Podcasts about lord why

Discover the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ!

Baptism of the Lord - Why was Jesus baptized? What does it mean for us and how does Jacob's wrestling story reflect about our baptism."

“Encouragement to Keep Going”Haggai 1:2-6, 13; 2:3-5Minor but Mighty SERIES - A Look Into the Minor ProphetsPastor Nate ClarkeAugust 4, 2024Have you heard? We are expanding our current space to make room for families, with 3x more space for kids, youth, and the next generation. Look for more updates soon!https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/reel/C8FqHIipr3u/Learn about this year's Kingdom Builders project to secure land for the future of Oasis Church:https://www.oasischurch.online/kingdom-buildershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGL-Xr4I4_cSERMON NOTES:- Haggai 1:2-6- Haggai 1:13- Haggai 2:3-5- Encouragement to Keep Going-Timeline: 606 BC: Babylon invades Judah 586 BC: Jerusalem captured, temple destroyed, Jews deported 538 BC: King Cyrus of Persia allows Jews to return and rebuild temple 536 BC: Temple foundation is laid in Jerusalem  520 BC: Haggai comes with the Word of the Lord- Where were the people going wrong?- Misplaced priorities- Haggai 1:3-4- They were hesitant due to comparison- Haggai 2:3- Ezra 3:12-13- They stopped the work of the Lord- Why did they stop?- They were tired from opposition and discouraged- Ezra 4:1-5- Haggai 2:4-5- Haggai reminds us that knowing someone's story allows us to have compassion towards then rather than frustration, and to present God's clear word to them rather than our personal judgement.Oasis Church exists to help people see Jesus more clearly.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Richmond, VA.Stay Connected:Website: https://oasischurch.online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to the No Formula Needed Podcast! We are so grateful you are here!In this episode, I had the privilege of inviting Andy and Tris White on the podcast! Both graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville! Go VOLS! Andy is currently in 3rd year of medical school at Marshal in Huntington, West Virginia. I became friends with Tris August of 2022 through the Nashville Fellows program, a 9 month leadership and discipleship program for recent college graduates. Are you on strava?.. https://www.strava.com/ sign up for strava for free!!! Follow me @baughmandean, platform for working out and exercising! He has to be getting a good chunk of your time. The people you surround yourself with are who you become. Done our things uniquely spiritually a part Year of marriage centered harder than expected Developed as an outsider open to different demoninations of church Fellows had to lead youth groups and value to pour into and show up to church Too young or too older yes I want that what all comes with following jesus Loved camp J.H. Northern California experienced a personal relationship with the LORD Why did we break up? Go and be away experience draw to Jesus specifcially Single press into a relationship with the LORD Marriage You don't realize how you can loved someone until you have a child.., then realize that God loves him so much more than that! It brings us closer to each other and closer to the LORD as well You don't realize how selfish you are until you are married; you don't realize how selfish you are until you are married and have a kidEmerson is already watching our habits; he is going to emulate us, how we treat other people, his future wife Learning to be patient with us being married for a year, a lot of time. Our day-to-day kind and hospitality of who you are around, woven into the conversation that you are aroundApprenticeship practicing and acting out your faith in the day-to-day Scripture to Checkout! John 16:20-22Ephesians 4:25-32 Links to Checkout!! Nashville Fellows Program: https://www.thenashvillefellows.com/ JH Ranch: https://jhranch.com/  Impact at Lipscomb: https://www.lipscomb.edu/about/offices-and-services/spiritual-outreach/impact-2024  Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer   https://www.instagram.com/noformulaneededpod/ No Formula Needed Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deanbaughman12/ Dean's personal Instagram

Please join Kate and Sheila as they tackle Rule # 7, We Deal with Our Problems, in House Rules by Jacob Hudgins. Lev. 19:17-18 gives us a great game plan. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD” Why does God want us to make this difficult choice? Getting ‘it' out in the open helps us to: maintain healthy relationships… We don't want to give the devil a foothold. Stop sin before it spreads…Jesus teaches relationships are in constant need of maintenance, forgiveness, challenge, and reconciliation. How do we deal with our problems? The gift of discernment helps us to determine the best approach to discipline and confrontation. “Not every problem is a crisis.” The gift of courage is colossal. Hudgin made a powerful connection. The David who showed amazing courage in confronting and killing Goliath later on would refuse to deal with the problems of his own family. He did not want to challenge his kids and make them displeased with him for a season so he sacrificed their long-term flourishing and growing closer to God…which should be every parents' goal for their children. The gift of humility is huge! 2 Tim 2:24-25 reminds us…”the LORD'S servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” Humility must be practiced. Let's strive to give a determined effort to deal with our problems. Let's put the broom down and give up sweeping important things under the rug. Let's stop jumping to conclusions and seek to understand our loved ones and open up ourselves to the possibility that we are wrong. This mindset will help change avoiders into resolvers! Are you up for the challenge? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

#134// Do you know you could be dreaming bigger?Recently while scrolling social media, I saw a post sharing this thought: "Sarah wanted a baby. God wanted to birth a nation." It got me thinking, and asking the Lord --Why do we dream so small most of the time?What does this habit of dreaming small do to the quality of our lives?How can we become the Big Dreamer God designed us to be so we can see the fullness of His promise and blessing manifest in our lives and into the earth?On this quick episode of the Positioned to Prosper podcast I'm sharing what I felt the Lord speaking to my heart as answers to these questions. Would you like to dream bigger without fear or limitation? Are you ready to have more impact as you receive the "big picture" God is wanting to show you? If so, Grab your Bible, your journal and a pen, and . . . Let's Go!JOIN THE REVIVE WOMAN COMMUNITY AND LET'S DREAM BIG TOGETHER!  If you'd like to run with a community of women who are passionate about dreaming BIG with God and making a bold and confident sound into the earth for Jesus and His Kingdom, you'll want to join us over on our REVIVE Woman social media pages as we engage in conversations that are sure to encourage, equip and empower you in your journey with God. Find us on Facebook here and Instagram here. Can't wait to get connected!

Are you walking in a valley right now? Have you found yourself praying "Lord- WHY am I in this valley? Where are you?" Be reminded today that God is walking you THROUGH your valley and He will bring your forth better than you went it. Hear this strong word of encouragement from Pastor David Walker today as he teaches through Psalm 34 and David- a man who knew much about both hard times and God's goodness. A Valley will show you …#1 Where your true strength lies.#2 Will you show you who and what you can count on#3 will show you what you don't have to have#4 What you need the most.To learn more or to donate visit- https://linktr.ee/pastordavidwalkerWe would love to connect you with our prayer team- email us with as much detail as you'd like to share and how we can pray, to pastorwalker@alamocity.org We are honored to pray with you and excited to see what God does! Giving/Donate Link: https://linktr.ee/alamocitygiving To Learn More About Pastor David Walker: https://linktr.ee/pastordavidwalker

The number of years you have been a Christian does not equal spiritual growth.There is no automatic growth in the Kingdom of God.There is a critical ingredient that is a quality of character, and if it's missing it will be impossible to accomplish anything.This quality is a qualifier and if you want to encounter promotion with God and in your life you must have this quality active. It is not glamorous, or extremely attractive in a world that loves starting things, always pursuing the new and then never finishing anything.This quality is faithfulness.In this episode, you will discover:• What it means to be faithful• How true growth and all transformation happens• What is required of you by the Lord• Why mastering the middle is critical in anything we do• How to finish strongJOIN THE FREE EMAIL CHALLENGEUnlock The Power Of Your Full Potential with THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE CHALLENGE: This is a FREE 11-day email training that will equip you with the tools, mindset, and strategy to BE THE MAN God created YOU to BE. Learn to Access His Presence, Purpose, Power and Promotion.https://www.standard59.com/unfairadvantageOwn THE STANDARD Today, Get the breakout Bestseller THE STANDARD, Discovering Jesus as The Standard for Masculinity on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Discovering-Jesus-Masculinity/dp/1734549300/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Listen to THE STANDARD on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B095J62CW2/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-259076&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_259076_rh_usFollow Josh on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/kingdomathlete/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kingdom_athletehttps://www.facebook.com/kingdomathlete https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7YKo7liiUJ1jW6eCLVkJlQ

S02 Ep26 - "The Resurrection of the Lord: Why the Apostles are not Excited?" by Ptr. Jeremias Solomon of Zion Bible Baptist Church - Parañaque Luke 24:1-11

Patrick talks about recent news about Pope Francis and happenings in the Vatican, shares the joy of a caller who benefited greatly from the Rosary, shares unsettling audio about Pfizer from Project Veritas and answers questions about do angels have wings. Therese - You opinion from article on National Catholic Register about Pope Francis wanting to appoint a German Bishop to the Dicastery of the Faith with schism about homosexuality and having women priest. What do you think it is happening? Noel - Does Pope Francis comment on gay people make it okay for them to sin? Sally - How did Adam and Eve's kids get married if there were no other people? Lucy - Thanks for helping me! your recommendation to pray rosary helped save friend from suicide. Chris - During confession, priest always seems to bring it back to pornography even though I wasn't confessing that. A Pfizer Director of R&D for mRNA Scientific Planning admits they're exploring "mutating viruses" in a lab to tailor a vaccine to sell to the public. Herold - Do angels really have wings? Aida - Baptism of the Lord-Why didn't John Baptist not know Jesus? Novella - Question about the readings on Sunday, where did they originate from? Teresa - My son's grandmother in law, 93 years old, has a long-term lover, for the last 30 years. What should I say to her about getting right with God? Are you ready to pass? Caroline - What is the difference between particular vs final judgement?

Often times we ask the Lord- Why are we in this situation- Why am I here- As shown in Mark 1, when we experience a heavenly encounter, be sure that a wilderness experience will follow. But if we are following God's direction, He will reveal the purpose in due time.

Often times we ask the Lord- Why are we in this situation-- Why am I here-- As shown in Mark 1, when we experience a heavenly encounter, be sure that a wilderness experience will follow. But if we are following God's direction, He will reveal the purpose in due time.

Call to Worship - Luke 1-46b-49--Scripture Reading - 1 Timothy 6-6-21--Sermon - Joshua 23 - Staying True to the Lord---- ---Why are believers so prone to forget about the Lord's past faithfulness and goodness-----Is it wrong to be scared to obedience-- Why does God give warnings in His word-----What will help you stay faithful to God for the rest of your life-----Other passages to consider- Dt 6-4-15- Josh 1-6-9- Ps 105- 136- Lam 3-22-24- Rom 11-20-22- 12-1-2- Gal 6-7-10- 1 Th 5-23-24- 1 Tim 6-11-16- 1 Pet 1-3-9- 2 Pet 1-3-11.

Call to Worship - Luke 1-46b-49--Scripture Reading - 1 Timothy 6-6-21--Sermon - Joshua 23 - Staying True to the Lord---- ---Why are believers so prone to forget about the Lord's past faithfulness and goodness----Is it wrong to be scared to obedience- Why does God give warnings in His word----What will help you stay faithful to God for the rest of your life----Other passages to consider- Dt 6-4-15- Josh 1-6-9- Ps 105- 136- Lam 3-22-24- Rom 11-20-22- 12-1-2- Gal 6-7-10- 1 Th 5-23-24- 1 Tim 6-11-16- 1 Pet 1-3-9- 2 Pet 1-3-11.

Call to Worship - Luke 1-46b-49--Scripture Reading - 1 Timothy 6-6-21--Sermon - Joshua 23 - Staying True to the Lord---- ---Why are believers so prone to forget about the Lord's past faithfulness and goodness-----Is it wrong to be scared to obedience-- Why does God give warnings in His word-----What will help you stay faithful to God for the rest of your life-----Other passages to consider- Dt 6-4-15- Josh 1-6-9- Ps 105- 136- Lam 3-22-24- Rom 11-20-22- 12-1-2- Gal 6-7-10- 1 Th 5-23-24- 1 Tim 6-11-16- 1 Pet 1-3-9- 2 Pet 1-3-11.

Call to Worship – Luke 1:46b-49Scripture Reading – 1 Timothy 6:6-21Sermon – Joshua 23 – Staying True to the Lord -Why are believers so prone to forget about the Lord's past faithfulness and goodness?-Is it wrong to be scared to obedience? Why does God give warnings in His word?-What will help you stay faithful to God for the rest of your life?Other passages to consider: Dt 6:4-15; Josh 1:6-9; Ps 105; 136; Lam 3:22-24; Rom 11:20-22; 12:1-2; Gal 6:7-10; 1 Th 5:23-24; 1 Tim 6:11-16; 1 Pet 1:3-9; 2 Pet 1:3-11.

In this episode, Jessica talks about the dangers of hustle culture and how us as kingdom minded women can be empowered by the Proverbs 31 woman. She breaks down the Bible verse and shares her revelations in this passage. As a woman of faith in the marketplace, this scripture is SO empowering and encouraging! How we do DO IT ALL? How do we dominate the business world, have a thriving marriage, serve our family, run our household, create, invest, and give to those in need?! Is it even possible? Girl…..you are CREATED to be multidimensional. One word: Jesus.    In this episode, I talk about: How hustle culture is toxic  How hustle culture points you AWAY from the Lord Why the Proverbs 31 passage is so encouraging and empowering  Why we are created to be multidimensional  Praying for your husband, family and legacy How resentment can settle in Keeping God as the CEO of your life  Self reflection    Connect with Jessica Wiltshire IG: thejessicawiltshire Tiktok: thejessicawiltshire https://msha.ke

What does it mean to call upon the Name of the Lord- Why are we not doing this today, except when we are in trouble- Pastor cymbala has started Brooklyn Tabernacle after God lead him into ministry. He built his church on calling on the Name of the Lord.

