is a pastor after God's own heart, whom God delights to honor. The minister who makes little of Christ is the one whom God regards as an imposter—as one who has climbed up to his holy office not by the door, but by “some other way”J.C. RyleConfidence in a  stranger leads to REJECTION.34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.John 9:34DO I EASILY FEEL REJECTED BY PEOPLE?He that enjoys the favor of the Son of God will not tremble at the frown of the Sanhedrim.Charles Spurgeon2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:2-5A sheep is anyone who belongs to Jesus, listens to Jesus, and follows JesusConfidence in a sheep leads to PRIDE18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue[b] my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.Ezekiel 34:18-22A true shepherd is anyone who feeds, leads, and cares for the sheepConfidence in Jesus leads to WORSHIP· Jesus is a man (John 9:11).· Jesus is a prophet (John 9:17).· Jesus is my master, I am His disciple (John 9:27).· Jesus is from God (John 9:33).· Jesus is the Son of God (John 9:35-38).· Jesus is who I trust (John 9:38).· Jesus is who I worship (John 9:38).24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” John 9:2438 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.John 9:38

Thursday, 3 July 2025   He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 11:15   “The ‘having ears to hear,' let him hear” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus made a pronouncement that was not to be dismissed or casually heard and then forgotten. Rather, the very state of Israel, both the nation and each individual, would be affected by His words, which were, “And if you incline to receive, he, he is Elijah, the ‘being about to come.'” With that emphatic declaration made, He next says, “The ‘having ears to hear,' let him hear.”   In other words, what I just said needs to be heard and assimilated. The reason for this was partly cited in the previous commentary. The final verse of Malachi says –   “Remember! Law Moses, My servant, Which commanded him in Horeb upon all Israel – Enactments and judgments. 5 Behold! I sending to you Elijah the prophet, To faces coming day Yehovah – The whopping and the fearing. 6 And turned heart fathers upon sons, And heart sons upon fathers. Lest come and strike the land – anathema.” Malachi 4:4-6   Jesus is saying that John is the fulfillment of the promised coming of Elijah. If they rejected his message by rejecting Jesus whom he proclaimed, the land would be struck with a curse.   Life application: A few points about the verses from Malachi. When the Lord proclaimed through him to remember the Law of Moses, He was not talking about obeying the law. That was something they were supposed to do already. He was telling them to remember the law that referred to the coming Redeemer.   Malachi proclaimed in verse 4:2 that a Righteousness Sun was coming. The meaning to be inferred is that the Law of Moses was not a Righteousness Sun. Rather, Paul states it was a tutor to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). In remembering the law and anticipating the promise set forth in Malachi, the people would then be prepared for the coming of Christ.   Understanding this, in verse 4:6 where it speaks of turning the heart of the fathers upon sons, and heart sons upon fathers, that is not a verse describing immediate family relations, as in, “He will turn the people in the families to love one another.” Rather, it is a word concerning the Hebrew people as a whole. The fathers are the patriarchs, especially Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.   The children are those who had misunderstood both the promise to the patriarchs and the purpose of the law. The heart of the fathers was that of promise while trusting in the gospel of the grace of God. Paul explains this in Galatians 3 –   “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.' 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”  ... “And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:8, 9, & 17, 18   The hearts of the children, the unbelievers of Israel, will have their hearts turned to the hearts of the fathers who trusted the gospel of Christ as a certain and sure promise. If they do not turn their hearts, the warning of the curse of the law stands firm.   In the last words of Malachi concerning the curse, the Old Testament ends with the word kherem, anathema. It speaks of the utter destruction or ban of something. It is a fitting end to the thirty-nine books of law.   Only with the hope of God in Christ is there life and renewed fellowship with God. Only in understanding the gospel can that state be realized. In Matthew 23:36, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.”   The nation as a whole rejected Jesus, remained under the law, and fell under the ban because of it. The second fulfillment will be for those of Israel who continue to reject Jesus during the tribulation. However, for the nation, that will eventually end. The land of Israel, symbolized by Jerusalem, was anathema because of Israel's rejection of Jesus. This is seen in Zechariah 14:11 –   “The people shall dwell in it; And no longer shall there be utter destruction [kherem], But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.”   This prophecy concerns the future when Israel finally receives Jesus. Only when the hearts of the children are turned to the hearts of the fathers will this time of woe for Israel end. The day is coming, and the world is being readied for it with the return of Israel to her land. The nation has been reestablished, prophecies of the past have come to their fulfillment, and many more prophecies are set to be fulfilled.   Our trust is not to be in the Law of Moses but in the One who is spoken of there and throughout all of Scripture. It is not easy to let go and place ourselves solely under the authority of another, but we must do so.   Let us not fail to put our trust in Him. Anything else will not carry us through to the restoration that God offers to His people. Yes, let us trust solely in the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.   Lord God, may our faith in You grow each day as we rely solely on the grace of Jesus Christ. Help us never to put ourselves into the salvation equation except as receiving it by faith and being grateful for what He did. Thank You for Jesus our Savior! Amen.  

God's Discernment Will Protect You From Things That Aren't Meant For You | Blessed Morning PrayerSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

