Podcasts about lord god

Isaiah 40:1-11     Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,     and cry to her that her warfare is ended,     that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand     double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;     make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up,     and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level,     and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,     and all flesh shall see it together,     for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry!"     And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass,     and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades     when the breath of the Lord blows on it;     surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades,     but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Go on up to a high mountain,     O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength,     O Jerusalem, herald of good news;     lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah,     "Behold your God!" 10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,     and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him,     and his recompense before him. 11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;     he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom,     and gently lead those that are with young. Key Words: Comfort, Pardon, Sin, Glory, Behold, Flesh, Word, Good News, Shepherd Keystone Verses: Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" (Isaiah 40:9) Download Bulletin  

Monday, 1 December 2025   And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:28   “And having answered Him, Peter, he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus called out to the disciples on the boat to be emboldened, for He is! He implored them not to fear. In response to this, the impetuous Peter needs evidence of what his eyes see. Therefore, Matthew records, “And having answered Him, Peter.”   Regardless of how many disciples there were on the boat, it is Peter who needed to be given the proof that would ease his suspicious mind concerning the phantasm who claimed to be Jesus. Therefore, Matthew's words continue, “he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.'”   Notice how Peter's words, though respectfully stated with the word “Lord,” challenge the declaration made by Jesus –   *...Jesus, He spoke to them, saying, “You embolden! I, I am! You fear not!”   *...Peter, he said, “Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.”   Of these words, the Pulpit Commentary says, “Not ‘bid me walk on the water;' for he does not want to perform a miracle, but to come to Jesus.” This is entirely incorrect. Peter uses the word keleuó, command, to signify that he desires the same ability that Jesus displays. If this was a sign of “impulsive love” for Jesus, as their commentary later states, the reaction would have been the same as is recorded in John 21:7 –   “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!' Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.”   Peter wants proof of what his eyes refuse to believe. This is the reason for the word if, the emphatic challenge, and for the Lord to command him to do as was being done by Him.   Life application: Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 1 Corinthians says –   “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25   The Bible sets a contrast between faith and sight, between belief and tangible evidence. Peter even had sight and sound, but it was not enough for him to accept. He wanted a personal sign to confirm to him that Jesus was really the One who had approached them and spoken to them.   What are you looking for to be assured of the faith you profess? Charismatic churches need proof of faith through the speaking of tongues. How can that be a proof of faith? If you have tangible evidence of something, you no longer have faith, but the surety of the experience.   They claim that if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the filling of the Spirit. It is a false, damaging system of expectancy and contrived piety that dismisses the fundamental tenet of Christianity, salvation by grace through faith.   Be careful what you believe. Stick to the Bible, have faith in what it says, and confirm that faith by accepting Jesus' full, final, finished, and forever work on your behalf. In this, you will be pleasing to God.   Lord God, how good it is to know with all surety that we are saved through the work of Jesus Christ. We don't need more. Evidence and proof will come when You come for us. Until then, we have the words of Scripture. It is sufficient for our souls. Thank You for the words of surety that You have given to us. Amen.

Obey First, Understand Later (GOD'S GOT A PLAN) | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Jeremiah 32 (Listen) Jeremiah Buys a Field During the Siege 32:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it; 4 Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 And he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I visit him, declares the LORD. Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed'?” 6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.' 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9 “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.' Jeremiah Prays for Understanding 16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts, 19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. 20 You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day. 21 You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror. 22 And you gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 And they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or walk in your law. They did nothing of all you commanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster come upon them. 24 Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it. 25 Yet you, O Lord GOD, have said to me, “Buy the field for money and get witnesses”—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.'” 26 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? 28 Therefore, thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger. 30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth. The children of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD. 31 This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 They set up their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 35 They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. They Shall Be My People; I Will Be Their God 36 “Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the h...

QUOTES FOR REFLECTIONParagraph One: The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of Himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, and withal most just and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. Paragraph Two: God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases; in His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain; He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them. Paragraph Three: In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.~“Of God and the Holy Trinity” in the 1689 Second London ConfessionSERMON PASSAGEDeuteronomy 6 (ESV) 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Jeremiah 32 (ESV) 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.' John 1 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 14 (ESV) 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”John 17 (ESV) 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. John 20 (ESV) 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

“God Is Fully With Us In These Strange Days”   By Mary Lindow   Just over 2,000 years ago, Emmanuel, also called the Christ, changed the world.  In that moment when God became flesh, humanity watched prophecies unfold as hope was born. Jesus, our Emmanuel, provided hope that sin and death wouldn't always win and mankind wouldn't always feel so painfully alone.    What Does Emmanuel Mean in the Bible? It's a word written on countless Christmas cards and sung in some of our most-loved carols.  In Scripture, it first appears in the Old Testament in Isaiah 7:14, which says,    “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign;  The virgin will conceive, and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel”.   The Lord Himself will do this, Scripture says.  In other words, this act, which occurred in the birth of Christ, was God-ordained and God-accomplished.    This points to grace, which doesn't come through human effort but rather through relying on God to do what we humans cannot. This was the reason Christ came.    God GAVE us this child, named Emmanuel, which literally means,  “with us is God,” or “God WITH us.”    He may seem distant.  It may even seem impossible this year for you to feel hopeful.  You might have lost your job.  Or maybe you're feeling isolated from those you love.  You may have even grieved the loss of a family member or friend.   Though he may have felt far away to them,  God was so much closer than his people knew — gently planning Jesus' entrance into the world in the most unexpected way.   Looking around, all you might be able to see right now is darkness.  If you try to adjust your eyes, blinking into the night, there seems to be no light.  The weight of sickness, death, injustice and pain perhaps, seem too heavy.   That's why I love this idea of advent which is practiced only among Christians.  And yes, it comes from probably a more liturgical view, but has been so embraced and now practice in homes and church gatherings across the world, as families gather to contemplate and to pray and to spend quiet time discussing when Jesus came as a child as the Messiah!  Emmanuel!!! God WITH Us!     Advent means "coming" or "arrival" and refers to the Christian season that begins four Sundays before Christmas, where focusing on preparation for the celebration of Jesus's birth and his anticipated return is a beautiful thing! It's definitely better than the commercial glut of constant “buy, buy, buy,” and, the overkill of sappy fantasy Christmas shows, as well as the pressurized giving of gifts to every boss, coworker, friend and pet!  It's a time of expectation, reverence and hope for many Christians!   I was reading through a Wycliffe advent devotional last evening, and these words so struck me that I'm going to share them with you trusting that they too, will move your heart to remember that Emmanuel, God …. IS with us!  No matter what may come   This excerpt of the devotional said, “As we enter the Advent season, do you feel weary? You're not alone. Or maybe you're just tired. Numb. Ready to pull the covers over your head and try this whole "Christmas cheer" thing again next year.    Don't feel guilty.  Instead, acknowledge the very real darkness of this world and you'll have eyes to see Advent through the same lens as the people waiting for a Messiah thousands of years ago. You could even say that being weary and worn out is an acceptable place from which to approach this Advent season. Because Advent exists to remind us that, while darkness surrounds us and troubles exist, the hope of Christmas isn't far away.   The people of Israel hadn't heard anything from God about their redeemer.  God's chosen people must have cried out to him, asking how long it would be before their hope, their salvation, would arrive!  It was too dark, and God seemed to be silent.    Has he felt that way to you this year? Silent? Though he may have felt far away to them, God was so much closer than his people knew —gently planning Jesus' entrance into the world in the most unexpected way.   But at the appointed time, Jesus came — God with us in flesh and blood. Born in Bethlehem, carried to Egypt, raised in Nazareth. Son of Man and Son of God. A humble child and a holy King. Worshiped by some, rejected by many. Fully human, yet eternally divine.”     What beautiful and raw honesty in those words in that excerpt from the devotional!   Friends! Any way you look at it, Emmanuel was a living Divine Grace.  The infinite King, wrapped in the cloth of an infant.  The holy One, living among the fallen.  In Him, the impossible became real, not only in prophecy, but in His very presence.    When God stepped into our world,  “impossible” lost all meaning.     In Isaiah 42:16 it says, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;  I will lead them in paths that they have not known:  I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.  These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”      Dear believer!  The darkness of this world has always tried encroach upon the joy and the hope of God being with his people.  It hates that we cling to the light, and even though we cannot see or understand, everything fully about the ONE who came and paid the price for us, yet we abandoned our own hearts to him, trusting that he will guide and light our path. It is in this practice that all of hell must bow its knee and tremble for the very fact that Christ is in us and he is the hope of glory.  Someday we will return to the ONE who created us, but for now, he has come to walk with us, to be with us, and his Holy Spirit is here to correct, to guide, to convict and to advocate for us.    Let us cry out, “Oh Come! Oh Come Emmanuel! Oh come God! Be with us, in us, and move through us to help others who are trapped in the darkness!”   Let's take time to pray together about all of this right now. Lord God, only you can see into our hearts and know that under all the busy-ness of our lives , there is a deep longing to make this season one that welcomes you more deeply into our own lives.   Our hearts desire the warmth of your love and our minds search for your Light in the midst of the darkness. Help us to be peacemakers this season and to give special love to those who disagree with us. Please, Give us the strength and courage to forgive those who have hurt us or who treat us dismissively. Help us to free our hearts from the prison of anger and hurt. Only you Lord can bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us rest in this weary world. We thank you for being a God that IS  with us! Amen.   Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed As long as the complete message, website and podcast  information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You! Copyright © 2025   " THE MESSENGER "  - "The Advocate of Hope"  Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com PODCAST   If you would be so kind and assist Mary helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs,  or  desire to bless her service in ministry with Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support: Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of:  ► Personal Checks ► Business Checks ► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks To:  His Beloved Ministries Inc.  PO Box 1253 Denver, Colorado 80614  USA    Or feel free to use our send a tax-deductible gift with Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow  Under the name of - Mary Lindow His Beloved Ministries Inc.    ALL gifts are tax-deductible under His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status.   We are financially accountable and have been in full compliance since 1985.  THANK YOU!      

