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Introduction: I Give Thanks with My Whole Heart… (Psalm 138) Because God has Proven His Reliability to Me IN THE PAST (Psalm 138:1–3) Because God is at Work in My Life RIGHT NOW (Psalm 138:6–7) 1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Because God Will Not Give Up on Me IN THE FUTURE (Psalm 138:4–5; 8) Philippians 2:9-11 – Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 2 Samuel 7:16 – And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. Philippians 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Jude 24 – Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy… Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Psalm 138What was your big take-away from this passage / message?If we know it's so bad for us, why do we complain so much? What do you complain about the most?How has the Lord proven Himself reliable to you in the past? Take some time to thank the Lord for what He has done.How is the Lord at work in your life right now? Praise Him for what He is doing.How will the Lord fulfill His purposes for you in the future? Give Him thanks for what He will do for you.BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT I hope you're all doing well this morning.I've had better days.I took me forever to fall asleep last night.I'm just so tired.My neighbors were just blasting fireworksin all hours of the night.Isn't it been like three weeks since the 4th of July?I just don't get it.And then when I fell asleep, I couldn't stay asleep.I have a bed that's too small.I have a room that gets way too hot.I have a pillow that isn't comfortable at all.And I just set the alarm really early this morning.So I had to wake up and look presentable for all of you.And I stubbed my toe really hard and it still hurts.Oh, and I forgot to iron all my clothes.So I had to do it all this morning.So I was way later than I wanted to be.And so I was driving here.I got stuck behind the slowest drivers in the entire world.That just drives me insane.It's like, don't you want to get where you want to goin this century?You may not have things that you want to do,but there's things that I need to do.So move it.Oh, and I also have the worst headaches.So these lights aren't helping me at all.OK, time out.Is anyone tired of listening to my complaining yet?There is a resounding yes from the congregation.It is so annoying when someone constantly complainsand grumbles about everything.This person's constant whining sounds like nailsscreeching across a chalkboard.But quick question, if that's how other people's complainingsounds to you, how do you think your complainingsounds to them?Not much different.Let's up the ante even more.How do you think your constant complaining sounds to God?Do you think He appreciates it?No, He does not.I know that complaining is bad for me and offends God.And I am very sure that most of youknow that complaining is bad for you and offends God.So why do we keep doing it?What is going on within us?Well, this is the third week in our latest series calledHeart Problems.What to do when you don't want God?Over the past two Sundays, we've identified two different heartproblems and their surgical solutions according to God'sword.We began by evaluating our hearts to see how serious of a heartsurgery we truly need.And last week, we discovered the heart problem of hidden sin.And the surgical solution to that problemis confession from the heart.And this morning, we will unpack a third heart problemand its surgical solution from Psalm 138.Psalm 138.Your heart problem this morning couldbe that you have a serious infection of negativityand complaining.You struggle to truly appreciate all that God has given to youbecause you are so fixated on everythingthat God has not given to you.In your mind, you deserve better.You deserve more.You deserve what you want.Does that describe you right now?How do you fix this heart problem?The surgical solution to a negative and discontent heartis passionate praise and true thanksgiving.You must actually give thanks from your heart.So before we look into the solution any further,let's go to the Lord and ask for his help.Please pray for me, and I will pray for you.Father, we come to you with one of our greatest struggles,with something that I am very sure that every single personin this room struggles with.Lord, minister to us in the way that only you can.Challenge us, convict us, but also comfort us and build us up.We thank you in advance for what you will do.We ask all this in the beautiful, wonderful, powerful nameof Jesus Christ.Amen.If you are able, please stand in reverencefor the reading of God's Word as we read Psalm 138.I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart.Before the gods, I sing your praise.I bow down toward your holy templeand give thanks to your name for your steadfast loveand your faithfulness.For you have exalted above all things your name and your word.On the day I called, you answered me.My strength of soul, you increasedall the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,for they have heard the words of your mouth.And they shall sing of the ways the Lord for greatis the glory of the Lord.For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly,but the haughty He knows from afar.Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.You stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,and your right hand delivers me.The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.Do not forsake the work of your hands.You may be seated.As you study this Psalm, you can'thelp but notice that David's Thanksgiving is divided upinto three different sections--the past, the present, and the future.In this Psalm, David slides back and forthon the timeline of history to find reasons to praise the Lordand give Him thanks for His actions and His attributes.And I want you to follow David's lead this morning.I want you to be on the lookout for reasonsto give thanks with your whole heart for what God hasdone in your past, what He is doing in your present,and what He will do in the future.So I give thanks to my whole heart, firstly,because God has proven His reliability to me in the past.I give thanks with my whole heart,because God has proven His reliability to me in the past.So David starts this Psalm by declaringhis complete and total devotion to the Lord.Let's read verses 1 through 2 again.I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart,before the gods I sing your praise,I bow down towards your holy templeand give thanks to your name for your steadfast loveand your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all thingsyour name and your word.This isn't the prayer of a man who is dispassionate and disconnected.This isn't the prayer of a man going through the motions.David is overflowing with gratitude for God's faithfulness,His love, and His power.David is saying, "The false gods of the other nationsare worthless idols.They get nothing from me while God gets everything from me.They get my ridicule.God gets my praise.Their words are worthless and accomplish nothingwhile God's word never fails me.Their names do not matter while God's name is infinite."David doesn't offer God some of his heart or even most of his heart.He offers God his whole heart.This is what God wants and deserves from David.This is also what God wants and deserves from you.God isn't worthy of your leftovers.He is worthy of your best.God doesn't want you just to thank Him when you remember.He doesn't want you to treat Him like the teenage cashier at the ice cream shop,who you begrudgingly tip with the slowest amount possiblewhen the iPad screen is flipped around."Ah, fine. I guess I'll do it if I have to."Is that kind of attitude honoring to God?Not on any level, but that is often how we approach giving Him the creditthat He deserves.Instead of stopping what we're doing to give Him a heartfelt thank you,we throw a quick three-second prayer up to Himthat is devoid of any emotion and energy.Instead of immediately praising Him,we immediately move on to the next thing and the next big concern.This half-heartedness drains you of your joy.This half-heartedness gives you spiritual amnesia.You forget what God has done for you in the past,so you trust in yourself moving forward.In verse 3, David gets very specific with his thanksgivingand remembers how God has come through for him in the past."On the day I called, you answered,'My strength of soul,' you increased.I am well aware that some of you are telophonophobics.You hate talking on the phone.When someone calls, you panic.When you know you have to call someone else,you secretly hope that they won't pick up.But even you telophonophobics in the roomhave had to make calls that you needed someone to answer.Maybe you had an urgent question that required an immediate answer.Maybe it was a serious issue at work that you need to solve right now.Maybe it was even a matter of life or death.Every single person in this room has a call of this kind in their past.Put yourself into that tense mindset.Try to remember how you felt.Let me ask you, when you called, did that person answer?Did they come through for you?Other people cannot always come through for youno matter how reliable they might seem.Friends and family members cannot always answer when you call.But that is not true of God.He always picks up.He always answers.God doesn't screen your prayer to say to himself,"Ah, this guy again.I don't have time to deal with him right now."That has never happened.God doesn't send you to voicemail.God is always ready and willing to answer you when you call.But God's help may not come in the form that you expected or hoped for.At some point, every single one of us in this roomhave had this exact thought or said this exact thing.God didn't answer my prayer.Is that true?Well, it really depends on what you mean by answer.If by answer you mean that God says yes,then God didn't answer your prayer.But that definition captures our experience of the situationmore than the reality of the situation.It captures our feelings more than the facts.That definition misses the big picture of what God is up to behind the scenes.God answering your prayers doesn't mean that He always answers with a yes.But it does mean that God always responds.And sometimes that response is no or wait.And you never want that answer, do you?I never want that answer either.Again, every single one of us in this room can think of a timewhen we called to God and He answered with a no.You prayed for healing and healing didn't come.You asked for that big promotionand it went to someone far less deserving.You asked for the Lord to use your witnessing, your positive exampleto make an impact on your prodigal child, but there is no positive reception.You call to the Lord and ask for that baby that you've always wanted,but that room is still empty.That no can be so confusing and devastating.What reason could God possibly have to say no to that request?I don't know.I don't want to patronize you or minimize your pain.I don't want to give you a hallmark card answer and tell you that do not be sad and upset.Listen, it's okay to be sad and upset.Seasons of sorrow are unavoidable.I've gone through these times in the past and I will again.You've gone through these times of sorrow and you may be experiencing it right now.I truly don't know the exact reason that God said no to that request when you called to Him.But He does.God never says no for no reason.Everything He does is purposeful.God never wastes your pain.Everything you go through has meaning.As I meditated upon these truths over the past week, I couldn't help but think of the hymn,"God moves in a mysterious way," which says this,"judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace.Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.God's purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour.The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower."Why God said no back then may never make sense in this life.But it will in eternity.And those times when God said no often drown out and obscure the times that He said yes.So I want you to stop focusing on the no's for a minute.I want you to start thinking about the times when you called to God and He answered youwith a yes.Consider that.Were you able to think of some clear examples when God said yes and proved His reliabilityto you in the past?Maybe you experienced a season of dark, deep depression.You called out to God and He answered you with a yes by sending you a friend who lovedyou, who encouraged you, who prayed for you, who listened to you.Maybe you called out to God when you had no idea how to handle a specific situation andHe gave you a yes by providing you wisdom from His Word.Maybe you experienced a broken relationship and you called out to God and He answeredwith a yes by bringing restoration and putting all the pieces back together again.Or how about the most important yes of all?You realized you were a sinner.You called out to God asking for forgiveness and salvation and God answered with a yesby giving it to you.I could keep going for days, weeks, months and years because there is no end to whatGod has done for you.Friends, God has been so good to you in the past.Do you recognize that?Do you believe that?There have been so many times when you recognized His goodness and you praised Him for it.But there have been many more times when you didn't recognize His goodness or praise Him.And thankfully God's goodness wasn't taken away from you when you didn't recognize it.God still gives good gifts to His children even when His children don't say thank you.But in those moments when you didn't acknowledge what God had done and say thank you to Him,the strength of your soul was diminished and depleted.Your strength of soul was like a balloon and ungratefulness was the needle that poppedthat balloon and left it deflated on the floor.That may be how you feel this morning.You're just deflated.You're just kind of there.You're down and out.Could it be that you have a heart problem because you were ungrateful for what God hasdone for you?No matter how hard your life has been, God's fingerprints of kindness are all over yourstory.You simply need the eyes of faith to see these evidences of grace or you'll miss them completely.Like David, give thanks with your whole heart because God has proven His reliability toyou in the past.Give thanks with your whole heart for what God has done for you and your strength ofsoul will be increased.I give thanks with my whole heart because God is at work in my life right now.Because God is at work in my life right now.I'm going to break some preaching rules here for a minute.Who wants to break the rules with me?All right, some of you, most of your rulekeepers besides Darlet and Jay, I guess we'll go withit.So, we're going to skip past verses 4 through 5 for now.We're not going to skip them entirely.We'll come back to them.We're going to move on to verses 6 through 7.Don't worry this will all make sense very soon.We spent some time focusing on what God has done for David.Now let's focus on what God is doing for David in verses 6 through 7.For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar.Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.You stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies and your right hand deliversme.We don't know the backstory of the Psalm or what kind of trouble David is experiencing.All we know is he needs his life to be preserved.He has enemies that the Lord needs to stretch out his hands against.David needs deliverance.Your problems seem like the biggest deal in the entire world, don't they?When you're going through trouble, you often feel like you're the only one in the entireworld who is experiencing what you're experiencing.Is that actually the case?Not at all.Literally every person in the world has something going on right now.Everyone has a problem.Everyone has trouble.And David is well aware where his life, where his troubles, where his problems rank on theorder of importance.Compared to God, he is nothing and nobody.David acknowledges that he is lowly.But he actually rejoices in that truth because even though the Lord is high, He regards thelowly, but the haughty, the proud, the arrogant He knows from afar.If you exalt yourself to the position of the movie star of your life, you will not be ina position to receive God's help.You will dismiss what he has to offer.But if you rightly acknowledge that God is the star, you will receive help from Him.God is big, but He still loves little people.God is great, but He still blesses the unremarkable.God is supremely important, but He still serves the unimportant.You may be painfully aware that you are unimportant, unremarkable, and little.But that is a good thing.That means the Lord has regard for you.God cares for you.He pays attention to you.God's helping hand is offered to you at all times.You can either push away this helping hand in pride or you can grab ahold of it in humility.I need God's help right now.You need God's help right now.You are in the midst of some kind of trouble.Maybe you're being attacked.Someone at work is gunning for you.A family member or friend is making life miserable for you.Your integrity is being called into question.You may have a target on your back, but God preserves your life.You may have enemies who are seeking to destroy you, but God stretches out His hand againstthe wrath of your enemies.His right hand delivers you.Fair warning.God may not deliver you from experiencing that hardship, but He delivers you from givingup as you experience that hardship.His right hand delivers you from anger, bitterness, resentment, isolation.You may be enduring the most intense season of temptation you've ever encountered.You feel like you can't say no one more time that any day now you're going to break.You can stand strong because God preserves you.He stretches, will stretch His hand against that temptation.If you believe that He can, His right hand delivers you from giving in.Listen to this promise from 1 Corinthians 10.13.No temptation is overtaking you that is not common to man.God is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with thetemptation He will provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.Something that God has taught me recently is that He most often delivers you throughtrust and His promises.There is nothing more powerful and dependable than a promise from God.If you're experiencing intense temptation, grab ahold of this promise and don't let goso you will experience deliverance and find the way of escape.Maybe you need delivered from the ultimate enemies of Satan, sin, and death.You are under the power of the evil one in this evil world.You are a slave to sin.You are bound for eternal death.You are like that toddler running towards the road and there will be a horrible fateunless that child is grasped by a loving father.Ask this father to preserve you and give you eternal life.Ask him to stretch out His hand against the wrath of your enemies.Ask for His right hand to grab ahold of you and deliver you from the fate that you deserve.A truck of hell is barreling down.But God will rescue you if you ask Him to.No matter what trouble you are walking through, God is at work in your life right now.You can't say, "Yeah, God sure was at work back in the day, but He hasn't done anythingfor me lately."No, God is preserving your life even when you don't know it.He is stretching out His hand against enemies that you don't even know you have.God is delivering you all the time.God isn't like the lifeguards at the pool or the beach who clock in and clock out.For many hours of the day, their floatation devices are hung up and those chairs are empty.But God is always on duty.He keeps you from drowning.He keeps your head above water.God is always on His heavenly throne.In the Psalm 121, 1-4, "I lift up my eyes to the hills from where does my help comefrom?My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.He will not let your foot be moved.He who keeps you will not slumber.Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."God is not asleep on the job.God is not taking a break.He is not packing up His office.God is helping you.God is fighting for you.Give thanks with your whole heart because God is at work in your life right now.I give thanks with my whole heart, finally, because God will not give up on me in thefuture.Because God will not give up on me in the future.Let's rewind back to verses 4 through 5, but this rewind is actually a fast forward asDavid gives thanks for what God will do."All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the wordsof your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord for great is the glory ofthe Lord."In 2025, this scene seems very unlikely, doesn't it?I mean, how many presidents, politicians, dictators, and governments truly fear Godand worship Him?Not many.God is openly mocked and dishonored.His people are belittled.People are even put into prison and martyred for their faith.So many world leaders do not recognize the one who put them into power in the first place.But despite this hostility, the message of the gospel is still advancing and spreadingamong the nations.People of different backgrounds, positions, and levels of influence are hearing the wordsof God's mouth, being saved, giving thanks, and praising Him.In one day, all leaders of the earth will retire from their positions and vacate theiroffices as one rightful ruler reigns supreme.And who is this rightful ruler?Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.And Paul speaks to this future in Philippians 2, 9 through 11."Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name as above every name,so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."One day there will be no more elections, no more protests, no more corruption, no morepolitical news channels, no more war, no more threat of nuclear attack.There will be only praise and thanksgiving.The glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.And this future isn't maybe a might be or let's hope so.No, this future is set in stone.It is certain fact.You can resist it all you want, but it will come to pass.While the immediate future of this world is uncertain, God's ultimate future is not inquestion.In verse 8, "Folks is on David's future and the purpose that God has for David's life,his throne, and his house.The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.Do not forsake the work of your hands."The same God who will cause kings and leaders to bow down before him will fulfill David'spurpose as well.Actually, it is through fulfilling David's purpose that God will fulfill this ultimatefuture for his people and his creation.Help me with a quick reminder.From whose family line does King Jesus come?From King David's line.Listen to the promise that the Lord made to David in 2 Samuel 7.16, "And your house andyour kingdom shall be made sure forever, before me your throne shall be established forever."This purpose has been fulfilled and will further be fulfilled in Christ.This promise has been kept and will be further kept in Christ.David's throne has been established and will be established forever.And the one who sits on this throne is none other than Jesus Christ himself.He trusts in God's future plans.But he still cries out to the Lord and offers this prayer, "Do not forsake the work of yourhands."This may sound like doubt, but it isn't.This is a cry of dependence and neediness.David is saying, "God, please keep your promises to me.Without you, I am completely sunk.Do not forsake the work of your hands."This has become my new favorite prayer request.I've lost count of how many times I've prayed it over the past week, and you should prayit as well.God, keep your promise.Do not forsake the work of your hands.David's personal future is set in stone.It is a certain fact.The same is true for you if you're a follower of Christ.God will fulfill His purpose for you.He will keep every single promise that He has made to you in His Word.His steadfast love for you will endure forever.If you don't believe me, Paul backs up this truth in Philippians 1-6, and I am sure ofthis that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day ofJesus Christ.Jude 1-24, that God will keep you from stumbling and present you blameless before the presenceof His glory with great joy.The steadfastness of God is so foreign to us because we give up on things all the time.You start a brand new read that you're so excited for, but then it puts you to sleepso that you sell it, you send it to good will, you put it back on the shelf.You watch a movie that's boring so you turn it off.You start a new diet or exercise routine, but you get distracted and you give up onthat.You start a new hobby, but you get very distracted and very bored very quickly.You start something, but you don't finish it.God never does that.God doesn't operate like that at all.God will not forsake the work of His hands.God will not give up on you someday.God will hold on to you.He will finish what He started in you.It's so easy to believe these truths intellectually, but it's hard to feel in your heart.You often feel that God's love for you is an up and down, up and down roller coasterthat's based on your performance.If you're a good boy or a good girl, God's happy with you.If you're a bad boy or a bad girl, God's very unhappy with you.But God's love for you doesn't depend upon you and your performance at all.God's love for you depends on Christ and His perfect performance on your behalf.If God's love for me depended on my good deeds, my good works, He would have stoppedloving me a long time ago.But because His love depends on Christ, who is perfect and obeyed in every way that I'vefailed, His love for me will last forever and ever and ever.And that is true for you if you belong to Him.If you have trusted in Christ, God gives you the same exact message that I give to my kidsevery single night before I put them to bed.I love you when you're good.I love you when you're bad.I love you when you listen.I love you when you don't listen.I'm your dad no matter what.Isn't the assurance of God's love a cause for celebration?Isn't His steadfastness worthy of your thanksgiving and your praise?Instead of stressing out about what's ahead, choose to give thanks with your whole heartbecause God will not give up on you in the future.Give thanks with your whole heart for what God will do.I doubt that anyone in this room has a heart that is completely free from negativity andcomplaining.You and I complain about something every single day.And many of us complain about many things most days.Discontentment is a serious heart problem that you shouldn't take lightly.Disatisfaction is an acid that eats away your heart, your ministry, your walk with the Lord.The only surgical solution to that heart problem of ingratitude is gratitude.You must give thanks.It's not enough to just feel thankful.You have to verbalize it.You have to express it.You must acknowledge and verbalize your thankfulness for the attributes and actions of God.We've spent a lot of time talking about giving thanks.But it would be a big failure on my part if I didn't give you the opportunity to actuallygive thanks.In a moment, you will find some people around you and you're going to praise the Lord togetherwith your whole hearts.Come together to give thanks for who God is.Think about this God we saw in Psalm 138.He is loving.He is steadfast.He is faithful.He is glorious.He is worthy.He is high and exalted.He is the King of all.He is the Preserver and Sustainer.He is a promise keeper.Also give thanks with your whole hearts for what God has done, what He is doing, and whatHe will do.So find some people around you and give thanks together.Father, we come to you and we thank you so much, first and foremost, for the gift ofyour Son.We thank you that your Son came to live a perfect life because we never could.And He endured hell on the cross so that we could experience heaven forever.Well, there are people in this room who don't have the hope of heaven, that don't have atrue relationship with Christ, may today be the day of salvation.So that they can give thanks to you both now and forever.Thanks for the rest of us, Lord, help us to continually give thanks, to not give ourselvesover to discontentment and complaining, but to always recognize your goodness.And to know that every single day is a fresh pouring out of your mercy and your grace forus.We thank you for what you have done.We thank you for what you are doing, and we thank you for what you will do.We ask all these things in Jesus' name, amen.