We finished Song of Songs in our last episode which means we are back into the narrative of King Solomon. As always, the Lord God makes good on His promises, and Solomon flourishes under the Lord's lavish provision. Blessed with peace on every side and abundant wealth, Solomon sets His mind on things above and gets to work. Knowing that the Lord had promised David a son who would come from his family and would establish God's house forever, Solomon builds a center of worship for God that reflects the plans for the original tabernacle. In work, wealth, and worship, Solomon is a foreshadow of the Son of David who would establish a greater kingdom where God is worshipped by the nations and the people dwell with Him in peace.2 Chronicles 2 - 1:05 . 1 Kings 5 - 5:39 . 1 Kings 6 - 9:42 . Psalm 108 - 16:17 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Wednesday, 2 July 2025   And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. Matthew 11:14   “And if you incline to receive, he, he is Elijah, the ‘being about to come.'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus said, “For all the prophets and the law, until John, they prophesied.” He next says, still speaking of John, “And if you incline to receive.”   Jesus will state a matter which is a certain truth, but He sets it forth as a proposition. Therefore, someone may accept or reject the proposition as he is so inclined. Because it is the Lord speaking, it is to be considered an act of trust as well as faith in the reliability of His word that it is so. This proposition is, “he, he is Elijah.”   One can see the emphatic nature of His words, and it is the emphasis that brings about the proper understanding of what Jesus is saying. There is a prophecy in Malachi 4 that everyone would have known about –   “Behold! I sending to you Elijah the prophet, To faces coming day Yehovah – The whopping and the fearing. 6 And turned heart fathers upon sons, And heart sons upon fathers. Lest come and strike the land – anathema.” Matthew 4:5, 6 (CG)   Jesus says that John the Baptist is this “Elijah” who was prophesied about. Thus, he is “the ‘being about to come.'” In other words, from the time the prophecy was given, there was the expectation that Elijah was coming. Each year, Jewish tradition taught that he would arrive at a feast, but this is most usually associated with the Passover. For this reason, it was (and still is to this day) a custom for some Jews to leave an empty chair at the seder, hoping it was to their home he would come.   However, it is clear from verses in Luke and John that John the Baptist is not Elijah –   “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17   “Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?' 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.' 21 And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, ‘I am not.'” John 1:19-21   To understand what is going on, one must more fully grasp the words of Malachi. Malachi 3:1 said that the messenger of the Lord, who is John the Baptist, would prepare the way for the Messenger of the covenant, Jesus. Reading the New Testament, it is taken as a certainty that this was referring to John and then Jesus. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Jesus, with His emphatic proclamation, is essentially saying, “John is doing the work of Elijah. You must accept this and not look for any other to avoid the curse of Malachi 4 to come upon you.”   However, God knew that Jesus would be rejected by Israel. In Malachi 4:1, it says, “For behold! The day coming...” The day referred to corresponds to what was said in Malachi 3:2 –   “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?”   But what exactly is this day? Scholars vary in their interpretation of its meaning. Some place it at the time of Christ's coming and the nation's rejection of Him. Thus, the destruction of Jerusalem by fire and the exile of the people. Others see it as the day when Christ returns in fiery judgment, as in 2 Peter 3:7 –   “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”   If this is the same day referred to in Malachi 3, one might assume the day is in Jesus' first coming. This is what Jesus is testifying to now. However, Malachi 4:5 says that this day is when the Lord will send Elijah the prophet, a man who did not die but who was taken directly to heaven in a whirlwind, as recorded in 2 Kings 2.   The answer to the meaning of “the day” comes from understanding God's irrevocable faithfulness to His unfaithful people, Israel. He has promised that He will bring them into the New Covenant. As a nation, that has not yet happened.   And so, the day is not one particular time, nor is it one particular event. It is a succession of events that comprises the day of the Lord's judgment spanning the history of Israel from Christ's first advent until His second.   John the Baptist came as the promised Elijah, and the nation did not receive Jesus. In the future, Elijah himself will return to testify once again to the nation. If Israel had heeded Jesus' emphatic proclamation, John's ministry would have been accepted as the coming of Elijah, they would have accepted Jesus, and they would have avoided the past two thousand years of calamity. But they didn't.   Hence, there is a need for Elijah to return and testify to the nation in the future.   Life application: God has not forsaken Israel, and the church has not replaced Israel or become “spiritual Israel.” The Bible never hints at such a thing. Rather, the church is a separate entity, fulfilling God's plan of redemption while Israel has languished under the punishment of the curses of the Law of Moses for having rejected Jesus.   However, despite their unfaithfulness, God has remained faithful. Were He to reject Israel, He would be just as prone to rejecting us in our state of salvation. Such will never be the case. Our unfaithfulness in no way negates God's faithfulness. We are saved and we continue to be saved despite ourselves. Thank God for Jesus, who has made this possible.   Lord God, thank You for the glory of Jesus Christ. His shed blood is sufficient not only to save all who come to Him, but to keep them saved until the day of redemption. We have no need to fear if we could lose what You have granted to us. We are secure until the end because of Jesus and His cross. Thank You, O God, for Jesus. Amen.  

Isaiah 30:1-18 (ESV)“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,“who carry out a plan, but not mine,and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction,to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.4 For though his officials are at Zoan and his envoys reach Hanes,5 everyone comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them,that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace.”6 An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb.Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the adder and the flying fiery serpent,they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them.7 Egypt's help is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her “Rahab who sits still.”A Rebellious People8 And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book,that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children,children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord;10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right;speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,“Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them,13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;14 and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlesslythat among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”But you were unwilling, 16 and you said,“No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away;and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift.17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee,till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.The Lord Will Be Gracious18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

“The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” — Genesis 3:8 My soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared to hear. If […]