Saturday, 29 November 2025   And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. Matthew 14:26   “And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated, saying that it is a phantasm. And from fear, they croaked” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that Jesus walked on the sea to get to the disciples who were in the boat. Continuing that thought, Matthew next records, “And the disciples, having seen Him walking upon the sea, they were agitated.”   The words here clearly indicate that the words in the previous verse, which said that Jesus was “walking upon the sea,” were not a way of saying that He was walking along the shore. It meant that He was walking on the water across the sea.   The disciples are in the boat being hurled about by wind and waves. Even if they could see a person walking on the shore, their reaction would have been that there was a person simply walking upon the shore. Instead, their reaction is stated by Matthew. He notes that they were “saying that it is a phantasm.”   This is a new word, phantasma, a phantasm, specter, etc. The word is derived from phantazó, to make apparent or to appear. As such, it is specifically an appearing or a showing. It had been universally understood since the creation of the world that a human could not walk on water. Rather, when a person encounters water, he sinks into it.   Therefore, the logic is that whatever was walking towards them could not be a human. Of this, Bengel says, “We often take Christ for another rather than for Christ.” That is an unsound analogy for what is happening here. Being something absolutely unheard of, anyone at that point would miss what was happening.   Only in looking back on the event could we dare to think we would consider what occurred any differently. A natural assumption would be that whatever they were seeing was anything but Jesus. As such, it says, “And from fear, they croaked.”   People try to explain things that they cannot mentally process in various ways. They may claim they saw an angel, a vision of Mary, a UFO, or the boogeyman. If the unknown is close enough to us or heading in our direction, the natural reaction is one of fear and even crying out in fear.   Because of their own Scriptures, a story from their past that would have been remembered by any child would have been the account of the raising of the spirit of Samuel in 1 Samuel 28. When that occurred, it said –   “Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?' And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.'” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!' 13 And the king said to her, ‘Do not be afraid. What did you see?' And the woman said to Saul, ‘I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.'” 1 Samuel 28:11-13   Knowing from their own Scriptures that such things were possible, there is no reason to look down on their reaction here. However, the difference between what they think they are seeing and what they are actually seeing will be made evident to them.   Life application: Just because the Bible acknowledges that there are things such as the raising of Samuel's spirit recorded there, it doesn't mean that it is something we should be focusing on. That account describes what occurred, but it prescribes nothing.   We are admonished to keep our eyes on Jesus, not get involved in the world of the supernatural. There is nothing in the epistles that instructs us, for example, on casting out demons. Even if Jesus and the disciples did this, no further instruction is given to us concerning the matter.   And yet, some ministries focus a great deal of their attention on the realm of the supernatural. Others, like the Roman Catholic church, have set up rites and rituals to supposedly cast out evil spirits.   Such approaches to these things are unbiblical and have no bearing on reality. If someone is demon-possessed, tell that person about Jesus. A demon cannot possess what belongs to Jesus. If that person receives Christ, the demon must depart. This is why the epistles don't address such things. The gospel is our tool for converting lives. Anything else is a waste of time, energy, and spiritual direction.   Lord God, help us to have the desire to tell others about the saving message of Jesus. Without it, all is futile in the human soul. But when it is received by faith, it can and will change even the greatest sinner and heal the greatest spiritual wounds. May we remember this and be willing to share this good news. Amen.

God's Timing Is Always Perfect (JUST TRUST HIM) | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

RE-RUN HAPPY THANKSGIVING- Yes this is a Thanksgiving episode from 2020, but you get the idea! We Hope you and your family have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We get together and have 2 funny skits, Crazy news, and discuss Psalms 106 & 107. God's people gets themselves in trouble but then call upon the Lord God to rescue them, and then they give thanks! For Believers in Jesus Christ, everyday should be Thanksgiving! Give thanks for everything, especially for our salvation in Jesus Christ! Check out all of our episodes at https://sites.google.com/view/lets-get-jacked-up-on-christ/home like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LetsGetJackedUp/ Listen to us every Thursdays live at 8:30pm PT on FringeRadioNetwork.com and FringePanda.com Jeff Allen Cliphttps://youtu.be/WZ0ywiq98yI