Introduction: IYKYK Heart Hearing Evaluation (Luke 8:4–15) Does Your Heart Hear BUT DISBELIEVE? (Luke 8:12) 2 Corinthians 4:4 – In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Does Your Heart Hear BUT STALL OUT? (Luke 8:13) Matthew 7:13–14 – Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Does Your Heart Hear BUT GET DISTRACTED? (Luke 8:14) 1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. Does Your Heart Hear AND PRODUCE A CHANGED LIFE? (Luke 8:15) Revelation 2:4–5 – But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Luke 8:4-15What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What is your biggest heart problem right now? Why can't it be ignored and how should you address it?Re-read the Parable of the Sower and break down what the characters and elements represent. What is the major message of this parable?According to Jesus, what is the true test of saving faith?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT We all love quick fixes, don't we?If we have a problem, we wanna solve itin the quickest and simplest way possible.And our bent towards quick fixespops up almost every single day.The router is acting up, so what do you do?All right, try to be a bit louder so I can hear you.What do you do when the router's acting up?You unplug it, then you plug it back in, right?You have a pounding headache.What's your go-to when you have a flare up?Just pop a few ibuprofen or Tylenol to take the edge off.And when the edge doesn't grow dull or you get so annoyed,when that router issue isn't fixed by the unplugand plug back in, you get so frustrated.The ultimate example of an easy fix from my lifeis the N64, the Nintendo 64, whoever owned one growing up.For those of you who weren't born sometime in the 1900s,let me make it clear that these gameswere not played on discs.You couldn't download them digitally.You had to play them on cartridges.And for you, 80s and 90s kids in the room,what was the quick fix to the problemof the game glitching or freezing?The harmonica method, right?(splat)We thought there was dust in the cartridgeand you had to blow it out.According to my internet research,people are divided over the effectivenessof the harmonica method.Some people say that it was the placebothat made you feel better, but didn't actually do anything.While others say, yeah, it was a short-term fix.It worked for a bit, but it caused long-term damage.According to these gamers online,the moisture from your breath corrodedthe inside of the cartridge or something, I don't know.But all of these nerds online agree about one simple fact.This was a quick fix,not a long-term solution.It either did nothing to help the problemor it made the problem even worse.As you saw in the promo video a few momentsago, we have been hyper-focused on one major themefrom Scripture over the past nine months.God wants your heart.He doesn't just want your external rule following,He wants your internal love and devotion.But maybe you've heard this theme of God wants your heartpreached about Sunday after Sunday,but you still aren't there.Maybe you know what God wants from you,for some reason you don't want to give it to Him.Your heart is distant from the Lord.Your heart is cold towards His Word.There is something off inside of you.You need to get to a better place,but you don't know how to get there.And for weeks, months, or even years,you've been trying all the quick fixes,but nothing is working.The problem just keeps getting worse and worse and worse.You have a serious heart problemthat you cannot solve on your own.If that's you, I have a two-part question to askthat you don't have to answer out loud,but you do need to answer in your heart.Are you ready to put away the quick fixesand stop doing things your way?Are you ready to grab ahold of God's long-termsolutions and start doing things His way?If the answer is yes, I have to warn you,it's gonna hurt.It's gonna take God's painful scalp cuts,scalpel cuts to truly lead you to the change that you need.True change requires an open heart procedure.Over the next month,we're gonna undergo four surgical solutionsto our heart problems, evaluating our hearts,confessing from our hearts,giving thanks with our hearts, and guarding our hearts.As you may have noticed, all these surgical solutionsrequire your cooperation and participation.None of these solutions will be easy,but they are guaranteed success.If you submit to your divine doctorand let Him do His work in your heart.So before we continue, let's go to the Lordand ask for His help.Please pray for me and I will pray for you.Father, we thank you for this most important appointmentof the week.This isn't just a throwaway time.We come if we have a break in the schedule.There's a time we come together as your peopleto worship you and to come under the teaching of your Word.Or may you do a work that only you can.May you work in human hearts.May you bring conviction.May you challenge.May you build up.May you bring life where there is none.What I can do, none of those things, only you can.Preach a much better message in people's heartsthan I ever could with my mouth.We ask all these things in Jesus' name, amen.So the first surgical solution to your heart problemis found in Luke chapter eight, verses four through 15.Please turn there with me.Luke chapter eight, verses four through 15.At this point in his ministry,Jesus is being followed around by crowdswho want to experience his miraclesand hear him preach messages that are unlike anyone else's.In our passage for this morning,Jesus teaches the crowd a parable.And as a refresher, a parableis an everyday story with a spiritual meaning.It is a work of fiction that points to the realityof God's kingdom and the salvation that Jesus offers.Let's read one of the greatest parablesin Luke chapter eight, verses four through eight.And when a great crowd was gatheringand people from town to town came to him,Jesus said in a parable,a sower went out to sow his seed.And as he sowed, some fell on the pathand was trampled underfootand the birds of the air devoured it.And some fell on the rock.And as it grew up, it withered awaybecause it had no moisture.And some seed fell among thornsand the thorns grew up with it and choked it.And some fell into good soiland grew and healed at a hundredfold.As Jesus said these things,he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."So a sower is in his field,scattering seed anywhere and everywhere that he goes.And some of this seed lands on good soilbut most of it lands on bad soil.Some of the seed falls along the pathwhere people stomp on itand it is quickly picked up by birds.Some falls on soil where it looks goodbut there is a bedrock underneath the soilthat you cannot see.So the seed has no moisture.It can't develop a root systemso it withers away and dies.Some of the seed falls on thornswhere it is choked out.But some of the seed falls on good soilwhere it steadily but surely grows over timeand leads to an abundant harvest.That's the story.And Jesus closes out by saying,"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."Why does he say that?What's the point of saying that?Well, the modern day equivalent is on the screen behind me.Can any of you young people decipher this for us?What is it?Thank you, Sierra.If you know, you know.Jesus is saying you're either gonna understandwhat I'm saying or you won't.Well, the disciples themselves are left confusednot really understanding the story.So they work up the courage to go up to Jesusand say, "Hey, Jesus, great story."But what in the world was that about?And check out Jesus' response in verses nine through 10.And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,he said, "To you, it has been given to know the secrets"of the kingdom of God,"but for others they are in parables."So that seeing they may not see and hearing"they may not understand."Now you may be thinking, hold on a minute.It seems like Jesus is sayingthat he taught in parables to confuse some people.Yeah, you get a gold star for observation.That is exactly what he is saying.This may be a hard pill to swallow,but Jesus taught these parablesboth to reveal and to conceal the truth.He taught these parables to reveal the truthto those whose hearts are soft and ready to receive it.But he also told these parables to conceal the truthfrom those whose hearts are hardenedand resolved to reject it.The good news is if you truly want to understandthe parables, you will.But if you don't really careabout understanding the parables, you won't.It's that simple and clear cut.But thankfully Jesus does something that he rarely does.He explains the meaning of the parable.Praise the Lord, isn't that so convenientfor every single one of us in this room?Jesus is like that teacher who tells youwhat's on the final examand lets you go to the back of the book to find the answers.So let's go to the back of the bookand see Jesus answer for what this parable meansin verses 11 through 15.Now the parable is this.The seed is the word of God.The ones along the path are those who have heard it.And the devil comes and takes away the word from their heartsso that they may not believe and be saved.And the ones on the rock are thosewhen they hear the word, receive it with joy,but these have no root.They believe for a while and in time of testing fall away.And as for what fell among the thorns,they are those who hear, but as they go on their way,they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasuresof life and their fruit does not mature.As for that in the good soil,they are those who hearing the word hold it fastin an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience.Jesus clearly spells out everything for us.The seed is the word of God that is scatteredby the sower by anyone who faithfully shares the word.The seed of the word is scattered every single Sundayas someone stands before you to proclaimwhat God has to say.The seed of the word is scatteredwhenever you teach the lesson back in Harvest Academyor do family devotions with your kids.The seed of the word is scatteredwhenever you share the gospelwith that unsafe family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor.And according to Jesus, the scattered seed of the wordlands on four different types of soils,which represents four different types of human hearts.And Jesus is not talking about the organthat's bumping in your chest right now.He's talking about who you really are on the inside.Your heart is the source of all your emotions,your affections, and your motivations.Your heart is constantly taking in everything you seehere and experiencing and evaluating it.And according to God's word,you don't just have physical ears on the sides of your head,you also have spiritual ears on your heart.And these spiritual ears can either hear the truthand reject it or can hear the truth and accept it.Three of these soils,three of these heart hearers in this parablereject the word, which leads to eternal destruction.Only one soil, only one heart here accepts the wordand is saved and has eternal life.Do you remember those hearing evaluationsyou had to take back in elementary schoolwhere you shuffled the school library or some random room?You put on the headphones,where they play different noisesat different frequencies and decibels.And what would you do if you could hear the noise?Show me what you would do.You raise your hand, right?Or you kept it down if you couldn't hear it.And depending on how the evaluation went,you could either go about the rest of your day as normalor you'd be sent to an ear doctor.Well, this parable is a heart hearing evaluation.It gauges how your heart hearsand responds to the word of God.It reveals if you are currently rejecting Jesus Christin His gospel or if you've actually accepted Him or not.It reveals how serious of a heart problem you haveand how serious of a heart surgery you need.So after one of the longest introductionsin the history of this church,it's time to put on the spiritual headphonesand take your heart hearing evaluation.First question of the heart hearing evaluation.Does your heart hear but disbelief?Does your heart hear but disbelief?Let's start with the pathway soilwhere the seed is crushed and eaten by birds.Listen again to Jesus' explanation in verse 12.The ones along the path are those who have heard,then the devil comes and takes away the wordfrom their hearts so that they may not believeand be saved.The birds stand in for Satan himselfwho has a mission to accomplish,to keep unbelievers from truly hearing the gospel messageand accepting it.The apostle Paul speaks to this ministry of Satanin 2nd Corinthians 4/4.He says, "The God of this world, that Satan,"has blinded the minds of the unbelievers"to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel"of the glory of Christ who is the image of God."Do you know that Satan and his demonsare faithful church attenders?I guarantee they have a better track record of attendancethan anyone in this room.They never miss a Sunday.But they don't show up to worship God,they show up to deceive and to divert attention.Satan wants you to daydream during the messageand think about what's for lunch afterwards.Like that even matters at all.Satan wants you to have sleepy eyesand a head that bobs up and down, up and down.He wants you to be restless and fidgety in your seat.He wants you to absentmindedly doodle on your outlinerather than take diligent notes.He wants you to be doubtful regarding the things of God.He wants you to suffer from this condition of believingthat God could never love or forgive someone like you.He wants you to hear the word, but disbelieve the word.Is that where you are this morning?Is your heart problem that you're disinterested inand maybe even disgusted by?What is preached behind the pulpit here?Or shared with you by faithful Christian relatives and friends?Maybe you're here to make your family happy,but you're not buying into all this Jesus stuff.Maybe the teachings of the Bible seem outdated,harsh and even harmful to you.Maybe when you look at this book,it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.If I've described you at all,I wanna share with you that I am so glad that you're here.And I have been praying for you all week.I've been praying that Satan would not stealthe seed of the word from your heart once again.I've been praying that you would hear the wordwith fresh ears and a willing heart.I've been praying that you would see yourselfas a sinner and Jesus Christ as the only savior.Turn from your disbelief, turn to Jesus Christand believe in what he accomplishedthrough his perfect life, his sacrificial death,and his resurrection from the grave.If you do, he will wipe away all of your sins.He will give you his perfect righteousness.He will give you a new heart that has new lifeand a new love.That is what faith in Christ will get you.Let me ask, what has disbelief in Christ ever gotten you?Nothing but an anxious and dissatisfied heart.If you continue with that disbelief,you will experience spiritual death that lasts forever.Second question of the heart hearing evaluation,does your heart hear but stall out?Does your heart hear but stall out?Next up is the rocky soil.Let's read verse 13."And the ones on the rock are those,when they hear the word, receive it with joy,but they have no root.They believe for a while in time of testing fall away."This kind of heart hears the word and seems to accept it.There is an immediate willingness to follow Jesus.There is quick growth.Bad habits are put away and new habits are formed.This person feels happy.Boy, oh boy, it's fun to be a Christian.Life is the best.But then times get tough.They experience hardship.And life isn't so great anymore.It isn't so fun to be a Christian anymore.The view ahead used to be filled with hope and with life,but now it is full of darkness and uncertainty.Back in high school, my friends and I were drivingin two separate cars to a concert.When the car I was in stalled and came to a halton the side of the road.And the other car full of guys parked right behind us.And my friend Robert, who was driving the car I was in,got out.He popped the hood, which was basically an empty gesturebecause none of us had jumper cablesor knew how a car worked.I wish Ben Maul was there that day.That would have been fantastic.He could have helped us.And so Robert pretended like he knewhe was doing looking under the hood.And then he called his stepdad to come and help.But the problem was the other car full of guyswas getting antsy because they still wantedto go to the concert.And the driver of that car said,"Hey guys, we got one less spot.We got one more spot less in this car.Two of you are gonna have to stay herebecause we're not waiting."And that made me so mad.I was like, "Seriously?I'm not gonna go have fun at the concertwhile we leave people stranded here."Well, my friend Ryan didn't feel the same way.He said, "I'll go with you."And he jumped in the car.They sped off while we were coughing up dustfrom their speedy getaway.And we waited for Robert's stepdadfor what felt like hours.And it was the dead of summer, so it was hot.It was hot like this auditorium often is, right?And we got so desperate,we drank the emergency water in the trunk,which must have been there for years'cause it tasted like warm motor oil.And eventually Robert's dad, his stepdad showed upand he said, "Hey, I called a tow truck.It's gonna come soon.And I can still take you to the concert if you want to."How do you think we felt about that?We're like, "No, we're totally over that.Just take us back home."We were so done with that concert.The day had started out so well.It was a ton of fun.Then the car stalled outand we were thrown for a loop.The concert was no longer exciting and appealing to uslike it used to be.That happens to so many people who profess faithin Jesus Christ.They seem to be doing just fineas they drive along on the Christian journey,but then they hit an unexpected bump in the roadand totally stall out.Family members stopped talking to thembecause of their new beliefs.Friends make fun of them for their new ridiculous standards.Coworkers belittle them for missing happy hourto go to small group.Romantic interests threaten to break up the relationshipif you don't cut it out with this religious nonsense.Instead of persevering through these tough timesand moving forward, they give up on Jesus.They retreat and go back to their old lives.Following Jesus was convenient for a season,but then there was too high of a price to pay.Have you already given up?Are you tempted to give up right now?You have to understand that Jesus never promisesan easy life if you follow him.That's not listed in the brochure.True Christians are not exempt from suffering and persecution.Actually, true Christians are targetsfor suffering and persecution.Listen to Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 through 14."For the gate is wide and the way is easythat leads to destruction,and those who enter by it are many.For the gate is narrow and the way is hardthat leads to life, and those who find it are few."Let me ask you, what is the smarter play?Easy for several decades in this lifeand horribly hard in hell foreveror hard for a little bit in this lifeand easy for all of eternity in heaven?Which is the better option?Anyone can start out well, but very few finish well.A quick start out the gate doesn't mean muchif you don't cross the finish line.Only those who hear the word and persevere in the Wordpossess a transformed heart.So please do not give up.Do not pick up your ball and go home.If you already have, it's not too late to get back in the game.It's not too late to jump back on that racetrackand keep going until the end.Third question of the heart-hearing evaluation.Does your heart hear but get distracted?Does your heart hear but get distracted?Does your heart hear but get distracted?In verse 14, Jesus talks about the thorny soil.And as for what fell among the thorns,they are those who hear, but as they go on their way,they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of lifeand their fruit does not mature.This kind of heart here is not at all hostile to Jesus.This person may even claim to be a Christian,know a lot about the Bibleand even sit in church on Sunday.But the knowledge in his or her braindoes not affect his or her heartbecause any growth, any transformationis pushed down by an obsession with the world.It is choked out.Climbing the ladder of achievement,having a stacked financial portfolio,planning for a carefree retirementand raising impressive kids who do impressive thingsis always the front of this person's thinking.They have no interest in hearing what God has to sayabout how they should livebecause they already have a plan for their life.To be clear, I'm not saying it's bad to have a lot of money,invest in the stock market or plan for retirement.It's not bad if you own things,but it is bad when things own you.People often misquote the apostle Pauland say, "Money is the root of evil."Is that what the Bible says?The apostle Paul says it this way,"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.It is through this cravingthat some have wandered away from the faithand pierced themselves with many pangs.The greedy longing for more and more and more stuffand success will spiritually bankrupt you."Please be honest with yourself.Are you distracted by the things of this world right now?Are you more excited to receive your direct deposit from work?More than you are excited to receive and read God's word?Does remodeling your house or buying a new carthrill your heart more than worshiping God?My son is almost six years oldand my daughter is three and a half,and they are totally oblivious to the basics of finances.And they have next to no interest in money.If I were to come home and tell them,"Hey, do you want to spend an entire day with me?Or do you want all the money in my various accounts?"What do you think they would say?They want to spend a time with their dad.They would want me more than stuff from me.And please listen to me. This is so important.It is a serious heart problem to want stuff from Godmore than God himself.This is a symptom of a heart that is thorny and distracted.According to Jesus, this kind of heart does not truly know Him.If that's you, please don't push aside this concernand say, "I'll deal with it later."No, deal with it right now.Ask God to take His scalpel and clear the thornsfrom your heart that are keeping you from Him.Let go of the garbage of this worldso you can grab ahold of the treasures of heaven.Final question of the heart-hearing evaluation.Does your heart hear and produce a changed life?Does your heart hear and produce a changed life?Let's see what Jesus has to say about the good soilin verse 15."As for that in the good soil,there are those who hearing the word hold it fastin an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience."This heart here receives the word and perseveres in the word.It doesn't experience quick growth.It actually grows in a sustainable pattern for the long run.This person has a good and godly heartthat produces good and godly life.This good and godly fruit is a changed life.This good and godly fruit includes ongoing repentance of sin,loving the church, refusing to throw in the towel,sharing their faith, making disciples.The true test of saving faithisn't that you pray to prayer as a kid.Walked an aisle at a revival service,raised your hand or signed a card.There are so many people who grew up in the churchand say that they accepted Christ,but there is nothing different about them now.A past action means nothingif there is no present evidence of God at work in your life.What you did back then doesn't really matterif you're not trusting in Jesus now, loving Jesus now,following Jesus now.The true test of saving faith is a changed life.And it brings my heart so much joy to knowthat many of you in this room are the good soil.You have received the word of Godand it is growing up and taking over your life.It changes how you think, it changes how you speak,it changes how you react.Your heart is good soil.But that doesn't mean that your heart is exempt from heart problems.The temptation to stay still or to backslidewill always be there.You will go through seasons of apathy and depression.There will be times you read the words in these pagesand they mean nothing to you in your heart.You will know what you should do,but you still decide to do what you shouldn't.The question isn't will you experience heart problems?The question is what will you do when you experience heart problems?And we're going to spend the rest of this series answering that question,but I don't want to leave you hanging until next Sunday.So I'm going to provide you with Jesus' own answer to this questionin Revelation 2 verses 4 through 5,where the church in Ephesus gets a personal message from Jesus himself.He says this,"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.Remember therefore from where you have fallen.Repent and do the works you did at first."Brothers and sisters, have you abandoned your first love?Have you lost the passion that you used to have for Christ when you were first saved?Remember how you used to feel about Him.Remind yourself of how you couldn't get enough of the Bible and impactful sermons.Remind yourself of how you couldn't wait to grab ahold of peopleto tell them all that you were learning, to tell them about Jesus.Don't you miss how things used to be?Don't you want your heart to be on fire for Christ again?You can get back to that point and move so far beyond it,if you repent of your dispassion and do what you did before.Don't wait to make the right choice until you feel like it.Make the right choice so you will feel the right way once again.Now, I know what some of you are thinking as we come to a close with this message.Man, this is a super heavy sermon series for the summer.Don't you realize this July?Mentally, I'm just checked out and on a beach somewhere wearing flip flops.This is the month of rest and relaxation.Not in this church, it's not.We're going to get after it for the next month.We are going to walk out of this building as different peoplewith different heart attitudes at the end of July.We are going to be done with the quick fixes.And instead, we're going to pursue after God's solution to our heart problems.Is anyone else with me?The first step in receiving God's solution to your heart problemis to evaluate the health of your heart.So how is your heart doing?Is it stomped on and disbelieving?Is it rocky and stalled out?Is it thorny and distracted?Or is it good and ready to go?Only one of those hearts will truly hear God's word over the course of this seriesand be changed.The other three, we denied access into heaven one dayand cast into hell.And I don't want that fate for any of you.I want to spend eternity with every single person in this room.As much as I may want to, I can't change your heart.But thankfully, I know the one who can.I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit is cultivating the soil of your heartand preparing you to receive the word in an honest and good heartthat perseveres in patience.He who has ears to hear, let him hear.Let's pray.Father, this is a very weighty passage.Lord, it's obvious that there are serious consequences for rejecting you and rejecting your word.Well, let the very single person in this room, if there is anybody here who does not know you,does not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, may today be the day of salvation.May today be the day where the seed lands on the soil of the heart,grows up, takes over, and continues.But Lord, only you can do this.Well, I pray that you'd push away the distractions.You'd push away the worries about what's after service or what's happening tomorrow.I pray that we would fix our minds on Jesus Christ and what He accomplished.And what He offers to every single one of us.And for those of us who do know and love you,where we admit that we are all experiencing heart problems of some kind right now.And we need your assistance. We need your healing.But we do pray at the end of this month, we would look way different than we do this Sunday.We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amos 2:4-16 (NASB) 4 This is what the Lord says:“For three offenses of Judah, and for four,I will not revoke its punishment,Because they rejected the Law of the LordAnd have not kept His statutes;Their lies also have led them astray,Those which their fathers followed.5 So I will send fire upon Judah,And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.” 6 This is what the Lord says:“For three offenses of Israel, and for four,I will not revoke its punishment,Because they sell the righteous for money,And the needy for a pair of sandals.7 These who trample the head of the helpless to the dust of the earthAlso divert the way of the humble;And a man and his father resort to the same girlSo as to profane My holy name.8 And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar,And in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined. 9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them,Though his height was like the height of cedarsAnd he was as strong as the oaks;I also destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.10 And it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,And led you in the wilderness for forty yearsSo that you might take possession of the land of the Amorite.11 Then I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,And some of your young men to be Nazirites.Is this not so, you sons of Israel?” declares the Lord.12 “But you made the Nazirites drink wine,And you commanded the prophets, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy!'13 Behold, I am making a rut in the ground beneath you,Just as a wagon makes a rut when filled with sheaves.14 Refuge will be lost from the swift,And the strong will not strengthen his power,Nor the warrior save his life.15 The one who grasps the bow will not stand his ground,The swift of foot will not escape,Nor will the one who rides the horse save his [h]life.16 Even the bravest among the warriors will flee naked on that day,” declares the Lord.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 1st of May, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Malachi 3:16: “So a book of remembrance was written before HimFor those who fear the LordAnd who meditate on His name.”Then we go straight to the Gospel of Mark 16:7: ”But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” Jesus remembers your name, my dear friend. It doesn't matter what you have done or haven't done, He still knows you by name because He created you in His own image. There is nothing sweeter than to hear the mention of your own name. Come on now, be honest, it is lovely when somebody says, “Hello John, Hello Mary, how are you?” You think to yourself, “he remembered my name”, “she remembered my name”, and Jesus tells us this morning that He has got a book of remembrance. Your name is in that book, the Lamb's Book of Life - nothing sweeter!Peter, the big fisherman, was always changing feet. He was like a bull in a china shop. I tend to be a bit like that myself and get into trouble, but the Lord loved Peter so much. Even though Peter dropped the ball, even though Peter denied the Lord three times and he had just said a few hours before, “I will die for You” but he denied Him. He even blasphemed the Bible says, he swore, ‘I don't even know Him” and yet the Lord Jesus knew that when the disciples were told to go down to Galilee and there Jesus would meet them all, He knew that Peter would not come because he was so broken. He had let the Lord down. “Tell the disciples—and Peter, I will see them in Galilee.” The Lord is saying to you the very same thing. “Tell Joe, tell Barnabas, tell Mark, I will see them in Heaven.” Today is a great day. Jeremiah 1:5 in the Amplified Bible is even more confirmation: “Before I formed you in the womb (in other words, before you were conceived in your mother's womb, Jesus says) I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”That's how much He loves you. He knows you! Speak to Him today!Jesus bless you and goodbye.