Jesus Explained that His Followers Would Both Pray and Fast, and Prayer and Fasting Are Matters of Heart Between His Followers and God MESSAGE SUMMARY: There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from God about the specific issues that you are facing. In your personal relationship with God, the Lord will speak to you; but sometimes it takes both your listening and fasting to hear Him. Jesus, in Matthew 6:18, was speaking to the Apostles as well as those gathered for His “Sermon on the Mount” where he explained that praying and fasting are matters of the heart between Jesus Followers and God. Jesus assumes that his followers will fast: "that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Lay Up Treasures in Heaven.”. Also, when Joel received a Word when the land was to be destroyed, he called a fast (i.e. Joel 1:14): “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”. Some things you are facing in your life must be dealt with by both prayer and fasting. Fasting releases a spiritual power – in your weakness, God is made strong in your life. Daniel's prayer, from Daniel 9:3-5, provides a context for asking direction from God: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'".     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Self-Centeredness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16-18; Daniel 9:3-7; Psalms138:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Wake Up America!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Tuesday, 1 July 2025   For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. Matthew 11:13   “For all the prophets and the law, until John, they prophesied” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told those with Him, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens, it is forced, and forcers, they seize it.” Now, He continues, saying, “For all the prophets and the law.”   The word “for” is given to explain the previous verse. The coming of Jesus as Messiah, which signified the coming of the kingdom of the heavens, was prophesied in advance. It was the great anticipation of the people. This is so obvious from Scripture that even the Samaritans understood it –   “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming' (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.' 26 Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.'” John 4:25, 26   With such high anticipation, when John came on the scene proclaiming that the kingdom was at hand, the people rushed towards the news, forcing themselves into the body of others desirous of obtaining the promise.   As for the term, “the prophets and the law,” it is a thought repeated eleven times in the New Testament. However, this is the only time it mentions the prophets first. The reason for the change is that Jesus is focusing on John's prophetic ministry first and foremost.   The law anticipated the coming of the Messiah in an almost innumerable number of times in types and shadows. It also has explicit references to Him, such as the Prophet noted in Deuteronomy 18:15-22.   However, Moses was a prophet as well as the lawgiver. It is the words of the prophets, including the giving of the law, that anticipated the coming of the Messiah. That line of prophets is referred to by Jesus next, saying, “until John, they prophesied.”   Jesus is clearly stating that the role of the prophet heralding the coming of the Messiah ends with John. Prophecies continue in the New Testament, but the words pointing to Jesus' coming find their termination with John.   In Revelation 11, it says –   “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” Revelation 11:3   These two witnesses of the future will testify to the Messiah who has come. They will be a witness to Israel and the world at large that what is recorded about John here is the truth. His prophecies and proclamations focused on the entrance of the new dispensation that was about to be revealed.   Life application: In the book of Hebrews, the author provides minute detail concerning the effects of Jesus' work. He is so specific and so pinpointed in his words that it is incredible that people who read the book cannot seem to grasp what is being conveyed.   For example, the Hebrew Roots Movement adherents call what Jesus did a “renewed covenant,” not a New Covenant. The implication, followed by explicit teaching by them, is that the Law of Moses is renewed and adherents must abide by it.   In Hebrews 7 (for example), the author clearly teaches against such a ridiculous thought –   “Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.' 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:11-19   This is one of several examples of the clear and precise teaching by the author that completely refutes the heresy of Mosaic Law observance. The words are black ink on white paper, and their intended meaning will be evident to anyone willing to pick up the book and read it.   The law prophesied of its own termination. The prophets referred to that coming day multiple times. John called out that the time for Messiah to come had arrived. And yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, missing the mark on who Jesus is and what He accomplished! Pay heed to the word. For those who find Jesus, it is life. For those who find law observance (because they failed to heed what is said), there will be condemnation.   “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4   Lord God, how can our world be so filled with Bibles, the most published book in all of human history, and yet be so illiterate in what it says? Help us to be willing to put in the time and effort it takes to read, study, and understand this precious gift. May we not be negligent in seeking out its glorious pages that tell us of Jesus and what He has done for us. Amen.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 1st of July, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today! We go straight to the Book of Genesis 2:19: ”Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air,…” God formed each and every one. In Southern Africa, we are now going into winter. The swallow has gone to the Northern Hemisphere. He has gone to his summer residence. He doesn't just go to the country, he goes to the county, he goes to the street, he goes to the very house and he goes back to the nest under some eve, in some barn, where he has built his little clay nest, and then when the winter starts in the northern hemisphere, he flies all the way, 6000 miles down, back down to his summer residence in Southern Africa. That is not coincidence, that is God in all His majesty! My wife and I are currently taking a break in Central Africa and are going to witness a migration of Wildebeest and Zebras, thousands of them, as they move down to the salt pans and the area where the grass will soon start growing. The local people have told us that the water is coming, but I said, “There is no rain in the sky”. They said, “No, it is raining in the western part of Africa, and the water will flow all the way, right the way down to the rivers, and into the wild salt pans and the grazing lands in this country.” And the zebras know that already. They are on their way, thousands of them and they will be here in a month's time, I was told. Again, I am amazed at God's miracle-working power. He created it all! I want to say to you today, don't let anybody tell you about coincidences. There is no such thing - these animals have been doing this migration for tens of thousands of years since the time that the Lord created the world. Today, just have a good look. Open your spiritual eyes and God will show you many things that He has created that we cannot even see anymore because we have no spiritual understanding. Let's take the word of God. He is the One who created every beast of the field and every bird of the air!God bless you and have a wonderful day. Jesus bless you and goodbye.

In turbulent times, how should believers respond to challenging world events? "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:7-8 NIVUK If you would like to partner with us, please visit: https://myloh.church/give

Nothing Can Stand In Your Way With God On Your Side | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Genesis 2:5-9 ESV  5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” 

Monday, 30 June 2025   And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12   “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens, it is forced, and forcers, they seize it” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus noted the greatness of John among humanity, and yet the least in the kingdom of the heavens was greater than he. He now continues with, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now.”   The “days of John the Baptist” refer to the beginning of his ministry. This was recorded in Matthew 3 –   “And in those days, comes John the Baptist, proclaiming in the desolate of Judea, 2 and saying, ‘Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!' 3 For this he is, the ‘having been spoken by Isaiah the prophet,' saying, ‘A voice hollering in the desolate, “Prepare the Lord's way. Make straight His paths.”'” Matthew 3:1-3   From that time, until the time of Jesus' words while speaking to those present, He says that “the kingdom of the heavens, it is forced.”   A new verb, biazó, is seen here. It signifies to force, as in to advance forcefully. It is only found here and in Luke 16. In this verse, scholars debated whether it is in the middle or passive voice. It seems likely that it is passive.   One can think of the kingdom as a castle that is being forced upon by an advancing army. John's words said, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!” With that, the people came and they were immersed by him in the Jordan.   They were, as it were, forcing their way into what was referred to. Think of a long-anticipated Hollywood movie. Without advance notice, it is sent out to all the movie theaters with a person standing outside at each and saying, “Pull out your wallets! The biggest hit movie of the century has arrived!”   Upon hearing that, the movie theater is forced as people clamor to get in. This is the sense of what is presented. Understanding this, Jesus next says, “and forcers, they seize it.”   Another new word is seen here, biastés, a forcer. It is found only here in the New Testament and is derived from the verb biazó, just used. Both words come from bios, a primary word signifying life, meaning the present state of existence.   One can see the etymological root of our modern-day words such as biosphere, biology, etc. In Jesus' words of this clause, it is as if the movie theater is overwhelmed, and those who were able forced their way in. This is the sense of His words concerning the kingdom. John has “prepared the way of the Lord.” This was his honor, and it is what prompted Jesus to say, “not he has risen in ‘born of women' greater than John the Baptist.”   Unlike some translations, there is nothing violent or hostile in the thought. Rather, Jesus is expressing that there is a surge of hope and anticipation as people rush to receive what John first set forth as the arrival of the kingdom.   Life application: The words of Jesus in this verse continue to be experienced in the hearts of people around the world to this day. Evangelist Ed Hinson once spoke of having preached in Africa. The crowd included a very large and intimidating person holding an AK-47.   Ed noted that this was the last person he could imagine who would be interested in what he had to say. However, he spoke of Jesus and the gospel. As he did, the man broke into tears, receiving Jesus and being added to the roles of the redeemed of heaven.   Instead of force against a military camp, his heart forced its way through the otherwise impregnable walls of heaven, finding access through the shed blood of Christ.   It is good to look back and remember the time when we heard and believed the good news. Life took on a new direction, carried a new sense of purpose, and had a new value that was never before contemplated.   When we consider the event in our own lives, we can hopefully determine to see that come about in the lives of others. Be sure to hand out tracts, speak about Jesus, and even get on the rooftops and shout out about what He has done in your life.   People need Jesus.   “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2   Lord God, how thankful we are that Jesus has come to grant access to heaven for those who are willing to believe the good news. Help us to be willing to share what we know with those who have yet to accept what You offer through Him. May we not be negligent in this wonderful honor we have in sharing the word. Amen.  