Friday, 28 November 2025   Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25   “And the night's fourth guarding, Jesus, He departed unto them, walking upon the sea” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that the boat the disciples were in was in the middle of the sea, being tossed by the waves. Next, Matthew records some of the most incredible words imaginable, beginning with, “And the night's fourth guarding.”   It is the same word, phulaké, found in Matthew 5:25, translated there as prison. It signifies a guarding. As someone is in prison, he is obviously being guarded. In this case, it refers to the divisions of the night. Ellicott explains the term –   “The Jews, since their conquest by Pompeius, had adopted the Roman division of the night into four watches, and this was accordingly between 3 A.M. and 6 A.M., in the dimness of the early dawn.”   Jesus had remained on the mountain praying for hours while the disciples struggled to stay afloat in the tempest that had arisen. Despite their efforts, they had only gone about halfway across the sea. It was during this time that “Jesus, He departed unto them.”   There is immediately a sense of curiosity in the words. It is very early in the morning hours, the narrative has already said that the disciples were straining in the sea to get to the other side, and yet, Matthew notes Jesus departing to them.   If the words finished there, one might think Jesus would walk on a path near the shore to meet them in the spot where they were headed. However, Matthew dismisses that option, saying, “walking upon the sea.”   The words here, combined with the words to come, along with the other gospel accounts, leave no option except that “walking on (upon) the water of the sea” is intended. It cannot mean “walking on the shore of the sea,” something seemingly possible from the immediate wording, as if the shore were being used as a way of explaining a walk on the sea.   However, they are in the midst of the sea (25 or 30 stadia) from shore. In a tempest, they would not see Jesus walking on the shore, nor could they have a conversation with Him, as will be the case. It cannot mean Jesus swam. The Greek word kolumbaó, to plunge into the water (and thus to swim), would have been used.   But more directly, only a lunatic would start swimming across a cold, 7-mile-wide lake in the middle of a raging tempest, particularly in fresh water, which is not as buoyant as salt water. Even the hardiest swimmer would likely perish from such an attempt. And, again, the surrounding narrative makes such suggestions impossible.   Rather, Jesus was giving a hint concerning His nature by doing what He is doing. The words of Job explain the matter –   “He stretching – heavens, to His separation, And walking upon elevations – sea.” Job 9:8 (CG)   To paraphrase Job's words, “Yehovah stretches out the heavens all by Himself, and He walks upon the waves of the sea.” Matthew, Mark, and John each testify to the accuracy of the account. The Lord God, Yehovah, walked upon the wavy Sea of Galilee in the early morning hours to attend to His disciples.   Life application: Over the millennia, there have been many skeptics who have tried to conjure up reasons why the text doesn't really say what it says concerning the account of Jesus walking upon the sea.   A few years ago, the ridiculous explanation was that the meeting of the winds as they rushed through the Arbel Pass with the waters of the Sea of Galilee formed blocks of ice that allowed Jesus to walk on the sea. Even a mentally challenged farm boy could find a dozen reasons why such a thought is ridiculous.   And yet, when it was proposed, it made the news around the world, as if someone had finally found a reason why the Bible should not be trusted concerning this miracle. Actually, however, for Jesus to surf on a block of ice, or to walk on various blocks of ice until He reached the disciples, would be more of a miracle than anything any person had ever seen in human history.   It would just be another form of a miracle. But the wording in the gospels doesn't allow for such idiocy. Rather, the disciples truly believed what they saw. They jointly testified to the matter, and their testimony stands. As the judicial apologist Simon Greenleaf says –   “Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise.”   The burden of the proof is up to those who dismiss the words of Scripture. To this date, after two thousand years of trying, no such proof has come forward.   Have faith in the word. Have faith in Jesus, who is Yehovah incarnate. The word of God testifies to this fact.   O God, You can do all things. The fact that You walked upon the waters of the Sea of Galilee should come as no surprise because of this. We know Your word is truth. What it proclaims is sound and reasonable when we consider who Jesus is. May we have faith in what it says, holding fast to the record as it has been given. Amen.  

The Healer Hasn't Forgotten You—KEEP BELIEVING | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Wednesday, 26 November 2025   And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:23   “And having dismissed the crowds, He ascended to the mountain, off alone, to pray. And evening, having arrived, He was there solo” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus compelled the disciples to get in the boat and cross to the other side while He dismissed the crowds. Next, Matthew records, “And having dismissed the crowds.”   It isn't known how Jesus did this, meaning with a word of encouragement and then prayer, but that is likely. John 6 notes that some wanted to make Him king by force. His redirecting them back to the Lord God as their true King, and through prayer, demonstrating that He was on a spiritual mission, may have quelled that among them.   Mark 6 notes that He sent them away. The day was long, and the walk to return would add to it. Therefore, some may even have slept under the stars, waiting till the next day to return home. Having an evening outside with a bonfire would be a nice cap to the wonderful day spent in the open with Jesus. If so, this would be an added reason for the next words, “He ascended to the mountain, off alone to pray.”   Whether He was removing Himself from all of the crowds as they departed, or if some were laying out mats to sleep on, there were still people there. This necessitated Him to ascend the mountain. Or it may be that ascending the mountain was keeping in accord with the traditions of meeting God on the high places that were instilled in the people's thinking, and a point which permeates the Hebrew Scriptures.   This would be in line with the transfiguration, which occurred on a mountain as well. Whatever other reason may be involved, Jesus went up in order to find solace and to pray. Matthew next records, “And evening, having arrived.”   This would be the second evening of what is known as “between the evenings,” explained in Matthew 14:15. This would be the evening of the light when the day transitions into night. At this time, it says, “He was there solo.”   Nobody had followed Him up the mountain, disturbing His time of prayer alone. These words of Matthew had to come from somewhere, so either an eyewitness saw that Jesus went up alone, or that Jesus had specifically told him this was the case.   Life application: Things were obviously done differently when Jesus walked among the people of Israel. There were no cars, cellphones, or TVs. People's lives would have been run at a completely different pace than what we are used to.   However, the days for Jesus were long and certainly tiring. What did He do at the end of His long day? He spent more energy ascending the nearby mountain, and He engaged with His Father in prayer. Although there is nothing prescriptive in this, it is an ideal that we can strive to attain.   Taking some time alone, away from the innumerable distractions we face, and spending time with the Lord will never be wasted time. Your mind can relax from the nag of calls, messages, text reminders, etc. Well, that is if you leave your phone behind when you decide to spend time with the Lord and pray.   If you are not used to this, it can be difficult to adjust. Being connected to the world through digital devices has become a standard part of our existence. And more, it has become an addiction for many. Take time to actively consider what value it is in your life. Is answering another text as important as spending time with the Lord through prayer or through His word?   Do your best to set your priorities straight and be willing to put everything else aside from time to time. At set times, try to refocus on filling the spiritual chasm in your life, replacing it with the goodness of God. You will find your time doing so a blessing you could not have imagined.   Glorious God, there are so many things that constantly distract us, pulling our attention away from what is truly important. If we stop and evaluate the time we spend doing things that are wholly unproductive, and then compare it to the time we spend with You, what would the balances reveal? Help us, Lord, to have our spiritual priorities right, focusing on You and fellowshipping with You each day. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 November 2025   Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. Matthew 14:22   “And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat and precede Him to the beyond until which He dismissed the crowds” (CG).   The previous verse noted that those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Now that the meal was over, it next says, “And immediately, Jesus, He compelled His disciples to in-step into the boat.”   A new word, anagkazó, to necessitate, compel, or constrain, is seen here. It is derived from the noun anagké, constraint, distress, etc. There is a sense of urgency in the word, as if the disciples were hesitant to enter the boat without Him. Matthew doesn't give the reason for the constraint they were placed under. However, the same narrative in John 6 says –   “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.' 15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:14, 15   If this was the impetus in the mind of Matthew as he penned his gospel, one can see how the matter may have continued if the disciples had stayed. The people came to make Jesus king by force. How would things have turned out if the disciples had stayed?   Would they have sided with the masses and caused Jesus additional stress in shunning their advances? Would they have defended the Lord when He declined the advances, thus causing a brawl to break out? Whatever the reason, it appears that Matthew was remembering the day while not explaining the circumstances and noting the event with this new word. Because of Jesus' instructions, it next says, “and precede Him to the beyond.”   In other words, they were to cross the Sea of Galilee, returning to the side they had left that morning. Thus, they would be leaving Him without a means of crossing. Despite this, He constrained them to go. He would stay behind, “until which He dismissed the crowds.”   Whatever the state of the crowds or the mindset of the disciples, it is evident that Jesus wanted to dismiss them personally and to also be alone in prayer. Hence, they were instructed to leave alone and head across.   Life application: It is certain that the disciples could have refused to get into the boat and do as instructed, but they were obedient to Jesus as their Master. The word of God, the Bible, is a word from the Lord that also constrains us. It tells us to do things that we may not want to do. Maybe that is why so many people stop reading it or never read it.   They hear what the word expects, maybe in a sermon or from a friend, and don't want to have to face its demands. So they live life without engaging with the word. But if we want to be obedient to our Master, we need to do what He expects of us. That is what the word is for.   It isn't easy to stand up in a church and head for the door when something inappropriate is taught, but no one should sit under a preacher who is instructing contrary to the word. It is better to leave such a church than to accommodate the bad doctrine. Such an attitude places the church above the Lord. That cannot stand.   Let us remember this point. What the Lord says is like our government's constitution. We get upset at politicians who ignore the law as if it doesn't apply to them. How much more should we be upset at pastors, preachers, and teachers who ignore the highest authority of all?   This doesn't mean we should get up and walk out every time we hear something amiss. People are prone to mistakes. However, when something is obviously purposeful that fails to align with the word, it is time to depart. Just recently, the Anglican Church split because those in the UK selected a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the highest position in the church.   The African Anglicans noted that this was unacceptable. Further, her stance on abortion and gay rights made her selection a slap in the face of all who desire to hold to the word. The problem, however, rests as much with the African Anglicans. They failed to say anything years ago when unacceptable people began to be ordained.   The selection of this woman to be the Archbishop was merely an obvious step in the rush to total apostasy. The Africans, for years, failed to uphold the word by dividing from the UK, only taking action when it became intolerable to them, not to God, whose word had already been violated numerous times. Let us not let things get to such a point. Instead, let us exalt the word and thus honor the Lord at all times.   Lord God, give us the desire to be obedient to Your word as well as have the intestinal fortitude to stand firmly on it. It can be difficult for us to stand against the masses, but with You on our side, it really is no problem. Help us to remember this and adhere to what You have stated. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