Ministering Angels Through UBM (7) (Audio) David Eells - 9/4/22 Praise Brings Testimonies   The Bride Received Her Gifts on the 8th Day Prayer and Worship Meeting!  Marie Kelton - 8/19/22  ( Eve's notes in Green  | David's notes in red)   (Again, Marie is representing the corporate Bride Body in UBM.)  During the Friday 8th day anointing meeting the Lord gave me an open vision of me being in heaven, wearing all white, with a white head covering on. (Representing my spirit man) I saw Him opening a black bag.  (Representing the "hidden treasures of darkness” in    Isa. 45:3  and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that it is I, Jehovah, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.)     He began  handing me white boxes of all different sizes, which I knew were gifts. He handed me so many that I had to look behind them to see the Lord. I knew it was an endless bag. Then the vision ended.  (Eve said, " Jeruel said to me that all our gifts for now and future purposes were bestowed upon us for future ministrations and service for God's Kingdom and His people at the 8th day Praise and Worship meeting. Some gifts are immediately available to those who have the maturity to un-package them now, but most of these gifts require more preparation of heart, mind and priorities before they can be opened and used.” Eve said, "Of course, we are already operating in the meantime gifts that we've received, but much greater manifestations of these gifts are coming to operate in the Holy Spirit and serve God's people.”)   Here is a review of what he said to us below:   David asked, “What will Friday's anointings involve?”  Jeruel said, “Spiritual restorations and healings, as well as physical healings with faith, and anointings of gifts for the Body and greater  Body ministry .” Then he added, "Faith is imperative. Ask your Father for more faith. He will give it to you, as much as you are willing to receive. Many are comfortable where they are at and fearful to receive more faith and power from God because it will make them more responsible to be moved out of their comfort zones and into more maturity and the unknown of total abandonment to the will of God and His ways. These fears are strongholds in many lives and keep the saints from progressing in the purposes of God .   Those who are empty will go away full and those who are full will go away empty or with little. Those who empty their vessels of fear, doubt, unbelief, and double mindedness and come truly hungry and thirsty for the gifts of God to serve others and His Kingdom will be filled with anointing to the fullest. Perfect love for their Father and our Great God casts out fear, and with fear goes doubt, unbelief and double mindedness. Those who hang on to self-will, pride, and giving up control over their own lives, who insist on continuing to be their own masters will not receive or will receive little according to the conditions of their own hearts which the Great God and King knoweth; for He searches the hearts of men looking for empty vessels to fill for His purposes and His Glory. This requires an obedient servant's heart; a willing vessel crying out, “Here am I. Send me. Not my own will but Yours! These can be trusted with so great gifts  and anointing's.”    Continue to praise the Lord, Saints, for deliverance, defense, and the manifestation of His gifts, in order to bind the enemies and their demonic leadership according to Psa 149.5-9 Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah.      Lay Down Your Pride and Receive His Gifts   A sister in the Lord contacted me and asked the following questions of the Lord: Why are my dreams being hindered? For what purpose did God call me? What is my ministry? What gifts have you purposed for my life? Why has God been silent?  (This speaks to many who feel rejection and condemnation which is not from God.   I asked the Lord to give me a vision and speak to me concerning her questions and this is a portion of what I was shown:   "I saw a 3rd angel behind the other two called, “Protarius” (There is no earthly meaning for this name that I could find.) He was smaller than the other two and very humble in demeanor. He had a simple, plain, sleeveless tunic and he was barefooted. He had a peaceful, soft face and a slight smile. He also had short brown hair with a simple leather headband. He appeared on the scene reluctantly and stood quietly with his head slightly bowed; never raising his eyes in humble servitude. He was holding a very large woven basket in front of him with both hands that was absolutely filled with different fruits, of which, I only recognized red grapes. The others were foreign looking. There were also many small “jewelry sized” gift boxes; perfectly wrapped in golden paper with maroon satin ribbons and bows. He was patiently waiting to present these to this sister when she was able and willing to receive them.”  (Many times people are looking at their natural face in the mirror and consider that they are not worthy or that God is offended with them for past sins and does not want to give them their desires. They are separated from justification by seeing their natural face instead of the face of Jesus by faith.)   Then the Lord spoke to me concerning all her previous questions and said, "I have no other message for this sister other than what I have already spoken to her in the message I gave you to give to her almost 3 years ago. She must receive it and believe, no matter what she feels personally or what the lies of the enemy of her soul are telling her. These lies are the idols that she holds in higher esteem than my love for her. She must repent for rejecting me and all my loving advances towards her and receive the gifts of the Bride. Otherwise all of her other questions and concerns are irrelevant."   Word From The Lord for This Sister; His Bride Eve Brast - 10/28/19  (David's notes in red)   (The following love letter is to all, both men and women, who aspire to be the Bride of Christ.)   "My beautiful daughter. You are continually fighting with your "old man”. You must cease your striving and struggling and your self-efforts.   You need only to lift up your eyes, quit looking at the earth, and look into the mirror and see that My power lives in you. I Am the only power source that you need. I Am the only power source that works. I live and move and have My being IN YOU.    All you need do is rest in My love and trust My hand. I Am faithful to lead you into all truth and righteousness for My own Name's sake. I will perfect all concerning you. You are never alone! I will carry you, My lamb, if only you will let Me.    You must give up the pride and independence of the ”old nature ” that you have relied upon, so heavily, all your life and yield yourself completely, in vulnerability, into My loving arms. You must trust Me with your heart.    Do you believe that you are My beautiful bride? You must believe; for I love you dearly! Don't let self-doubt and unbelief separate us. I long for uninterrupted communion with you but these spirits are the biggest hindrance to our relationship.   You must not listen to the condemnation and the lies of the enemy who wants to crush your faith and your belief and steal you away from me, for he is a thief and a liar!   I love the beautiful desires of your heart and your longing for closeness with me. I placed those desires within your heart when I sealed you and sanctified you unto myself. You are mine and I will fight for you!    You sit at my table continually with eagerness to be filled with my words and with my righteousness and you will be filled!   This is what I see, ”It is finished” my love, my undefiled one. Believe it! Hold on to your faith, and that which you have, for I Am faithful. I will enlarge your portion for you have made Me the Ruler of your house!"    I asked Father for a word for this sister, representing many in the Bride, and this is the word He gave me by faith at random and my finger was on “Full of splendor" in Psa. 111:3 (in context 1-10),  Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. 3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, (That ' s YOU!)  and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.    5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. 6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; 8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!     Give for Alms Those Things Which are Within Amber Arney - 8/8/22  (David's notes in red)   This vision below was given on 8/8/22 before the command of the Lord was given to contribute our excess wealth to UBM for the needs of the saints.   I had been seeing a vision of a stack of art books (I am an art major). The only book that I recognized was an art history book on top of various other art books.    As I saw these books, I heard in the Spirit something like, “Sell your unneeded possessions and give to the needy.” From Luke 12:33-34 Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.   I was confused at first because I don't have that particular art history book any more and the ones that I do have aren't worth very much, so I wondered how I could sell them. I had puzzled over this for weeks. Until I realized that the Lord had a deeper message for me.    I studied the above passage as well as similar ones in Luke 16:9, And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. Luke 18:22, And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. Luke 11:41, But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.    Mat. 19:21, Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. Acts 2:45, and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need. Luke 6:38, give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.   After some study, I felt the Lord was saying to think of my work for UBM as alms to the poor. (I composite the books for the ministry.)  (Amber does this at no charge to the ministry.)  This was a great encouragement and it has really helped me be more diligent and enjoy my work.   Today I was studying this again and it seems like the Lord wanted to say more. I asked him, “How do you give, as alms, the things that are within? From the scripture in  Luke 11:41,  But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.”   (One thing we can give to God from within is our appreciation in Praise and thanksgiving for giving to us all that Jesus is in the reconciliation. This is solving many problem and bringing testimonies like we share here.)   I heard in the Spirit “Is this the fast that I have chosen?” From Isa 58:6-10  Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?    8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of Jehovah shall be thy rearward. 9 Then shalt thou call, and Jehovah will answer; thou shalt cry, and he will say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; 10 and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday;   I still had many questions. Then I heard, “Will you walk with me down a lonely street?” This is a line from the song Unity by King and Country. To me this song is about walking with our brothers in all kinds of need, physical, emotional and spiritual.   But if I need a ride in your backseat Will you be there for me? See me on the path on your way home Might need a mattress to sleep on But if I'm going to dawn would it be wrong? Will you be there for me? Will you walk with me down a lonely street? Talk to me, tell me what you see? Stand by me, so the world will see You and me, in unity?   Since we've received the command from God, via the angels, to sell what we have and support UBM, this message makes more sense. I still have questions, but I believe the Lord is asking me to go deeper — don't just give my money, but give myself, my talents, and my time to Him. Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.     Claire's Accounting of Angels in Her Life Claire Pienaar - 8/18/22     Dear Eve, Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with angels on the broadcast. It blessed me so much. I had similar experiences from the age of 4. I have always wondered if other “real, regular” people have seen these things. I had some “imaginary friends” too, as my mom called them. My step-mom thought I was mental and took me to psychiatrists or child psychologists, but nothing ever came from it. I am so blessed by your testimonies of these ministering spirits.    I've put this together, to help build the body with faith and expectation. However, I could write a small book on what I've seen. This is what I can contribute. You're welcome to share it with our fellow brothers and sisters. I don't share to puff myself up; in fact it is remarkably humbling to share somewhat intimate details of my life but I'm happy to share; I have no shame and only glory in Christ's good work in me.    I first saw into the spiritual realm when I was about 6 years old.    My mom and step-dad were troubled folks, and my mom was tormented by demons who masked themselves as "angels of light." She would swear at them and chase them away. I would just pray to Jesus or God and tell them to go. (My understanding of the Father and Son relationship was limited)  Particularly, there was a demon who looked like a pretty little corpse-bride that roamed our garden freely. She or it was always hanging around. There were a few other things that would happen in our home and I learned to not be fearful and I would sing “Jesus loves me this I know” or “Jesus loves the little children” in times of torment or anger or fighting.   These included supernatural things like beings who looked like light swirling around my head at night, or beings of light who would manifest their “light” in a dark room before the room light was switched on. This made me very scared of the dark as a child.    In later years, I had to cast out this demon (depression) from myself, which is an awesome testimony on its own. That demon is gone and destroyed by the power of the Word and my faith in Jesus. I've not dealt with a day of depression since then! Praise God!    I also used to receive dreams as a child, mostly as warnings for my parents, but they did not have ears to hear or eyes to see. By teen-hood these things left me, and I was in rebellion until I was 23yrs old. Then I found Jesus as my personal Savior and started living as correctly as I could without much training, discipleship or role-modeling. It was a tough road with many mistakes. I moved out on my own and Riaan and I were married when we were 25 years old.    We were baptised together in May 2010, about 18months after getting married, after reading David Eells' Sovereign God book and plugging into a small home church. We received the Holy Spirit shortly thereafter. I saw demons again, from that point, I started receiving dreams again too.   The first demon that I saw after being saved was self-loathing. I was very insecure as a young woman. I cast it out one day after realizing I had no need to feel this way anymore if I was redeemed. What left me looked like a knee-high gremlin, scaly and stupid. Since then, I have seen every demon that's been cast of me manifest and depart. I've also seen the demons leave from other people the Lord has used Riaan and I to help in deliverance.  Most of these demons have been taken away by what I later learned was my angel, and one was taken away by Jesus himself.    Because of my childhood, I didn't just want to see the dark side so I asked The Lord, over time, when my faith and courage grew, if I could rather see angels and the light side more often. Now, I still see demons and manifestations of demons, especially when Riaan and I help someone through deliverance or healing. It builds their faith tremendously to “know” even if they can't see. I will say this too: sometimes I don't see the demons leave. Often I have to accept that they have a right to be there and I share this with my friends in Christ as the Lord leads.    The Lord revealed my personal angel's name is Shalondal after I asked Him to do so. Shalondal is a big, beautiful angel with gold armor on and he sometimes has a red tunic underneath the armor, and sometimes he is wearing a white tunic. These are both long, to the ground. The first time I saw him, he carried a demon up and away out of me. He fights very hard for me and never loses. Fire is trailing behind Shalondal when he is ready to do battle. It appears when he lifts his sword.     He comes with me in our vehicle, and he has flicked oncoming debris off the windshield with his sword, and he's steadied the speedometer when I am singing loud praise songs with my children on our journeys. When he's simply next to me, there is no fire, but a warm glow. I once forgot to command the angels to travel with us and keep us safe, and send them ahead of us too to clear the way. That day I received a fine for speeding. It's better to employ the angels,  since they minister to us things like obedience.    I have twice been attacked by a spirit of death, which the Lord later revealed was slander from family. I remember seeing Shalondal on my left as I was struggling against pain and fear of death. He said calmly, “fight”. And I stood up and started singing and walking despite severe pain. My eyesight went grey and I remember I said, “Even if I die, I'll die singing praises to the King! Now go from me”. I can't remember exactly what happened then, but Shalondal did some damage there and I was well enough to host a dinner the next day for a woman who needed deliverance from suicide and more. I was infused with a supernatural energy that I've only ever felt after giving birth.    This brings me to one of the most heartbreaking stories of angelic encounters. I had a friend in Hobart who was pregnant. She spoke like Riaan and I and the folks from UBM did about faith and Jesus and she texted me 3 days before her due date to say that the baby had stopped moving, and they were on their way to the hospital. She requested prayer, and I got on my knees with my shawl covering and started praying really intense and directed prayers. I sent the angels and I received this vision: Two angels were sent to her, one on either side of her. And I was commanding that baby to live in Jesus' name, and the angels had their hands on her and looked poised to minister to her.    Then they stopped and looked at me and shook their heads. I said, “That baby will live and not die” and they shook their heads. When I gently asked her about it a while after the stillbirth, she said, “I decided to not have faith for what you prayed for because I didn't want to be disappointed”. These folks have since moved away from where we live, and have had two more children naturally, by the Lord's grace. It was her lack of faith in that moment that hindered the resurrection and live delivery of the baby. It's a sad thing for me still. But her husband received a vision of the baby on a little boat, crossing a river, which was confirmed by their oldest daughter who had a dream similar to her dad's vision. There is much grace with Our Father.    Then we have the angel, Timmetus, at our front door. He is a shorter angel with huge wings and helps me with technology and finding lost toys and general “sanity saving stuff” in the home. I often forget about him, which is embarrassing to say. But he has helped me find things quicker than any human mind or body can move at times. He is very stoic and not too engaging, but that might be because I am not too engaging with him either. Once I needed to set up a new printing program and I know very little about these things. I just said, “Timmetus, I have the mind of Christ and I command knowledge into my self right now to fix this”. In a flash I  was coding! Coding! I was laughing as I was doing it, praising God for this awesome ability that was ministered to me in that moment.   My son has been a concern for a while and really has a penchant for the extreme. He has a knack of wanting to be “faster, better, stronger” at most things but the competence and capabilities are not always there. The Lord spoke to me and said I can command my son's angel because I'll need to. I asked the Lord to give me his name then, so I can build up a rapport with him. Daniel's angel is Alphalon, and he is kept very busy.    I've seen him wipe his brow once and shake his head in what I assume is disbelief, because I think he's saved Daniel often from peril or worse. I have received dreams where the Lord warns me of broken arms, or swing accidents, or leech bites, and then I remember to command Alphalon to protect my son. I do this by quoting scriptures about children, and reminding the Lord about household salvation and Psalm 91. Daniel sometimes laughs at me when I tell him how hard his angel works. He has once said, “You sound crazy.” and that's ok.    He has had enough happen to him in his short life that he can store it up in his heart for when he needs to step out and fight the darkness as a man of God one day. Just yesterday I took Daniel out for a run and, as we ran, he complained that his shoulder was sore. I said, “Come, let me pray” and I prayed for him. As I did this, Alphalon poured a little anointing oil through me that went to Daniel's shoulder. It grew warm and he said, “it's healed now”. Then we sang a quick praise verse and he grew quiet while I continued to pray in tongues.    Sometimes when we're praising or warring, I see about 10 to 20 angels either on the roof of the house, or around the perimeter, and they are ready to attack. These all wear white robes and have long glinting swords. We don't even have to be at home to see them - they are sometimes waiting for us to return from our journey as we praise in the car on the way home. I have seen this same small battalion of angels at times, all around the perimeter of our home, fending off dark spirits that have come in hoardes. Not one dark demon made it through the perimeter.     Supernatural Methods and Downloads Assisted by the Angels David Eells - 8/11/22   (In the days to come the saints will receive many instructions and downloads from the angels for each individual situation that they are faced with.)   I had said a prayer that "our computers and stolen materials on the website would be restored.”  Baruch said, “The coming method for getting the Gospel out will be far superior to the computers you use now. It will transcend natural methods. The angels will be much more involved; both multiplying the natural materials, and also supernatural methods will be given the saints. Access and assistance (in the spirit realm) will be provided by the angels.  (Eve said,  "I had a vision while he was speaking of many translations from place to place of the saints, happening everywhere, guided by angels, and supernatural gifts being bestowed upon the saints to bless and save, heal and deliver God's elect. I also understood that languages would no longer be a barrier." )   I had also asked, “What can you tell us about the supernatural methods to get the gospel out and heal, deliver and save?”  Baruch said, "The methods of man will not be employed to reach the peoples of the earth, in the days that are coming. The methods are all of the spirit realm and will be administered by the angels who are going to distribute the gifts to the saints."   (Meaning, the sanctified ones)   These include gifts of translation from place to place, languages, healings, laying on of hands to impart to others their needs and what they're lacking and to replicate the gifts by passing them on to others whom the angels will point out. Supernatural downloads of wisdom and knowledge will be received for specific situations.”    David asked, “What about deliverances?”  Baruch said, “The enemy will be on the run during this time. Deliverances will be instantaneous with no resistance on their part.   (Many deliverances are this way now if there is cooperation on the part of the victim in repentance and faith.)   They will no longer be able to hide in flesh because of the light of revival and the fire of truth that will sweep the elect of the globe.”  (Eve said,  "I understood that he meant that the demons will be fleeing left and right out of people as the true fire of the Holy Spirit fills each one and searches the depths of each individual. There won't be any place left for them to hide in the elect of God.” )   David asked, “Will there be mass healings and deliverances? Baruch said,  “Yes. These will all take place on the largest scale in human history.”  (Eve said,  "I understood that he meant that masses of people will supernaturally be delivered and healed all at once for times sake because the need is so great and the darkness so pervasive.” )   David asked, “Can we believe God, even now, for the books to be multiplied and placed supernaturally in the possession of the people who need them?”  Baruch said, "Yes. We have done this before on a limited basis, but we will go forth with your commands to multiply and provide the materials even now.”   (We have commanded this before.)  (Eve said,  "I understood that this is very important to Jesus. It is His will that all who are hungry for Him and truth will be filled. We must command this with unwavering faith and it will be done." )       Mechanic Angels Instruction for Tractor Radiator Repair Chris Garber - 8/21/22    Blessings to you all. Just had to share this and give praise to God. As a confirming witness to the testimony that brother David shared 8/17/22, I also had mechanic angels “fix" my tractor.     Back in the spring I was cleaning up some brush around the property here. At some point, a tree limb went through the radiator, but in a place that was difficult to see. I've been noticing for months that the engine was running hotter and I had to keep adding antifreeze. I didn't give it much thought, because of life's distractions.   Last weekend on 8/13 and 8/14 I had some time. I removed the body panels, shrouds and grill and found  an area of damage in the fins of the radiator covering the size of a golf ball.  I was perplexed and concerned that I would not be able to get the chores done that I needed done. We had right much rain here last weekend, so I threw a tarp over it and let it sit. I investigated radiator repair shops. Apparently, most all radiator repair shops have closed now, and replacement is the only worldly option. I did find a replacement, but the cost is $1,200.     My wife and I prayed, and I contacted another believing brother, and we all agreed that God would fix my radiator. Saturday night I had a dream of 2 mechanic angels fixing the radiator. I watched how they did it. Next day, I looked online to see if the repair had ever been done, and I found several videos of people repairing radiators with putty, but replacement is still recommended.   I'm not testing God, but I don't have $1,200 and I need the tractor. I drove to the hardware and picked up a tube of epoxy for $10. The weather was bad here and I had to wait 3 days to even consider messing with it. The third day, I carefully applied the putty to the hole. I applied it just as I saw the mechanic angels apply in the dream; prayed again and left it to sit for 24 hours.   Praise the Lord!  The hole is completely repaired, no leaks! I used the tractor all day Saturday in warm temperatures, under a big load. Absolutely perfectly repaired by the angels!  When I heard the testimony of brother David on 8/17/22, I thought, "I have seen the same mechanic angels here!!!!”      Riaan and Claire's 8 Day Fast Testimonies: Receiving the Gifts The Pienaars - 8/23/22   (David's notes in red)   Last Friday the Lord put it on my heart to replace one meal a day with either soup or a smoothie for a week, before I even knew that the local UBM fellowship would be fasting. Riaan and I had a MAJOR spiritual clean up last weekend ahead of my parents' arrival. It was wonderful and there was such deliverance for him and me. The Lord proved himself to be a perfect saviour once again. The maturity and depth of this deliverance was of a sort or level we have not previously experienced and it was very humbling.    We've incorporated praise into our days with our children each day of the past 8 days, much to my Babylonish parents' confusion. Yesterday we enjoyed fellowship with our friends the Swanepoels and their parents (Ed and Andrea have their folks from SA out too).    While we were worshipping, I saw a blue flame being poured out onto Riaan's head, as well as a white liquid going into his right ear. I asked what the white liquid was, and the Angel (not sure who it was, as it was not Shalondal or Timmetus) said “truth serum”.    I closed my eyes and really worshipped the Lord with my whole heart and I found myself in the throne room, at the feet of Jesus. Everything was glowing, and I had a full white garment on. Jesus put out His hand and presented me with a Red Rose. I started crying a little and He smiled at me.    We went on with worship, and Riaan shared a good message and we prayed for the folks there (3 of the 4 old parents who were there are not even baptized and have many strongholds, etc). Then later in the evening in our room, Riaan and I got on our knees and started worshipping, praying and praising to our King. I asked Shalondal to minister whatever he has for us, and then I heard a voice say, “You already saw it. You already received it”. It was back in the throne room, with the rose.    I told Riaan and he said, “I know this is just the start”. I said, “I want more, not for my glory, but for His”. And he said, “me too”.    We are not glory-chasers but we DID receive these things. We are standing in faith for more to be revealed, received and manifested in the coming weeks during and after my parents' visit.  Riaan immediately mentioned Song of Solomon when I told him about the rose.  (In Song of Solomon the Bridegroom, Jesus, is the rose of Sharon. Son 2:1 I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys. )   I remembered that each office holds a corresponding “sense”, as David has taught. We will both spend more time in unpacking the meaning of these gifts and we will be in communication with you.       The Snakes Have Been Destroyed Geneva (Isaac Payne's sister) - 8/20/22 (David's notes in red)   Last night when David said to tell the Lord what you want, I prayed for visions among many other things. Well, this morning I woke up and was singing praise to the Lord in my head, not even noticing that I was doing that.    The next thing I knew I had a vision, It was of a huge white and orange fire and all kinds of black snakes were being thrown into the fire one after another!  (Representing conquering our factious enemies.)  And then that was it. I immediately knew in my heart that the Lord had given me a vision, praise the Lord!    I believe it's like what was said yesterday that the enemy is being conquered, praise the Lord, because of all our prayers, worship and fasting unto the Lord.  (Psalm 149)  I am so thankful that God gave me this for all of us! And I wanted to be obedient and share with everyone! Thank you Father for your faithfulness. We love you Jesus. You are everything God, we love you.  (Glory be to God for more confirmations that the enemy is conquered.)      The Bride Body Delivered From Her Enemies Marie Kelton - 8/19/22 (David's notes in red)   (Marie is representing the Bride Body of UBM.)  I had another open vision during the 8th day anointing service. It was like I was experiencing it, and observing it at the same time. I saw myself in heaven kneeling down weeping in all white, while praying in tongues with a long veil over my head. I saw the Lord walk up to me and place his hand on my head.    I knew He was praying for me. I then saw a demon fly out of my head. At the same time, I saw a white lady in the same spot I was in, wearing the same veil and doing the same thing I was doing. Jesus walked up to her and did the same thing He had done to me and a demon flew out of her head like it did mine.   (We all started having vehicle problems. Brandy's truck had no power and would not go up our steep driveway. Also, Michael's truck kept missing around the same time. We needed to go somewhere but it didn't act like we would make it. They both had appointments the same day at the local mechanic shop.    I felt this was witchcraft sent by the faction, so I told Brandy this was not a coincidence and we should pray for his truck. We prayed and it was healed and ran perfectly. Then I went to Michael and told him that this was not a coincidence, but witchcraft, so we rebuked it off of his truck and it was healed too and ran perfectly. This all began a series of vehicle healings.)     The Mechanic Angels Fixed My Car and Healed my Spiritual Vehicle too! Eve Brast - 8/17/22    During our 8 day fast, as I was walking out to my car to drive for an hour down to Chattanooga, I thought of my car and how the Lord had provided it for me free of charge. It had been making funny sounds in the engine and wasn't running very smoothly. It had been burning quite a bit of oil and the “check engine light" had been on since last December.   I then thought of David's testimony of him laying hands on his tractor and commanding the “mechanic angels” who wore faded blue-jean overalls over their white robes and held a tool in each hand waiting by his tractor to fix it. So I laid hands on the hood of my car and said a simple command for the “mechanic angels” to come and fix my car too.   Then I got in my car, put on some powerful praise and worship music, and drove off down the road. I had been on the road for about 20 minutes when I finally looked down at the instrument panel and saw that the check engine light was off! I knew immediately that this was a sign that the Lord heard my prayers and had sent His angels to carry out my command for a car repair! I was so happy and I just began praising and thanking God for answering my prayer so quickly!   During this 8 day fast, I've also been receiving healings and strengthening in my body also as I've obeyed the command of the Father to live meagerly towards the flesh and avoid man made devices and distractions as much as possible. I have more energy and my mind is sharper and clearer. I have also been delivered from a spirit of introversion that came upon me as a result of bullying and severe persecution from my middle school peers, that has stifled me socially since I was 12 years old. I've continued to enjoy great freedom in worship and fellowship since the 8 day fast. Thank you Father for all your gifts and anointings for us!     Persistence in Faith Heals Another Car Don Laughlin - 9/1/22   When I first got the car out of the shop it was running great. No problems. But by the time of the 8th day anointing celebration meeting it was getting as bad as when I took it to the shop. David had his hands on the hood praying for it as I turned and started down the driveway.    I was just living with the way the car was acting until last Friday night when we had a hard time getting off the mountain after the meeting. The engine would stop without gunning it, a combination which made it very easy to hit another car. It had hands laid on it a number of times including us but did not help.   Then at the end of the Zoom meeting the next morning on Saturday, I asked for prayer. Later in the afternoon we went the three miles downtown and back without any trouble at all. It was acting as good as a new car. Since then, it has died twice when starting it. We commanded it to start each of those times and it did without any further trouble.   Today we traveled to Maryville and when I was in a store knowing I would only be in there for about five minutes, I left the car running. Merlene said it ran smooth the whole time. And by the time we arrived home it was perfect with no trouble. Thank you Lord!     Persistence in Faith Heals Another Car Tiombe Banks - 8/15/22    I had gotten off of work on Sunday, August 14th and went to Walmart to buy some things. When I got in my car it wouldn't start.    Initially, I didn't get bothered because this had happened before, so I went to start it again and still nothing. After about the fifth attempt, I knew it just wasn't going to start and I started crying out to the Lord as I continued to sit there in the car.    I wanted to know what He was trying to show me in this circumstance. (I got a Word at random but I don't remember what is was, all I remember is that it was a verse about faith.) So I knew He wanted me to believe that the car would be healed but I wasn't seeing it manifest right away.    I just continued to sit in the car while I waited on Angelica to come and get me. She picked me up and prayed and believed with me and dropped me off at home. The next day I had to work and she offered to take me to work but we both felt to go to the car both believing it would start.    We laid hands on the car and command it to start and nothing happened. So she dropped me off at work and, throughout my work day, I battled with double mindedness. I knew the Lord could heal my car. You see, the Lord gave me that car; my very first car and it has been a blessing and it will continue to be to me. So the battle was, “If my car is healed why aren't I able to drive it?   That evening we had our fellowship meeting and I asked for prayer and the whole body prayed and sent forth the angels to heal all of our cars. I was so encouraged and lifted up that I just knew, once the meeting was over, my car would start. Leon took me to my car and laid hands on it and when I got in to start it there was nothing. We praised and thanked the Lord for His goodness and His healing power over all the things He's given us and I tried it again and again.    So Leon took me home and but I did get discouraged after being so encouraged after the meeting. I went to sleep and hoped that in the morning His mercies would be new. The next morning I just couldn't believe anything other than my car was healed because I had no other choice or option and I called Brandy to see if it was something minor, like a disconnected line or something. He met me at the car and Leon suggested to get in the car and try starting it again but it didn't start. David and Michael heard about the car and went to the car, which was locked up, so they just laid hands on the hood and commanded it to be healed and left. David told us to go start the car.   Brandy got in the car and it started right up and was completely healed and it has been healed and working fine ever since. Praise the Lord for working out His patience in me to know I have the victory whether it's manifested or not, and always speaking the good confession!     Healed Vehicle Testimony Debbie Fenske - 8/30/22   I would like to share my testimony about Father miraculously healing a problem with my car.   I had to be away during the time of the sacrificial fast, and the 8th day Praise, Worship, and Anointing celebration. I was participating in the fast, and though I was not able to join in on the Praise, Worship, and Anointing celebration, I was in much prayer during that time.    While on the following morning Zoom prayer meeting, I heard there had been an anointing of healings for vehicles. Well, my car had been having a problem running very rough for a while and getting worse over time. I had my car looked at a couple months back, and the report was that they did not know what the problem was. My car was prayed over, and I was believing for God to heal it. But since it hadn't happened yet, I was not able to use my car to go to Pensacola Florida. I was so blessed to be able to borrow a sister's car.    When I came back home to Tennessee that Sunday evening after that 8th day celebration, I was able to drive my car where I need to go on Monday. But, on Tuesday, as I was heading out to the store. I got to the incline at the end of our road that goes up onto the highway and my car just stopped. It wouldn't make it up the hill. I mean, not even a little bit. So, I backed up quite a ways for a nice flat running start, but the transmission wouldn't go into Drive. I tried a third time, and still my car refused to go forward. So, I had to drive my car back to my house in reverse.    On the next Zoom morning prayer meeting, the brothers and sisters agreed with me in prayer for my car to receive that healing anointing. All that day I felt really tired and stayed home. I was believing for my car, and I had an excitement in my spirit that this healing was going to happen. I just kept praising God for it all day. Finally, I knew it was time to go out and take off in my car. Before I left the house, I remember telling The Lord, "Father, I thank you for healing my car. I receive it because it needs this miracle, and because I want this miracle!”    I wanted to run to my car! But I walked saying, "Thank you Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!" I opened the car door, and before sitting down, I placed my hand on the dash and commanded it to be fixed and go forward, in the name of Jesus! I can't describe the feeling I had of knowing that it was going to work in Drive before I even sat down all the way in the seat and turned on the ignition.    Well, I started it, put it in Drive, and it took off out of my driveway and down to the end of the lane to the sister's house who had let me use her car to go to Florida. I was so full of joy telling them what Father had done for my car. Then I drove off in my car again and up that incline with absolutely no problem.   I took it onto the highway and It has been a healed car ever since, except for still running a little rough. But not like before; definitely much better! I'm believing for complete healing on my vehicle. I thank you Father, already, for the miraculous anointed healing of my car, in every way.  Amen!     Jeep Healed 2000 Years Ago Petra van der Merwe - 8/30/22   Dear Brethren and Sisters in Christ, we serve a loving God, as we know and experience daily. This testimony of Father's provision is to bring glory to His name. The testimony is also a testimony to the power of praise. Thank you Lord, for teaching us and then giving us a practical test. My trial is a long one. It is not over yet, but I know this is the final chapter.   I have a small introduction before I get to the story of my car. 2 years ago in September, Father miraculously provided me with a surgery center to work in after the contract I had with another dentist did not work out. I was financially on my knees; Covid being part of the financial trouble. The miracle of this job was the fact that I was only paid for the days I worked, so I could leave whenever the Lord called me. So there was no contract keeping me there. It was no surprise that the address of the surgery center was, #12 Wilderness Road. This was the perfect road to my Wilderness living when called. God's governance over my life was perfect and I took it that I was not going to be in the city much longer.    On the 17th of June I took my first trip of many; transporting my belongings to Prince Albert, South Africa. The area is arid; a semi rock desert, and the towns spread out far from each other. As I entered a gorge leading to the plateau where the desert starts called  “The Karoo”, the traffic came to a standstill. After 45 minutes I got concerned. Whatever was blocking the road may take through the night to clear it, so I made a U-turn and took another, longer route. 90 minutes later the car overheated and the engine seized up. It was just outside a small town. Had I continued the first route, I would have been between two small towns, most likely none having a towing service and I would have had to spend the night next to the road. Thank you, Father God.    To keep it short, the Lord kept me and provided a retired engineer who had turned mechanic because there was none in this tiny town. I paid only half the price for replacing two heads and the shimming of the block. The only problem was that ever since I picked it up, the engine warning light came on a few minutes after I switched the car on and sometimes the warning lights for the traction control also lighted up. And what's worse is, sometimes the car goes into limp mode if the traction control light stays on. Limp mode is a safety measure to keep you going till you reach safety.    In limp mode the vehicle has no power and you cannot accelerate. If you switch the engine off and on again, limp mode is cancelled. I prayed for the car and continued on with daily life; waiting for the miracle to happen, but it did not. This went on for 7 weeks. The 10,000 km service came due, so I took it in, asking them to check the sensors for the traction control.    When I picked up my car, the mechanic was convinced he fixed it by cancelling all the error messages. He took it for a test drive, and all was good. But the trial was not over. The warning lights switched on almost immediately after driving away, and this was 5 days before I had to move. I ignored the lights and kept believing God will heal it.    Monday morning was my day of finally leaving for Prince Albert. Sunday evening, I opened the Sunday podcast. When I heard it was an old teaching, I thought, "I will do this later." But following the prompting of the Holy Spirit inside me, I listened to the podcast “Wilderness Living”. It blessed me tremendously and I went to bed.   Monday morning, when I reversed out of the garage, I heard a noise at the front left wheel and immediately felt it going into limp mode, but this was even more of a limp mode. I crawled down the small alley in front of the house and parked in another side street.    I could not drive 250 miles to Prince Albert at this pace. I called the service center asking the mechanic to call me. As I sat there, not knowing what to do, the "Wilderness Living" teaching popped up in my mind. David gave many testimonies of broken vehicles he had prayed for and then drove them by faith, not wanting to spend time on fixing them. I decided, I am driving to Prince Albert.    Secondly, what came to my mind was that I did not praise the Lord for my healed car. I just asked and waited. So, I prayed, repenting for not praising Him nor believing it was done. I started praising Him for my car that was healed 2000 years ago. I knew, that was why I had the trial. I failed in my praise. Confidently, I switched the car on, drove into the road, and to my dismay, the lights switched on again.    I began rebuking the car in a harsh voice saying: “I do not accept this. You are healed!” The words just popped into my mouth. At that moment, all the warning lights went out and the car recovered its power and I drove 250 miles pushing it to all its limits; going through potholes and daring the warning lights to switch on, but nothing happened. It was healed! Looking at my dashboard and seeing no warning lights after 7 weeks, when before all the lights were on all the time, was a sight to behold.    I do believe it is healed but I had one more trial. After loading the car, I drove down the street, and within 2 km the fan switched on. Looking down, I noticed the temperature was too high and the engine was overheating. The Lord kept me and my car for the 4 1/2 hour drive to Prince Albert. The long and short of it was that there was an external leakage in the water system. I filled the empty radiator and reservoir tank and God's hand kept the radiator for 4 hours, and then, 30 minutes after arriving in town, all the water leaked out.  (It is a miracle that the car held the water and lasted until she got where she was going.)   I am rebuking this as well; praising the Lord that my Jeep was delivered and is healed and that the mechanic will not find a crack in a pipe or the radiator. Let us continually praise the Lord for all he has done.      Michael's Vehicle Translation Michael Hare - 8/14/22  (David's notes in red)   During the 8 day fast, before leaving Arkansas to come back home to Tennessee, I prayed and asked the Lord to give me great gas mileage and the trip to be shortened.   I really didn't notice anything unusual other than the Semi-Truck traffic was significantly lower on I-40 from Arkansas to Tennessee. And traffic congestion, altogether, was significantly lower, even for a Sunday, all the way home.   When I got to within 30 miles of my halfway mark at exit 143 at Loretta Lynns restaurant exit, I noted it and kept driving. A couple of minutes later the sign for the exit appeared. “HUH?”, I thought. So I exited, gassed up and went on my way home.   When I pulled in our driveway and parked, I noticed the time. God had knocked about 45mins off my driving time. Hallelujah! I was elated that God did that for me! Praise the Lord for His Grace upon us! Hallelujah!  (This is true for I also have experienced this.)     Gift of Seeing in the Spirit Realm David Timoshchuk - 8/31/22   After last nights meeting I wanted to share some praise reports that happened since the fast. Sunday was our 8th day and I was lying there in bed with my wife and we were praying in the Spirit and and I started seeing a vision of a jug pouring out over us. Me and my wife both felt it at that same time.    I've been asking the Lord to anoint me with being able to see the spiritual realm and after we were done praying, God immediately started showing me things. First, I saw this giant trying to stand up, and as he was doing this, an angel put his foot down on the giant's back and the tip of his sword to the giants neck. I knew at that point that the giant is defeated.    For a while leading up to the fast, I noticed that God had removed all fear from me and I wasn't afraid of anything but God.   At first I thought nothing of it, but then I realized that before I was able to see the spiritual realm, I couldn't have fear in me.    Then later, around midnight, God put a name on my mind and I asked the Lord “Why this person?" and he showed me a very creepy, hypnotizing demon that was standing in their living room. I knew the demon had to be kicked out, so I woke my wife up and we both sent angels to bind and chain this demon up and take him out of the house. I saw how two angels carried the demon out of the house all chained up.    I was so blessed and happy that God did all that for me and opened my eyes to the spirit realm! I can go on and on with how I am blessed but there isn't enough time or paper or ink to write down how much God has blessed me.      Multiple Deliverances   Amber Arney - 8/30/22   Shortly after we began to worship the Lord on the 8th day anointing meeting, I began to feel the Lord's presence and I soon felt maybe three demons leave. I felt lighter after the meeting as well. I have had deliverances before, but none were so unexpectedly easy as this one.   On Sunday, I was laying in bed, talking to the Lord about some sadness that I felt. Throughout my life, I always felt average and untalented. From childhood on, I searched for that “something” to make me feel special. I had plenty of ideas — running, playing basketball like my Dad, being a writer or an artist, starting a business — but I was never the superstar when I tried them. The enemy told me I'd never be special and that I was stupid to think I'd ever be anything.    Laying there, I cried two deep, sorrowful sobs, then gagged as if about to vomit, and then stopped. A demon had left and the pain was gone, leaving me stunned, but peaceful. I spent the day feeling so happy and empty, like something awful had left. It was wonderful!   I was so tired after this that I felt sure I would fall asleep at once. As I lay there, drifting off, I became awake and heard God say, “Go talk to the angel of your chastening.” I was wondering if I had actually heard from the Lord but I got up anyways and went into my daughter's bedroom, as she was on a trip at this time and it was empty.   I have never seen an angel before, so I prayed and sought the Lord. I had a quick vision of a pleasant, youthful being and as I had expected an angel of chastening to look rather dour, I asked, “Why are you so chipper?” The angel said, “The time of your chastening is almost over.”   As I've been suffering from a strange rash with blisters, stomach pain and pressure, insomnia, and weird, painful bites on my stomach for over two months, that was good news! I continued to ask questions for over an hour, but did not hear anything else.   I doubted that I'd heard from the Lord and so asked for a verse at random and got Romans 3:4 (ESV) By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”   The next day, I asked the Lord why I couldn't see or hear the angel anymore and I heard, “You're not ready.”   My first thought was that I must fast for three days, but I cast lots and got mixed. Then I heard a line from the song Getting Started by Jeremy Camp, which says, “Fall in my arms and let me wash you clean.”   So I asked the Father, “How do I fall in your arms?” He asked me, “How do you give a hug to your mom?” I answered, “I just open my arms to her and then she hugs me.” After that, I heard Him say, “Do that with me.”   That night was our Monday night worship service and as a way to “fall into his arms,” I really tried to sing and feel love for the Father as I sung. At the end of the meeting, I felt great and and thought, “I'll surely sleep great tonight,” but I was tormented with all kinds of thoughts buzzing in my head.   I'd imagine that I was giving my testimony about how much suffering the Lord had delivered me from, then I would try to cast that thought down because I wanted to go to sleep! Over and over, different conversations would pop into my head all about how much suffering I'd been delivered from. It was getting annoying!   So now I was wide awake and it occurred to me that I needed to get up and sing songs of love to the Lord so He could wash me clean.   Getting up, I returned to my daughter's bedroom and proceeded to do just that, trying to not wake my husband, but pouring out as much love as I could.   I was singing and singing about God's goodness when all at once I realized that I had been giving God's glory to the suffering! I thought it was suffering that had taught me things and suffering that had made me strong. I had a hidden idol of suffering. I repented and asked the Lord to take it and the next day, I felt amazing. Although I have had many healings and deliverances, this idol had hindered me from accepting God's grace and mercy. I felt that I had to “suffer” before I could accept the Father's healing, so I'd never had an instant healing that I kept.    On Wednesday, I began to notice another voice that sounded a lot like my own, giving me “helpful” advice on things like laundry. At some point, I believe it pretended to be God. I asked the Father about this voice and heard “Masquerade.” The first thing to come up when I internet searched “masquerade Bible” was 2 Co 11:14-15 (ISV) And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 So it is not surprising if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their doom will match their deeds! My husband and I cast out a masquerading spirit and I have not heard the voice since.   The last thing is that after the fast, I realized my attitude towards food has changed. Like many women, I have had issues with food and the Lord has healed me from many of them, but this change was different. I don't know if I can really describe it. Food just doesn't seem so over-important as it used to. I don't think about sweets the same. Praise God, I'm free. He's answered one of my longtime prayers to “give me a right attitude” towards food.   (Father, we thank and praise you for these testimonies and we ask you to remind us to continue in this.)   Select Language Afrikaans Albanian Amharic Arabic Armenian Assamese Aymara Azerbaijani Bambara Basque Belarusian Bengali Bhojpuri Bosnian Bulgarian Catalan Cebuano Chichewa Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Corsican Croatian Czech Danish Dhivehi Dogri Dutch Esperanto Estonian Ewe Filipino Finnish French Frisian Galician Georgian German Greek Guarani Gujarati Haitian Creole Hausa Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Igbo Ilocano Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese Javanese Kannada Kazakh Khmer Kinyarwanda Konkani Korean Krio Kurdish (Kurmanji) Kurdish (Sorani) Kyrgyz Lao Latin Latvian Lingala Lithuanian Luganda Luxembourgish Macedonian Maithili Malagasy Malay Malayalam Maltese Maori Marathi Meiteilon (Manipuri) Mizo Mongolian Myanmar (Burmese) Nepali Norwegian Odia (Oriya) Oromo Pashto Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Quechua Romanian Russian Samoan Sanskrit Scots Gaelic Sepedi Serbian Sesotho Shona Sindhi Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Somali Spanish Sundanese Swahili Swedish Tajik Tamil Tatar Telugu Thai Tigrinya Tsonga Turkish Turkmen Twi Ukrainian Urdu Uyghur Uzbek Vietnamese Welsh Xhosa Yiddish Yoruba Zulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version