Sunday, 29 June 2025   Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11   “Amen! I say to you, not he has risen in ‘born of women' greater than John the Baptist, but the least in the kingdom of the heavens, he is greater than he” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus cited a portion of Malachi 3:1, indicating that John was the first messenger being referred to in that prophecy, being the one sent before the Messiah to prepare His way. Now, still referring to John, He continues with, “Amen! I say to you.”   Jesus is making an emphatic declaration concerning John. It will be a point that those around Him would hear and find amazing and yet satisfying, even if they didn't fully understand what He was speaking of. Having said this, He continues with, “not he has risen in ‘born of women' greater than John the Baptist.”   The term “born of women” is a way of identifying humanity. All humans since the creation of Adam and Eve have been born of a woman. As such, Jesus is referring to this common human nature. It is reminiscent of the words of Job –   “Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. 2 He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.” Job 14:1, 2   The “he has” in Jesus' words and the “Man” in Job's words refer to both men and women. The masculine stands for both in such statements. Therefore, it is not limited to men but is inclusive of all of humanity.   No person born to the stream of humanity is to be considered greater than John. Whether the subject is a king, a conqueror, a prophet, Abraham, Moses, David, or anyone else.   Jesus has already said that John is the subject of the prophecies referring to the one who would come as the precursor to the Messiah. Because he is that person, his role made the purpose of his life on par with or greater than any other. Despite this, Jesus continues, saying, “but the least in the kingdom of the heavens, he is greater than he.   The term “kingdom of the heavens” refers to a point in the future of the time of Jesus' words. There was a time coming that would divide human history in a way that nothing else had before. However, the timing of the event is not the only factor in determining who is a part of this kingdom. Rather, it is a necessary part of it.   John is living at a point in time when the kingdom being referred to has not yet arrived. Although unstated, it can be inferred that John is not going to live long enough for that kingdom to be ushered in.   As has been seen elsewhere already in Matthew, the idea of the kingdom holds various connotations. However, Jesus is referring at this time to the appointment of the Messiah King. This can be deduced by piecing together various thoughts presented in Scripture. Psalm 2 says –   “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” Psalm 2:6   To set a king implies a kingdom. However, Psalm 2 continues with –   “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'” Psalm 2:7   Paul says of Jesus that He is “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). The appointment of the King corresponds to the proclamation of the Sonship.   The resurrection provides the forum in which that proclamation is made. Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the moment at which the times referred to above are divided. From that point, the kingdom of the heavens referred to in this verse is enacted.   Jesus' point is that the privileges associated with those alive after His resurrection are greater than those who came prior to that moment. It is these privileges that allow it to be said in reference to John that “the least in the kingdom of the heavens, he is greater than he.”   Life application: As noted, entrance into the kingdom of the heavens is not merely conditioned on being alive after the resurrection. Rather, that is a necessary condition of it. John died prior to that day, and his life falls under a different dispensation of time, one that only anticipated the coming kingdom.   Although the gospels refer to the kingdom an enormous number of times in comparison to the epistles, it is because of the various meanings of the term. In the epistles, Paul in particular refers to the kingdom, noting that it is something that believers are promised.   Through faith in Jesus, entrance into that kingdom is assured. The meaning is that we are already subjects of that kingdom, even if our state in it is not yet fully realized. Someday, those things promised to His saints will come. May that day be soon –   “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13, 14   Lord God, how good it is to know that we have an eternal hope because of what You have done for us through Jesus Christ. Praises to You forever and ever for what You have done. May the day be soon when we stand in the light of our Savior and rejoice in the fullness of Your goodness. Yes, speed the Day, O God. Amen.  

Amos 4:1-13 (NASB) 1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,Who exploit the poor, who oppress the needy,And say to their husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”2 The Lord God has sworn by His holiness,“For behold, the days are coming upon youWhen they will take you away with meat hooks,And the last of you with fish hooks.3 You will go out through holes in the walls,One in front of the other,And you will be hurled to Harmon,” declares the Lord. 4 “Enter Bethel and do wrong;In Gilgal multiply wrongdoing!Bring your sacrifices every morning,Your tithes every three days.5 Offer a thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened,And proclaim voluntary offerings, make them known.For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,”Declares the Lord God. 6 “But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities,And lack of bread in all your places;Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.7 “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from youWhile there were still three months until harvest.Then I would send rain on one city,But on another city I would not send rain;One part would be rained on,While the part not rained on would dry up.8 So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water,But would not be satisfied;Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.9 “I struck you with scorching wind and mildew;The caterpillar was devouringYour many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.10 “I sent a plague among you as in Egypt;I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses,And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.11 “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,And you were like a log snatched from a fire;Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the Lord.12 “Therefore so I will do to you, Israel;Because I will do this to you,Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”13 For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind,And declares to a person what are His thoughts,He who makes dawn into darknessAnd treads on the high places of the earth,The Lord God of armies is His name. Theme: The God who cares loves His people enough to call out their sins and warn them of impending judgment. 1) God's current call-outs & warning (4:1-5) 2) God's past warnings ignored (4:6-11) 3) Results of disregarding God's warnings (4:12-13)