God's Favor Is Chasing You Down—GET READY FOR OPEN DOORS | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Have you ever watched a movie, or a show that dealt with satanic abuse or mind control, and thought that you're grateful it wasn't real? It seems too horrific, and too traumatic to possibly be something that takes place in our world. Tragically, it absolutely does, and you would be surprised to know how closely you might come in contact with it with people you meet. There are people all over the world who are suffering even as you read this, at the hands of someone who appears as a normal and sane person.You, someone you know, or love could be hiding, and suppressing immense damage done to them as a child. They may or may not even remember the details, but they know that something is indeed not right. Listen in today as Tiffany Jo Baker spends time talking with Kelly Hawley, founder of Warrior Bride Ministries. They will discuss the different forms of mind control and abuse that are prevalent in our world today, and how God can heal and restore from them as well.Listen in for:How prevalent mind control really isWho might be the most susceptible When disassociation could occurWhy a person needs healing from mind control Favorite Quotes:“The whole goal (of mind control), ultimately or part of it, is to keep them away from Yeshua, that He can never redeem them.” - Kelly Hawley“Dissociation is something that the Lord put in our design to deal with the more natural trauma that would happen in this life, but the enemy has manipulated it.” - Kelly HawleyFavorite Scripture:"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." - Isaiah 61:1To learn more about Kelly Hawley and all they have going on at Warrior Bride Ministries, be sure to visit https://warriorbrideministries.com/*Want timely words, resources and episodes delivered right to your inbox to help you fuel and fulfill your faith journey? Simply subscribe today to never miss an episode at https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/subscribe (don't worry, you won't get spam or excessive emails)*If you're looking for perfectly polished people or podcast, this isn't for you. We're real people, with real good information, and a really great God.Don't miss the next Tiffany Jo Baker Podcast episode as we continue to help you GET FREE, LIVE FULL & THANK GOD! You can watch on YouTube and https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/tiffany-jo-baker-podcast or listen in on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Ratings and reviews are like high-fives and “go-girl's” on podcast Helping you refresh and refocus so you can do all the things you are called and created to do, my 31 Day Devotional “Soul-Care for Go-Getters” is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and my website shop here. ( https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/go-getters-devo )As a 3x Surrogate, Speaker, Soul-Care and Success Coach and Spirit-led Strategist, I uplift the soul and success of women like you who are walking out your WHY, so you can birth your God-given dreams at home, online, and in the real world. Find me, @TiffanyJoBaker, on Instagram , Facebook and https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com. I would love to connect with you there!

Monday, 24 November 2025   Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:21   “And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that all the people present ate, were gorged, and they collected twelve baskets of pieces that were left over. Matthew next records, “And those eating, they were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”   Each gospel narrative notes the number of men. Matthew, however, adds in the “besides women and children” to ensure that the number is understood to be men, plus others. The addition of this note concerning women and children could potentially bring the number up to as many as fifteen to twenty thousand people.   There is no need to assume, as many scholars do, that there would not be as many women and children as normal because of the long trek or some other reason. People moved about on their feet. It was common and the expected norm that all would keep up on such treks.   During the three annual pilgrim feasts, the entire family would walk from wherever they were to Jerusalem. Such a walk around the Sea of Galilee would be a snap for such hardy annual travelers. The numbers would have been great who received the miraculously provided food from Jesus.   Life application: It is not uncommon for people to say that only the men were required to travel to Jerusalem on the pilgrim feasts. This is because it says in Exodus 23:17, “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.”   With that, they stop their analysis and conclude that only the men went. However, later it says –   “You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. 12 And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” Deuteronomy 16:11, 12   This is repeated in Deuteronomy 16:13-15. Then the matter is summed up, saying –   “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.” Deuteronomy 16:16, 17   In other words, the “all your males” is stated in the same manner that the gospels speak of the males in relation to the feeding of the five thousand. It is an all-inclusive statement concerning the family that is represented by the males.   When reading the Bible, be sure to be familiar with it by methodically checking on things. There is a lot of information that has to be learned, and it is a lifetime challenge, but the more you read and remember, the less likely you are to have errors in your understanding. Even scholars of the Bible make blunders by assuming things from a single verse that are later qualified. So be methodical and contemplative. If you are, you will be rewarded for your diligent efforts, for sure.   Lord God Almighty, how wonderful is Your word! You have filled it with wisdom, wonder, and treasure. May we be responsible and read it slowly, contemplatively, and prayerfully. May we carefully tend to this wondrous and sacred gift You have given to us. Amen.

Sunday, 23 November 2025   So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Matthew 14:20   “And they ate all, and they gorged, and they lifted the superabounding pieces – twelve handbaskets full” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus prayed over the bread and fish and gave them to the disciples. They, in turn, gave to the multitudes. Now, after the people were satisfied, it says, “And they ate all, and they gorged.”   It is an amazing sentiment. From five small loaves and two small fish, the entire multitude ate to the point of being gorged! The word, chortazó, to gorge, has only been seen one time so far –   “Blessed – those famishing and thirsting righteousness, For they – they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6   These multitudes had rushed around the Sea of Galilee while Jesus took the boat across, anxious to hear more from Him. This was in the morning, and they had stayed until later in the day, not focusing on food, but on the powerful words of Jesus.   Certainly, they were famishing and thirsting for righteousness. And by the time they were done, they had received His miracles, His healings, His words of righteousness, and a feast on which they gorged themselves to satisfaction! With the feeding complete, Matthew next records, “and they lifted the superabounding fragments.”   John 6:12 adds, “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.'” The disciples were told to go around and gather up anything left over from the meal. The word klasma, a piece or fragment, is introduced here. It is derived from the verb klaó of the previous verse, which referred to Jesus breaking the bread after having blessed it.   Jesus had broken these small loaves and fishes. From there, they were handed out to the people, as much as they could eat. After that, there were broken leftovers scattered throughout the multitudes, which the disciples then went and collected. Having done this, it next says the result was “twelve handbaskets full.”   Another new word is seen, kophinos, a small basket. The derivation of the word is unknown, but Ellicott, citing Juvenal, “describes the Jews of Italy as travelling with ‘their cophinus and a wisp of hay,' by way of pillow, as their only luggage.” Thus, it was certainly a small basket used for carrying things as one traveled.   There were enough bread fragments lying around to fill twelve of these.   Life application: The account concerning the feeding of the multitudes is plain, clear, and sufficiently detailed to leave little room for speculation on what occurred. How it occurred, meaning how the bread was multiplied, is something we don't know. It happened, and it was miraculous.   Having said that, here are a couple of the ways people have tried to dismiss the miracle, as cited from Myers' New Testament Commentary –   “To explain away the miracle, as Paulus has done (who thinks that the hospitable example of Jesus may have induced the people to place at His disposal the provisions they had brought along with them; ... is inconsistent with the accounts of all the evangelists, and especially with that of the eye-witness John.”   “Schenkel thinks he sees his way to an explanation by supposing what is scarcely possible, viz. that Jesus fed the multitude with a rich supply of the bread of life from heaven, which caused them to forget their ordinary food, though at the same time He devoutly consecrated for their use the provisions which they had brought with them, or had managed to procure for the present emergency.”   These and other excuses they reference for how the miracle can be dismissed have no basis in any reality. There is nothing in the biblical account to justify a word of what they claim. In other words, simply to dismiss the miraculous nature of what it clearly and precisely recorded, these false scholars insert nonsense into what the Bible presents, making things up out of their own demented heads.   Be careful when reading commentaries. The intent of many of them is to attempt to sound smart and educated while tearing apart what Scripture clearly presents. There are times when translations miss the mark on properly presenting what is detailed in the manuscripts, but outside of translations by several cults, these are not usually intentional perversions of reality.   Hold fast to what the Bible says. Accept that God can do the miraculous and that when He does, it is to make a point for us to understand what He is doing in the stream of time to reveal His caring affection for His people as displayed in the sending of Jesus to bring us back to Himself.   Lord God, help us to be people of faith, not attempting to outsmart You and what is recorded in Your word. Give us wisdom to accept what it says about creation, the fall of man, the process of redemption, the presentation of miracles, and all other things recorded there, taking them at face value. You are God. Your word is truth. May we accept this, reveling in what is recorded there. Amen.  