Powerful leaders who lie are as old as the Bible. Our Haftarah tomorrow, King David's song of gratitude to God (2 Samuel 22:1-51), contains a big fat lie—a lie so obvious, so brazen, that one wonders how he had the temerity to utter it. King David says of himself:The Lord rewarded me according to my merit,He requited the cleanness of my hands.For I have kept the ways of the LordAnd have not been guilty before my God;I am mindful of all His rulesAnd have not departed from His laws.I have been blameless before Him,And I have guarded myself against sinning—And the Lord has requited my merit,According to my purity in His sight.We know all these words are blatantly, outrageously false. King David committed adultery with Batsheba. He committed murder, having her honorable and courageous husband Uriah put on the front lines so that Uriah would be killed in battle. King David violated Uriah's trust, having Uriah carry the executive order of the King to the general demanding that Uriah be put in the most dangerous spot in battle—Uriah carried his own death warrant because he was so trusting of his king.We also know that King David was not blameless before God. God sent the prophet Nathan to chastise King David and to pronounce a curse upon him and his household.Therefore the sword shall never depart fromyour House—because you spurned Me by takingthe wife of Uriah the Hittite and making her your wife.Thus said the Lord: I will make a calamity rise against youfrom within your own house.King David's family life is ruined forever after.Given his egregious and well known sin and punishment, what would possess King David to lie like this? And why does our tradition canonize this lie twice? We read the Haftarah tomorrow, and we read it as the Haftarah for parshat Ha'azinu.What is the lesson here? Do lies become true when we repeat them enough? Or is there some other lesson to be learned?