What happens after death? Arguably, this is a question that everyone has contemplated no matter their belief or religion. If you have ever wondered about the evidence for life after death then today's episode is for you. Today, Mary is joined by best-selling author and investigative journalist, Lee Strobel, as the two dive into Lee's book turned documentary, “The Case for Heaven.” Inspired by his own brush with death, Lee searched for answers to the most profound questions we all have about heaven, hell, and near-death experiences.  Today, Mary and Lee invite you to carefully investigate the knowable and respond with faith to the unknowable as the they tackle: Why we often let fear drive our behavior and decision-making and how to overcome this What it means to be absent from the body and present with the Lord Why our heavenly father is not just a magnified version of our earthly father How Lee used an investigative journalist approach to bring an analytic filter to the Christian faith    If you are ready to be challenged, encouraged, and inspired about the entirely credible, believable, and exhilarating life to come, then make sure to tune in to today's episode!    Grab a copy of “The Case for Heaven” here! https://www.amazon.com/Case-Heaven-Journalist-Investigates-Evidence/dp/0310259193   --------------- MORE FROM MARY: You can find show notes for this episode at marymarantz.com/blog  For more inspiration and tips on owning your muddy story:  Find Mary on Instagram @marymarantz  Find Mary on YouTube by searching for the Mary Marantz channel If you love this episode, we bet you would also love Mary's first book Dirt, all about growing up in a trailer in West Virginia, before going on to Yale for law school. It is a story of redemption and how we make peace with our past. You can find that at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target online or anywhere, books are sold. Don't forget to pre-order Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots while you're there, too!  Finally, if you are loving the show, will you take a minute to go rate it with five stars and leave a review? Wherever you listen to podcasts. This helps us get the show in front of so many more people and continues to help us book amazing guests for you here, like we have for you all season long here in the Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots Season. Thanks friends, we'll see you again soon.