Wisdom Is Yours—Ask and Receive (TRUST GOD'S GUIDANCE) | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Saturday, 22 November 2025   Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. Matthew 14:19   “And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed, and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves, and the disciples to the crowds” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the disciples to bring the loaves and fish to Him. The narrative continues, saying, “And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass.”   The people were probably walking around, standing in groups, some deciding it was time to leave and preparing for that, etc. In order to bring a sense of order to the event, the masses were instructed to sit. Mark adds –   “Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.” Mark 6:39, 40   Luke says, “Make them sit down in groups of fifty” (Luke 9:14). This would allow for an easier counting of the people and a more harmonious time among the groups. One large group would lead to a state of chaos as people shouted back and forth about whatever was on their minds. With the people arranged, Matthew continues, “having taken the five loaves and the two fish.”   The contents of the verse are given in rapid succession. Several clauses begin with participles and have no conjunction to join them. In the previous verse, Jesus had said in response to the disciples' statement concerning the desolate nature of the place, “You carry to Me here – them.” He was preparing to reveal that, despite the desolateness of the area, there is an abundance to be found in Him. He prepares to reveal this by taking the loaves and fish, and “having up-looked to the heaven, He blessed.”   The standard prayer over bread is, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.” This is probably at least a part of what was said by Jesus as He blessed the food. Once that was done, “and having broken, He gave to the disciples the loaves.”   This final clause of Jesus' actions includes a conjunction at the beginning of it as a means of summing up the narrative. A new word is seen here, klaó, to break. In the New Testament, it is always used in connection with the breaking of bread. The bread would have been without yeast, making it harder cakes instead of loaves. Thus, the bread would be broken instead of torn or cut.   With this accomplished, the words finish with, “and the disciples to the crowds.” This would have been a moment none of them would ever forget, even if they failed to understand the matter fully (see Matthew 16:8-12). They presented Jesus with the paltry bit of food available among them, and now they were passing out pieces of that food to thousands of people hungrily sitting along the slopes, waiting to be fed.   Life application: It may be hard to get our minds around the event being described by Matthew, but it is not unprecedented for so much food to appear as it did. In the wanderings of Israel, enough manna was provided each day to feed several million people. This continued on for forty years.   One may dismiss that as some type of allegory or hyperbole, but Jesus spoke of the matter as a fact in John 6. The people of Israel spoke to Jesus as if the account was reliable. Jesus' words confirmed that.   It is as common as raindrops in a thunderstorm for people to dismiss the early creation account and the miracles found throughout Scripture, as if they didn't happen as stated. However, that is what faith is about. It is believing what we do not see, accepting such things as true and reliable despite the standard way things work in the world around us.   If there is a God, He is capable of doing things in a certain way, and then He is reliable to give us an accurate rendering of what He has done.   Our salvation may not be conditioned upon accepting whether God actually created in six days or not, but our rewards will be. If we dismiss the word, it is a demonstration of a lack of faith in the credibility of God, who gave us the word. Hearing and believing the gospel is what saves.   So ask yourself, which is more incredible, that God could create all things in six days as well as feed Israel with manna in the wilderness for forty years, or that a man being executed on a cross, was then interred, and then He came out of the tomb on the third day, alive forevermore?   If you believed the gospel, as incredible as it sounds, why should you struggle over the lesser things that God proclaims as fact? Have faith and be reckoned not just as God's redeemed, but of those who fully trust God in everything associated with His word.   Lord God, Your word makes many claims that we cannot verify. However, we can accept them by faith, believing that even the incredible and miraculous are possible when it comes from You. May our faith be strong and sure in what Your word states until the day we are brought into Your presence to revel in who You are forever and ever. Amen.

Nehemiah 11 gives the names of those returned exiles who live in Jerusalem and those who live in the surrounding villages. Their names and the work for which they are responsible is very important in the Bible. Those in Jerusalem include priests, Levites and singers; gatekeepers (all of those were very important roles for the worshipping of the nation). From the villages particular mention is made of the craftsmen who despite the great difficulty in building put themselves and their families in peril because of their love for their brothers and sisters and for their God.Amos 3 tells of the close and unique relationship God has with His people, Israel. This means that the nation had a great responsibility to Him, as their Father; and that He would chastise them for ignoring His commandments. Sadly, the nation of Israel by their actions in joining themselves to their idols had severed their association and agreement with their Sovereign. Israel was walking in the opposite direction than what He asks of them. Four analogies are provided of cause and effect. The lion roars when the prey is caught; the fowler does not take up a trap until he has snared a bird; fear comes upon a person when the warning trumpet sounds an alarm; likewise, the Lord GOD will not send chastisement without first warning His people via His servants, the prophets. Yahweh would roar in visiting His people with the consequences of their actions. The prophet says the surrounding nations will see the justice of the LORD's judgments. It seems that because of Israel's covetousness it is impossible for them to act justly. The. accumulated wealth of the rich will always justifiably attract plunder (cp Romans 2verses2-11; James 5verses1-6). Bethel was the place where the worshipping of God had in the past been central to the nation's instruction in the ways of God. This city, which means "the House of God" will be laid waste.1 Timothy 6 says that servants must honourably bear the responsibility of faithful service. The chapter next sounds a warning against false teachers and this is followed by one of the greatest, and possibly the hardest, lesson to learn - i.e. that godliness with contentment is the greatest profit a believer can have in life. We can take nothing with us when we die. All that is important is the legacy that the Almighty sees - a life of devotion to Him and service to others - a life rich in good works. To pursue any other course is a guarantee of frustration and sorrow (just as Balaam found out). Verse 10 tells us, "the love of money" (Greek "philaguros" - literally "lover of silver" which has in Greek the numeric value of 666) is 'a root of all kinds of evil'. In verses 11-16 Timothy (and each believer) is urged to fight the fight of faith following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave a faithful witness before Pontius Pilate - costing our Lord Jesus his life. Jesus will, on his return to earth, set up the glorious kingdom of God demonstrating the power and honour of the King Invisible (God the Almighty Father) and the benefits that will come to those who live life by this guide. The letter concludes with a reminder to safeguard the deposit which had been committed to Timothy and a charge to the rich to avoid pride. The rich are counselled to use their God given resources to benefit others (the lesson being based on the life of Hezekiah cp2 Kings 20verses12-16). Let us learn godliness with contentment; richness in faith and loving works to others - pause and ponder.