What Was Meant For Evil, God Is Turning For Your Good | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

What if you could ditch the hustle, attract high-end sellers, and run a thriving real estate business—all while working just 20–25 hours a week? In this powerful episode, Judy Weber shares her signature Wealthy Women Agents™ Framework—a proven 4-step system that shows Christian women in real estate how to position themselves as the in-demand listing agent in their market (even if they're new or currently working with mostly buyers). You'll discover:

God's Provision Is More Abundant Than You Can Imagine | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Welcome to Inside the Epicenter, where we bring you real stories from the heart of Israel. In this episode, cohost Lynn Rosenberg is joined by Judy Pex, a ministry leader based in Eilat, to discuss what it’s like to live—and serve others—during intense and uncertain times in Israel. Lynn shares firsthand accounts of daily life under the threat of sirens in Jerusalem, while Judy offers insights from Eilat, highlighting how routines, faith, and community become anchors during crisis. Together, they explore the challenges faced by families, ministry workers, and displaced people, as well as the importance of scripture, connection, and practical support. Tune in for an honest and hope-filled conversation about staying steady in your heart and serving others during a season of great upheaval. (00:02) "Judy's Shelter Ministry Journey"(04:34) Finding Faith in Uncertainty(09:42) Tensions and Threats in Israel(12:34) Moved to Hostel Room for Safety(15:55) Travel Disruptions and Psalm Reflections(17:53) Faith, Scripture, and Resilience(29:04) "Unity Through Differences"(30:06) "Heart's True Content Revealed When Shaken"(33:51) "Trusting People Over Divine Aid"(37:43) Closing Thoughts and Prayer Requests(41:07) Praise and Gratitude to Jesus(42:59) Supporting Israel's Displaced Families Learn more about The Joshua Fund: JoshuaFund.comMake a tax-deductible donation: Donate | The Joshua FundStock Media provided by DimmySad / Pond5 Verse of the Day: Psalms chapter 73: 22-24. Nevertheless, Lord, I am continually with you. You hold my right hand, you guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I may tell of all your works. Pray for the church to be bold and to see the opportunitiesPraying for the believers to be calm, to come together, to grow in their faith and grow in community, and also to keep our eyes on the Great Commission, that those around us need to know the hope that is in us.Related Episodes:Joel at Refuge Church Pt.2 God Shaking Israel: A Biblical Perspective on Recent Events #296SPECIAL EPISODE: Trump SHOCKS world by ordering B-2 bombers to ATTACK Iranian nuclear sites #295SPECIAL EPISODE: Fmr VP Mike Pence "Trump & Israel must FINISH THE JOB of crushing Iran" #294Israel at War: Urgent Updates and The Humanitarian Response in the Epicenter #293Donate a generous monthly gift to The Joshua Fund to bless Israel and Her Neighbors now and for the long haul. Become an Epicenter Ally today! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Human beings are evil. We are hardwired to curate our self-image, excuse our failures, and cling to the stories that make us feel good about ourselves. The truth is, we are hypocrites—fluctuating between condemning unspeakable horrors, often hidden from public view, and idolizing the very politicians and institutional cowards who cause or permit them.The same psychological games we play to deceive ourselves work flawlessly when we're told to choose the “lesser of two evils” during election season.Listen to yourselves, habibi. You reject Scripture—yet somehow affirm its judgment against you when you call one of your human choices the “lesser of two evils.”You hypocrite.Most people will never acknowledge their complicity in the killing fields of Gaza. It's far more comfortable to live in self-deception than to face the truth about the monsters we really are.Evil functions under a triple constraint.First: your reflection, shown in a natural mirror, not of your own making. You want to look away, to forget what you see. So, you rush to the second constraint: the mirror of your fairy tales—the one that says you are the “fairest of them all.” Or worse, the artificial mirrors in your data centers, which regurgitate what everyone wants to hear, calibrated to the desires of monsters.Between these two lies the third constraint: your neighbor. The neighbor who also sees your reflection, not in the natural mirror of Scripture, but in how you behave when you follow yourself, even though they are as blind as you.In the end, the natural mirror does not care if you “speak the truth.” It already knows that you, like your virtue-signaling, murderous, failed politicians, are blind, arrogant, and evil.The mirror has only one objective: to force you to see the truth it reflects about you, and not to let you look away. Can you accept this? Can you sit with it? Or will you, once again, project your truth onto someone else caught in the same triple constraint?You hypocrite.You blind fool.On that day, no amount of pleading will bring you comfort.This week, I discuss Luke 8:31.Photo by Kyle Johnson on UnsplashShow Notes“They were imploring him not to command them to go away into the abyss.” Lk 8:31.“For if anyone is a listener of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γενέσεως — literally, “the face of birth” or “natural face”) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” (James 1:23–24)παρακαλέω (parakaleō) / נ–ח–ם (nūn–ḥet–mēm) / ن–ح–م (nūn–ḥāʾ–mīm)Encourage, exhort, and comfort. Feel regret, be sorry, and console yourself. Provide comfort. Saul disobeyed God's command by sparing King Agag and taking spoils from the battle. God, through Samuel, declares that he regrets [נִחַמְתִּי (niḥamti)] making Saul king:“I regret [נִחַמְתִּי (niḥamti)] that I have made Saul king, because he has turned back from following me and has not carried out my commands.” And Samuel was furious, and he cried out to the Lord all night. (1 Samuel 15:11)Later in 1 Samuel 15:30, Saul, like Legion, makes a self-serving plea, concerned with his reputation rather than divine obedience.David's so-called consolation [נִחַם (niḥam)] in 2 Samuel was not repentance or discernment—it was political sentimentality disguised as pastoral care. It resembled the rhetoric of a liberal American politician who publicly laments starving children in Gaza, yet quietly approves weapons sales, enforces food embargoes, and suppresses dissent.David had a soft spot for Absalom, even though Absalom murdered his half-brother Amnon in a revenge killing for the rape of their sister Tamar. Instead of submitting to God's instruction, David inserted himself as judge and jury, led not by divine command but by personal affection and public image. This sentimental indulgence led to Absalom's exile, his orchestrated return, and eventual rebellion—a direct consequence of David's failure to uphold justice according to the Lord's command, rather than his personal “consolation.”And the heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted [נִחַם (niḥam)] regarding Amnon, since he was dead. (2 Samuel 13:39)Pharaoh, in the following example, is lexically analogous to Legion in Luke 8:31, who pleads not to be judged, but to seek relief from consequences in lieu of repentance. In Ezekiel, Pharaoh observes other fallen nations, tyrants, and armies defeated, and finds a twisted comfort in their shared destruction:Pharaoh will see them, and he will be comforted [וְנִחַם (weniḥam)] for all his hordes killed by the sword—Pharaoh and all his army,” declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 32:31)In this final example from Lamentations, a destroyed Jerusalem calls for God's wrath to fall upon her enemies. But unlike Pharaoh, who found twisted comfort in the judgment of others (Ezekiel 32:31), this plea arises under the unbearable weight of divine chastisement. As it is written:“The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his command. Hear now, all you peoples, and see my pain; My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.” (Lamentations 1:18)The call for vindication is not a boast but a plea, spoken on the lips of the harlot city—Jerusalem—who confesses her guilt and urges the Lord to act. Her cry for the nations to “become like me” is an appeal to divine vengeance, not for destruction's sake, but to expose their harlotry, undo their rebellion, and make possible their submission to God's command, which Jerusalem itself foolishly rejected:People have heard that I groan; there is no one to comfort me [מְנַחֵם (menaḥem)]. All my enemies have heard of my disaster; they are joyful that you have done it. Oh, that you would bring the day which you have proclaimed, so that they will become like me. (Lamentations 1:21)Luke 8:31, ἐπιτάσσω, Legion “pleads” for consolation in Luke. In Qur'an 7:14–15, this motif corresponds to a mashal with a different root, أ–م–ر (ʾalif–mīm–rāʾ), where Iblis “begs” God for respite: ن–ظ–ر (nūn–ẓāʾ–rāʾ).He said, “Grant me [أَنظِرْنِي (anẓirnī)] respite until the Day they are resurrected.”ἐπιτάσσω (epitassō...