Many times we look at issues from a broad perspective, but today we're going to discuss matters that impact us as individuals.- -Have you ever wondered, -Why me, Lord- Why am I going through this trial- Why am I having to endure this struggle- Are you there- Do you know what I'm going through- Are you listening- I go to church and do my devotions, this shouldn't happen to me.- Have you ever felt like that- Why do we suffer- Why do we go through difficult times-- -Dr. Les Ollila joined Crosstalk to shed light on suffering and what God is trying to accomplish. During the program, Dr. Ollila shares details about his own physical suffering and how he strived to put Biblical responses into action.- -For more information-- -bgleaders.org-906-396-2263-vcybible.org - free online Bible classes with Dr. Ollila

Many times we look at issues from a broad perspective, but today we're going to discuss matters that impact us as individuals.- -Have you ever wondered, -Why me, Lord- Why am I going through this trial- Why am I having to endure this struggle- Are you there- Do you know what I'm going through- Are you listening- I go to church and do my devotions, this shouldn't happen to me.- Have you ever felt like that- Why do we suffer- Why do we go through difficult times-- -Dr. Les Ollila joined Crosstalk to shed light on suffering and what God is trying to accomplish. During the program, Dr. Ollila shares details about his own physical suffering and how he strived to put Biblical responses into action.- -For more information-- -bgleaders.org-906-396-2263-vcybible.org - free online Bible classes with Dr. Ollila

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/493572620YouTube Link for video with in the message: https://youtu.be/bZFPtpZcs0QLuke 1:39-45 (Mary went to visit Elizabeth) 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! John, even as a baby…not a fetus…a baby…knew who to get excited about Rosie (rescued, separation anxiety from her rescuers and pure joy in being reunited) John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a]it. John 1:14 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. 1. The Creator of the World humbled Himself and became a man, just to live for us, die for us (by our own hands) and raise from the dead…all for our forgiveness and redemption. Best summed up by: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.There are over 400 prophesies about the Messiah in the Old Testament – Jesus fulfilled them all. The odds of Jesus fulfilling just 8 of those prophesies is 1 in 1 quintillion (18 zeroes) Lee Strobel figured out a visual for that: tiles 1 1/2” square, one with red on the bottom – covering the every bit of dry land on the earth - 1 person walking the earth for a lifetime can only pick up 1. Genesis 49:10 (about 1500 years before Christ) The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,[a] until he to whom it belongs[b]shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. Isaiah 7:14 (about 700 years before Jesus was born) The Messiah would be born of a virgin 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[c] a sign: The virgin[d] will conceive and give birth to a son, and[e] will call him Immanuel. Fulfilled: (Luke 1:26-33) 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary 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. 32He 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.” Jeremiah 23:5 (about 646 years before Jesus) “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David[a] a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.Back to Luke: Luke 2:1-7 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to their own town to register. Micah 5:2 (400 years before the birth of Christ) The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (In the beginning was the word) Luke 2 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 0. Jesus is born when Israel is under Roman Rule. 1. There is an invisible power behind and OVER the human rulers. They didn't know it at the time, but God used Caesar and Quirinius to fulfill what He had promised long before that. 2. If you're tempted to worry or celebrate over who is in charge of this great nation, your town or you HOA, DON'T. The same God is behind and over all OUR rulers too. 3. The birth of Christ…God became a Man. 4. Nothing about this particular scene says “GLORY”, but everything about this scene INSTRUCTS us about Glory. 5. In the Kingdom of God, HUMILITY always precedes GLORY - The first will be last, and the last will be first (Mark 10:31) - God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6) …also 1 Peter -Humble yourself before the Lord, and in good time, He will exalt you (James 4:10) + We see this modeled right from the beginning of Jesus' life + True greatness is not always visible greatnessOne of our favorite Christmas songs is “Christmas Snow” by Audrey Assad (on Chris Tomlin's Christmas) Could've come like a mighty storm With all the strength of a hurricane You could've come like a forest fire With the power of Heaven in Your flame (But) You came like a winter snow Quiet and soft and slow Falling from the sky in the night To the earth below 6. Truth is, most of us have glory-craving hearts, and the incarnation of the Son of God in an animals feeding trough should put our hearts in check. In fact, Jesus spent a lifetime showing us how to live like Him. Philippians 2:3-11 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Luke 2:8-20 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 1. The angels appeared to shepherds keeping watch over their flock. - Not glorious work / bad reputation / they were considered unreliable and despised. - God chose THEM to get the good new first…the first to hear of the great joy for all people - These despised individuals were the first to hear that God became a man… - These guys were the first to hear all of the titles of Jesus brought together – Savior, Messiah, Lord WHY? The Bible doesn't necessarily say why them…but It appears that God chose the humbled of society to reveal the humble beginnings of the life of His glorious Son. Jesus was consistent throughout His ministry in is love for the humble Jesus' very beginning didn't demonstrate the riches of His existence, but Jesus Himself was born into poverty. SIDE NOTE – What do you think that implies? 1. Poverty is not a sin. 2. Poverty is not God's disapproval 3. Poverty does not prevent a person from worshipping God 4. Poverty does not necessarily doom a person to poverty forever 5. Poverty does not excuse unrighteousness 6. Poverty is not shameful in and of itself 7. Poverty is a cross that God entrusts to some people for a time If some prosperity gospel preacher tries to tell you that poverty is a sin, of that it is God condemning you, and that you just have to give a certain amount of money to be released, they are lying to you.Some poverty is our own responsibility. Point to Jesus. 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 1. That does not mean…”huh?”. - An angel had visited her (and her fiancée), she became pregnant as a virgin and just gave birth to the Savior of the world in barn. A bunch of stinky shepherds came to visit her baby, the Good Shephard telling them of heavenly hosts of angels…she didn't go “huh”…”what do ya know…” 2. She treasured the moment as a mother and pondered the events leading up to it in her heart. 3. People who ponder the fact that God Became a Man, don't just go “huh”. God became a man – THAT is what we're excited about And if you really want to get excited, knowing that Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah, give this a pondering: He's Coming Back as a conquering King 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Revelation 22:12-13 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The one who fulfilled all of the prophesies about the Messiah, Jesus himself, said He is coming back… We better believe it We better be ready

Intuitive Eating for Christian Women // We’re here to help you discover whole health for your mind, body and soul. Embody scripture, ditch dieting, and live on purpose. What is Body Idolatry? Have I made health or body image an idol in my life? How do I know if I have an idol? In Episode 3 we tackle the tough topic of idolatry and show you how asking yourself some hard questions and really examining your own heart is the first and most important step you’re going to take on your Intuitive Eating Journey with Jesus. In this episode we dig into: The definition of idolatry A fresh way to look at idolatry to make it relevant to your own life Reflection questions to give yourself a heart check for idols How even good things can be hidden idols Why you don't have to choose between health and faith, but you do have to choose what is in first place in your heart 3 ways we react when someone shows us our idolatry What we can do if we realize we have a body idol (or any type of idol!) How self examination and the choice to put God first is a daily practice How there is no shame or condemnation for idolatry, but grace waiting for us when we recognize the idol and return to the Lord Why chasing an idol will never satisfy you Encouragement to seek God first every day Links to Resources: Show Notes - https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com/episode-3-what-is-body-idolatry/ Our favorite book on body image idolatry is Compared To Who? by Heather Creekmore. Check out a few of Erin's other favorite books on her recommended reading list: https://erinltodd.com/best-books-about-food-and-faith/ If you think you have an idol and are ready to break free, check out this FREE online summit called Breaking Body Bondage on October 9-10, 2020: https://erinltodd.com/breaking-body-bondage-summit/ Get support for breaking free from body image or food idolatry through one of our online courses like Ditch the Diet Masterclass: https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com/online-courses/ Listen to Erin share her testimony about waking up to and surrendering her body image idol in other podcast interviews: https://erinltodd.com/erin-l-todd-podcast-guest-interviews/ Read Erin's body idolatry blog post: https://erinltodd.com/tear-down-the-high-places/ Find out more about Erin Todd: https://erinltodd.com/ Find out more about Char-Lee Cassel: https://charleecassel.com/ For a chance to have your question answered, or if we said something that needs correcting, you can email us at: info@intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/intuitiveeating/message

Today's Message October 4, 2020 1st Peter 1:17-21 Living in the fear of the Lord! What does it mean to live in the fear of the Lord? Why is living in this fear important for us as believers? How does living in reverent fear lead to holiness? We become motivated by the tension of confidence and accountability! We become captivated by the treasure of God’s costly love! We become awed by the wonder of his plan and our place in it! Questions:  Did the Holy Spirit speak to you about anything today?  Define the fear of the Lord.  What struggles do you have in understanding or embracing that concept?  What struggles do you have about seeing God as judge and father? Read Isaiah 11:1-4. In this scripture from Isaiah, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the fear of the Lord is mentioned twice (vv. 2,3). Why do you think the fear of the Lord was one of Jesus’ qualities?  What does the fact that Jesus Christ walked in the fear of the Lord suggest about the importance of the fear of the Lord in a believer’s life? How can the judgment of God give you confidence but also accountability?  Is judgment for a Christian punitive or motivating? How can the fear of the Lord lead to joy? What questions do you have that arise from does this section of scripture that need further exploration?

Psalms and Wisdom: Psalm 26 Psalm 26 (Listen) I Will Bless the Lord Of David. 26   Vindicate me, O LORD,    for I have walked in my integrity,    and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.2   Prove me, O LORD, and try me;    test my heart and my mind.13   For your steadfast love is before my eyes,    and I walk in your faithfulness. 4   I do not sit with men of falsehood,    nor do I consort with hypocrites.5   I hate the assembly of evildoers,    and I will not sit with the wicked. 6   I wash my hands in innocence    and go around your altar, O LORD,7   proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,    and telling all your wondrous deeds. 8   O LORD, I love the habitation of your house    and the place where your glory dwells.9   Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,10   in whose hands are evil devices,    and whose right hands are full of bribes. 11   But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;    redeem me, and be gracious to me.12   My foot stands on level ground;    in the great assembly I will bless the LORD. Footnotes [1] 26:2 Hebrew test my kidneys and my heart (ESV) Pentateuch and History: 1 Samuel 15 1 Samuel 15 (Listen) The Lord Rejects Saul 15 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction1 all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves2 and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 “I regret3 that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” 17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,   “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,    as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,    and to listen than the fat of rams.23   For rebellion is as the sin of divination,    and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,    he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the LORD. 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.4 Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. Footnotes [1] 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21 [2] 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain [3] 15:11 See also verses 29, 35 [4] 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Habakkuk 1:1–11 Habakkuk 1:1–11 (Listen) 1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. Habakkuk’s Complaint 2   O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,    and you will not hear?  Or cry to you “Violence!”    and you will not save?3   Why do you make me see iniquity,    and why do you idly look at wrong?  Destruction and violence are before me;    strife and contention arise.4   So the law is paralyzed,    and justice never goes forth.  For the wicked surround the righteous;    so justice goes forth perverted. The Lord’s Answer 5   “Look among the nations, and see;    wonder and be astounded.  For I am doing a work in your days    that you would not believe if told.6   For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,    that bitter and hasty nation,  who march through the breadth of the earth,    to seize dwellings not their own.7   They are dreaded and fearsome;    their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.8   Their horses are swifter than leopards,    more fierce than the evening wolves;    their horsemen press proudly on.  Their horsemen come from afar;    they fly like an eagle swift to devour.9   They all come for violence,    all their faces forward.    They gather captives like sand.10   At kings they scoff,    and at rulers they laugh.  They laugh at every fortress,    for they pile up earth and take it.11   Then they sweep by like the wind and go on,    guilty men, whose own might is their god!” (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: 2 Peter 2 2 Peter 2 (Listen) False Prophets and Teachers 2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell1 and committed them to chains2 of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;3 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,4 and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge5 in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions,6 while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery,7 insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves8 of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” Footnotes [1] 2:4 Greek Tartarus [2] 2:4 Some manuscripts pits [3] 2:6 Some manuscripts an example to those who were to be ungodly [4] 2:9 Or temptations [5] 2:10 Greek who go after the flesh [6] 2:13 Some manuscripts love feasts [7] 2:14 Or eyes full of an adulteress [8] 2:19 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface (ESV)