“Then the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Genesis 3:9 NLT) God is always present, everywhere, all the time. David celebrated—and explored the implications of—God’s constant presence in Psalm 139:7–12: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you” (NLT). He personalized God’s presence just as the prophet Amos did. “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3 NLT). God said to Amos’ fellow prophet Zephaniah, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT). The point is that God is present with His people, and He wants His people to be present with Him. He wants us to keep appointments with Him, to meet with Him on a regular basis. He wants us to prioritize our relationship with Him. He wants us to make the necessary sacrifices to keep that relationship active and growing. I wonder how many times each day God wants to speak to us but can’t get a word in edgewise. I wonder if He might say, “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time, but you’re too busy. This morning I wanted to talk to you, but you didn’t have any time for Me. Instead, you read the newspaper, watched TV, and talked on the phone. You never opened My Word. You never prayed. At lunch I tried to say something, but your prayer was too fast. You have an appointment with Me. Why don’t you keep it?” The book of Genesis tells us that Adam had an appointment with God every day in the Garden of Eden. Adam would hear the voice of the Lord in the Garden in the cool of the evening. One day Adam missed that appointment because of sin. Genesis 3:9 says, “Then the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (NLT). I wonder if the Lord would say that to some of us each day: “Where are you? I’ve been looking for you. I want to speak to you. I want you to walk with Me, and I want to walk with you.” Just imagine, the Creator of the universe wants to spend time with you! Is there any appointment that’s worth keeping more than this one? Reflection question: How do you experience God’s presence in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday, 21 November 2025   He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Matthew 14:18   “And He said, ‘You carry to Me here – them.'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples said to Jesus that they only had five loaves and two fish. Matthew next records, “And He said, ‘You carry to Me here – them.'” These words are only found in Matthew. Elsewhere, it notes that these were carried by a young boy and were comprised of five loaves of barley along with the two small fish.   Notice how Jesus rephrases their words –   17 And they, they say to Him, “Not we have here [hóde], if not five loaves and two fish.”   18 And He said, “You carry to Me here [hóde] – them.”   Their stress is on the word here. The rest of their sentence fills in details that they consider to be diminutive and unsatisfactory for any grand purpose. Jesus, on the other hand, indicates they are of prime importance. In essence, “You say you have nothing here capable of tending to these people. In contrast, I say, ‘Bring that insufficiency here to Me. I will show you how sufficient it really is.'”   Life application: In the previous commentary, it was noted that “there is nothing to prohibit God from producing abundance out of that which appears to be lacking. We may not understand the mechanics of how He caused a bit of bread and a couple of fish to reproduce in such an astonishing manner, but that does not mean He violated the principles of logic or nature in order to accomplish this feat.”   Someone may balk at this thought and say that such is not the case, citing Lomonosov's law of conservation of mass, which states that for any system that is closed to all incoming and outgoing transfers of matter, the mass of the system must remain constant over time.   The thought might be, “If there were only the seven little bite-sized pieces of food, how could so much come from it?” It had to come from somewhere, and if it didn't exist before, God must have created it right then and there. But that would then supposedly contradict the idea of the six days of creation, where all mass was formed at the beginning.   But how limited is that thinking! Who would expect that a small amount of material could produce a nuclear explosion? If the rules of the universe allowed scientists to mentally develop such an idea even before testing it, there may be some process that Jesus used to produce His miracle that we do not yet understand.   At the time of the feeding of the multitude, Jesus was asking His disciples to have faith that He was capable of bringing food, in abundance, out of a seemingly insignificant amount. That faith is requested of us even to this day. We hear of the miracle and are asked to believe it, accepting that what is recorded there (in all four gospels, by the way), actually took place.   Are such things possible? Jesus is said to have made wine from water. Doesn't that happen all the time at vineyards? If Jesus was able to speed up the process through some mechanism that we don't understand, does that mean that the process is not true?   Jesus spoke of such things openly. Let us have faith that even in our own lack of faith, we can still believe the Lord of creation can do the things we are not capable of –   “And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.' 6 So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.'” Luke 17:5, 6   Lord God, even if we don't have faith to speak to a mulberry tree, commanding it to uproot itself and move, we can have enough faith to believe that You can do it. Help us to consider that You are the Creator and nothing is impossible for You. May we accept this as an axiom and trust that what Your word says is true and reliable. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.  

Jonah 4:1-11 ESV1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” 5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” • • •1. Anger can result in justifying sin. • • •Jonah 4:1-2 ESV1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. • • •Luke 6:45 ESV45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. • • •Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. • • •2. Anger can cause us to question God's character. • • •Jonah 4:2-3 ESV2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” • • •Exodus 34:6-7 ESV6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” • • •Matthew 18:32-33 ESV32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' • • •3. Anger can lead us to believe dying is better than living. • • •Jonah 4:3-4 ESV3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” • • •Luke 15:25-32 ESV25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'” • • •Application:The same love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness we receive from God, we should willingly give to others!

Continuation of teaching on the consequences Ninevah/Assyria will suffer for the ungodly things that they performed against the LORD GOD's people.  Scriptural Reference: Nahum 2:10-13

God Is Restoring Your Hope and Joy—GET READY FOR A TURNAROUND | Blessed Morning Prayer For TodaySUBSCRIBE 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

In this episode, I speak with Husband, Father, Owner and Telehealth Counselor at Becoming More Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting, LLC, Author, and former Pastor, Dr. Greg Stewart on Facing Negative Emotions to Understand Who You Are In Christ, Become a Better Leader, and Form Deeper Relationships. Listen as Greg shares how to recognize negative emotions that impact your value and worth. Acknowledge that the enemy is a lier and embrace what is being exposed by your negative emotion. Practice the presence of the Lord to repair, rejuvenate, and recover from the lies of negative emotions as you replace them with the truth so that you can lead as you are called to do!  Find Greg :    the website    Scripture: Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."   John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.   John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."   Proverbs 2:4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,   John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.   1 Chronicles 16:11 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.   1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,firm and steadfast.   Additional Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Corinthians 2:11, John 14:6, John 8:32, Deuteronomy 4:29, Psalm 51:12 REGISTER @ CFLEX Academy Arts Enrichment   Listen to our sister podcast:  Abundantly Rooted   Other Resourses: Grab your Artza Subscription Box and bring home a bit of Israel.  use promo code: ARTZAKRISTINARISINGER for 25% off   Check out our Linktree   Get the Books:  Life After Losing A Loved One: How to Turn Grief Into Hope Strength and Purpose Adventures of LiLy and Izzy Bee: The Imagination Journey 

Since he gave his life to the Lord God, Evert has lived his purpose; helping others to understand that the Devil is a liar.

 An Open Door To The Throne Of Grace For Help In The Time Of NeedWalk daily, to have access to the Lord God almighty

Wednesday, 19 November 2025   But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16   “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘They have no need to depart. You, you give, them to eat'” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples came to Jesus, noting the remoteness of the area and the late hour, imploring Him to send the people away so they could buy food. In response to that, it now says, “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘They have no need to depart.'”   Although each gospel narrative stands on its own, it is still interesting to see the fuller conversation. Mark's gospel omits the words “They have no need to depart,” but it adds in the words, “And they said to Him, ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?'” Luke likewise leaves out this first clause and omits the additional words of Mark. John's narrative says –   “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?' 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.'” John 6:5-7    Each account is from the writer's own perspective, and yet, they can be harmoniously woven together. In Matthew, Jesus continues, saying emphatically, “You, you give, them to eat.”   One can see the emphasis from Jesus returned to the disciples based on their words, emphatically highlighted by the remoteness of the area –   *“Desolate, it is, this place, and the hour, it passed already. You dismiss the crowds that, having departed into the villages, they should buy themselves food.”   *“They have no need to depart. You, you give, them to eat”   Jesus is providing instruction in who He is and what He is capable of, and He is doing it in a manner that has astonished the minds of His people for two millennia. These are His disciples, and they have been called to accomplish an impossible task. Despite this, the mass feeding will take place, exactly as Jesus directs.   Life application: The miracle of feeding this multitude is something that the Bible asks us to believe at face value. We are not to look for some behind-the-scenes finagling on the part of the disciples or Jesus. In other words, there wasn't a convoy of trucks just on the other side of the hill, secretly ready to deliver food to feed the multitudes.   Rather, God provided the food for the people just as He did with the manna in the wilderness for forty years. It was a true miracle that is to be accepted as such. God continues to perform the miraculous in ways we may not perceive or understand, even to this day. These are done in order to suit His purposes.   Unfortunately, too often, people claim the miraculous when what occurred had nothing to do with God's providing a miracle. There are key issues we should look for to determine if something is truly miraculous.   One is to ask if the matter brought glory to God. That is the first and key point. However, such cannot be a miracle that supposedly glorifies God but which doesn't glorify Jesus. There are innumerable claims of the miraculous in Catholicism, which supposedly highlight Mary or some other figure. Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and other religions claim miracles all the time. Do a general search on YouTube and you'll see this.   Likewise, claims of the miraculous come from Mormonism and other false cults that fall under the umbrella of “Christian” denominations. If biblical Christianity is true, these miracles cannot be real, God-directed miracles. Paul speaks of false gospels, false prophets, false brethren, and the working of Satan, which includes power, signs, and lying wonders.   Therefore, not everything that appears miraculous is. In fact, the large preponderance of so-called miracles in the world is nothing but chance events, false claims, or active workings of Satan. As you read the Bible, evaluate the miracles in it and consider why they are recorded.   They will always be there to glorify God and to validate His workings in and among His people or for their instruction. Have discernment, and don't trust anything simply because it is presented by someone who claims to be Christian. You will find that almost every supposed claim of divine intervention, be it dreams, tongues, appearances, or other supposed miraculous events, is simply hogwash.   The Bible is written. It testifies to Jesus and His workings. Do you really need more to edify your walk before the Lord? Have faith in what God has done. If He does more in your life, be grateful that His hand was upon you for whatever need you had, be it healing, financial help, or a moment of encouragement that you alone share with Him and that builds you up as His child.   Lord God, help us to have discernment and not to get caught up in things that are not helpful to our relationship with You. There are way too many distractions in this life that are neither edifying nor healthy. Keep us from such things, O God. Amen.