Scripture encourages God's people to sing to the Lordand what we sing and how we sing matters. Listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg explores Psalm 100 to explain the significance of worshipping God together through song. Psalm 100:15 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29

Scripture encourages God's people to sing to the Lordand what we sing and how we sing matters. Listen to Truth For Life as Alistair Begg explores Psalm 100 to explain the significance of worshipping God together through song. Psalm 100:15 To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29

Reading IDeuteronomy 26:4-10Moses spoke to the people, saying:“The priest shall receive the basket from youand shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,‘My father was a wandering Arameanwho went down to Egypt with a small householdand lived there as an alien.But there he became a nationgreat, strong, and numerous.When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,imposing hard labor upon us,we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,and he heard our cryand saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.He brought us out of Egyptwith his strong hand and outstretched arm,with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;and bringing us into this country,he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruitsof the products of the soilwhich you, O LORD, have given me.'And having set them before the LORD, your God,you shall bow down in his presence.”Reading IIRomans 10:8-13Brothers and sisters:What does Scripture say?            The word is near you,                        in your mouth and in your heart—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.For the Scripture says,            No one who believes in him will be put to shame.For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”GospelLuke 4:1-13Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordanand was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,to be tempted by the devil.He ate nothing during those days,and when they were over he was hungry.The devil said to him,“If you are the Son of God,command this stone to become bread.”Jesus answered him,“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”Then he took him up and showed himall the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.The devil said to him,“I shall give to you all this power and glory;for it has been handed over to me,and I may give it to whomever I wish.All this will be yours, if you worship me.”Jesus said to him in reply,“It is written            You shall worship the Lord, your God,                        and him alone shall you serve.”Then he led him to Jerusalem,made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,“If you are the Son of God,throw yourself down from here, for it is written:            He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and:            With their hands they will support you,            lest you dash your foot against a stone.”Jesus said to him in reply,“It also says,            You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”When the devil had finished every temptation,he departed from him for a time.

1 Corinthians 10:14–22 (ESV) — 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judgefor yourselves what I say. 16 Thecup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood ofChrist? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body ofChrist? 17 Because there is onebread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: arenot those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That foodoffered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons andnot to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lordand the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and thetable of demons. 22 Shall we provokethe Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? BELOVED! FLEE IDOLATRYBECAUSE OF YOUR PARTICIPATIONIN CHRIST, THE PROVISION OF CHRIST, AND THE PREEMINENCE OF HIS LOVE BELOVED, FLEE IDOLATRY  (v14-15)  Idolatry:  The love, devotion or allegiance to anycreated thing in replacement of love, devotion and allegiance to the creator…                                     (1)  YOURPARTICIPATION IN CHRIST- PROCLAIMED IN COMMUNION (v16-17) 1 Corinthians 11:24–26 (ESV) — 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said,“This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took thecup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this,as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, youproclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (2)  THEPROVISION IN CHRIST DISPLAYED IN HIS CARE (v18) Leviticus 7:14 (ESV) — 14 And from it he shall offer one loaf from each offering, as a gift to the Lord.It shall belong to the priest who throws the blood of the peace offerings(3)  THEPREEMINENCE OF HIS LOVE, NOT TO BE PROVOKED BY IDOLATRY (v19-22)  Deuteronomy 4:23–24 (ESV) — 23 Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lordyour God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anythingthat the Lord your God has forbidden you. 24For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.com or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com ContentIsaiah 61:1-3The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,Because the LORD anointed meTo bring good news to the humble;He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,To proclaim release to captivesAnd freedom to prisoners;To proclaim the favorable year of the LORDAnd the day of vengeance of our God;To comfort all who mourn,To grant those who mourn in Zion,Giving them a garland instead of ashes,The oil of gladness instead of mourning,The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.So they will be called oaks of righteousness,The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or daniel@thewavecolumbus.com or www.thewavecolumbus.com

Email: CatholicPleb@gmail.comLocals (Online Community): https://catholicplebs.locals.com/Podcast Website; https://catholicplebs.buzzsprout.comJoin me today on an Advent reflection with Isaiah as we enter into this time of preparation for the reception of the Lord. This episode focuses on how we can enter into the season by taking an introspective look at our lives and what can slow the coming of the Lord in our lies: Self-reliance and independence from GodWhat have we allowed to grow in the gardens of our hearts that crowds out the LordWhat idols have we madeWhat are we building that keep us from the LordDo our long-term plans in life include the LordReading from Isaiah CH 2The Lord's Day of Judgment on Pride6 You have abandoned your people,the house of Jacob!Because they are filled with diviners,and soothsayers, like the Philistines;with foreigners they clasp hands.7 Their land is full of silver and gold,there is no end to their treasures;Their land is full of horses,there is no end to their chariots.8 Their land is full of idols;they bow down to the works of their hands,what their fingers have made.9 So all shall be abased,each one brought low.Do not pardon them!10 Get behind the rocks,hide in the dust,From the terror of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty!11 The eyes of human pride shall be lowered,the arrogance of mortals shall be abased,and the LORD alone will be exalted, on that day.12 For the LORD of hosts will have his dayagainst all that is proud and arrogant,against all that is high, and it will be brought low;13 Yes, against all the cedars of Lebanonand against all the oaks of Bashan,14 Against all the lofty mountainsand all the high hills,15 Against every lofty towerand every fortified wall,16 Against all the ships of Tarshishand all stately vessels.17 Then human pride shall be abased,the arrogance of mortals brought low,And the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.18 The idols will vanish completely.19 People will go into caves in the rocksand into holes in the earth,At the terror of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty,as he rises to overawe the earth.20 On that day people shall throw to moles and batstheir idols of silver and their idols of goldwhich they made for themselves to worship.21 And they shall go into caverns in the rocksand into crevices in the cliffs,At the terror of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty,as he rises to overawe the earth.22 As for you, stop worrying about mortals,in whose nostrils is but a breath;for of what worth are they?Topics: Scripture, Bible, Advent Reflection, Relationship with Jesus,Send us a textSupport the show

1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORDand vindication from God their Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. 7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.   Psalm 24 Connect with Pastor Yasmin O'Lugudor: Instagram: [@yasmin_o_lugudor]  https://www.instagram.com/yasmin_o_lugudor/⁠ Youtube: [Yasmin O'Lugudor]  ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFMhc2-gpHvmDVUVE_bA_QA⁠ Email: sassy@yasminolugudor.com Produced By The Christ Creatives: https://www.instagram.com/the_christ_creatives/

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Friday morning, the 25th of October, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Old Testament to the Book of Isaiah 50:10:“Who among you fears the Lord?Who obeys the voice of His Servant?Who walks in darknessAnd has no light?Let him trust in the name of the LordAnd rely upon his God.”Are you going through a rough time at the moment? Oh yes, I know those rough times very well. Is everything dark? Have you lost direction? Do you know where you are going? Is there anybody to help you? Listen to this beautiful reading that I stumbled across early this morning, written by a man by the name of Richard Fuller. He says, “In fierce storms,” said an old seaman, “we can do but one thing. There is only one way; we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.” This, Christian, is what you and I have to do today. Sometimes, like Paul the Apostle, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you (a massive storm). Then you can do one thing, there is only one way. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light, even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there. You must stay upon the Lord; come what may—whether there are winds, waves, lightning, thunder, huge rocks, roaring breakers— you must tie yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God's faithfulness, His sovereign engagement, His everlasting love in Christ Jesus, and He will see you today through that storm, and the sun will shine again, and He said, “I will never leave you and I will never forsake you.”Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,Goodbye.

Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.comPsalms 27:1-5The LORD is my light and my salvation;Whom should I fear?The LORD is the strength (defense) of my life; Whom should I afraid ?When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.If an army encamps against me,My heart will not fear;If war arises against me,In spite of this I am confident.One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the LORDAnd to meditate in His temple.For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; He will hide me in the secret place of His tent; He will lift me up on a rock.Contact us at: thewavecolumbus@gmail.com, or www.thewavecolumbus.com

Have you wondered how to find the right spouseor how to have a stronger relationship with the person you're already married to? In this message series, Pastor Rick gives God's description of the kind of person you want to marry, including seven character traits of a healthy partner. Learn from Pastor Rick as he teaches how to take an honest look at your relationship with the Lordand with your spouse. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1103/29

12 The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” 5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' 11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for[a] the Lord, the son born to you will die.” 15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth[b] on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. David's attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn't listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” 19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” 20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lordand worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. 21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” 24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; 25 and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.[c] 26 Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. 27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.28 Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.” 29 So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. 30 David took the crown from their king's[d]head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent[e] of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city 31 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking.[f] David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2 New American Standard Bible 1995 1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it will come about thatIn the last daysThe mountain of the house of the LordWill be established as the chief of the mountains,And will be raised above the hills;And all the nations will stream to it.3 And many peoples will come and say,“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,To the house of the God of Jacob;That He may teach us concerning His waysAnd that we may walk in His paths.”For the law will go forth from ZionAnd the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.4 And He will judge between the nations,And will render decisions for many peoples;And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.Nation will not lift up sword against nation,And never again will they learn war. 5 Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.6 For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,Because they are filled with influences from the east,And they are soothsayers like the Philistines,And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners.7 Their land has also been filled with silver and goldAnd there is no end to their treasures;Their land has also been filled with horsesAnd there is no end to their chariots.8 Their land has also been filled with idols;They worship the work of their hands,That which their fingers have made.9 So the common man has been humbledAnd the man of importance has been abased,But do not forgive them.10 Enter the rock and hide in the dustFrom the terror of the Lord and from the splendor of His majesty.11 The proud look of man will be abasedAnd the loftiness of man will be humbled,And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. 12 For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoningAgainst everyone who is proud and loftyAnd against everyone who is lifted up,That he may be abased.13 And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up,Against all the oaks of Bashan,14 Against all the lofty mountains,Against all the hills that are lifted up,15 Against every high tower,Against every fortified wall,16 Against all the ships of TarshishAnd against all the beautiful craft.17 The pride of man will be humbledAnd the loftiness of men will be abased;And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,18 But the idols will completely vanish.19 Men will go into caves of the rocksAnd into holes of the groundBefore the terror of the LordAnd the splendor of His majesty,When He arises to make the earth tremble.20 In that day men will cast away to the moles and the batsTheir idols of silver and their idols of gold,Which they made for themselves to worship,21 In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffsBefore the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty,When He arises to make the earth tremble.22 Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils;For why should he be esteemed? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/support

The goal of our ministry has always been to help you care for the soul of your family and help you nourish relationships that keep God at the center of your home.We know that many couples desire the closeness and encouragement of sharing their faith with their husband or wife. Instead, they feel a painful sense of disappointment when their spouse isn't stepping into the role of spiritual leader as they expected. It can feel lonely and like you are single-handedly trying to teach your children about Jesus and deepen your family's spiritual walk.That's why we are so glad to welcome today's guest, Dana Che Williams, to talk about what it really means to lead your family spiritually and how couples can find peace in this area of their marriage. Dana is a wife, mom, speaker, marriage coach, and the host of the Real Relationship Talk podcast.In this episode, you'll hear:A definition of spiritual leadershipWhat it looks like to be unequally yoked in your marriageThe impact of cultivating a deep relationship with the LordAnd more!We hope you enjoy this conversation!Show Notes: https://growinghometogether.com/dana-che-williams-86

Jeremiah 23 23 “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds,” declares the Lord. 3 “Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord. 5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;And He will reign as king and act wiselyAnd do justice and righteousness in the land.6 “In His days Judah will be saved,And Israel will dwell securely;And this is His name by which He will be called,‘The Lord our righteousness.' 7 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,' 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will live on their own soil.” 9 As for the prophets:My heart is broken within me,All my bones tremble;I have become like a drunken man,Even like a man overcome with wine,Because of the LordAnd because of His holy words.10 For the land is full of adulterers;For the land mourns because of the curse.The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.Their course also is evilAnd their might is not right.11 “For both prophet and priest are polluted;Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the Lord.12 “Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them,They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it;For I will bring calamity upon them,The year of their punishment,” declares the Lord. 13 “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing:They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.14 “Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing:The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood;And they strengthen the hands of evildoers,So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.All of them have become to Me like Sodom,And her inhabitants like Gomorrah. 15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, ‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwoodAnd make them drink poisonous water,For from the prophets of JerusalemPollution has gone forth into all the land.'” 16 Thus says the Lord of hosts,“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.They are leading you into futility;They speak a vision of their own imagination,Not from the mouth of the Lord.17 “They keep saying to those who despise Me,‘The Lord has said, “You will have peace”';And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,They say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you.'18 “But who has stood in the council of the Lord,That he should see and hear His word?Who has given heed to His word and listened?19 “Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath,Even a whirling tempest;It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.20 “The anger of the Lord will not turn backUntil He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;In the last days you will clearly understand it.21 “I did not send these prophets,But they ran.I did not speak to them,But they prophesied.22 “But if they had stood in My council,Then they would have announced My words to My people,And would have turned them back from their evil wayAnd from the evil of their deeds... New American Standard Bible 1995 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maranatha-ministries/support

Pastor Darrell Jones discusses Malachi 3:16-18 this morning.Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,And the LORD listened and heard them;So a book of remembrance was written before HimFor those who fear the LORDAnd who meditate on His name."They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts,"On the day that I make them My jewels.And I will spare themAs a man spares his own son who serves him."