With family: 1 Samuel 15; Romans 13 1 Samuel 15 (Listen) The Lord Rejects Saul 15 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction1 all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves2 and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 “I regret3 that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” 17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,   “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,    as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,    and to listen than the fat of rams.23   For rebellion is as the sin of divination,    and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,    he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the LORD. 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.4 Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. Footnotes [1] 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21 [2] 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain [3] 15:11 See also verses 29, 35 [4] 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain (ESV) Romans 13 (Listen) Submission to the Authorities 13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Fulfilling the Law Through Love 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (ESV) In private: Psalm 31; Jeremiah 52 Psalm 31 (Listen) Into Your Hand I Commit My Spirit To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 31   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;    let me never be put to shame;    in your righteousness deliver me!2   Incline your ear to me;    rescue me speedily!  Be a rock of refuge for me,    a strong fortress to save me! 3   For you are my rock and my fortress;    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;4   you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,    for you are my refuge.5   Into your hand I commit my spirit;    you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. 6   I hate1 those who pay regard to worthless idols,    but I trust in the LORD.7   I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,    because you have seen my affliction;    you have known the distress of my soul,8   and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;    you have set my feet in a broad place. 9   Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;    my eye is wasted from grief;    my soul and my body also.10   For my life is spent with sorrow,    and my years with sighing;  my strength fails because of my iniquity,    and my bones waste away. 11   Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,    especially to my neighbors,  and an object of dread to my acquaintances;    those who see me in the street flee from me.12   I have been forgotten like one who is dead;    I have become like a broken vessel.13   For I hear the whispering of many—    terror on every side!—  as they scheme together against me,    as they plot to take my life. 14   But I trust in you, O LORD;    I say, “You are my God.”15   My times are in your hand;    rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!16   Make your face shine on your servant;    save me in your steadfast love!17   O LORD, let me not be put to shame,    for I call upon you;  let the wicked be put to shame;    let them go silently to Sheol.18   Let the lying lips be mute,    which speak insolently against the righteous    in pride and contempt. 19   Oh, how abundant is your goodness,    which you have stored up for those who fear you  and worked for those who take refuge in you,    in the sight of the children of mankind!20   In the cover of your presence you hide them    from the plots of men;  you store them in your shelter    from the strife of tongues. 21   Blessed be the LORD,    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me    when I was in a besieged city.22   I had said in my alarm,2    “I am cut off from your sight.”  But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy    when I cried to you for help. 23   Love the LORD, all you his saints!    The LORD preserves the faithful    but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.24   Be strong, and let your heart take courage,    all you who wait for the LORD! Footnotes [1] 31:6 Masoretic Text; one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome You hate [2] 31:22 Or in my haste (ESV) Jeremiah 52 (Listen) The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted 52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 5 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. 11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in chains, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death. The Temple Burned 12 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. 17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 20 As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,1 and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits,2 its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow. 22 On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around. The People Exiled to Babylon 24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 25 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and seven men of the king’s council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land. 28 This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, 3,023 Judeans; 29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem 832 persons; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Judeans 745 persons; all the persons were 4,600. Jehoiachin Released from Prison 31 And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed3 Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table, 34 and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, until the day of his death, as long as he lived. Footnotes [1] 52:20 Hebrew lacks the sea [2] 52:21 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [3] 52:31 Hebrew reign, lifted up the head of (ESV)

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ (Matthew 7:13-14; NLT) 1. Faith may start with passion but it will only grow with obedience. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ Matthew 7:22 NLT 2. There is no gift or strength that will supply a lack of genuine obedience. But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 NLT But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:23 NLT 3. You can’t fake true intimacy NOW WHAT? 1. SLOW DOWN 2. CHECK MY HEART Why haven’t you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD’s sight?” 1 Samuel 15:19 NLT Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:23 NLT 3. TAKE ONE STEP

View the Bulletin for Wednesday July 29, 2020View this week’s Children’s BulletinService Time: 7:00 p.m.All are welcome!Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.SPECIAL WORSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Saturday morning service (10:00 a.m.) Participant number will be limited to a total of twenty (18 worshippers, 1 elder, 1 pastor). Saturday’s readings and sermon will be the same as the following Sunday’s (these services are currently different from one another). REGISTER FOR SATURDAY.You can donate online at: http://www.zlcb.org/donate1 Samuel 15:10-23The word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” Acts 24:1-23And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.The Lord’s Prayer - The ConclusionWhat is the Conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer?For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.What does this mean? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means “yes, yes, it shall be so.”

+ 7th Sunday after Pentecost – July 19th, 2020 + Series A: Isaiah 44:6-8; Romans 8:18-27; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Beautiful Savior Lutheran Milton, WA “The Parable of the Weeds” Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Chances are that when you pick up a new book and look at the dust jacket or when a friend recommends a new show to watch on Netflix, you ask, “What’s the story about?” Jesus’ parables are no different. A sower, a field, good seeds, wheat and weeds, enemies, servants, and harvest time. What’s this parable all about? It is a story about many things: trust, patience, and the Lord’s deliverance; the problem of evil and the end times. For such a short parable, there’s quite a lot going on. But the thread that holds it all together is the Lord’s patience and mercy, his longsuffering. You O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Keep those words in mind as our Lord explains the parable in more detail. The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. The man is the Son of Man, Jesus. The field is the world, and the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. 25 but while his men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  Jesus tells us that the weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”  The harvest, Jesus says, is close of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Jesus’ explanation sounds pretty straight forward. But did you notice that Jesus interprets every part of the parable with two notable exceptions? He tells us what everything means in the parable – sower, seed, field, weeds, enemy, harvest, and burn pile for the weeds. But Jesus says nothing about the servants or their questions to the farm owner. There’s a gap in Jesus’ interpretation. This is the genius of Jesus’ storytelling in the parables. Jesus wants us to see ourselves in that gap. Not merely as someone who reads this parable casually, but to see ourselves as the servants/farm workers in the story. The servants ask: Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’   It’s an age-old question. We’ve asked it ourselves many times. Why is there so much evil in the world? If God is good why does wickedness seem to run amuck? Why are there pandemics and riots and racism and such senseless violence? Why are police officers and 2 year olds being shot in our city streets? Why is the world full of so much suffering, pain, and cruelty. And the list of whys could go on. What’s going on, Lord? Why are there so many weeds? An enemy hath done this. Our Lord creates. The devil destroys. The Lord wants only to be gracious and merciful. The devil wants only chaos and death. Jesus sows good seed. The devil sows weeds.

Listeners are welcome to call in with any question about the Catholic faith. Questions Covered: 05:25 – How do Catholics understand the two natures of Christ? Since he was human, did he make mistakes?  11:31 – Can we go to confession over the phone and receive absolution?  13:13 – What do you think about the statue of St. Louis being removed?  18:00 – If a priest is excommunicated and then brought back into communion with the Church, would they come back as a priest or as a layperson?  22:57 – Why does the Catholic Church still worship on Sunday when the Sabbath was on Saturday?  30:37 – What does the word ‘blessing’ mean? How can we possibly bless the Lord? Why does the Bible say, “Bless the Lord, o my soul!”?  33:48 – Was Christ perfect because he never sinned, or was he unable to sin because he was perfect?  40:48 – Do the different orders of priests in Catholic Church believe different things or do they have the same faith?  43:06 – Can you delineate between the Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church? I am thinking about coming back to the Church.   47:57 – The Commandments say, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before thee.” Is that law being broken by saying the Rosary?  49:50 – Did Jesus learn carpentry from St. Joseph? St. Thomas Aquinas says that Jesus didn’t learn anything from anybody.  52:03 – Was the Virgin Mary born perfect or did she make herself perfect by not sinning?  Resources Mentioned: 20 Answers: Prayer The Apostasy That Wasn’t by Rod Bennett …

  The northern ten tribes of Israel had become apostate. Worship of the two golden calves set up by Jeroboam had degraded the nation and opened the gateway for the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth. They turned away from the living God to worship images of wood covered with gold and silver; to soothsayers and necromancy; and to witches and warlocks. Their moral depravity became so disgusting it even included female and male temple prostitution. The southern nation of Judah was embracing similar moral depravity and spiritual idolatry, so God called the prophet Isaiah to warn them. “Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evil doers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward” (Isaiah 1:4 NKJV). They were becoming so corrupt the prophet equated Judah and the City of Jerusalem with Sodom and Gomorrah (1:10). He wrote: “For Jerusalem stumbled, and Judah is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of His glory. The look on their countenance witnesses against them and they declare their sin as Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves… Moreover, the Lord says: ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, making a jingling with their feet…’ In that day the Lord will take away the finery…And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; instead of a sash a rope; instead of well-set hair baldness; instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty, and your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war” (Isaiah 3:8-9, 16, 18, 24-25 NKJV). The prophet of God gave a terrifying warning: “For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.” This was not God’s hand of salvation and healing reaching out to redeem the “Apple of God’s eye.” It was His hand of correction and discipline, bringing a rebuke of Almighty God on a backslidden people who had rejected His Word and turned away from His love and mercy. Five times God spoke these shocking words through His prophet to the leaders and residents living in Judah and Jerusalem (Isaiah 5:25; 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4). The description of what was about to happen to these rebellious and stubborn idol worshipers has a striking similarity to the sixth seal in the Book of Revelation. Isaiah wrote: “They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises t shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily” (Isaiah 2:19-22 NKJV). The New Testament prophet, John, saw national leaders and the people of the world in the last days hating God, worshiping idols, practicing sorcery and necromancy, and living in moral depravity. He sees their response when God rebukes them for their rebellion against Him. “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand’” (Revelation 6:15-17 NKJV)? I find it very curious. The people see the hand of God at work. They know it is “the wrath of the Lamb” and the rebuke of “Him who sits on the throne.” Yet, they do not repent. They do not humble themselves and seek His mercy and forgiveness for their rebellion and sinful lives. Instead, they hide themselves, curse God, and continue to live as they have been doing, just like Judah and Jerusalem in the seventh century B.C.. Not every person in Jerusalem and Judah had turned away from the Lord. There was a remnant of godly men and women who worshiped Almighty God. The prophet had important instructions for remnant about living through those days of God’s rebuke. “For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: ‘Do not say, “A conspiracy,” Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread’” (Isaiah 8:11-13 NKJV). The first instruction to the remnant was to not look on all the things that were happening from the same perspective as the ungodly and the backslidden people of God. “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy.” God did not say a conspiracy was not happening. He was telling the true believers to lift their eyes from the world’s system and the evil that was taking place around them and look to Almighty God. What was His perspective? This did not catch Him by surprise. Indeed, it was His rebuke and His discipline of a nation that had turned their back on Him. They needed to know how they could live in harmony with what He was doing at that time. The Lord of Host was at work in two powerful ways. He was pouring out His rebuke on a rebellious people and disciplining them for turn away from His face. He was also sheltering and protecting the remnant who had remained true to Him. “The Lord of Host, Him you hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. He will be as a sanctuary…” (Isaiah 8:13-14). These are important words to the remnant of God of this day. It is important to look see clearly and to be truthful with our own hearts about the majority of the Christian churches and how similar they are to Judah and Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day. The churches are Laodicean in spirit and immoral in character. The United States has soaked itself in the blood of innocent children. 61,628,584 pre-born babies have been sacrificed on the altars of Baal and Molech in the abortion centers of our nation, as of May 16, 2020. It is now legal to murder these precious ones even at full term pregnancy. The elderly and infirmed are being neglected, abandoned, and even euthanized. The moral depravity of this nation has become appalling and is displayed openly to such a degree, those who call for goodness and righteousness are now the evil ones. Even inside the Christian community those who call for holiness and righteous living are criticized and silenced by the accusing words, "legalistic", "judgmental", or "unloving." All-the-while, the Christian church embraces a message of grace that “understands”: Young people hooking up on the weekends Singles going to bars and clubs Couples living together without being married Gender dysphoria and same-sex relationships. Many of the Christian churches have backslidden to such a degree they are performing same-sex marriages and celebrating same-sex couples adopting children. The message from these pulpits to this generation is, “God is love. God knows our weaknesses. His is grace is sufficient for you and will embrace you ‘just as you are.’” It is into this generation of the Christian church, so filled with moral depravity, and to our nation that has turned her back on the Lord of Host, God’s rebuke and discipline has been sent and the hand of God is stretched out. His hand is not outstretched to save and to heal, but to bring discipline. For the first time in human history, since the tower of Babel, the whole world is under lock-down from a one-world system. The United States of America is experiencing a government overreach and the nullification of the Bill of Rights in a manner it has not seen since 1776. Is it a conspiracy? Yes! It is right out of Lucifer’s playbook. There is a remnant! 5 Instructions to the Remnant of Believers in a Laodicean Church There are men and women, teenagers, and children who have remained steadfast and true to the living God. There are churches who are passionately seeking revival, longing for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We must follow the principle and precepts exactly as the Prophet Isaiah wrote. “Bind up the testimony, seal up the law among my disciples, and I will wait on the Lord, who hides His face from the house of Jacob; I will seek Him. Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:16-18 NKJV). These five things must be followed by the remnant believers! 1. “Bind up the testimony” “The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7b). Study and hide in your heart the ways of God. How did God deal with His men and women? How did God handle situations? 2. “Seal up the law among my disciples” “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:7a). Teach the uncompromised Word of God, including the Ten Commandments. Call for holy living, “true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). 3. “Wait on the Lord, who hides His face from the house of Jacob” “Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on you I wait all the day… The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (Psalm 25:4,5,14). Spend extra time worshiping, praying, and being still in His presence. The Lord is hiding His face from so many in churches today because they are not truly seeking Him and His presence. 4. “I will seek Him” “When you said, ‘Seek My face,’ My heart said to You, ‘Your face Lord, I will seek… Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart; wait I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:8, 14). Passionately go after God. Make Him a priority. It is time to set aside things that have been distractions and have little value eternally. But He will reveal Himself to those who seek Him 5. The remnant who do these things will become a living testimony to the world and the backslidden church. Do not be afraid to walk in the mighty power of the Holy Spirit and let His signs and wonders work through your life (Mark 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11). More Articles like this: How To Escape the Delusion in the Church 6 Responses When Your Church Is In Delusion What the Church Needs Today This Is What Will Change Our Culture How the Church Should Respond When the Foundations Are Shaken Will You Miss God's Visitation? Is There Yet a Servant Of the Lord? Why the Term "Forever President" Is a Dangerous Trend The Danger In Destroying Our Monuments How America Has Rejected God, Not Man What Makes America Great

Discouragement and despair are horrible taskmasters. They wear at your soul. The Psalmist David wrote: “For the enemy has persecuted my soul. He has crushed my life to the ground. He has made me dwell in darkness like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me and my heart within me is distressed” (Psalm 143:3-4 NKJV). That must be how the prophet Elijah was feeling as he fled from Jezebel. The events on the days before had been an amazing display of God’s presence and power. Yet, they had also been exhausting. In his weariness and with the threats from the queen to take his life ringing in ears the man of God felt totally alone and ready to give up. What had led to such discouragement and despair in this servant of the Lord, this great man of God? His nation was totally backslidden and under the leadership of a weak and immoral man. Israel had turned their back on the Living God and was worshiping the idols, Baal and Asherah, the Canaanite female deity. Ahab was a pouting, selfish, and weak leader who allowed his wife to be the dominant influence. The people living in Israel were in a moral free-fall because of the influence of the male and female prostitution surrounding the worship of Baal and Asherah. The economy of the nation was in a landslide resulting from three years of severe drought. These matters weighed heavy on the heart of the man of God when he heard the voice of the Lord calling him to go to the king and to call the nation to account. “How long will you falter between two opinions,” the prophet called to the king and the people? “If the Lord is God, follow Him,” the man of God continued, “But if Baal, follow him.” It was a direct confrontation between the idols made by human hands and Almighty God who made mankind and all things that exist. Would Israel continue worshiping the false deities who had eyes but could not see; had a mouth but could not speak; had a body but no heart of love, mercy and grace; had hands but could not heal or save? Would they repent and turn to the living God, creator of all things, and sustainer of all things; whose eyes “run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him?” Read my post: America Has Embraced These Three Ancient Idols God openly demonstrated His presence and His power by sending fire from heaven and consuming the sacrifice and the altar that had been prepared by His servant. The people cried out and killed the false prophets of Baal and Asherah. Rain was restored to the land. But, Jezebel hardened heart; stood firm in her idolatry and immorality; and threatened to kill the prophet of the Lord God. Fleeing for his very life; weary in body and soul from the great tasks of recent days, Elijah was hiding in a cave on the Mountain of God feeling absolutely alone. Do you see the parallels with our nation today? We have turned our back on God Almighty who founded this nation. He has been thrown out of as many public arenas as possible, while we have opened the door to the false god of Islam and the idols of other nations. Children in our public schools are required to learn portions of the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, and the Tripitaka or Three Baskets of Buddhism but cannot wear a shirt with John 3:16. They will have days where they wear the garments of Islam and even learn the prayers but they cannot speak the name Jesus Christ, sing Christmas Carols or pray to the Living God. America is filled with idol worship and false gods. The Hindu goddess, Kali, goddess of destruction and death was displayed for days on the Empire State Building in New York City in August of 2015. A replica of the arch way leading to a temple of Baal was erected in a park outside of New York City Hall in September 2016. A statue of the goddess Athena Parthenos (goddess virgin), sculpted from 1982-1990 and covered in pure gold in 2002, now stands in a replica of the Parthenon of Athens in Nashville, Tennessee. Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and learning, was erected on Embassy Row, Massachusetts Ave., in Washington DC, to bless our nation’s capital. There are idols erected in the cities Atlanta, St. Paul, and Portland, Oregon, just to mention a few. Turning our back on the living God and the influx of idolatry has sent our nation into a moral free-fall just as it did the nation of Israel. Women walking naked on the streets of New York City covered with body paint 70,000 people attending the Burning Man orgy that happens for eight days in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, every Labor Day The open display of homosexual, lesbian and transgender sexuality The pandemic addiction of men and women to pornography and watching sexual acts in movies and on television These all shout the moral decay of a nation who has turned their back on Almighty God. Combine that with the human sacrifice of sixty million American babies and the growing acceptance of same-sex marriage in the evangelical and Pentecostal communities amplifies the resounding moral decay of nation that is on a collision course with judgment. Like Israel, our nation is suffering economic disaster. We have weak and pandering leadership. The spirit of Jezebel has been released across our land, threatening the true preachers of God. Is there yet a servant of Lord in the United States of America who will stand with iron-ribbed courage from the Holy Spirit and proclaim without compromise the Word of the Lord, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” America must have an authentic call to repentance and returning to the Living God. We must have a genuine call to turn from the immoral practices and the love for entertaining ourselves with those things God has clearly said He hates. We must also have a return to the authentic moving of the Holy Spirit and power: Enough with having a form of godliness and no power Enough with relegating the working of the Holy Spirit to a backroom or small groups Enough with being afraid of the open display and manifestation of the Holy Spirit and power. God knew a backslidden, immoral nation being led by an Ahab and Jezebel must have a prophet who boldly proclaimed the Word of God without compromise but also brought the power of the Holy Spirit and the working or miracles, signs and wonders. That is what America and the world needed at the turn of the 20th century to prepare her for the ravages World War I and World War II. God sent the mighty out pouring of the Holy Spirit that gave birth to the Pentecostal movement. The only thing that will confront the spirit of Baal and Asherah that has gripped America; the only thing that will turn the moral landslide and love for the spirit of darkness; the only way to deal with the spirit of apostasy in a backslidden church is a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Is there yet a servant of the Lord in the land? Men of God it is time to fast and pray for a fresh anointing of the Lord. It is time to enter the pulpit with more than a sermon series, but with a bold and uncompromising Word from the Lord. It is time to lead the church in presenting themselves to Lord as a living sacrifice, until the Holy Spirit comes like a might wind and the fire of God falls and consumes the sacrifice. It is time for the power of God to come back into the House of the Lord. It is time for the church to go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit and turn the community upside down. Will persecution come, yes! Will Jezebel raise her ugly head and threaten to imprison and even kill the men of God, yes! Will many who claim to be Christian criticize and resist, yes! But, the spiritual and natural drought in the land will be lifted. The Living Water will flow. The greatest revival in our generation will be realized! Do not allow the spirits of discouragement and despair to prevail. There are yet many servants of the Lord who have not compromised or bowed the knee to idols! These men of God are rising up. Join them in seeking the Lord. There is a small cloud on the spiritual horizon about the size of man’s hand. Rain is on its way! More Articles Like This One: It Is Not a Political Problem - Part One It Is Not a Political Problem - A Double Tragedy This Is What Will Change Our Culture How the Church Should Respond When the Foundations Are Shaken Will You Miss God's Visitation? Is There Yet a Servant Of the Lord? Why the Term "Forever President" Is a Dangerous Trend The Danger In Destroying Our Monuments How America Has Rejected God, Not Man What Makes America Great