A collection of your favorite teachings taught by Apostle Tonya on grace and the Lord God's glory. For more teachings on our Lord Jesus Christ and her testimonies on supernatural manifestations, visit ⁠https://apostletonya.org

Spiritual Battles Are Won In Prayer—STAND STRONG IN GOD'S POWER | Blessed Morning Prayer Of The 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Do you ever feel like the pressure of the holidays only makes your heart ache more? Thanksgiving can bring out feelings of stress, grief, and loneliness, especially when life isn't going the way we expected. But what if you could still feel thankful even in the toughest moments?In this episode, Bonnie explores how to cultivate gratitude when your heart is hurting and provides 3 powerful mindset shifts to help you find peace amidst life's hardest moments. Take a moment to breathe in encouraging truth and practice a soul-care tip to help you connect with God's peace this Thanksgiving. Whether you're celebrating joy or navigating challenges, Bonnie guides you toward healing through gratitude. Tune into this episode to learn how to express your emotions honestly, embrace the power of storytelling, and how to use a simple prayer practice on God's faithfulness to experience true thanksgiving.Key Takeaways:- Use 3 mindset shifts to boost your emotional health and spiritual wellness- Science of Expressing True Emotions: Helps release stress and nurtures gratitude.- Science of Storytelling: Lifts your spirits and strengthens your emotional bonds.- Soul Care of Psalm 105: Reflecting on God's faithfulness through Scripture like Psalm 105 helps you cultivate lasting peace and thanksgiving. Breath Prayer:  (inhale) The nearness of God is my good (exhale) The Lord is my refuge Scriptures:  But as for me, the nearness of my God is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge. Ps. 32:7Soul Care Tips: 3 tips to heal your hurting heart during ThanksgivingLINKS & RESOURCES-  Register now "Journaling with Jesus" Soul Care Course: https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/-  Take my FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.com – your wellness assessment!-  Get Bonnie's Bestselling book "Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less" https://amzn.to/4azae1K-  Subscribe to FREE Breathe Newsletter for Fall Quarter Soul Care! https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe/-  Follow Bonnie at www.instagram.com/thebonniegray & www.facebook.com/thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Thank you for joining us for worship today! In our series on mediations on the Lord from the psalms, we study Psalm 70 which shows us that the Lord God is our help and deliverer. He is mighty to save!

November 16, 2025All believers in Christ have an eternal home, the City of God. This special section of Scripture gives us a glimpse into what dwelling in God's presence will be like. It is in our eternal home where we “will see His face, and His name will be on our foreheads. And night will be no more. We will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be our light, and we will reign forever and ever.” What a day of rejoicing that will be!Revelation 21:8-22:5

P.O.G. Daily Pause: Monday - Luke 1:28-388 The angel went to (Mary) and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”38 “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.Notes:  I see vs. 38 as a consecration prayer or declaration of surrender and commitment to God…. Wow…. So cool!  Look how her commitment to God is based on the word and promises of God.35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”38 “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

God's Peace Is Greater Than Anxiety—LET HIM CALM YOUR HEART | Blessed Morning Prayer For TodaySUBSCRIBE 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'” MESSAGE SUMMARY: There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from God about the specific issues that you, your family, your church, or your country are facing. In your personal relationship with God as a Jesus Follower, the Lord will speak to you; but sometimes it takes your listening and fasting to hear Him. For example, 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, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16; 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: “Thanks-Living” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on…

Saturday, 15 November 2025   Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Matthew 14:12   “And his disciples, having come, they lifted the body and they interred it. And having come, they told Jesus” (CG).   In the previous verse, John's head was brought to Herodias' daughter on a platter. From there, she took it to her mother. With that noted, it next says, “And his disciples.”   This refers not to Jesus' disciples but John's. They probably tended to John while in prison, such as bringing him meals, stopping by to talk, and so forth. Upon going to the prison to attend to him, someone would have let them know that John had been beheaded. With that understood, it next says, “having come, they lifted the body and they interred it.”   A new word, ptóma, is seen here. It is derived from piptó, to fall. It signifies a ruin, but specifically a lifeless body, meaning a corpse, carrion, etc. The disciples determined to ensure that John's body was treated with dignity after the sad treatment he had received at the hands of Herod.   As for its disposal, almost all translations say “buried” here, but this is not the way bodies were handled in Israel at the time. Rather, they were placed in tombs to decay. Normally, after some amount of time, the bones would be collected and placed in ossuaries, or they would be stored in a single section of a tomb. This is what probably would have been the case with John's body as well. Once John's body was interred, it says, “And having come, they told Jesus.”   This would be the natural extension of such a series of events. What seems likely, although unstated, is that these disciples would henceforth follow Jesus. If so, the death of John would have immediately changed the course of their lives in more than one way.   Life application: It is quite often the case that at some point after a tragedy, death, or catastrophe, something good will result. At the time of the event, things seem overwhelming, and sadness or grief may take hold of us for a spell. Eventually, however, when our minds have adjusted and our lives have settled, we can look back and process the unfolding of events.   When we do, we can often see how what seemed a one-way street of woe was actually a path that turned onto another road of opportunity for joy and a new direction in life. However, some people never accept this and stay wallowing in their misery, blaming God for the events that brought them so much grief.   But this is God's world, we are His creatures, and He has a right to choose the events of our lives. Instead of holding things against Him, we should take time to evaluate what has taken place and how it fits into the greater picture of our continued existence.   When we do, we will be able to see how things brought us into a new dynamic with new hopes and possibilities. So, let us take the time to grieve, but not to get stuck there. Rather, as Solomon noted, there is a time for everything. And as the author of Lamentations notes, the compassions of the Lord are new every morning.   Wait for time to heal the wounds of life, and look for the hand of the Lord to be with you each day as He sends His gracious favor to you in the process. You will find out that this is how He works in the lives of His people.   Lord God, thank You for Your tender mercies. There is trial, trouble, tribulation, and catastrophe in this life, but there are still wonderful blessings that come to us, even in such times. May we focus our minds on You, even as we struggle through this life. Surely, when we do, things will always make sense as we continue through our walk on the path to You. Amen.