Legalism is setting up rules you must follow in order to walk with the Lordand it is really easy to fall into this thinking if you aren't careful. What is the ditch of legalism, and why is it so dangerous? Why is Paul so fired up as he talks about this issue? Join Pastor Jeff Schreve as he shares three discoveries about legalism and how you can avoid it by keeping your eyes on the cross and by walking on the road of grace and truth. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/863/29

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw thatthe stone had been taken away from the tomb.2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple,the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, andwe do not know where they have laid him.3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5And stooping to look in, he sawthe linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,7andthe face cloth, which had been on Jesus'[a]head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.8Then the other disciple,who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;9for as yetthey did not understand the Scripture,that he must rise from the dead.10Then the disciples went back to their homes. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.12Andshe sawtwo angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.13They said to her,Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them,They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.14Having said this, she turned around andsaw Jesus standing,but she did not know that it was Jesus.15Jesus said to her,Woman, why are you weeping?Whom are you seeking?Supposing him to bethe gardener, she said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.16Jesus said to her,Mary.She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[b]Rabboni! (which means Teacher).17Jesus said to her,Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go tomy brothers and say to them,I am ascending to my Father and your Father, tomy God and your God.18Mary Magdalenewent and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lordand that he had said these things to her. Jesus Appears to the Disciples 19On the eveningof that day, the first day of the week,the doors being locked where the disciples werefor fear of the Jews,[c]Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,Peace be with you.20When he had said this,he showed them his hands and his side. Thenthe disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.21Jesus said to them again,Peace be with you. Asthe Father has sent me,even so I am sending you.22And when he had said this, hebreathed on them and said to them,Receive the Holy Spirit.23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. Jesus and Thomas 24NowThomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,[d]was not with them when Jesus came.25So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them,Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. 26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said,Peace be with you.27Then he said to Thomas,Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.28Thomas answered him,My Lord and my God!29Jesus said to him,Have you believed because you have seen me?Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9 1:1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lordand ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 just as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net  

We WaitVerse 1We waitWe're not in a hurryO we need You LordWe waitAll our cares and worriesWe lay aside for YouO how we long to see Your faceO how we long for Your embraceVerse 2We waitWe're not afraid to tarryWe yearn for You LordWe waitFor Your mighty wind to carry usInto Your presence LordAnd as we fill this house with praiseLet Your holy fire fill this placeCCLI Song # 3166259Wes Tuttle* © 2000 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License # 549412More from Rick Lee JamesSupport Rick Lee James on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rickleejames This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rickleejames.substack.com/subscribe

Isaiah 611 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,Because the Lord has anointed meTo bring good news to the cafflicted;He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to captivesAnd freedom to prisoners;2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LordAnd the day of vengeance of our God;To comfort all who mourn,3 To grant those who mourn in Zion,Giving them a garland instead of ashes,The oil of gladness instead of mourning,The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.So they will be called coaks of righteousness,The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,They will raise up the former devastations;And they will repair the ruined cities,The desolations of many generations.5 Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord;You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.You will eat the wealth of nations,And in their riches you will boast.7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,Everlasting joy will be theirs.8 For I, the Lord, love justice,I hate robbery in the burnt offering;And I will faithfully give them their recompenseAnd make an everlasting covenant with them.9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations,And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.All who see them will recognize themBecause they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed.10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,My soul will exult in my God;For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praiseTo spring up before all the nations.New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Is 61:1–11.

Proverbs 2:1-11 1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,  2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—  3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,  4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,  5 then you will understand the fear of the LORDand find the knowledge of God.  6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,  8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.  9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.  10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.  11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

We Act DifferentlyActs 16:22-28 “ The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten for calling a demon out of a woman.  You see, this demon used her to tell the future.  Her owners made a great deal of money from her fortune telling and they weren't happy when Paul cast out this demon.  Because of this they were stripped and beaten with rods. After that they were thrown in prison and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  He took this assignment very seriously so he took them into the inner cell and fastened their fee in the stocks.  The next part of the verse is where it gets strange.  It was not strange to get stripped or beaten back in those days.  It was also not strange to get thrown in jail.  If you did not follow the laws you got thrown in jail.  But what came next was strange.  The verse says, about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  I wasn't alive when this took place but I gotta think that was different.  I don't know a single person who would decide to sing after being stripped and beaten with rods and then thrown into prison with my feet in the stocks.  I can see the praying part.  I might be praying for relief of my pain, maybe for some food, I might be praying for my freedom, and I might even being praying for revenge.  I am thinking if I was just beaten I might not be feeling very good about the ones who sentenced me to this punishment.  I may be asking God to hurt them, or to pay them back for all they did to me.  I know this isn't the Christian thing to do, I am just trying to be honest about what I may or may not do if I were in this circumstance.  What would you do? What would you do if you were just beaten and thrown into jail?  Would you start singing?  Would you be praying?  What would you be praying for?  The verse doesn't say what Paul and Silas were praying for and it doesn't say which hymns they were singing.  When I picture this scene I picture them praising God with their hymns.  The reason I think this is what they were doing is because while they were singing there was a violent earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, and at once the door opened and the chains came loose.  This is what happens when we are able to praise God in the difficult times.  Praising God when things are good does not make us different.  Even people who are not Christians can celebrate when times are good.  It's easy to be happy and to be grateful when all is going our way.  That doesn't set us apart.  I believe that God loves it any time we praise Him.  When we take the time to praise Him I think that makes him very happy.  It shows Him that we appreciate Him and everything He does for us.  It shows God we are grateful.  I believe when we can find to courage and the trust to praise God in the bad times, praise God when most people would look at the situation and not see anything to praise, that is when our biggest break throughs can happen.  Paul and Silas had every right to sit in that cell and have a pity party. They could have thought about how unfair their situation was.  They could have been mad at God.  They were there spreading the Good News of the Gospel.  They cast out a demon in Jesus' name, and what did they get for their faithfulness?  They were bruised and beaten and thrown into jail.  By all accounts, according to the ways o this world, they had every right to be mad and to through a pity party.  But they didn't.  They prayed and sang hymns.  They acted differently and people noticed.  In the verse it says the other prisoners were listening to them.  The other prisoners noticed they were doing something different.  I am sure they were confused as to why these men seemed to be happy about being in jail.  I don't think Paul and Silas were happy they were in jail.  I do think they were filled with a joy of the Lord that can't be explained.  I think they were happy because they knew God would be there for them.  They were content to follow what God told them to do and accept the consequences that came along with that.  They knew God would take care of them because he always had in the past.  When the earthquake happened in this verse and the doors opened most people probably would have run out.  I feel as though I would have seen that as a work of God and I may have left.  It seems like God answered their prayers by breaking them out of jail, and yet they didn't leave.  This is another way in which they acted differently.  Not only did they not run away, but even when they were released, the refused to go without an escort.  This is an example of how different life can be when you trust God with everything and when you learn to listen to the Holy Spirit.  If you look at their actions the whole time they were in jail they never seemed to doubt that God was going to take care of them.  They never seem to act like they are scared for their future.  They seemed very confident there was a plan and they were happy to wait and see what it was.  Because they did not leave, because they were singing when others would have been complaining because of their actions, the jailor fell at Paul's & Silas' feet and ask what he needed to do to be saved and he and is whole house were baptized that night.  I feel the Holy Spirit really wants me to get across to you that Christians should act differently.  People are watching us, just as the other prisoners were watching Paul and Silas.  How are we reacting to disappointments?  How are we dealing with the troubles in our lives?  Are we reaching out and asking God for help?  Are we praising God, even in the difficult times because we know He will take care of us?  Are we complaining a lot and getting upset with God because He is not answering our prayers the way we think He should, or in the timing we think is right?  People are always watching others and for Christians there is an extra layer or scrutiny.  God wants us to share His love and His peace with the rest of the world.  We want others to look at us and want to do whatever they can do to have what we have.  And I don't mean wealth and material things, I mean the peace and love of Jesus in our hearts.  There is a song written by Peter Scholtes called “They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.”  This line is also part of the chorus.  We want to strive to the lives that are talked about in this song.  The lyrics are:We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the LordAnd we pray that our unity will one day be restoredAnd they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our loveWe will work with each other, we will work side by sideAnd we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's prideAnd they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love Would you react differently to situations if you knew other's were watching?  Did you know you are Christ's representative in this world?  God is counting on us to show other's how amazing it is to be a believer.  How amazing it is to live in God's love and peace.  God is counting on us to show others Christians act differently.  We rely on Him and we trust that He has a plan.  We praise Him all the time, not just when we feel like it and not just in the good times.  We don't have to rush out of the jail when the doors open we can demand what is just and right because God is taking care of all the details.  We don't have to be afraid and defeated because we know the ending to the story.  We know God has already won our salvation for us.  We know, no matter what happens we are on the winning side and that means we can act differently.Dear Heavenly Father I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, you are amazing.  We are sorry we don't praise you more for all the things you do for us.  Lord, help us to learn to praise you when we are going through tough times, before we see the way out, before we see the miracle.  We want to trust you enough to be able to know the miracle is coming and therefore praise before we see it. We don't want to have to see to believe.  We believe Lord, help our unbelief.  Help us also to act differently.  Help us to not conform to the ways of the world but be transformed by your ways.  Help us be a worthy example to all those who are watching.  Help us to reflect your love and peace back to all who look upon us.  Thank you Lord, we are so grateful.  You are the resurrection and the Life. You are the Way, the Truth and the Life.  We love you Lord and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  Tomorrow's guest is Crystal.  She is a friend of Andrea, who was on here a few months ago talking about her experience with anxiety.  Crystal is giving her witness about the incredible journey she has been on. She has had a lot of struggles over the years and has overcome some pretty big obstacles to get to where she is today.  God is using all Crystal has been through for good, as he does will all of us.  God is so great!  He takes the bad things that happen to us and uses them for good and for the building of His Kingdom.  I know you are all going to love hearing her witness.  I look forward to sharing it with you tomorrow.  Have a blessed day!

Dear God I'm Grateful For Alignment In Christ.Day #538 - When we walk by faith and utilize our God given gifts, we position ourselves to receive directions and and guidance from God..Some may call it purpose and others may call it your calling, yet I believe that when we obey God's instructions and we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and correct us, we are in alignment with whatever God purposes us to do..We all have a reason for our existence and  we are called to fear God, love each other, obey the Word and walk by faith. When our hearts and minds are turned to God, our spiritual gifts will open doors for us to spread the word of God in any and every environment. .Our positioning is never by coincidence, for God can use us at any time and in any place, so let us always be ready in and out of season and commit our plans to the Lord, so that we're always prepared to serve him and always in alignment with His Will..“Commit your works to the LordAnd your plans will be established.” - Proverbs 16:3....#Linkinbio #DearGodImGrateful #podcast #gratitude #gratitudechallenge #love #faith #patience  #create #Jesus #wordofGod #wisdom #wives #IronWifey #DGIG #JesusChrist #gratitude #grateful #blessed #gratitudechallenge #Ironwifeymagazine #God #ironwifeypodcastnetwork #christianpodcast #podcastersofinstagram #podcast.STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL THINGS IRONWIFEY:Instagram: @deargodimgrateful | @ironwifey_ | @ironwifeymagazineTwitter: @ironwifey_Facebook: IronWifeyIronWifey Magazine & Podcasts: https://www.ironwifeymagazine.com.Please Rate & Review, Like , Comment, & Subscribe!.FEATURED MUSIC: Track: SkyHigh — Enine [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/q-lf6x9cVXwFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/skyhigh

The final psalm in the Bible encourages everyone, everywhereby all means, at all timesto praise the Lordand to do it loudly! Join Dr. James Boice on The Bible Study Hour as he concludes his years-long study of the psalter with a psalm that encourages us to praise the Lord without reservation. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29

50 Thus says the Lord:“Where is the certificate of your mother's divorce,Whom I have put away?Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you?For your iniquities you have sold yourselves,And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.2 Why, when I came, was there no man?Why, when I called, was there none to answer?Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?Or have I no power to deliver?Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea,I make the rivers a wilderness;Their fish stink because there is no water,And die of thirst.3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,And I make sackcloth their covering.”4 “The Lord God has given MeThe tongue of the learned,That I should know how to speakA word in season to him who is weary.He awakens Me morning by morning,He awakens My earTo hear as the learned.5 The Lord God has opened My ear;And I was not rebellious,Nor did I turn away.6 I gave My back to those who struck Me,And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.7 “For the Lord God will help Me;Therefore I will not be disgraced;Therefore I have set My face like a flint,And I know that I will not be ashamed.8 He is near who justifies Me;Who will contend with Me?Let us stand together.Who is My adversary?Let him come near Me.9 Surely the Lord God will help Me;Who is he who will condemn Me?Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;The moth will eat them up.10 “Who among you fears the Lord?Who obeys the voice of His Servant?Who walks in darknessAnd has no light?Let him trust in the name of the LordAnd rely upon his God.11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,Who encircle yourselves with sparks:Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—This you shall have from My hand:You shall lie down in torment.