INTEGRITY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE PRACTICE AND PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH •••Bible Study Verse: Romans Romans 7:21-25, 2:21-24, II Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:38-39, Acts 26:19, Matthew 28:19-20, I Timothy 4 :12. “A very large number of the people who attend our services and partake of the sacrament are disassociated personalities. They are one person on Sunday and another on Monday" G.A. Studdert Kennedy † “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work" Titus 1.16, KJV Why is there a gap between our profession and practice of faith? Why there is a gap between our profession and our walk with the Lord? Why is there a gap between the profession of our faith and the Practice of our faith? What is responsible for the gap? Why do we have these problems in the first place? What is Source of the Problem? How were so many churches deceived? What is the Impact of Our Inconsistency? Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on May 23, 2020 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible. This Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it’s mission through prayer and support. Thank you. COVER ART CREDIT: Photo by Kristopher Roller, art direction by gil on his mac. † https://www.theologyofwork.org/lausanne-committee-for-world-evangelization-occasional-paper-on-marketplace/causes-of-the-sunday-monday-gap FERP200523Episode #121 GOT200523ep121 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 15–16 1 Samuel 15–16 (Listen) The Lord Rejects Saul 15 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction1 all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves2 and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 “I regret3 that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” 17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,   “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,    as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,    and to listen than the fat of rams.23   For rebellion is as the sin of divination,    and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,    he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the LORD. 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.4 Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. David Anointed King 16 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,5 but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. David in Saul's Service 14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him. Footnotes [1] 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21 [2] 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain [3] 15:11 See also verses 29, 35 [4] 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 16:11 Or smallest (ESV) New Testament: Acts 6:8–7:60 Acts 6:8–7:60 (Listen) Stephen Is Seized 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Stephen's Speech 7 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. 23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’ 35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:   “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,    during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?43   You took up the tent of Moloch    and the star of your god Rephan,    the images that you made to worship;  and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’ 44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.1 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 49   “‘Heaven is my throne,    and the earth is my footstool.  What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,    or what is the place of my rest?50   Did not my hand make all these things?’ 51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” The Stoning of Stephen 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together2 at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Footnotes [1] 7:46 Some manuscripts for the house of Jacob [2] 7:57 Or rushed with one mind (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:41–48 Psalm 119:41–48 (Listen) Waw 41   Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,    your salvation according to your promise;42   then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,    for I trust in your word.43   And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,    for my hope is in your rules.44   I will keep your law continually,    forever and ever,45   and I shall walk in a wide place,    for I have sought your precepts.46   I will also speak of your testimonies before kings    and shall not be put to shame,47   for I find my delight in your commandments,    which I love.48   I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,    and I will meditate on your statutes. (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 15:32 Proverbs 15:32 (Listen) 32   Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,    but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. (ESV)

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 15–16 1 Samuel 15–16 (Listen) The Lord Rejects Saul 15 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction1 all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves2 and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 10 The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 “I regret3 that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.” 17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,   “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,    as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,    and to listen than the fat of rams.23   For rebellion is as the sin of divination,    and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,    he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the LORD. 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully.4 Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33 And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. David Anointed King 16 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,5 but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. David in Saul's Service 14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him. Footnotes [1] 15:3 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20, 21 [2] 15:9 The meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain [3] 15:11 See also verses 29, 35 [4] 15:32 Or haltingly (compare Septuagint); the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 16:11 Or smallest (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:41–48 Psalm 119:41–48 (Listen) Waw 41   Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,    your salvation according to your promise;42   then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,    for I trust in your word.43   And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,    for my hope is in your rules.44   I will keep your law continually,    forever and ever,45   and I shall walk in a wide place,    for I have sought your precepts.46   I will also speak of your testimonies before kings    and shall not be put to shame,47   for I find my delight in your commandments,    which I love.48   I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,    and I will meditate on your statutes. (ESV) New Testament: 2 Corinthians 7–8 2 Corinthians 7–8 (Listen) 7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body1 and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. Paul's Joy 2 Make room in your hearts2 for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. 5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you. Encouragement to Give Generously 8 We want you to know, brothers,3 about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor4 of taking part in the relief of the saints—5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you5—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” Commendation of Titus 16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going6 to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending7 the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers8 of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. Footnotes [1] 7:1 Greek flesh [2] 7:2 Greek lacks in your hearts [3] 8:1 Or brothers and sisters [4] 8:4 The Greek word charis can mean favor or grace or thanks, depending on the context [5] 8:7 Some manuscripts in your love for us [6] 8:17 Or he went [7] 8:18 Or we sent; also verse 22 [8] 8:23 Greek apostles (ESV)

Did you ever just stop and think what now? Did you ever question God and ask why me Lord? Why am i going through this? In the latest video in the series The Lockdown Lessons, Dr. Wright uses scripture to remind us that God can use ANYTHING including the experience so that we get the lesson and he gets the glory!

Text: Acts 2:36-41 Truth: Jesus is Lord of our lives. What does it mean for Him to be Lord? Why is He Lord above all? Why He is so distinctive? Why has He been made Lord and Christ over all? Key text: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for...

https://youtu.be/hCnj55EgZ2U 2 Sam 7- For Himself a NameThe main point is found in v 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?That's really the crux of the whole story and the crux of The whole Bible and the experience of being a Christian- “to make himself a name” God chose Abram, to Abraham, to David to Jesus for one purpose- to make for himself a nameHIMSELF a NAME- I call myself a Christian. I want to make HIM a name!What can we do to Make HIM a name? You have to want to honor GodThis is what David was trying to do- He had a plan- I want to build you this great hosueThis was a great plan- why would it not be a great plan? It was for the Lord?“See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. 4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?David's plan was a solid Godly plan- build a house for the Lord- Why wouldn't make sense- IT was to honor God- It was bring glory to his name. It was a RESPONSE to who God was and what God had done for him- To give him a place. To HONOR HIM. David wanted to Spread the NAME of YHWH and that was honorable. This was always Davids heart- Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.Psalm 69:9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.Again- this is why david is called a man after Gods heart- He wasn't about promoting himselfYou can't simultaneously promote God and yourself at the same time. Its HIS NAME What does it mean to youDoes honoring and blessing God come into your mind? Do you want to make HIM a NAMEI was with some pastors this week- they asked me- Why do you do what you doFor people to fully follow the Lord every day. To never forget whose they are and who they are. If you do that- you'll honor him. All day every day. You'll start your day with- Psalm 143: 8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.You'll start your day with “how can I make a name for you today”? Do something! (david did)The question is- who's life is it and who are you living it for? If its for HIM you'll honor himJobs- Making pizzas, cleaning bathrooms, Army, Sales- what did you DO today- production1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.This should be our mindset all day every day. We should want to bring Glory to our GodIts not just worship, giving and service. It's the day in and day out. Its how we love people. Its how we serve people. And doing it for HIM- Stuff that no one knows about that's for HIMAnd you should have a plan to do so- With your life, family, career, decisions- its for HIMColossians 3:17  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. God has a  plan to make his nameYou have to realize that its HIS plan, not your plan. David had a plan to honor God by building him a house- but God had a different plan God- My Plan I want to build YOU a house- It will be better. Your son will build it- David may not have understood it- but it was a better plan God said no to David's planDavid's heart was in right place- but God saw the plan differently- Longer range planeREAD V 8-11 Solomon the son of David to build a templeR...

https://youtu.be/hCnj55EgZ2U 2 Sam 7- For Himself a NameThe main point is found in v 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?That’s really the crux of the whole story and the crux of The whole Bible and the experience of being a Christian- “to make himself a name” God chose Abram, to Abraham, to David to Jesus for one purpose- to make for himself a nameHIMSELF a NAME- I call myself a Christian. I want to make HIM a name!What can we do to Make HIM a name? You have to want to honor GodThis is what David was trying to do- He had a plan- I want to build you this great hosueThis was a great plan- why would it not be a great plan? It was for the Lord?“See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. 4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?David’s plan was a solid Godly plan- build a house for the Lord- Why wouldn’t make sense- IT was to honor God- It was bring glory to his name. It was a RESPONSE to who God was and what God had done for him- To give him a place. To HONOR HIM. David wanted to Spread the NAME of YHWH and that was honorable. This was always Davids heart- Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.Psalm 69:9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.Again- this is why david is called a man after Gods heart- He wasn’t about promoting himselfYou can’t simultaneously promote God and yourself at the same time. Its HIS NAME What does it mean to youDoes honoring and blessing God come into your mind? Do you want to make HIM a NAMEI was with some pastors this week- they asked me- Why do you do what you doFor people to fully follow the Lord every day. To never forget whose they are and who they are. If you do that- you’ll honor him. All day every day. You’ll start your day with- Psalm 143: 8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.You’ll start your day with “how can I make a name for you today”? Do something! (david did)The question is- who’s life is it and who are you living it for? If its for HIM you’ll honor himJobs- Making pizzas, cleaning bathrooms, Army, Sales- what did you DO today- production1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.This should be our mindset all day every day. We should want to bring Glory to our GodIts not just worship, giving and service. It’s the day in and day out. Its how we love people. Its how we serve people. And doing it for HIM- Stuff that no one knows about that’s for HIMAnd you should have a plan to do so- With your life, family, career, decisions- its for HIMColossians 3:17  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. God has a  plan to make his nameYou have to realize that its HIS plan, not your plan. David had a plan to honor God by building him a house- but God had a different plan God- My Plan I want to build YOU a house- It will be better. Your son will build it- David may not have understood it- but it was a better plan God said no to David’s planDavid’s heart was in right place- but God saw the plan differently- Longer range planeREAD V 8-11 Solomon the son of David to build a templeR...

For many, Christmas is all about what they want; and if they don’t get it, they are unhappy. As we consider Christmas, we ought to have a renewed desire to serve the Lord and live for Him. Join us as we take a look at the birth of Christ as told in the Gospel of Luke.Rather than seeking the latest gift why not seek ways to give of yourself unto the Lord? Why not surrender your life unto the Lord in return for all that He has done?

Lord Why? by Locust Grove Church of Christ

We’ve been talking about glass ceilings, these limits that appear in our lives that stop us becoming who God wants us to be. I wanted to contrast Saul and David, 2 kings who had ceilings, but very different outcomes.   So we’ve looked at Saul’s glass ceilings, things like fear, impatience and jealousy, and Saul showed many more ceilings, things like deceit and anger. These placed limits on his potential and the tall, good looking, charismatic King Saul lost both his throne and his life because of these glass ceilings.   To wrap up this series, I want to focus on David. He too faced glass ceilings, but he was dealin’ with the ceilin’  differently!   CEILINGS DAVID PUNCHED THROUGH   Facing Goliath, Saul and the army quivered in fear…   1 Samuel 17:11 (ESV Strong's) When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.   But David, faced with the same situation, punched through this ceiling,   1 Samuel 17:36 (ESV Strong's) Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”   He drew on past victories, he drew on a deep faith in the God he knew intimately and trusted completely to overcome the fear and gain victory!   Saul got impatient and offered an unlawful sacrifice in 1 Samuel 13, but many times in Scripture it says this of David…   1 Samuel 30:8 (ESV Strong's) And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?”   David made better decisions than Saul because he had a different heart.   GLASS CEILINGS THAT LIMITED DAVID   But he still had glass ceilings in his life. He still had major character flaws that limited his potential. We all do of course, but David’s flaws were spectacular!   Sexual sin proved to be a glass ceiling for David for quite a while, And was very nearly his downfall. Then he arranged for the murder of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah to cover it over and legitimise it…   2 Samuel 11:27 (ESV Strong's) And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.   How many men are undone by sexual sin? David tried to legitimise his sin, explain it away, but let’s not make the same mistake today. With over 35% of all data transferred on the internet related to porn, with Porn sites receiving more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month, men, we need to say no! This is a ceiling in many people’s lives today! You might feel the temptation, but rather than letting it become a glass ceiling in your life, you need to be the one who says NO!   David also had a glass ceiling in his parenting. He was a great king and a lousy parent, with his kids raping, murdering and trying to usurp his throne.   Yet even with these and other  spectacular glass ceilings limiting aspects of his life, most of them being “worse” in our eyes than Saul’s ceilings and sins, things panned out differently for David. I want to discover why!   DEALIN’ WITH THE CEILIN’   So Saul never broke through the glass ceilings in his life, yet David, whose sins and ceilings seemed to us a lot more difficult, overcame them. Offering an incorrect sacrifice doesn’t seem on the scale of adultery or murder, but David found a way through where Saul did not. What made the difference?   There are 2 main differences, and the first can be seen in their responses.   SAUL’S RESPONSE   When confront with his sin, Saul responded with excuses and blame shifting, as most people do today in our society. It’s never my fault, it’s my upbringing, my parents, never my mistakes.   It’s like Charles and Purnella Bull of Minnesota, caught stealing TV’S and computers who claimed a friend told them it was all free. Or a guy who was clocked speeding at 103 miles per hour, and he claimed he’s dyslexic and thought is was 031 mph. Or the nan who sued his neighbour fir driving over both of his hands… He was stealing his neighbour’s hubcaps at the time.   This is what happened with Saul…   1 Samuel 15:19-22 (ESV Strong's) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.   God makes it clear, He wants obedience, he wants repentance, not excuses, not blaming others, and not an argument as to why you did it and your motives. Just repent, and be obedient, because obedience is worth more than religious acts or excuses!   DAVID’S RESPONSE   David too faced a stern rebuke by the prophet Nathan after he had sinned with Bathsheba. But he handled it completely differently…   2 Samuel 12:7 (ESV Strong's) Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.   2 Samuel 12:13 (ESV Strong's) David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.   David didn’t make excuses, didn’t blame his upbringing or drugs or parents or church or school or dyslexia, he just said, yes, Lord, You’re right, I’m wrong, I repent!   And that right there melts God’s heart. People are always running around, trying to get God to give them what they want, and the answer is right there!   Repent and be obedient, do whatever it takes to be close to the Lord, and repentance, being truly sorry and acting on it (the important bit), is what opens incredible favour with God.   THE HEART OF THE MATTER   When Samuel was searching for the future king, he had it narrowed down to a single family. He saw a likely candidate in one son,   1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV Strong's) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”   When God looked at Saul and David, what did He see? When He looks at your heart, what does He see?   SAUL’S HEART   Saul’s heart was shown to be fearful and self centred early on, but God gave Him chance after chance…   1 Samuel 10:9 (ESV Strong's) When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.   Even later in his reign, Samuel encouraged him, with these words…   1 Samuel 12:24 (ESV Strong's) Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.   Saul had a chance, he had more than a fair go, but time and again he acted impulsively, selfishly, disobediently and he hit the glass ceiling of fear…   DAVID’S HEART   When Saul proves his heart to be faithless, Samuel told Saul that the kingdom would be taken from him and given to another…   1 Samuel 13:14 (ESV Strong's) But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”   David was described as a man after God’s own heart. The apostle Paul, who ironically was called Saul previously, used the same phrase for David,   Acts 13:22 (ESV Strong's) he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’   The last phrase is the key… Who will do ALL my will.  A man after my own heart for God is someone intent on doing all the will of God. Will he be perfect? Nope. Will he ever sin? Sure to. God’s not looking for perfection, or religious observance, or people trying to manipulate a blessing out of Him, He is looking for a man or woman whose heart fully belongs to Him!   BUT WHAT IF I’VE …   The incredible thing to me is that, despite what David did and the spectacular sins he displayed, God’s favour was there for him all of his life. And the reason is that David was a man after God’s own heart… It all came down to his heart.   What’s your past like? Have you got sins that the devil keeps throwing in front of you? Have you sought God, repented of your sin and known His forgiveness? Some of you here may have sinned as spectacularly as David, but David repented and truly knew the forgiveness of God, and you can too. Maybe some of you have been forgiven by God but you need to forgive yourself.   1 John 1:9 (ESV Strong's) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   Psalms 103:12 (ESV Strong's) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.   Whatever sin you’ve committed in your past does not disqualify you from dedicating your life to serving Him now, and being used by God to impact your world. Nothing in your past, not divorce, not an affair, not an abortion, not stealing, lying, anger, faithlessness, nothing disqualifies you from recommitting you’re life right now, and starting afresh!   IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR RESPONSE   Throughout his life David wasn’t perfect. He sinned and repented time and again. But he sought God, worshipped God, honoured and obeyed God. He lived his life for God, he asked God for guidance and he wrote Psalms about this same God, because he had a close and intimate relationship with God.   David committed incredible and devastating sins, ones that today’s church would write him off for, but because of his heart, God forgave and restored him.   And this same God is looked for such a man or woman right now. Whatever you’ve done, whatever you’ve been in the past, you are not lost, you are not written off, God has a plan for you, and this same God is searching for those after His own heart.   2 Chronicles 16:9 (ESV Strong's) For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.   WILL YOU BE THE ONE?   Are you this person? Are you the one fully committed and blameless before Him? Right now, centuries later, God is still looking for a man or a woman after His own heart.   150 years ago evangelist DL Moody was challenged about his relationship with God, and he famously said…   The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” — D.L. Moody   I aim to be that man for mygeneration!  And I’m asking you to join with me.   In every generation it falls to some people, a man or a woman after God’s own heart, to rise up and proclaim the gospel to a sick, twisted and dying world. You can be that person. And we can help you do it!   The people you meet, the family, the workmates, the ones you pass in the shopping centre. We call them non Christians, unbelievers or the unchurched, but they are lost, destined to a eternity in hell, separated from God, from love, from life. And God is still looking for those fully committed, ready to pay any price to stand for Christ and reach out to their community.   This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls right across the world, and today I’m asking you to join with me and be that one, the man or woman after God’s own heart.   And it all starts now. I’m ready to dedicate my life to Jesus afresh. To be that man after God’s own heart. To be the man fully consecrated to Him. My question is, are you?   Will you stand with me and commit yourself to whatever God leads you to be to serve Him, to commit to being a man or woman after God’s own heart, at any price. Ignite is a church that wants to win souls and wants to impact our community. Will you join us?   You can pursue many good things in life, career, family, wealth, but let commit to a higher calling, and let us pursue God and His will first…   The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.”