God Is Strengthening You For Every Battle—YOU'RE NOT ALONE | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start The 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Doug Horchak discusses Jude 1:3-4—“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We want to spend the bulk of our time together in meditation on a powerful chapter that King David wrote. Today, our focus will be to understand who we are, we must first know that God is God and we are not. So much of the issues in our lives regarding our identity is when we try to keep ourselves on the throne when we were never created to sit there. Only our God.(Psalm 84 NLT)How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies.  I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven's Armies, my King and my God! What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem. O Lord God of Heaven's Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, O God of Jacob. … A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked. For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O Lord of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.What phrase or thought stood out to you? Consider why. What is God saying to you right now?Listen to verse 5-7 from the Message BibleAnd how blessed all those in whom you live,whose lives become roads you travel;They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, andat the last turn—Zion! God in full view!Is there a lonesome valley you are facing right now?Then listen to the closing words once more - For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O Lord of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.Let's pray: “Father, David used the word ‘joy' many times in this Psalm. Help me to find more joy in You and in my life. I need You to be my sun and my shield. Please give me Your grace and glory. I want to do what is right in Your eyes so You will withhold no good thing from me. As above, so below.”

Friday, 14 November 2025   And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Matthew 14:11   “And his head, it was carried upon a platter, and it was given to the damsel, and she carried to her mother” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that Herod sent and he beheaded John in prison. It next says, “And his head, it was borne upon a platter.”   The word pheró, to bear, is introduced here. HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, to bear, carry (bring) along, especially temporarily or to a definite (prescribed) conclusion (defined by the individual context).”   Once John was beheaded, it was placed upon a platter, being carried to its now rightful owner according to the oath made by Herod. It next says, “and it was given to the damsel.”   Something new concerning Herodias' daughter is seen here. She is called a damsel, a little girl. It explains why she went to her mother (as recorded in Mark) to determine what she should ask for when the oath and offer were extended to her by Herod.   From the prison where John was beheaded, it was borne by an attendant and taken to Herodias' daughter. She was the one who had pleased Herod in the dance and to whom the promise was made. Therefore, the burden of carrying it to its final destination was accomplished by her. As it says, “and she bore to her mother.”   Nothing beyond this is recorded concerning what happened to the head. Some extra-biblical comments about it have been made, but the Bible itself is silent on the matter.   Life application: In the story of the life of King David, the account of David encountering Goliath on the battlefield is recorded. There it says –   “So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.” 1 Samuel 17:48-51   A bit later, it says, “And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent” (1 Samuel 17:54).   To understand the significance of what occurred in that account, sermons from the Superior Word detail the events and their typological significance in detail. One thing that can be deduced about the beheading of John is connected to that account concerning Goliath.   Everything about the law is associated with death. God gave Adam a law in the Garden of Eden. Adam violated that law, and it brought about his death (Genesis 2:17), and it also brought about death in humanity (Romans 5:12). Even Jesus, who was under the Law of Moses, died in fulfillment of it. It was a necessary death for grace to be bestowed.   John the Immerser was the final prophet under the law. He was the herald of the coming of Christ. As such, he was destined to die as an example of the law's power of death over life. Only in coming to Christ's completed work is the matter reversed, and life, meaning life in Christ, prevails over death.   As terrible as the account concerning John the Baptist is, we are being instructed in the difference set forth between Adam's failure and Christ's victory. This includes the death of John, who proclaimed law to the world.   The law had to come to an end for grace to be bestowed. John is the one who brought it to that point. Jesus is the One who then acted, completing the task and offering something far more glorious to the people of the world. Let us never forget the lesson of law vs. grace. Hold fast to the grace of God as it is revealed in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord.   Lord God, in the end, it is all about what You are doing in Christ Jesus for the people of the world. Help us to remember this and to hold fast to this truth. We don't need more law! What we need is grace. Thank You for the grace offered through His completed work. Amen.

Today, we're tackling some tough listener questions. We're joined by Tara Buchanan, good friend and cohost of the Behind Our Smiles podcast. Sponsor It's here! Order the Sexual Desire Differences Masterclass and get the video, a resource list, and an invitation to participate in tonight's (Thursday, November 13, 2025) Live Q&A session with Bonny and J at 7:00pm eastern! Masterclass: Sexual Desire Differences - Sex Chat for Christian Wives. From the Bible The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved. Song of Songs 7:13 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment. Song of Songs 8:10 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:17 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." Genesis 2:16–17 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened....Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another....Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:21,24, 26–27 Resources Behind Our Smiles Podcast, with Tara & Joe Buchanan Struggling with Sex in Marriage? Here's What To Do First. - Hot, Holy & Humorous Sensate Focus Therapy | Cornell Health Everything You Need to Know About Sensate Focus Touch by Linda Weiner, LCSW | YouTube The Back Door (my take on anal sex) • Bonny's Oysterbed7 Why I Took My Breast Implants Out - Hot, Holy & Humorous Are Breast Implants Bad for You? - Hot, Holy & Humorous Should Christians Get Plastic Surgery? - Hot, Holy & Humorous Episode 111: Accepting Your Body - Sex Chat for Christian Wives Is Anal Sex Okay? - Hot, Holy & Humorous Episode 31: Listener Questions - Sex Chat for Christian Wives (including anal sex) Q&A with J: Pegging. Is It Okay? - Hot, Holy & Humorous Finger Cots | Amazon Episode 235: Helping Your Husband Heal, with Tara Buchanan Episode 216: When She Wants Sex More - Sex Chat for Christian Wives (w/Tara Buchanan) Thanks for joining us at the virtual kitchen table for another great chat! If you could, leave a rating and/or review so that others can find the show. Please also check out our website and webinars at forchristianwives.com. And visit our individual ministry pages for more resources as well: Strong Wives - Bonny Burns Honeycomb & Spice - Chris Taylor Hot, Holy & Humorous - J. Parker

Sleep better and Stress Less— with Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. We hope this biblical sleep meditation, narrated by Chloë Elmore, helps your body relax and your mind rest on the truth found in scripture. On this peaceful night, come to the father and learn from him. He wants to guide you and teach you His paths. All day long, and all night long, may your hope be in the Lord God, your Savior. For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for better sleep is right here: https://abide.com/peaceDiscover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

Draw Closer To God Today (HE'S WAITING FOR YOU) | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

 I want to assure you today that no matter what you are experiencing or what you feel, God's face is turned towards you. He does know what you feel and He cares.Main Points:1. Perhaps you feel down today, thinking all your hope is gone, that even God has abandoned you. Yes, you may feel those things, but that doesn't mean your feelings are true. The God of Heaven knows what you are feeling. He understands the pressure you are feeling. Most of all, He is there. He cares and He is with you.2. In your loneliness, stand on this great truth from Scripture. God is with you. In fact, he has promised to always be with you.3. What is it that lifts our spirits when we are lonely? What encourages our hearts? I believe the answer is found in worship. When we worship Jesus we experience a change in perspective. Our focus is no longer on our loneliness, the absence of friends and family, and what we do not have. Our focus now is solely upon Jesus, his comforting presence, his love for us, and his promise to always be with us.Today's Scripture Verses:Genesis 2:18 - “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”Hebrews 13:5 - “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”Isaiah 43:2 - “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Psalm 27:10 - "Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.” Proverbs 18:24 - “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

God Began a Good Work In You—Now Let Him Finish It (TRUST THE PROCESS) | 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 DailyEffectivePrayer.com  SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)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/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

We want to hear from you! Submit your Thanksgiving Prayer or a short note of thanks! Your submissions could be featured on Your Daily Prayer as we lead up to Thanksgiving Day. Thank you again for your continued support—we can’t wait to hear from you! https://tinyurl.com/322k4xau God never intended for us to do life alone. As our daily prayer and reflection remind us, from the beginning of creation, He designed us for community — with Him and with one another. Yet, for many believers, being part of a church family isn’t always easy. Differences in opinion, leadership conflicts, or even personal wounds can cause deep pain within the very place meant to nurture our faith. In this compassionate reflection, Laura Bailey reminds us that while church hurt is real and painful, Christian community is still God’s plan for His people. Just as Adam was not meant to be alone, neither are we. Throughout Scripture, we see how God uses relationships — even messy ones — to shape us, refine us, and reveal His grace. From the early church in Acts to the disciples who followed Jesus, believers have always grown stronger in community. Though it can be hard to stay when relationships feel strained, the call of Christ is not to walk away but to lean in — to forgive, to reconcile, and to remain united under His love. Today's Bible Reading:“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” – Genesis 2:18, NIV