God Is The Artist And He Uses Us To Color His Picture Through His Every Brushstroke Psalm 84:11-12 11For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.

God Is Never Early, Never Late—HIS TIMING IS PERFECT | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

57 Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.Elisabeth autem impletum est tempus pariendi, et peperit filium. 58 And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her.Et audierunt vicini et cognati ejus quia magnificavit Dominus misericordiam suam cum illa, et congratulabantur ei. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father's name Zachary.Et factum est in die octavo, venerunt circumcidere puerum, et vocabant eum nomine patris sui Zachariam. 60 And his mother answering, said: Not so; but he shall be called John.Et respondens mater ejus, dixit : Nequaquam, sed vocabitur Joannes. 61 And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.Et dixerunt ad illam : Quia nemo est in cognatione tua, qui vocetur hoc nomine. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.Innuebant autem patri ejus, quem vellet vocari eum. 63 And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.Et postulans pugillarem scripsit, dicens : Joannes est nomen ejus. Et mirati sunt universi. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.Apertum est autem illico os ejus, et lingua ejus, et loquebatur benedicens Deum. 65 And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.Et factus est timor super omnes vicinos eorum : et super omnia montana Judaeae divulgabantur omnia verba haec : 66 And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.et posuerunt omnes qui audierant in corde suo, dicentes : Quis, putas, puer iste erit? etenim manus Domini erat cum illo. 67 And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying:Et Zacharias pater ejus repletus est Spiritu Sancto : et prophetavit, dicens : 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suae 