I talk about the promises we find in Scripture about God taking care of us. Does everything we have come from the Lord? Why should we tithe? It's all on this episode.-Follow/like the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram-Email me: kris@grosslyoverdone.com-Check out more at grosslyoverdone.com-The Shortest Verse In the New Testament

I spoke last week about the glass ceilings we face in our lives, and how we are the ones who placed them there, usually as a result of the influence of others. God doesn’t place these limits on our lives, we do, but He has plans and hopes and dreams for our future far beyond anything we could even imagine!   Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV Strong's) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.   We will hit glass ceilings every time unless we commit our lives to the Lord and let Him control and direct us.   Today, I want to compare and contrast 2 kings of Israel, King Saul and his successor, King David.   A TALE OF 2 KINGS…   Saul and David were in their time both anointed of God, and both appointed king. Both attractive, both charismatic, and Saul was probably the pick…   1 Samuel 9:2 (ESV Strong's) Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.   Why did Saul fail as Israel’s king, while David succeeded? It all has to do with the glass ceilings they faced and how they decided to deal with them.   While David smashed many of the ceilings he faced, Saul’s attitude meant he kept bouncing off them and never penetrated them. Take a look at the similar paths the men traveled:   1.      BOTH RECEIVED GODLY COUNSEL   Samuel, the last judge of Israel, anointed both men, and gave both godly counsel. When Samuel died, David continued to receive advice and direction from Nathan the prophet.   2.      BOTH FACED GREAT CHALLENGES   Every leader faces obstacles, mountains to climb, tests and trials, and these 2 kings were no exception. In fact, Saul and David sometimes faced the same challenges. Take Goliath, for example: When the huge Philistine offered to fight Israel’s champion, both Saul and David heard the challenge.   Saul, Israel’s greatest warrior and leaders, hid in fear.   1 Samuel 17:11 (ESV Strong's) When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.   But David, a mere boy, eagerly faced the challenge and won honour for God.   1 Samuel 17:45 (ESV Strong's) Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.   Same challenge, different response!   3.      BOTH FACED CHOICES TO REPENT, CHANGE AND GROW   Saul and David reacted very differently when confronted by their failures.   Samuel rebuked Saul for making an unauthorized burnt offering to God, and then towards the end for keeping the spoils for himself and faking a sacrifice. When confronted the king didn’t repent but offered excuses, reasons why he’d sinned and tried to couch them in religious language.     1 Samuel 15:19-22 (ESV Strong's) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.   Evidently Saul stayed on the same course, lost the kingdom and his life.   David possessed an entirely different kind of heart. When Nathan confronted the king after the sordid incident with Bathsheba, David broke down and sorrowfully repented.   2 Samuel 12:13 (ESV Strong's) David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”   Psalms 51:10 (ESV Strong's) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.   David chose to repent, to change and to grow, because he was a man after God’s own heart, but Saul hardened his heart and offered explanations why and excuses why not, instead of repentance. Today, as I share about this first glass ceiling, please don’t harden your heart, or make excuses, just do honest business with God, and let Him punch through the ceiling.   SAUL’S BIGGEST GLASS CEILING   Saul faced many glass ceilings which limited his life, and today we will start with what to Saul was probably the biggest ceiling he faced, and is also probably the biggest we face, the glass ceiling of fear…   SAUL… A PRODUCT OF HIS OWN FEAR   1 Samuel 10:21-22 (ESV Strong's) Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”   Pretty inauspicious start… Where is the anointed one? Oh, he’s nicked off and is cowering in fear. And this fear became a ceiling Saul never broke through! This same fear is seen all through his life, such as with Goliath.   What about you? What do you fear? Do you fear sickness, failure, financial collapse, loneliness or criticism? Fear is what gives most people glass ceilings, limits which they never break through because they cannot control their fears, the fears control them!  But…   2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV Strong's) for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.   FEAR- FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL   If fear is controlling you, if fear is placing that glass ceiling before you, then today I want to give you the chance to smash through that ceiling forever!   An anagram for fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. The vast majority of what we fear never actually happens, but this fear, even though it is not real or factual, actually enslaves us.   I remember doing an activity as a youth leader where we had to go to a dark corner of a graveyard at night and record a particular grave’s details. My group went through, terrified, but I saw the lights of the next group led by my friend, so doubled back and hid behind a tree. I jumped out and screamed, “Don’t be scared!” But their group were scared, not because I said something scary, but because their fear was heightened being in a graveyard… All in their minds.   Everyone experiences fear, just like Saul.  It’s how you respond to the fear that counts. Saul let fear be a glass ceiling in his life, and this fear controlled him, he never broke through and ultimately robbed him of his destiny.   If you tolerate the glass ceiling of fear, it can even become a self fulfilling prophecy, and a Job said,   Job 3:25 (ESV Strong's) For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.   Experiencing fear doesn’t mean your ungodly, but you need to realise that letting it control you robs you of blessing, while mastering it smashes through the glass ceiling!   SMASHING THROUGH THE FEAR GLASS CEILING   Saul faced the glass ceiling of fear, as did every Bible character, as do you and I! Fear is normal, but it is a ceiling begging to be obliterated!   Now not all fear is controlling and irrational, many fears are good and healthy.   Proverbs 9:10 (ESV Strong's) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.   Fear of God is healthy. Fear of snakes is too, as are many fears. Fear of electricity, fear of massive surf, fear of upsetting your wife, these are rational and healthy fears that ensure survival. The problem is not that you have fear, the problem is when the fear has you and limits you.   Fear produces glass ceilings because it causes us to battle against ourselves. The rational part of our brain wars against the fearful emotional side, and the struggle causes anxiety and exhaustion within us. Fear costs you, in worry, lack of sleep, medical bills and, in Saul’s case, it can even cost your destiny and life!   Whether it’s fear of failure, or people, or consequences, or the future, what are the steps towards breaking through the glass ceiling of fear?   F- FACE THE TRUTH   Ignoring fear might seem to solve the immediate feelings, but it never works for long. Burying your fear causes it to grow strong roots and sprout! Fears that create glass ceilings in your life have usually been there a long time and never dealt with.   Saul would not face his fear of Goliath, so he hid. David looked at the same fear and said,   1 Samuel 17:26 (ESV Strong's) who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”   Today I’m going to ask you to face that fear which has become a glass ceiling in your life. Don’t run, don’t cower in terror, but we are going to look it in the eye and say, “Who are you to defy the living God!”   E- EXPERIENCE   Our fears are based on experiences we’ve had. Children are often fearless, because they haven’t experienced the consequences of their actions. They dive into your arms, but us adults refuse to trust like that.   That glass ceiling of fear is there because you’ve reinforced it over the years by experiences. But experiences can also shatter that very ceiling. Look at David…   1 Samuel 17:37 (ESV Strong's) And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”   He’d seen God give him victory over smaller fears, so he could trust God for more.   A-     ADJUST   Some of you are fearful of change. But if you don’t adjust, if you refuse to change, you will not break through the glass ceilings in your life.   And some people are just content with the devil they know. I know this fear is limiting and ruling my life, but I’m comfortable here. At least I know how bad it is. I can live with this fear, with this sickness, with this poverty. It might be worse on the other side!   Psalms 23:4 (ESV Strong's) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.   Are you walking through a valley of fear, the shadow of death, or are you camping there? Have you set up a house there? Moving forward to your destiny involves change, it involves risk, but it involves you moving ahead. Is it a risk if you are walking through the valley of death with the good Shepherd?   R- RELAX   We are so stressed out in our society, we worry about moral declines, finances, relationships, bills, life. We literally don’t have time to relax. It’s all go, go, go and activity drives stress and activity.   Isaiah 26:3 (ESV Strong's) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.   It’s time to step back from the worries and fears and stress of life and disconnect. It’s time to put our lives into flight mode. In flight mode on your phone, everything still works, but you don’t get all these messages and stresses from the outside. For a short time you do well to disconnect, relax and soak in God!   Psalms 46:10 (ESV Strong's) “Be still, and know that I am God.   L- LISTEN TO GOD   You cannot hear God in the maelstrom that is your regular life! He will not shout above the noise, He patiently waits for you to get alone with Him.   Isaiah, after the triumph of Mt Carmel, cowered in a cave, full of fear that Jezebel would find him and kill him. He sought God, he needed to hear from God, and God met him in his hour of need…   1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV Strong's) And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.   To smash the ceiling of fear, you need to relax, step back from the storm that is 21st century life, and connect with God. You need to listen, really listen for the still small voice of God!   E- ENACT   You can pray all you like, you can live with your fear, you can share it with others, you can think and discuss solutions, but until you take action, until you enact God’s solution to break through the glass ceiling, nothing will change.   Today is the day to conquer that fear that has limited for so long, and to take any action required to make it so.   James 1:22 (ESV Strong's) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.   I know some of this talk makes you uncomfortable. My role as pastor is to challenge you, not make you comfortable, otherwise we will all sit under our glass ceilings contentedly miserable.   God has more for you. God has a destiny, but you need to enact it. You need to be obedient, not just hear, not just give mental assent, but do whatever it takes to shatter this ceiling of fear. To smash this ceiling you need to say, Yes Lord, whatever it takes. Are you willing, or are you content to live under the thumb of the devil who uses fear to limit your life?   S- SEE CORRECTLY   Perception is your version of reality. Fear distorts your perception, and like a warped price of glass, the glass ceiling of fear distorts everything you see through it.  And what affects how you see things and your fears? Experience, especially bad ones.   Bad experiences thicken and warp the glass ceiling of fear. And some of you have had your share of bad experiences. King David, however, smashed though the fear ceiling by remembering what God has done in the past.   1 Samuel 17:37 (ESV Strong's) David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”   Take a chance, trust God and remember all the times He has brought you through. If you have none of those, start now trusting Him to build those fear destroying memories, because you can trust God!   S- SECURITY IN GOD   Psalms 27:1 (ESV Strong's) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?   When you know God, when you truly draw close to Him, you can break through the glass ceiling of fear, because you have the security of trusting the God of creation, your father who loves you and cares for you and has a plan for you. David also wrote,   Psalms 34:4 (ESV Strong's) I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.   Today is the day you can be delivered from all your fears. Finances, health, relationships, those glass ceilings that limit you, the fear that holds you back from all God has for you. And we are here to walk this road with you.   You can be FEARLESS in the power of the Lord. Decide today that that glass ceiling of fear has no power, it’s weak and about to shattered.   Today we hit it hard and smash it into tiny pieces.  

You can overcome a long gap in your resume (WSJ) This Week in the Nation’s Capitol - Greg Clugston ... SRN News White House Correspondent Carrie Underwood and Dicks Sporting Goods donate $100K to Pittsburgh girls sports Pastor, movie stuntman, federal security contractor at the centers for disease control: the life of a south hills pastor ... GUEST Mike Scheib 1st baby born in space in 12 years (Daily Mail) New Parental Obsession: Checking Grades Online Make a Joyful Silence Unto the Lord: Why quiet is essential to corporate worship ... GUEST W. David O. Taylor 1st snow date contest (1st snow tonight in the Laurel Highlands) Old or Dead: This year's #RockHall nominees include Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Judas Priest, Pat Benatar, Kraftwerk, Motörhead and Depeche ModeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can overcome a long gap in your resume (WSJ) This Week in the Nation’s Capitol - Greg Clugston ... SRN News White House Correspondent Carrie Underwood and Dicks Sporting Goods donate $100K to Pittsburgh girls sports Pastor, movie stuntman, federal security contractor at the centers for disease control: the life of a south hills pastor ... GUEST Mike Scheib 1st baby born in space in 12 years (Daily Mail) New Parental Obsession: Checking Grades Online Make a Joyful Silence Unto the Lord: Why quiet is essential to corporate worship ... GUEST W. David O. Taylor 1st snow date contest (1st snow tonight in the Laurel Highlands) Old or Dead: This year's #RockHall nominees include Notorious B.I.G., Whitney Houston, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Judas Priest, Pat Benatar, Kraftwerk, Motörhead and Depeche ModeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sun 29th Sep 2019 Read by Abu Arwa Ali - What is a Hadith Qudsi? - Allah has forbidden oppression - Guidance comes from Allah - The severe need of the slaves for their Lord - Why does Mankind commit sin? - Allah is oft-Forgiving - Question about free will

9/15/19 - American Idol is one of the most popular TV shows ever. Ever wonder why? Perhaps it's because we all long to be associated with a superstar of royal status. All of us, in fact, have made something in our lives king. Who is king of your life? MESSAGE NOTES: American Idol - the most popular TV show ever; revolutionized audience participation (text voting) - why? People want to be part of choosing their next king! American Idols - “Is it that a 12-inch tall piece of wood or bronze can do something bad to us? Or is it that we do something awful to ourselves when we place adoration and attention that should go to God in other things? When it comes to idolatry, the danger is not in an item… it is in us.” - Ed Seltzer Who is king of your life? How does someone identify their idols? “Look at your daydreams. When you don't have to think about something, like when you are waiting for the bus, where does your mind love to rest? Or, look at where you spend your money most effortlessly. Also, if you take your most uncontrolled emotions or the guilt that you can't get rid of, you'll find your idols at the bottom. Whenever I hear someone say, "I know God forgives me, but I can't forgive myself," it means that person has something that is more important than God, because God forgives them. If you look at your greatest nightmare—if something were to happen that would make you feel you had no reason to live—that's a god.” Tim Keller Idolatry is anything that either disproportionately consumes your thoughts, actions or resources, or that take your focus off of God. Does the world revolve around me or God? Trinity = Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit loving, serving and glorifying each other “You shall have no other gods before me.” - God, Deuteronomy 5:7 We’re sinners who need a savior Gospel of Mark Author: John Mark (co-worker of Peter & Paul) Source: Peter’s eyewitness account Date: 65-70 A.D. Theme: Son of God, King Jesus was called to sacrifice himself and triumph over sin, death and Satan Know As: “The Action Gospel” Mark 8:34-38 ESV - And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Life With King Jesus Calling: How are you responding to King Jesus’ call to be your Savior & to obey him as Lord? Sacrifice: How are you laying your life down to love King Jesus and others? Triumph: How are you winning the battle with King Jesus now and in the future? Jesus is saying to reign with him, you need to lay down your life and allow him to pick it up Jesus calls us to follow him by dying to live Challenge:  Who is king of your life? Really? Read the Book of Mark - see where it says Jesus is King Video: Gospel of Mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVRixfameGY&feature=youtu.be LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. What do you daydream about or what consumes your thoughts when you have a few moments to think? 2. Who or what would you say is really king of your life? Why? 3. When Jesus called you to follow him did you count the cost of Jesus being your Savior and your Lord? Why or why not? 4. What does sacrifice or dying to yourself look like? SUNDAY'S WORSHIP MUSIC PLAYLIST: For more about Crossroads Church Glenwood visit www.ccglenwood.com.

Whose Side?Psalm 76Joshua 5:2-7, 13-15There is a war waging and the question that you must ask is “Whose side are you on?”I. Preparing For War (vv. 1-7)A. Finding Salem (vv. 1-3)B. Whose Side? (vv. 4-7; Joshua 5:13-15)II. The Motives for War (vv. 4, 8-10)A. The Evil Motives of Wicked Men (v. 4)B. The Noble Motives of a Loving God (vv. 8-10)III. The Last Tabernacle (vv. 1-2, 8-12)A. He Tabernacled Among Us (vv. 1-2; 1 Peter 5:8; John 1:1-18)B. Salvation through Judgment (vv. 8-9)C. Whose Side?D. Set Apart Unto the Lord (vv. 10-12; Joshua 5:2-7)E. Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing (John 6, 15)Discussion Starters1. Monday—Are there any legitimate reasons to go to war? What are some wrong reasons? What are some right reasons?2. Tuesday—Why was it right for God to take Israel to war to clean out the Promised Land? Did this mean that God was doing Israel’s bidding?3. Wednesday—What does it mean that God is not on our side or the side of our enemies (cf. Joshua 5:13-15)? Why was Joshua’s question, the wrong question?4. Thursday—How does God use judgment to save his people (Psalm 76:9)?5. Friday—What does it mean to be set apart for the Lord? Why is it important that we belong to him fully?

When we suffer we tend to ask, “Why me, Lord?” Why did I break my leg? Why did my loved one die? Why did I end up alone? And there’s no answer. But when Jesus suffered he asked the same question, “Why me?” And there was an answer. Why? For you. We gather here today to remember that. The answer to Jesus’ suffering for us convinces us of his promise that our sorrow will lead to greater joy.     To receive 250-word devotions on Psalm 126 this week, Monday – Friday, go to st-andrew-online.org/devotions.

Whose Side?Psalm 76Joshua 5:2-7, 13-15There is a war waging and the question that you must ask is “Whose side are you on?”I. Preparing For War (vv. 1-7)A. Finding Salem (vv. 1-3)B. Whose Side? (vv. 4-7; Joshua 5:13-15)II. The Motives for War (vv. 4, 8-10)A. The Evil Motives of Wicked Men (v. 4)B. The Noble Motives of a Loving God (vv. 8-10)III. The Last Tabernacle (vv. 1-2, 8-12)A. He Tabernacled Among Us (vv. 1-2; 1 Peter 5:8; John 1:1-18)B. Salvation through Judgment (vv. 8-9)C. Whose Side?D. Set Apart Unto the Lord (vv. 10-12; Joshua 5:2-7)E. Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing (John 6, 15)Discussion Starters1. Monday—Are there any legitimate reasons to go to war? What are some wrong reasons? What are some right reasons?2. Tuesday—Why was it right for God to take Israel to war to clean out the Promised Land? Did this mean that God was doing Israel’s bidding?3. Wednesday—What does it mean that God is not on our side or the side of our enemies (cf. Joshua 5:13-15)? Why was Joshua’s question, the wrong question?4. Thursday—How does God use judgment to save his people (Psalm 76:9)?5. Friday—What does it mean to be set apart for the Lord? Why is it important that we belong to him fully?