♥ One ThingPsalm 27:4NIV:One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,to gaze on the beauty of the Lordand to seek him in his temple.♠ re-versere-verse is a collection of music driven scripture readings. Episode photo by Evie S on Unsplash.♦ Connect!I'd love to say hey; follow me over on Twitter.Want to show the show some quick love? Thank you! You can buy me a coffee here.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!♣ Undertowre-verse is part of The Undertow Podcast Network. Information about CLC can be found here.

Let us all rejoice in the Lord,as we celebrate the feast day in honour of all the Saints,at whose festival the Angels rejoiceand praise the Son of God.Responsorial Psalm 23(24):1-6Such are the men who seek Your face, O Lord.The Lord's is the earth and its fullness,the world and all its peoples.It is He who set it on the seas;on the waters He made it firm.Such are the men who seek Your face, O Lord.Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?Who shall stand in His holy place?The man with clean hands and pure heart,who desires not worthless things.Such are the men who seek Your face, O Lord.He shall receive blessings from the Lordand reward from the God who saves Him.Such are the men who seek Him,seek the face of the God of Jacob.Such are the men who seek Your face, O Lord.Responsorial psalm lyrics and Entrance Antiphon taken from the English translation and chants of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.The music for the psalm is an original OLOR composition.Sing Psalms to the Lord YouTube channel can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCELS1iG5t0qjs20JFugwdeQMusic by the Choir of Our Lady of the Rosary RC Church, Verdun, St. John, Barbados.Music (c) 2021 Michelle A. Sambrano. All rights reserved.

Within Your will, O Lord, all things are established,and there is none that can resist Your will.For You have made all things, the heaven and the earth,and all that is held within the circle of heaven;You are the Lord of all.Cf. Est 4: 17Psalm 127(128)May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.O blessed are those who fear the Lordand walk in His ways!By the labour of your hands you shall eat.You will be happy and prosper.May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.Your wife like a fruitful vinein the heart of your house;your children like shoots of the olive,around your table.May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.Indeed thus shall be blessedthe man who fears the Lord.May the Lord bless you from Zionin a happy Jerusalemall the days of your life!May you see your children's children.On Israel, peace!May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.Responsorial psalm lyrics and Entrance Antiphon taken from the English translation and chants of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.The music for the psalm is an original OLOR composition.Sing Psalms to the Lord YouTube channel can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCELS1iG5t0qjs20JFugwdeQMusic by the Choir of Our Lady of the Rosary RC Church, Verdun, St. John, Barbados.Music (c) 2021 Michelle A. Sambrano. All rights reserved.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/708/29 Most people have thought or said, If only I had _______, then I would be happy and content. Well, how can you learn to be content, regardless of circumstances? In this practical and inspiring message, you'll discover how to find satisfaction in life by finding satisfaction in the Lordand defeating THE GIANT OF IF ONLY.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/708/29 Most people have thought or said, If only I had _______, then I would be happy and content. Well, how can you learn to be content, regardless of circumstances? In this practical and inspiring message, you'll discover how to find satisfaction in life by finding satisfaction in the Lordand defeating THE GIANT OF IF ONLY.

The Visitation"My Soul magnifies the Lordand my spirit rejoices in God my Savior"Reflecting on the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the little virgin from Nazareth begins to grow overwhelmingly in our eyes.  We see the obedience of Mary!   At the Annunciation, recognizing the Angel as a messenger of God, she had said yes to bearing the Son of God.  When the Angel Gabriel told her that her cousin Elizabeth was with child, she trusted in his word knowing he was from God.  Because she, like the other people of Israel, had been preparing for the Messiah, and had studied the Word, she knew the Lord would have wanted her to go and serve her cousin; and so she obeyed, once more.  As we walk through the rose petals that make up the Rosary, we will encounter the many times Mary obeyed.  As we learn more about Jesus, we realize that His Life was our path to Heaven.  As you walk with Mary,  you will discover she knows the way.Browse our Rosary Media CollectionWould you like to watch Catholic Videoson your TV, Computer or Phone?Well now you can do just that!Watch on Computer or any device www.bobandpennylord.tvSupport the show (https://bobandpennylord.store/pages/we-need-your-help)

Put God in Charge of Your Plans As we continue the devotional journey through the Epistle of James, we come to a passage which I find most interesting as it addresses the issue of our plans versus God's plans for us. We all have a tendency to live our lives as though we are the Captain of our own ship, the Master of our own fate. As we do this we lose sight of the fact we are not in control, and the course of our life can be changed instantaneously. Let's take a look at our Scripture today: James 4:13 – 17 [NASB] 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. The first thing I see in this passage is the reminder that life is fragile. Those who live in the upper Midwest can relate to the metaphor James uses to illustrate the fragility of life. Who hasn't stepped outside on a cold winter day and watched their breath form a cloud as the warm moist breath meets the cold winter air? Then watched the cloud disappear in a matter of seconds as the warmth was overcome by the cold air. James says, that is what life is like. In the light of eternity, our 70 – 80-year life span is remarkably brief.Unfortunately, we live as though we have all the time in the world. We make plans, based on our goals, dreams and ambitions, then we invest heavily of our time, resources, and energy to pursue our plans and goals. James brings us back to reality in these verses. Over the course of our devotions in James, I have repeatedly said, this Epistle is called the book of proverbs for the New Testament. Let's look at a passage from the Book of Proverbs as it speaks to the subject of life, plans, goals and dreams. As we look at Proverbs 16:1-9 be alert to the themes which are present in both passages. Proverbs 16:1 – 9 [NASB] The plans of the heart belong to man,But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,But the Lord weighs the motives.3 Commit your works to the LordAnd your plans will be established.4 The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,Even the wicked for the day of evil.5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord,He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.8 Better is a little with righteousnessThan great income with injustice.9 The mind of man plans his way,But the Lord directs his steps. To summarize, both Solomon and James point out it is okay to make your plans, but to submit your plans to the Lord. The problems arise when plans are made with no thought for God's plans or purpose. When we insist on doing it our way, in our time we risk being a modern-day Jonah, not just missing the mark with regards to God's plans, but literally saying “No” to the Lord's plans, purposes and way. James calls this out as arrogance and categorizes it as sin. For to know what you should do, and then to willfully do the opposite is exactly that. One of my favorite hymns is titled SUBMISSION by Charles Austin Miles (1868-1946), an American writer of gospel songs who penned at least 398 songs including IN THE GARDEN. In the hymn SUBMISSION Charles Austin Miles captures the truth James states so simply. Listen to these lyrics: The path that I have trod, has brought me nearer God,Though oft it led through sorrow's gates. Though not the way I choose,In my way I might lose the joy that yet for me awaits RefrainNot what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go,For who am I that I should choose my way?The Lord shall choose for me, ‘Tis better far, I know,So let him bid me go, or stay The cross that I must bear, if I a crown would wear,Is not the cross that I should take; But since on me 'tis laid,I'll take it unafraid, and bear it for the Master's sake. Refrain Submission to the will of him who guides me stillIs surety of His love revealed; My soul shall rise aboveThis world in which I move, I conquer only when I yield. Refrain Our greatest joys, and successes will naturally flow out of submitting our plans, goals, dreams and life to Jesus Christ. Life is so much more fulfilling when we walk in partnership with Him.

Pure Devotion The Bridegroom is coming, for a bride that is spotlessThose who have washed in the blood of ChristAnd keeping themselves in the love of their SaviourWaiting for Him, with their lamps alight To have my lamp burn bright for You, LordAnd tune my ear for the Bridegroom's cryPossessing Your wisdom, with oil in … Continue reading 2. Pure Devotion →

Readings and Prayers of Lament 20. Psalm 40 and Psalm 41 I am sure you are aware that we are in the grip of the Corona Virus pandemic. With that in mind, in this series leading up to Easter, where we are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture. Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file Today we are reading and praying Psalm 40 and Psalm 41together. Psalm 401 I waited patiently for the LORD;he turned to me and heard my cry.2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,out of the mud and mire;he set my feet on a rockand gave me a firm place to stand.3 He put a new song in my mouth,a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see and fear the LORDand put their trust in him.Psalm 411 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.2 The LORD protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbedand restores them from their bed of illness. Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Readings and Prayers of Lament 18. Psalm 25, 26 & 28 I am sure you are aware that we are in the grip of the Corona Virus pandemic. With that in mind, in this series leading up to Easter, where we are reading Scripture together, particularly Psalms of lament and repentance as well as the book of Lamentations. As each Scripture is read, listen in an attitude of prayer, and perhaps repeat the words to yourself. Feel the very raw emotions of the words and agony of the original writer and at the heart of God Himself. Yet also listen out for those little words of joy and hope that are hidden within. Then after listening, pray to God using that piece of Scripture. Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file Today we are reading and praying Psalm 25, Psalm 26 & Psalm 28 together. Psalm 25, 26 and 28 Psalm 251 In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame,nor let my enemies triumph over me.3 No one who hopes in youwill ever be put to shame,but shame will come on thosewho are treacherous without cause.Psalm 261 Vindicate me, LORD,for I have led a blameless life;I have trusted in the LORDand have not faltered.2 Test me, LORD, and try me,examine my heart and my mind;3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing loveand have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.Psalm 281 To you, LORD, I call;you are my Rock,do not turn a deaf ear to me.For if you remain silent,I will be like those who go down to the pit.2 Hear my cry for mercyas I call to you for help,as I lift up my handstoward your Most Holy Place.Right Mouse click or tap here to save Podcast as an audio mp3 file Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Story by: Gail NoblesSong by: George HarrisonPhoto credit: Wikipedia.org Usage: CC BY-SA 2.0By Steve Mathieson - https://www.flickr.com/photos/38495915@N07/3641636343/Hello, I'm Gail Nobles and this is Postgirl's Recordings. The meaning of songs and Happy New Year. It's 2020. I'm thinking of George Harrison today. If you're sick in pain or whatever the problem may be, I know you know the meaning of these words from this song.Oh my LordMy sweet LordAnd maybe you moanHmmmm my LordI really want to see you. I really want to be with you. I really want to see you Lord, but it takes so long my Lord....So the podcast for today is George Harrison, "My Sweet Lord".Sometimes we are so in a hurry.(Sing)You got the idea. We can't rush the Sweet Lord, But he's always there. We wait on him but sometimes he waits on us. He wants our patience. The Lord wants our trust in him and our faith. We hurt, cry, and moan. (sing)....Alright alright...anyway..The song was released in Nov. 1970 on his triple album, All Things Must Pass. It was also released as a single, Harrison's first as a solo artist and top charts worldwide. It was the biggest selling single of 1970 in the UK. In America and Britain, the song was the first number one single by an ex-Beatle. George Harrison was one of the Beatles. Harrison originally gave the song to his fellow Apple Recordsartist Billy Preston to record, and it appeared on Preston's Encouraging Words album in September 1970. George Harrison. My Sweet Lord. That's the topic for the podcast today.

David found a place for himself where he could know and enjoy God. Where is that space for you? Find your tabernacle today. Passionately pursue that dwelling."One thing have I asked of the Lord,that will I seek after:that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lordand to meditate in his temple."Psalm 27:4

Do not fret because of evil menor be envious of those who do wrong;for like the grass they will soon wither,like green plants they will soon die away.Trust in the LORD and do good;dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Delight yourself in the LORDand he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD;trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;do not fret when men succeed in their ways,when they carry out their wicked schemes.Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;do not fret–it leads only to evil.For evil men will be cut off,but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.Psalm 37: 1-9

In order to get you and your business ready for 2021, I will be taking you behind the scenes of my own business and sharing the biggest lessons I have learned from 2020. These are also going to help me pave the direction I'll be taking for the next year. The fourth in the series of episodes about strategic goal-setting, this week's The Game Changer is all about my top lessons for the year. I'm letting you in on how I'm thinking about my own business, what I've learned, and where I'm headed.Before coming up with these, I went through a process of reflection in order to learn what I needed to learn from the past year:I looked at the dataTrusted my gut about where my business should goAsked wisdom from the LordAnd for 2020, my top lessons were:The power of shared valuesYou can't build an audience if you aren't serving an audienceMarketing isn't magicSimpler is ALWAYS betterScalable doesn't have to mean impersonalEnroll in Thrive in Five here.Follow Katie on Instagram or visit the website to learn more about her work.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/581/29 The final psalm in the Bible encourages everyone, everywhereby all means, at all timesto praise the Lordand to do it loudly! Join Dr. James Boice on The Bible Study Hour as he concludes his years-long study of the psalter with a psalm that encourages us to praise the Lord without reservation.

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,And the Lord listened and heard them;So a book of remembrance was written before HimFor those who fear the LordAnd who [a]meditate on His name.17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,“On the day that I make them My jewels.[b]And I will spare themAs a man spares his own son who serves him.”

Kevin receives restoration from the actual source of the wicked and evildoers. Lucy sings of God's complete love.Psalm 64 (ESV): Hide Me from the WickedTo the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;preserve my life from dread of the enemy.2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,from the throng of evildoers,3 who whet their tongues like swords,who aim bitter words like arrows,4 shooting from ambush at the blameless,shooting at him suddenly and without fear.5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;they talk of laying snares secretly,thinking, “Who can see them?”6 They search out injustice,saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.7 But God shoots his arrow at them;they are wounded suddenly.8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;all who see them will wag their heads.9 Then all mankind fears;they tell what God has brought aboutand ponder what he has done.10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lordand take refuge in him!Let all the upright in heart exult!

Bob examines God's control in all creation, and finds heavenly perspective in truth and untruth. Psalm 24 (NASB): The King of Glory Entering Zion.A Psalm of David.1 The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains,The world, and those who dwell in it.2 For He has founded it upon the seasAnd established it upon the rivers.3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?And who may stand in His holy place?4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehoodAnd has not sworn deceitfully.5 He shall receive a blessing from the LordAnd righteousness from the God of his salvation.6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,Who seek Your face—even Jacob.Selah.7 Lift up your heads, O gates,And be lifted up, O ancient doors,That the King of glory may come in!8 Who is the King of glory?The Lord strong and mighty,The Lord mighty in battle.9 Lift up your heads, O gates,And lift them up, O ancient doors,That the King of glory may come in!10 Who is this King of glory?The Lord of hosts,He is the King of glory.Selah.