Pastor James T. Roberson III Habakkuk 2:15-20

Monday, 23 June 2025   The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matthew 11:5   “Blind – they up-look, and lame – they walk, lepers – they are cleansed, and deaf – they hear, dead – they are roused, and poor – they are evangelized” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told John's disciples to report what they heard and saw. Now, He gives a description of some of those things beginning with, “Blind – they up-look.” This is a new word, anablepó, coming from ana, up, and blepó, to look at, behold, see, etc. Thus, it literally says up-look, but with the intent of the blind seeing once again.   This was something prophesied in the Hebrew writings, such as –   “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened.” Isaiah 35:5   Verses such as this indicate that there would be a time when the blind would see. Jesus is attributing this to His ministry without explicitly saying it. He merely asks John's disciples to report what they see. He next says, “and lame – they walk.”   This was also an anticipated event –   “Then the lame shall leap like a deer.” Isaiah 35:6   Isaiah excitedly pronounced more than just walking, but jumping like a deer. The disciples might not have seen that, but they would have witnessed them at least walking after being lame. Jesus continues with, “lepers – they are cleansed.”   This is not a specific prophecy, but it is something that was accomplished in 1 Kings with the healing of Naaman the Syrian. The healing was at the word of the prophet Elisha. As Jesus was accomplishing this same healing by His own power, it is an implicit reference to the power of the Lord working through Him. Next, He says, “and deaf – they hear.”   This is found in the second half of Isaiah 35:5 – “And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”   Jesus states these things as a matter of fact. They had heard of them or personally seen them. The confirmation of Jesus fulfilling the role of the Messiah is clearly being explained to them. Understanding this, He continues with, “dead – they are roused.”   As with the leprous, this is not explicitly prophesied (except in the resurrection) as something the Messiah would do. However, like the example with Naaman, both Elijah and Elisha restored the dead to life.   In both cases, the prophets prayed to the Lord for restoration, and it came to pass. In Jesus' case, He healed under His own power and authority, demonstrating that He is the anticipated Messiah. Lastly, Jesus notes, “and poor – they are evangelized.”   This includes another new word, euaggelizó. It is a verb indicating to announce the good news and thus evangelize. This was referred to in Isaiah 61:1 –   “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound” Isaiah 61:1   Due to the words about preaching the good tidings, which come from the same verse as proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison for the bound, Jesus is surely hinting at the fact that ending John's imprisonment is not beyond His ability to change.   As such, John will have to grasp this and accept that God's will for him is being worked out through his imprisonment. This is the point of Jesus' carefully stated words. John's disciples would return and report what they heard and saw. John would then have to understand that another was not coming. If his imprisonment continued, it was for a purpose that he was not privy to.   Life application: John did not understand his situation and asked for clarity as to whether Jesus was the right person to deliver him from it or not. It doesn't seem that he even clued into the fact that maybe his imprisonment was meant to be, and even meant to continue.   Therefore, his words were essentially, “Hey, I'm in prison and the doors aren't opening up. When will this end?” Jesus responded with His capabilities, revealing that He was doing exactly what the Messiah was expected to do, even if not all of it for all people everywhere.   The lesson is just as valid for us today as it was for John. God can heal the lame. He can bring sight to the blind. He can cure maladies and diseases. The question from us should never be, “God, are you limited in Your care for me?” Such is not the case.   If you have something in your life that isn't right, it isn't that God is uncaring about it. Rather, it may be there to serve a purpose you never thought of. He may be molding you as He molded Paul in his affliction. He may be using you to get a scientist to invent something that could cure you along with millions of others with a similar affliction.   Whatever the reason, God allows trials in our lives. We should never question His goodness for us, even if we don't understand why such things have taken place. Let us continue to hold fast to the promises which are sure to come to pass when we are brought to Him forever at Jesus' coming. Until then, just keep on praising God that we have been delivered because of the shed blood of Jesus, our Lord.   Lord God, the trials we face often seem unbearable, but Jesus certainly went through worse. We will be carried through our trials, and we will be in Your presence forever because of what He has done. Until then, give us the ability to keep praising You, even through our troubles, trials, and afflictions. Amen.

Place Your Hope In Nobody But God and Miracles Happen | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

God Promises That You'll Reap—If You Don't Quit | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