Introduction: (Proverbs 1-3)Dremel Rotary Tool: This product not intended for use as a dental drill.Vidal Sassoon Hair Dryer: Do not use while sleeping.Rowenta Iron: Do not iron clothes on body. Baby Stroller: Remove child before folding.Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush: Do not use for personal hygiene. How Do I Get Wisdom for My Walk? You have to go after it Humbly (Prov 1:1-6). You have to go after it Reverently (Prov 1:7). You have to go after it Urgently (Prov 2:1-11). You have to go after it Totally (Prov 3:5-6). Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Proverbs 1:1-7, 2:1-11, 3:5-6Define wisdom. How is wisdom different than knowledge?What is “the fear of the Lord”? Why must “the fear of the Lord” be your motivation to seek wisdom?How is wisdom a protection (Prov 2:7-11)? How are you “in danger” (unprotected) when you don’t walk in wisdom?BREAKOUTHow much have YOU been seeking wisdom, Monday through Saturday?In what areas of your life, right now, do you need wisdom? How are you going after it?

God explains that He has humbled Israel for their own good. How should we view the discipline of God? What does it mean that man cannot live by bread alone? What does it mean to “bless the Lord’? Why is God careful about what He gives us? Chad and Daniel discuss all of this. Have a listen! 1517 Podcast Network Christian History Almanac Chad Bird Academy Course HWSS Conference Donate

Deceived on Purpose Understanding the Nature of Truth Bible Study Verses: John 18:37-38, Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4, John 14:6, Psalm 119:151, Psalm 119:89, Luke 4:36, 2 Cor. 6:14, Matthew 5:37, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 10:26, John 14:6, What are some of the causes of ignorance?What should the responses to truth be?Why stand for the truth?What determines our walk with The Lord?Why do we find truth uncomfortable? Is the Truth not Interesting or Exciting?What will truth conform to?Does truth respect persons?What is the Truth?What are the various views of the truth?What are the Consequences of Your view of Truth?Is truth created?How accurate is truth?Is truth compatible with error?Does truth really matter?What famous person said, “Error is a terrible evil to allow.”?Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on Sept 29, 2018 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasts to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble earth floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible.GOT 180929 Episode #36ART CREDIT: Photo by W A T A R I on Unsplash See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paul Goes to the Apostles with Titus — Why would Paul need to go to the other apostles if he got his message from the Lord? Why was it important to bring Titus?

We live in a crazy and worried world. In this context, where can we go for help? To the doctor? To the therapist? To the bottle? Psalm 121 tells us that we can “lift our eyes and look to the Lord”…Why?…Because He is our helper and our shepherd.

Have you ever wondered why people walk away from the Lord? Why did Judas betray Jesus? How is the church supposed to react to those who walk away? Check out this weeks sermon as we unpack Matthew 27.

Why should we strive for unity in the Body of Christ- Why is the claim -God is not done with me yet,- losing credibility- Is prosperity always related to our diligence in following the leading of the Lord- Why can-t people resist demonstrating their anger through hostile actions publicly these days- Since we believers have God-s new nature inside of us, why are we so ready to explode with rage so often- For answers to the these questions and more, please listen to the sermon entitled -Unity--Dealing with Conflict.-

“Lord Why the Storm” The post Lord Why the Storm appeared first on New Providence Missionary Baptist Church.

1 Samuel 15: 10 Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night. 12 So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” 13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.” 17 So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? 18 Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

Rhoman and Smiley Bands, upcoming artist out of Lexington, KY, chat about his Worldstar Hiphop premiere song, ‘Lord Why’ that has blown up in the past few months. He details the pain behind the hot song and pays tribute to his loved ones lost to gun violence. He has performed his hit song in top locations all around Miami and Atlanta and he’s not stopping there. After 8 years in the state penitentiary, Smiley has changed his life around for the better. By pursuing his passion for all different types of art, not just music, he looks to inspire young people from his hood to shoot for the stars and get themselves out of those tough situations. Smiley has transformed his goals and dreams, but he will always remain the same. Listen on this all-too-real interview with two products of the east end of Lexington, KY. Presented by Cloud 10 Fashion — dropping February 1st. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What is the Day of the Lord? Why is it called "great and dreadfful" in the Bible? What is a good response to this?

Have you noticed how difficult it is to find anything vaguely representing Christ in this season we call Christmas? Or how the joy it represents has very little if any to do with the joy of the Lord? Why is this, how is this when at least 75% of people associate Jesus the Christ with Christmas and of that percentage at least 35 % say they are born again believers. What has happened, that we would celebrate one another and fail to celebrate our Savior Jesus the Christ as emphatically? Prophet Mary Washington bible commentary expounds on how to use the bible therapeutically to answer the issues of life.                                                      Join DISCIPLESHIP DEVELOPMENT Online  Wednesday 7:30 pm - 8:30  We look forward to your joining us. Email your questions or comments. Central Time  Submit a Prayer Request and visit us at www.fmsmgospelnetwork.org  We are praying for you. FMSM ministry team 

Romans 8:12-15—The Spirit of Adoption Lesson 1: Like human adoption, spiritual adoption: (Part I) Is ______ _________ (Eph 1:4-5; Rom 8:29; 1 Cor 1:27-29; John 15:16; 2 Thess 2:13) (Part II) _________ a new _________ (John 8:39-44; 1 John 3:10; Eph 2:1-3; Rom 8:14; Col 1:13; Gal 4:5) Lesson 2: God’s Leadership: (Part I) ____________ ____________ (Rom 8:13; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Cor 6:11; Gal 5:16-17) (Part II) ____________ _______________ (Heb 12:6-11; Job 5:17) (Part III) ________ _______________ (Rom 8:13-16; 1 Thess 1:4-6; Ezek 36:26-27; Eph 1:13-14) Family Worship Guide Memory Verses: Isaiah 53:6 Day 1: Read Romans 8:12-15 & discuss: In what ways are we “debtors” to the Lord? Why are we no longer debtors to our flesh? Day 2: Read Romans 8:12-15 & discuss: Why does Paul use the word “adoption” to describe our relationship to God? Day 3: Read Romans 8:12-15 & discuss: According to these verses, how do we know that we are God’s children? Pray for those who lead, feed, and care for the flock, and their families (Col. 4:3, 2 Thess. 3:1): Pastor Doug and Jesse Studt Pray for these church members/families (1 Tim. 2:1, Eph. 6:18, Col. 1:9): Andy & Wendy MacFarlane, Don & Sharee MacKay, DJ & Molly Malinowski, Peggy Mars, John & Dyan McCamish Pray for “kings” and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:2): Local: Woodland City Council; State:State Rep. Jim Walsh; Nation: Vice President Mike Pence Pray for the Gospel to Spread Among All Peoples (Matt. 9:37-38): Those we directly support: Rick Terrazas (Rock of Ages) An Unreached People Group: Java Pesisir Kulon (Muslim, Indonesia)

On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. ~ Exodus 12:12-13 After this presentation to Israelís leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, ìThis is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.î Exo 5:2 ìIs that so?î retorted Pharaoh. ìAnd who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I donít know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.î Exo 5:3 But Aaron and Moses persisted. ìThe God of the Hebrews has met with us,î they declared. ìSo let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we donít, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.î Exo 5:4 Pharaoh replied, ìMoses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! ~ Exodus 5:1-4 While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the LORD gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: 2 ìFrom now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. 4 If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. 5 The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects. 6 ìTake special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. 7 They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. 8 That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat any of the meat raw or boiled in water. The whole animalóincluding the head, legs, and internal organsómust be roasted over a fire. 10 Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning. 11 ìThese are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the LORDís Passover. 12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. ~ Exodus 12:1-13 Similarities between the Old and New Testament: 1. Disobedience to what God says brings judgment 2. God is merciful and gives us a way to avoid judgment 3. There must be a spotless sacrifice 4. There has to be blood 5. You must apply the blood and make it personal For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. ~ 1 Peter 1:18-19 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. ~ Hebrews 9:22

What does it mean to "fear" the Lord? Why does religion use so much "fear"? Fr. Josh and Ralph tackle FEAR in this episode of WORDS.

Remember when you were first born again and you were always singing to the Lord? Why did you stop? Where is your song?

Rejoice in the Lord, always- Rejoicing is what we do outwardly, it comes from a heart that takes great delight and pleasure in God. Are you rejoicing in the Lord- Why not- What is keeping you from outwardly expressing your delight in God in Christ-

The Pharisees had complained to the Lords disciples why does your master eat with sinners and tax collectors and the Lord compared Himself to the physician. He says that the healthy do not need the doctor, but the sick do. And so since all of us are sinners and therefore spiritually sick, He has come to heal us all. In today’s passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel, we’re told that it’s John’s disciples that came to Jesus, although the other evangelists tells us the Pharisees came with them. But in either case, John’s disciples use the Pharisees as an example, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not”? This sounds like a criticism of the Lord and of course of His disciples. And John’s disciples are to be blamed for the attitude they’ve adopted towards Our Lord. They felt envious because of the fact that Our Lord was drawing disciples to Himself and the people were following Him. They complained to John, “The man you bore testimony to, He is baptising down the river and everybody is going to Him”. To which John replies, “He must increase and I decrease”. John’s disciples had great loyalty to John, but John constantly pointed them towards the one who was to come. John had been critical of the Pharisees and John had been praising Our Lord and therefore all the more reason for John’s disciples to be conscience of what they were saying. And so when they come to the Lord “Why is it that we, and the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not?”… For Fr. Linus’ complete homily please listen to the Audio.

In Psalm 10, God gives a warning to the wicked, even though they think they can act without consequences, ultimately God will hold them to account.  Psalm 60 claims victory for the humble and Psalm 110 is one of the clearest Messianic Psalms where the Father tells the Son to sit at his right hand until his enemies are made a footstool under his feet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBnh-5PbJBw Subscribe on Youtube Psalm 10 1 Why do you stand far off, LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise. 3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy, and condemns the LORD. 4 The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God. 5 His ways are prosperous at all times. He is arrogant, and your laws are far from his sight. As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.” 7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity. 8 He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless. 9 He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush. He lies in wait to catch the helpless. He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net. 10 The helpless are crushed. They collapse. They fall under his strength. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it.” 12 Arise, LORD! God, lift up your hand! Don’t forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked person condemn God, and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?” 14 But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked. As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none. 16 The LORD is King forever and ever! The nations will perish out of his land. 17 LORD, you have heard the desire of the humble. You will prepare their heart. You will cause your ear to hear, 18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.   Psalm 60 1 God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again. 2 You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes. 3 You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger. 4 You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. 5 So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us. 6 God has spoken from his sanctuary: “I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth. 7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter. 8 Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my shoe on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.” 9 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom? 10 Haven’t you, God, rejected us?

Trials can come in anyone’s life at any given moment, whether rich or poor, young or old, successful or unsuccessful. It’s this part of our existence that we wish to skip & ignore. Sometimes, we can help but ask God, “Why is this happening, Lord? Why do these testings have to happen & why does it have to be so painful?” When storms come & we don’t know who to hang on to, God is reminding us to change the direction of our eyes & look upward to HIM – the God who can save us from anything! Remember that no problem is too hard for Him. His powerful hand can turn our uncomfortable situation today into an avenue for greater blessings tomorrow. [ This is what the LORD says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you.” Isaiah 49:8 ]

Main Topic: Jesus was more than a man and a myth   Questions: Who kept the books of the Bible together before we got our current Bibles? Can you do things for your family members to atone for them like the Mormons do? What does it mean to dedicate our children to the Lord? Why did the Jews stop sacrifices once Jesus came?   NoOtherDoctrine.org LeadershipFromTheCross.org CCFCollege.com CrossFellowship.org

Kings & Prophets Vol 1 Part 2 Speaker: Pastor Brandon Pardekooper Originally Recorded 28 Feb 2016 Saul Looks Like a King 1 Samuel 9:1-2 ESV There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. Saul Prophecies 1 Samuel 10:5-7 ESV After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Saul is Coronated 1 Samuel 10:20-24 ESV Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, "Is there a man still to come?" and the Lord said, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage." Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted, "Long live the king!" Saul Makes Excuses 1 Samuel 13:11-12 ESV Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." God Provides Clear Direction 1 Samuel 15:2-3 ESV Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" Saul Disobeys 1 Samuel 15:9 ESV But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. Samuel Calls Saul Out 1 Samuel 15:17-19 ESV And Samuel said, "Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, 'Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?" Saul's Walls Revealed 1 Samuel 15:21 ESV But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal." The Big Idea When we don’t know who we are and we are filled with fear, we build up walls between us and God. Closing Thought God’s intention is to anoint us, empower us, use us, and allow us to be a part of advancing his kingdom. It is time to live in this reality.

Why did Balaam transgress the word of the Lord? Why do we, when we run greedily after the illusion of gain?

Why did Balaam transgress the word of the Lord? Why do we, when we run greedily after the illusion of gain?

What does it mean to fear the Lord? Why is it a good thing?

What are the determining qualities of a woman who fears the Lord? Why is this so important when we are trying to hear His guidance in our lives? Dr. Deb searches out these questions in the second part of "Fear and God's Guidance" by looking further into David's words in Ps. 25 as well as Solomon's in Proverbs 31.

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is one of the more challenging events in the history of the early church to understand. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira that would cause God to literally strike them dead? What does it mean to fear the Lord? Why is the fear of the Lord considered the beginning of Wisdom? What are the benefits of maintaining a healthy fear of God in our lives?Support the show (https://www.kindridgiving.com/app/giving/hobartag)

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is one of the more challenging events in the history of the early church to understand. What happened to Ananias and Sapphira that would cause God to literally strike them dead? What does it mean to fear the Lord? Why is the fear of the Lord considered the beginning of Wisdom? What are the benefits of maintaining a healthy fear of God in our lives?Support the show (https://www.kindridgiving.com/app/giving/hobartag)

These events are saturated with meaning. This is the fulfillment of hundreds of OT prophecies, foreshadowing, and prototypes. We’ll look at three of those this morning. They celebrated the Passover together – which was a foreshadowing: The Passover celebrated an event for 1450 years when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God sent plagues on Egypt for their treatment of the Israelites. The last plague was the death of every first born in the country. But the Lord spared the life of the firstborn whose doorways were covered with the blood of a slaughtered a lamb. The angel of death came and “passed over” those homes. The Passover had been celebrated for 1450 years, foreshadowing what Christ would do as the Lamb of God, sparing their lives by the death of the Lamb. Matthew 26:26-30 - Jesus with the disciples at the last supper v. 26 He taught them about how they must accept the sacrifice of his body for forgiveness. v. 27 His blood was poured out for them. v. 28 You must accept the sacrifice of his body and blood. If you do, you will receive forgiveness of your sin. He was about to go to Gethsemane where he would be betrayed, trialed, and finally executed. v. 30 Before they left, they sang a hymn, as was custom for the Passover meal. Did you ever wonder what they sang? At the beginning of the Passover meal, they sang Psalms 113-114. At the end of the Passover meal, they sang Psalms 115-118. Listen to some of the words they sang that evening together: Psalm 117:1-2 v. 1 – “Praise” is Hallel. These are known as the “Hallel Psalms” Why would all nations praise the Lord? Why all peoples? God’s plan from the beginning was that God’s redemptive work in and for Israel had in view the redemption of the Gentiles. Genesis 12:3 - God’s promise to Abraham 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The Gentiles would see God’s mighty and gracious acts for his people and hear their praises as they celebrated what God had done for them. Romans 15:8-12 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50) 10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” (Det 32:43) 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” (Psalm 111:1) 12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” (Isaiah 11:10) God’s greatest and climactic act for Israel’s salvation was the sending of the Messiah to fulfill the promises made to the patriarchs. God planned and used the sending of His son to gather in the great harvest of the Gentiles. The fact that Gentiles came to know and hope in Christ is fulfillment of these prophecies, as is the continuing evangelization of the nations. The idea is that when we (Gentiles) saw the love and faithfulness of the God toward the Israelites in the OT, and especially in the giving of Jesus Christ, that you and I would join Israel in worship of the true God. God would demonstrate for all the nations to see that his love (checed) and faithfulness do endure forever, and that the Lord God is worthy of praise. What Jesus and the disciples sang, Jesus carried out. v. 2 – The Lord has love for his people. Jesus sang about it, and would demonstrate it perfectly, finally at the cross. (checed – loving devotion – a love that is merciful, kindness, and not dependent on the object of the love. It is a love that is stubborn, unshakable) "loving-kindness," "mercy," "steadfast love," and sometimes "loyalty," The word carries with it not only the notion of a deep love, but a steadfast, faithful, loyal, persistent, devoted love. It is a love that is not dependent on the actions of the recipient. He did not love the Israelites because they were lovable. Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. It is that sure love which will not let Israel go. All of Israel's persistent straying from God could ever destroy it. Though Israel would be faithless, yet God remains faithful still. This steady, persistent refusal of God to wash his hands of wayward Israel is the essential meaning of the Hebrew word. This is the love he has for Israel – and the love he has for us who love His son. Not only is the Lord loving, but His faithfulness endures forever. What Jesus and the disciples sang, Jesus carried out. He demonstrated His loving devotion, his loving loyalty to us by giving his life on the cross so that you and I could have forgiveness of our sins. Psalm 117:1-2

When we see the opening of Christ’s ministry we notice that it is Christ who gives the blessings of the kingdom, but also the exhortations in light of the kingdom. What is our motivation for being exclusive to the Lord? Why would we put off idolatry? What basis do we have to trust in the […] The post Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-24; LD 34) | 2008-2009 Catechism Sermons appeared first on Covenant United Reformed Church.

In Lord’s Day 36 we established that we can make oaths, but they must not be made hastily. However, why must we make these oaths in the name of the Lord? Why is it so significant that the Lord makes an oath to Abraham regarding redemption? Does this oath that God made to Abraham mean […] The post What is Blasphemy? (2) (Gen. 22:1-19; Heb. 6:13-20; LD 37) | 2006-2007 Catechism Sermons appeared first on Covenant United Reformed Church.