Bob examines the indicators of a difficult time and re-affirms our role in it. Matthew 24:4-14 (NASB) 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NASB)5 Thus says the Lord,“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankindAnd makes flesh his strength,And whose heart turns away from the Lord.6 “For he will be like a bush in the desertAnd will not see when prosperity comes,But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,A land of salt without inhabitant.7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LordAnd whose trust is the Lord.8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,That extends its roots by a streamAnd will not fear when the heat comes;But its leaves will be green,And it will not be anxious in a year of droughtNor cease to yield fruit.

Song: Holy is the LordAnd together we singEv'ryone sing Holy is the Lord God AlmightyThe earth is filled with His gloryHoly is the Lord God AlmightyThe earth is filled with His gloryThe earth is filled with His glory We stand and lift up our handsFor the joy of the Lord is our strengthWe bow down and worship Him nowHow great how awesome is He It is rising up all aroundIt's the anthem of the Lord's renownIt's rising up all aroundIt's the anthem of the Lord's renownSong: Build My LifeWorthy of ev'ry song we could ever singWorthy of all the praise we could ever bringWorthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breatheWe live for You Jesus the name above ev'ry other nameJesus the only one who could ever saveWorthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breatheWe live for YouWe live for YouHoly there is no one like YouThere is none besides YouOpen up my eyes in wonder and show me who You areAnd fill me with Your heartAnd lead me in Your love to those around meI will build my life upon Your loveIt is a firm foundationI will put my trust in You aloneAnd I will not be shakenA Prayer of Grounding – Matthew 6:8-13For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.Pray then like this:“Our Father in heavenHallowed be your nameYour Kingdom ComeYour will be done, on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtorsAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”A Prayer of YieldingOpen your hands to God and breathe with each line.“I am here.”“I am open to you, Jesus.”Song: What a Beautiful NameYou were the Word at the beginningOne with God the Lord Most HighYour hidden glory in creationNow revealed in You our ChristWhat a beautiful Name it isWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a beautiful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus You didn't want heaven without usSo Jesus You brought heaven downMy sin was great Your love was greaterWhat could separate us nowWhat a wonderful Name it isWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a wonderful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of JesusDeath could not hold YouThe veil tore before YouYou silence the boast of sin and graveThe heavens are roaringThe praise of Your gloryFor You are raised to life again You have no rivalYou have no equalNow and forever God You reignYours is the kingdomYours is the gloryYours is the Name above all names What a powerful Name it isWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a powerful Name it isNothing can stand againstWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of JesusA Prayer of HonestyDear God: “Prayer for me is _________. And I need help with __________. Lord, teach us to pray.”A Prayer of Request: Teach Us to PrayLord Jesus,We’ve been taught quite well how to watch TV, scroll on our phones and binge our favorite shows.We’ve been taught how to shop and acquire more things.We’ve been taught how to please people, fit in and keep up appearances.Lord Jesus,Teach us how to pray. We’ve been taught how to live in fear, jealousy and self-protection.We’ve been taught how to do religious activities. We’ve been taught to hate, judge, lie and condemn.Lord Jesus, Teach us how to pray.Song: StrongerYou are strongerYou are strongerSin is brokenYou have saved meIt is writtenChrist is risenJesus You are Lord of allThere is Love that came for usHumbled to a sinner's crossYou broke my shame and sinfulnessYou rose again victorious Faithfulness none can denyThrough the storm and through the fireThere is truth that sets me freeJesus Christ who lives in meNo beginning and no endYou're my hope and my defenseYou came to seek and save the lostYou paid it all upon the crossSo let Your Name be lifted higherBe lifted higherBe lifted higherA Prayer of Movement“When I look around, I notice Your ____ in the ______.”Song: Your Love Awakens MeThere were walls between usBy the cross You came and broke them downYou broke them downAnd there were chains around usBy Your grace we are no longer boundNo longer boundYou called me out of the graveYou called me into the lightYou called my name and then my heart came aliveYour love is greaterYour love is strongerYour love awakens awakens awakens meFeel the darkness shakingAll the dead are coming back to lifeI'm back to lifeHear the song awakenAll creation singing we're alive'Cause You're alive And what a love we've foundDeath can't hold us downWe shout it outWe're alive 'cause You're aliveYour love awakens meYour love is greaterYour love is strongerYou're love awakens awakens awakens meA Prayer of Embodiment

Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lordand fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. - Judges 20:26 NLT Read Transcript: Victory Over Inconstancy on PastorPriji.com Become a monthly partner towards revival in Africa: Donate Here

This short message is from Psalm 27.  This psalm of David talks about the protection, refuge, fellowship, and guidance that we have from the Lord. Verses 1 to 3 talk about God’s protection. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the defense of my life;Whom shall I dread?2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.3 Though a host encamp against me,My heart will not fear;Though war arise against me,In spite of this I shall be confident. In this first part of the psalm, David states how confident he is of God’s protection even in the face of many enemies who want to attack him, even though a war should arise.  God’s protection is sure, and David put his full confidence in God’s ability to keep him safe. Verses 4 to 6 talk about the refuge that we find in the Lord: 4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the LordAnd to meditate in His temple.5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;He will lift me up on a rock.6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. David longs to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.  He finds a refuge there in the day of trouble.  He worships God and offers sacrifices with shouts of joy.  Even in times of trouble, he sings praises to God and finds refuge and peace through worshipping God. Verses 7 to 10 describe the fellowship that we have with God: 7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,And be gracious to me and answer me.8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,“Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”9 Do not hide Your face from me,Do not turn Your servant away in anger;You have been my help;Do not abandon me nor forsake me,O God of my salvation!10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,But the Lord will take me up. This passage addresses the closeness and fellowship of God.  If we seek His face, He will not forsake us.  When we are lonely (and that can even be true when many people are around us), when we need someone to count on, God is always there.  Our relationships with our earthly father and mother are some of the closest that we can experience.  They are the ones that we can count on and turn to, and yet this psalm says that even if our father and mother were to forsake us, the Lord will take us up. The last section of this psalm, verses 11 to 14, talk about how God guides our steps.  When we need guidance in difficult times, when we face adversaries, when seek to go in the right direction, God teaches us: 11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,And lead me in a level pathBecause of my foes.12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LordIn the land of the living.14 Wait for the Lord;Be strong and let your heart take courage;Yes, wait for the Lord. It’s because of God’s protection, refuge, fellowship, and guidance that we can face and overcome anything that comes our way.  God is faithful, and He is and always will be there for us. “Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness.  Because you give us protection, refuge, fellowship, and guidance, we can face enemies, difficulties, danger, loneliness, and uncertainty with full confidence that you will see us through.  In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Pentecost Sunday At the Vigil MassLectionary: 62 Reading 1 GN 11:1-9 The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.While the people were migrating in the east,they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.They said to one another,“Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire.”They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a cityand a tower with its top in the sky,and so make a name for ourselves;otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.” The LORD came down to see the city and the towerthat the people had built.Then the LORD said: “If now, while they are one people,all speaking the same language,they have started to do this,nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do.Let us then go down there and confuse their language,so that one will not understand what another says.”Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth,and they stopped building the city.That is why it was called Babel,because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world.It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth. or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b Moses went up the mountain to God.Then the LORD called to him and said,“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites:You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptiansand how I bore you up on eagle wingsand brought you here to myself.Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,you shall be my special possession,dearer to me than all other people,though all the earth is mine.You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.That is what you must tell the Israelites.”So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people.When he set before themall that the LORD had ordered him to tell them,the people all answered together,“Everything the LORD has said, we will do.” On the morning of the third daythere were peals of thunder and lightning,and a heavy cloud over the mountain,and a very loud trumpet blast,so that all the people in the camp trembled.But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God,and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain.Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke,for the LORD came down upon it in fire.The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace,and the whole mountain trembled violently.The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speaking,and God answering him with thunder. When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai,he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain. or Ez 37:1-14 The hand of the LORD came upon me,and he led me out in the spirit of the LORDand set me in the center of the plain,which was now filled with bones.He made me walk among the bones in every directionso that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain.How dry they were!He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life?I answered, “Lord GOD, you alone know that.”Then he said to me:Prophesy over these bones, and say to them:Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones:See!  I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life.I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you,cover you with skin, and put spirit in youso that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD.I, Ezekiel, prophesied as I had been told,and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise;it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone.I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them,and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them.Then the LORD said to me:Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man,and say to the spirit:  Thus says the Lord GOD:From the four winds come, O spirit,and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them;they came alive and stood upright, a vast army.Then he said to me:Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.They have been saying,“Our bones are dried up,our hope is lost, and we are cut off.”Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD:O my people, I will open your gravesand have you rise from them,and bring you back to the land of Israel.Then you shall know that I am the LORD,when I open your graves and have you rise from them,O my people!I will put my spirit in you that you may live,and I will settle you upon your land;thus you shall know that I am the LORD.I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. or     Jl 3:1-5 Thus says the LORD:I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,your young men shall see visions;even upon the servants and the handmaids,in those days, I will pour out my spirit.And I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth,blood, fire, and columns of smoke;the sun will be turned to darkness,and the moon to blood,at the coming of the day of the LORD,the great and terrible day.Then everyone shall be rescuedwho calls on the name of the LORD;for on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant,as the LORD has said,and in Jerusalem survivorswhom the LORD shall call. Responsorial Psalm PS 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30 R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.Bless the LORD, O my soul!O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!You are clothed with majesty and glory,robed in light as with a cloak.R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.How manifold are your works, O LORD!In wisdom you have wrought them allCthe earth is full of your creatures;bless the LORD, O my soul!  Alleluia.R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.Creatures all look to youto give them food in due time.When you give it to them, they gather it;when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.or:R. Alleluia.If you take away their breath, they perishand return to their dust.When you send forth your spirit, they are created,and you renew the face of the earth.R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.or:R. Alleluia. Reading 2 ROM 8:22-27 Brothers and sisters:We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;and not only that, but we ourselves,who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,we also groan within ourselvesas we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.For in hope we were saved.Now hope that sees is not hope.For who hopes for what one sees?But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness;for we do not know how to pray as we ought,but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.And the one who searches heartsknows what is the intention of the Spirit,because he intercedes for the holy onesaccording to God’s will. Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithfuland kindle in them the fire of your love.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel JN 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the feast,Jesus stood up and exclaimed,“Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.As Scripture says:Rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in me.” He said this in reference to the Spiritthat those who came to believe in him were to receive.There was, of course, no Spirit yet,because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Verse Guide Ecclesiastes 33 There is a time for everything,    and a season for every activity under the heavens:2     a time to be born and a time to die,    a time to plant and a time to uproot,3     a time to kill and a time to heal,    a time to tear down and a time to build,4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,    a time to mourn and a time to dance,5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6     a time to search and a time to give up,    a time to keep and a time to throw away,7     a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,8     a time to love and a time to hate,    a time for war and a time for peace. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will fin rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.Pslam 37:7Be still before the LordAnd wait patiently for him John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. In Jesus name Amen.

Bonus song: Remember the Sabbath (Ladye Love Smith) Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy, honour the dayThat our Lord commands us to cease our toiling, and we obeyThat we may know Him and learn His patient waysKeeping the Sabbath Holy, in all our daysSo enter His temple with high thanksgiving, worship the LordAnd fill up this house with your voices ringing, let them be heardFor we adore Him, and lift our hearts in praiseKeeping the Sabbath holy, in all our daysSource: MusixmatchSongwriters: David / Bonnie Huntsinger

JUDGES 14-15:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson. PSALM 85:This psalm is one appropriate at any time and to anyone. There are hidden nuggets of spiritual gold here— deep truths that are worth digging for. 1TIMOTHY 1:Yesterday in the final chapter of Galatians, Paul continued what he was saying (from chapter 5) about the contrast between being led by God's Spirit versus allowing our sinful natures to lead us. And Paul returned to something he said in chapter two, explaining the figure of being crucified with Christ. It means being so much in union with Christ as to consider ourselves dead to this world. Paul had marks on his body that were much more valuable than circumcision, and those were the scars he had gained as a representative of Christ. Today we turn to Paul’s first letter to Timothy. This contrasts with the letter we have just finished in that it is personal correspondence written to Paul’s disciple. Timothy was so dear to Paul that he considered him a son. Paul had given Timothy— who was still a young man, the task of shepherding the church at Ephesus. This book is important for the personal advice, for personal insight given about Paul, for insight into church leadership, and for the sound teachings for us to follow. GNT Translation notes: Ps. 85:2 [CEV You have forgiven the sinand taken away the guiltof your people.//You have forgiven your people's sinsand pardoned all their wrongs.]3 [CEV Your fierce anger is no longeraimed at us.//You stopped being angry with themand held back your furious rage.]8 I am listening to what [You, O Lord God are//the Lord God is] saying;You promise//he promises] peace to us, [your//his] own people,if we do not go back to our foolish ways.9 Surely [You are//he is] ready to save [us//those] who honor [You//him],and [your//his] saving presence will remain in our land.11 [CEV Loyalty will sproutfrom the ground;justice will look downfrom the sky above.//Human loyalty will reach up from the earth,and God's righteousness will look down from heaven.]12 [You, O Lord//The Lord] will make us prosperous,and our land will produce rich harvests.13 [Righteousness is like a path spread out before You, Lord—And that is the road You will always follow.//Righteousness will go before the Lordand prepare the path for him. ==== 1Tim. 1:2 [To Timothy. You are like my own dear son because we share the same true beliefs.//To Timothy, my true son in the faith:] May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 4 Tell them to give up those legends and those long lists of ancestors, which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by [believing (sound teachings/God’s Word)//faith]. 5 The purpose of this order is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and [(sincerely) believing in true teaching (without pretending/hypocrisy)//a genuine faith]. 13 even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merciful to me because I did not yet [believe in the Lord//have faith] and so did not know what I was doing. 14 And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and [enabled me to believe in Him//gave me the faith] and [to love all who are joined//love which are ours] in union with Christ Jesus. 18 Timothy, my [son//child], I entrust to you this command, which is in accordance with the words of prophecy spoken in the past about you. Use those words as weapons in order to fight well, 19 and [to keep on believing in true teaching//keep your faith] and [to live with] a clear conscience. Some people have not listened to their conscience and [have wrecked their minds so that they are no longer able to believe in true teaching//have made a ruin of their faith].