It's Friday, June 20th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Buddhist relatives poison 3 kids of Christian couple in Laos In Northern Laos, Pa-yang, a young mother in her 20s and her husband, Lavee, became Christians in 2020. Since then, the villagers had tried to expel the family unless they recanted their faith in Christ. That comes as no surprise since 66% of Laotians are Buddhist and only 1.5% are Christian. The situation took an ugly turn when Pa-yang's relatives wanted her to sell them land she owned. When she refused, they hired someone to sneak into the home and poison a beverage. The three children got to it first.  When Pa-yang and her husband were alerted to the medical emergency, they rushed back from the fields to find all three children lying ill on the floor.  Tragically, the eldest did not survive and the other two were in comas, reports Open Doors. Open Doors paid for the hospitalization of the younger two children, who got better, as well as covering follow-up medical visits. The heartbroken mother said, “I am sad to lose my son, but I believe—and I know—that my son is sitting with Jesus in Heaven." Lavee, the father, added, "Even if there is more persecution, we will continue believing in Jesus. We will walk faithfully with the Lord, even if we are the only ones doing it.  My encouragement comes from the story of Job in the Bible. He faced many tests and lost almost everything, but the Lord delivered him in the end. I believe the Lord God will always save us like He saved Job." Lavee said, "Please pray for our case in the court against the people who killed our child. Pray that the justice system is fair to us. Pray that the perpetrators do not find ways to harm us more if they are released. I am also unsure if God wants us to stay in the same village or look for a new place. Pray that the Lord leads us in making the right decision." Remarkably, Lavee said this.  "I believe that the people who plan to kill or harm us for any reason can open their hearts to see God's mercy and love, if we pray for them. So, please pray for them." Lavee is living the message of Mathhew 5:44 where Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Iran's ballistic missiles hit Israeli hospital Iran fired a barrage of some 30 ballistic missiles early Thursday, scoring a direct hit on Israel's main southern hospital, the Soroka Medical Center, reports the Times of Israel.  Sam Mednick, a reporter with the Associated Press, brings us this report from the scene. MEDNICK: “The hospital was hit by a missile from Iran early Thursday morning. The top of the building is basically blown off, and you can still see smoke smoldering from the side of it hours later. “This is a major hit from Iran on in a major city on a big hospital, and one of the most significant hits since this conflict began.” The Magen David Adom emergency service said that a man, age 80, and two women, both in their 70s, were among six people seriously hurt. Two people were moderately injured, and at least 42 others suffered light injuries from shock waves and shrapnel at the various impact sites. In addition, 18 people were lightly injured as they scrambled to bomb shelters when sirens went off. The barrage was the latest from Iran as it bombards Israel with ballistic missiles. Israel began attacking Iranian nuclear and military sites last week, citing the immediate existential threat they pose. New York Catholic diocese to pay $150 million to 891 sex abuse victims The Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo, New York is set to pay $150 million to victims of sexual abuse that occurred at the hands of Catholic priests, reports The Catholic Review. Gary Aldridge, a survivor of Catholic clergy sexual abuse, said this. ALDRIDGE: “Being a child and being sexual abused from the ages of 7 to 11, it affects you for your whole life.” Specifically, parishes will pay $80 million into the diocese's $150 million bankruptcy settlement, with the funds due to be paid into a trust by July 15. The bankruptcy settlement, agreed to in principle on April 22, will resolve the five-year-long proceedings, which began in 2020.  Joe Martone, the Catholic communications director of the diocese, explained that the money would compensate victims in “approximately 891 cases” — making for “one of the highest caseloads in the country.” Martone added, “There's just a lot of anger toward the church about our past sins, and we could never apologize enough for what went on. We're just trying to take care of this now and trying to move beyond bankruptcy and get settlement for these people. Not that it provides closure for them, but at least (they) get some recompense.” All of the claims had been brought under the Child Victims Act, which was passed by the New York Senate and signed into law in 2019. Indeed, the Child Victims Act extended the state's former statute of limitations by granting a one-year look back for time-barred civil claims to be revived, giving survivors until age 28 to press charges for felonies and age 25 for misdemeanors, and allowing survivors up to age 55 to bring lawsuits. Since 2002 — the year in which the U.S. Catholic bishops adopted their “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” — the nation's Catholic dioceses have paid at least $5.6 billion in abuse settlements and related costs. Luke 8:17 says, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Texas is first state to build pro-life statue On Tuesday, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a resolution to build the Texas Life Monument, a statue honoring mothers and the their unborn children, reports The Daily Signal.   Abbott's signature made Texas the first state to approve of a pro-life statue honoring mother and child on Capitol grounds. GOP State Rep. Caroline Davila, co-author of the resolution, said, “The eight-foot bronze sculpture is modeled after the National Life Monument, which depicts a mother with her child in her womb—a powerful image honoring motherhood and the miracle of life.” SpaceX rocket explodes in new setback to Elon Musk's Mars project One of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starships has exploded during a routine test in Texas in the latest setback to the billionaire's dream of turning humanity into an interplanetary species, reports The Guardian. The Starship 36 underwent “catastrophic failure and exploded” at the Starbase launch facility shortly after 11pm on Wednesday. A video showed the fiery explosion of the megarocket. Worldview listener in Kansas says her 7 kids love it I invited Worldview listeners to share what they enjoy about the newscast in 2-6 sentences by email.  You can share your thoughts — along with your full name, city and state — and send it to adam@TheWorldview.com Katie Link in Hutchinson, Kansas, said, “Hi Adam, my seven children -- Emily, Lizzie, Levi, Evie, Esther, Caleb, and Eowyn -- and I love listening to your podcast over lunch. I asked the children why they love and want to support The Worldview and they gave me many great reasons. “We love that you use the Bible as proof text and that you share international stories of missionaries as well as local news. We also appreciate the happy stories and the calls to action with specific steps. And all of us, including the 1 and 2-year-old, love to loudly proclaim ‘Seize the day for Jesus Christ!'” 5 Worldview listeners gave $584.30 to fund our annual budget And finally, toward our $92,625 goal by 12 midnight tonight Central Time, Friday, June 20th  to fund three-quarters of The Worldview newscast's annual budget for our 6-member team, 5  listeners stepped up to the plate. We are grateful to God for Quinn in Mhlambanyatsi, Eswatini, Africa who gave $30 as well as Ronnie in Milano, Texas and  Mike and Ginger in Jonesville, Virgina – both of whom gave $100. And we appreciate the generosity of Tom and Jenn in Palmdale, California who gave $154.30 and Rick and Barb in Arlington, Washington who gave $200. Those 5 Worldview listeners gave a total of $584.30. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please.  (Drum roll sound effect) $48,330 (People clapping and cheering sound effect)   Toward tonight's goal of $92,625, we need to raise $44,295. Will 56 Worldview listeners give $45,000 TODAY? Let me make an editorial comment about the sacrificial gift of Quinn, our brother in Christ from Eswatini, Africa – formerly known as Swaziland.  I looked up the average annual salary for someone in Eswatini. What's your guess? How much do you think they make in an entire year?  The answer is just $2,974.  The average American makes $63,795 per year.  In other words,  Quinn's gift of $30 is the equivalent of an American giving $643.  Wow!  That puts Quinn's gift in proper perspective. I just finished reading the late Ann Kiemel's 1976 book entitled I Love the Word Impossible.  She had a disarmingly gentle way of talking with absolute strangers about the love of God which prompted many to profess faith in Christ, and inspired hundreds of thousands who heard her speak in person.  Her 17 books sold 28 million copies.  On page 144, she wrote, “I love the word ‘impossible.' It's one of my favorites because I have a giant of a God inside of me.” KIEMEL: “I come to tell you, I am just one young woman in the world. But I am one. And one plus a giant of a God can do anything!” In the 10 years, I've been voicing this Christian newscast, we have never been further behind in our annual appeal.  To man, raising $44,295 in one day seems absolutely impossible.  But, you know what?  Like Ann Kiemel, I, too, love the word “impossible” because I have a giant of a God inside of me. Listen, if just 37 Worldview listeners pledged the approximate equivalent of what Quinn did from Africa and committed to give $50/month for 12 months for a gift of $600, God will have raised $22,200.  And if another 19 of you pledged $100/month for 12 months for a gift of $1,200, God will have raised another $22,800.  That adds up to $45,000.  That would get us across the finish line to cover three-quarters of our annual budget for the 6-member newscast team by tonight, June 20th at 12 midnight Central. These days, $50 is the cost of buying a family of four a combo meal at Chick-fil-A. Can you go without Chick-fil-A once a month to help fund this newscast for an entire year? We've never raised $45,000 in one day.  Never! But, with God, all things are possible.  If you feel the Lord prompting you to be one of the 56 donors to pledge either $50/month for 12 months or $100/month for 12 months, go to TheWorldview.com and click on Give on the top right. There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.  We're coming up on the July 4th  249th anniversary of that moment.  We need 56 Worldview donors to step up today.  Especially if you've never given to this ministry before.  This is the day we need your help. Who is getting fired up about making a sacrifice? It will ensure we can continue telling the truth about the news from a Biblical perspective -- complete with compelling soundbites, relevant Bible verses, and empowering action steps.  Without a doubt, this is a one-of-a-kind Christian newscast. Will you back us today?  Just 56 of you? I am truly excited to return to the airwaves on Monday, June 23rd to report back to you about how God touched the hearts of at least 56 faithful listeners. Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, June 20th, in the year of our Lord 2025.  Follow us on X or 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.

Today's Promise: Psalm 25:12 Sometimes, life's choices are not always easy. Choices are not always black and white. Sometimes, you have to choose between good and good. To fear the Lord is recognizing Him for who He is and showing Him the reverence and respect, He is due. Fearing the Lord is not cowering before him but understanding that He is the Lord God who holds eternity in His hands. Next time you face a decision, submit your life to the Lord (fear the Lord) and ask Him for wisdom and guidance.

Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life (GOD PROMISED) | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™