JUDGES 14-15:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson. PSALM 85:This psalm is one appropriate at any time and to anyone. There are hidden nuggets of spiritual gold here— deep truths that are worth digging for. 1TIMOTHY 1:Yesterday in the final chapter of Galatians, Paul continued what he was saying (from chapter 5) about the contrast between being led by God's Spirit versus allowing our sinful natures to lead us. And Paul returned to something he said in chapter two, explaining the figure of being crucified with Christ. It means being so much in union with Christ as to consider ourselves dead to this world. Paul had marks on his body that were much more valuable than circumcision, and those were the scars he had gained as a representative of Christ. Today we turn to Paul’s first letter to Timothy. This contrasts with the letter we have just finished in that it is personal correspondence written to Paul’s disciple. Timothy was so dear to Paul that he considered him a son. Paul had given Timothy— who was still a young man, the task of shepherding the church at Ephesus. This book is important for the personal advice, for personal insight given about Paul, for insight into church leadership, and for the sound teachings for us to follow. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 85:2 [CEV You have forgiven the sinand taken away the guilt of your people.//You have forgiven your people's sinsand pardoned all their wrongs.]3 [CEV Your fierce anger is no longeraimed at us.//You stopped being angry with themand held back your furious rage.]8 I am listening to what [You, O Lord God are//the Lord God is] saying;[You promise//he promises] peace to us, [your//his] own people,if we do not go back to our foolish ways.9 Surely [You are//he is] ready to save [us//those] who honor [You//him],and [your//his] saving presence will remain in our land.11 [CEV Loyalty will sproutfrom the ground;justice will look downfrom the sky above.//Human loyalty will reach up from the earth,and God's righteousness will look down from heaven.]12 [You, O Lord//The Lord] will make us prosperous,and our land will produce rich harvests.13 [Righteousness is like a path spread out before You, Lord—And that is the road You will always follow.//Righteousness will go before the Lordand prepare the path for him.====1Tim. 1:2 [To Timothy. You are like my own dear son because we share the same true beliefs.//To Timothy, my true son in the faith:]May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.4 Tell them to give up those legends and those long lists of ancestors, which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by [believing (sound teachings/God’s Word)//faith].5 The purpose of this order is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and [(sincerely) believing in true teaching (without pretending/hypocrisy)//a genuine faith].13 even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merciful to me because I did not yet [believe in the Lord//have faith] and so did not know what I was doing.14 And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and [enabled me to believe in Him//gave me the faith] and [to love all who are joined//love which are ours] in union with Christ Jesus.18 Timothy, my [son//child], I entrust to you this command, which is in accordance with the words of prophecy spoken in the past about you. Use those words as weapons in order to fight well,19 and [to keep on believing in true teaching//keep your faith] and [to live with] a clear conscience. Some people have not listened to their conscience and [have wrecked their minds so that they are no longer able to believe in true teaching//have made a ruin of their faith]. NLT Translation notes:Jdg. 15:7 [Then Samson vowed,] “Because you did this,” [0//Samson vowed,] “I won’t rest until I take my revenge on you!”====1Tim. 1:4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of [fully believing//faith] in God.5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine [belief/faith]. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He [helped me to fully believe in Christ//filled me with [belief//the faith]] and [filled me with] love that come[s] from Christ Jesus.19 Cling to your [full belief//faith] in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their [beliefs//way of believing//faith] has [been a shipwreck// suffered shipwreck//been shipwrecked].

Day 6 of A Song a Day (Keeps Cornavirus away)Praise changes our perception of any situation and restores flagging hope and faith. I encourage you to try it today.I love you lordAnd lift my voiceTo worship youOh my soul rejoiceTake joy, my KingIn what you hearAnd let it be a sweetSweet sound in your earREPEATWe exalt theeWe exalt theeWe exalt theeOh LordREPEATSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/upliftingsongs)

Beholding the Beauty of Righteousness – March 8, 2020 – Steve MillerWe are in the season of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter. The idea of observing Lent is not for us to try to earn something or do penance for anything, but rather it is an intentional reminder for us to focus on Jesus' love and His suffering and death to bear sin in our place. As we remind ourselves of the passion of Jesus, we see an ugly, horrible scene caused by our sin. But we also see the most beautiful demonstration of the love and righteousness of God towards us, His wayward children.Isaiah 53:1-12 When we look at Jesus on the cross, we see the appalling ugliness of the results of our rebellion against our loving Father God.At the same time, though, the cross is also the greatest picture of the beauty of the Lord. It's the most heroic act ever done. It demonstrates greater love than any person has ever had, to lay down one's life for another. It's the greatest comeback victory ever won over the worst enemy ever. It's the most perfect leadership ever demonstrated. It's the most generous gift ever given. Most importantly, in Jesus' death, we see the death of our old sinful self. And in His resurrection, we receive His new life and perfect righteousness.Walter Wangerin, Jr., in his devotional Reliving the Passion, describes why it's so important for us to remember what Jesus did on the cross: “The passion of Christ, His suffering and death, is such a mirror. Are the tears of my wife [that I caused] hard to look at? Well, the pain in the face of Jesus is harder. It is my self in my extremest truth. My sinful self. The death He died reflects a selfishness so extreme that by it I was divorced from God and life and light completely: I raised my self higher than God! But because the Lord God is the one true God, my pride did no more, in the end, than to condemn this false God of my self to death. For God will be God, and all false gods will fall before Him. So that's what I see reflected in the mirror of Christ's crucifixion: my death. My rightful punishment. My sin and its just consequence. Me. And precisely because it is so accurate, the sight is nearly intolerable. Nevertheless, I will not avoid the mirror! This mirror is not passive only, showing what is, it is active, creating new things to be. It shows me the new me behind the shadow of a sinner. For when I gaze at His crucifixion, I see my death indeed – but my death done! His death is the death of the selfish one, whom I called ugly and hated to look upon. And resurrection is another me.” In Jesus Christ is the death of our sinfulness, and our rebirth in His righteousness. In Him we are made alive by the Holy Spirit, and we are empowered and led by the Spirit to live in His righteousness.Romans 8:1-11 Hallelujah! By faith in Christ Jesus our sinful flesh is declared dead and we are indeed made alive and new by the Holy Spirit! But now that we are made new, Paul tells us that the Spirit will give life to our mortal bodies and fulfill the righteous requirement of the law as we walk according to the Spirit. And how do we walk according to the Spirit? By setting our minds on the things of the Spirit rather than on the things of the flesh.Our minds are a battleground. The mind can set the course toward the flesh's desires or toward the Spirit and righteousness. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. We are the gatekeepers of what knocks on the door of our minds. We, led by the Holy Spirit, can set the mind's agenda. We have the authority to kick out what doesn't belong and choose to think on those things that are beautiful and good.Spiritually speaking, there are a lot of vacuum salesmen out there wanting to dump dirt on the carpet of our minds that they have no intention of cleaning up.Colossians 3:1-10 Again Paul tells us to set our minds on things above. For the born-again believer, the flesh is legally dead and powerless. Our enemy can only lead us into sin by deception. So Paul teaches us to put to death those thoughts that lead to sin. With the Holy Spirit in us, we can rid ourselves of those earthly, sinful things. The Christian life is a life of ongoing renewal in knowledge and the image of our Creator.Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. We can choose to behold the Lord's beauty and think upon His goodness. All the beautiful things of God will encourage our hope in Him and remind us of our identity, purpose, and future in Him. They will help us walk in heaven even as we are on earth. In what ways can we think upon His beauty?· Remember Jesus' death for you on the cross as we regularly take the Lord's supper.· Read the Bible and listen to Godly teaching.· Meditate on the promises of the Bible.· Meditate on the goodness of God's commands.· Remember the faithful things He has done for you and tell others about them.· Give thanks for all He has done.· Sing and praise the Lord for His greatness.· Pray in the Spirit with tongues and with understanding.· Take time to listen to the Spirit's voice when you pray.· Speak what is true and good.· Ask God for wisdom.· Choose wisely what you watch, listen to, read, and otherwise put into your mind.Let's live by the Spirit, setting our minds on things above, not earthly things, and continually gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and His righteousness. In this we will be renewed in knowledge and the image of our Creator.Psalm 27:4 – One thing I ask from the Lord,this only do I seek:that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life,to gaze on the beauty of the Lordand to seek him in his temple.

The Acts of the ApostlesActs 1:12-26January 26, 201912 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms,‘Let his homestead be made desolate,And let no one dwell in it’;and,‘Let another man take his office.’21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:12-26)A Model Process for Decision MakingDon’t Make Decisions Alone (verses 12-13, 15)Where there is no guidance the people fall,But in abundance of counselors there is victory. (Proverbs 11:14)Proverbs 15:22Devote Yourselves to Prayer (verse 14, 24)Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)Ephesians 4:18Consider What God Has Already Said and Done (verses 16-20)How sweet are Your words to my taste!Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!From Your precepts I get understanding;Therefore I hate every false way.Your word is a lamp to my feetAnd a light to my path. (Psalms 119:103-105)Psalms 77:11-12Gain and Apply Wisdom (verses 21-23)To answer before listening— that is folly and shame.The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. (Proverbs 18:13,15)Matthew 10:16Turn the Decision Over to God (verses 24-26)Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)The plans of the heart belong to man,But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,But the Lord weighs the motives.Commit your works to the LordAnd your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:1-3)

https://youtu.be/RmGh_MrQl1A 2 sam 5:17-25READ David becomes King, and right after the philistines come and try to go to war with him. He inquires of the lord, Lord says go- he defeats them, and then they come back again and he has to fight them again. He waits for the sound and then he goes after them again. Why does it seem that we have repeated battles that we have to face? Why does it seem that David, even tho repeatedly victorious, repeatedly faces battlesHe's never done fighting. Hes never not dealing with something. Challenging and encouraging2 Cor 12:7 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.So what Gives? What encouragement can we get from David as we deal with battles? Satan comes immediately17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David.Now the philistines were not Satan, but enigmatic of him in that as Satan is a relentless attacker, the Philistines are a constant enemy of the Israelites in the Bible. All throughout the OT we see Satan attacking and chastising his people. Job, Joshua the High priest, David. Satan wants to thwart the plans and purposes of God. HE's a power hungry entity. He's the father of lies. The author of rebellion and selfishness. He never relents in his attacks. So when David experiences victory in Jerusalem, and then with the philistines, boom- he comesWhat does it mean to you?Do you realize that Satan wants to destroy the plans of God in yoru life? 1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It happens every time you come to church- you'll hear a word- get excited about it and it starts to come out of your heart before you ever leave the parking Lot. Luke 8:12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.That's his purpose- to get you to not believe the word of God- so that you would not be savedHe hates saved people. He hates worship of God, love, forgiveness, service, sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 2:11  says you shouldn't be ignorant of his plans and devices. I heard someone once say that Satan never attacks him- Id be concerned- Only attacks enemiesHow do you combat him? How do you fight him? (armor of God- but lets stick in this script) Learn the voice of the LordAnd the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 19 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”Part of what gave David the strength to withstand the attacks of the devil was that he was dependent on God and knew what his voice sounded like- He won when he sought GodPsalm 32:8-9  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.Notice- The disobedient will not hear from God- Stubbornness stops the voice of the Lord. One of the great things about following the life of David- is that we see a man who heard and talked with God. The psalms declare it. Its not an exceptional experience. I believe that any human that is fully submitted to God can hear from God and experience hearing from him. Jer 33:3  ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [a]mighty things, which you do not know.'But if you're not fully submitted to God- you will struggle to discern his voice. What does it mean to you?Do you know the voice of the Lord? Do you know what it sounds like?Many people think they know the voice of the Lord, but when the only time you hear his voice is getting validati...

https://youtu.be/RmGh_MrQl1A 2 sam 5:17-25READ David becomes King, and right after the philistines come and try to go to war with him. He inquires of the lord, Lord says go- he defeats them, and then they come back again and he has to fight them again. He waits for the sound and then he goes after them again. Why does it seem that we have repeated battles that we have to face? Why does it seem that David, even tho repeatedly victorious, repeatedly faces battlesHe’s never done fighting. Hes never not dealing with something. Challenging and encouraging2 Cor 12:7 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to [b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.So what Gives? What encouragement can we get from David as we deal with battles? Satan comes immediately17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David.Now the philistines were not Satan, but enigmatic of him in that as Satan is a relentless attacker, the Philistines are a constant enemy of the Israelites in the Bible. All throughout the OT we see Satan attacking and chastising his people. Job, Joshua the High priest, David. Satan wants to thwart the plans and purposes of God. HE’s a power hungry entity. He’s the father of lies. The author of rebellion and selfishness. He never relents in his attacks. So when David experiences victory in Jerusalem, and then with the philistines, boom- he comesWhat does it mean to you?Do you realize that Satan wants to destroy the plans of God in yoru life? 1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It happens every time you come to church- you’ll hear a word- get excited about it and it starts to come out of your heart before you ever leave the parking Lot. Luke 8:12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.That’s his purpose- to get you to not believe the word of God- so that you would not be savedHe hates saved people. He hates worship of God, love, forgiveness, service, sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 2:11  says you shouldn’t be ignorant of his plans and devices. I heard someone once say that Satan never attacks him- Id be concerned- Only attacks enemiesHow do you combat him? How do you fight him? (armor of God- but lets stick in this script) Learn the voice of the LordAnd the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” 19 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”Part of what gave David the strength to withstand the attacks of the devil was that he was dependent on God and knew what his voice sounded like- He won when he sought GodPsalm 32:8-9  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.Notice- The disobedient will not hear from God- Stubbornness stops the voice of the Lord. One of the great things about following the life of David- is that we see a man who heard and talked with God. The psalms declare it. Its not an exceptional experience. I believe that any human that is fully submitted to God can hear from God and experience hearing from him. Jer 33:3  ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [a]mighty things, which you do not know.’But if you’re not fully submitted to God- you will struggle to discern his voice. What does it mean to you?Do you know the voice of the Lord? Do you know what it sounds like?Many people think they know the voice of the Lord, but when the only time you hear his voice is getting validati...

Stop and Celebrate Godand#8217;s Deliverance is a podcast of the Sunday morning sermon at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Gareth Icenogle is preaching from Exodus 15:1-21. This morning we return to our sermon series in the Book of Exodus: Journey to Wholeness. We are also celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper. It is Epiphany Sunday.

The Lordand#8217;s Illusory Potency Can Act To Free Us. Lecture delivered by His Holiness on philosophy, principles, and practices of Krishna consciousness based on revealed Vedic scriptures as received in parampara.

Faithand#8217;s Fast Food is a podcast of the Sunday morning sermon at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Gareth Icenogle is preaching from Exodus 12 as we come to the Lordand#8217;s Table. This morning we continue in our sermon series in the Book of Exodus: Journey to Wholeness. We are celebrating All Saintsand#8216; Day, also known as the Feast of All Saints.

A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the defense of my life;Whom shall I dread?2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.3 Though a host encamp against me,My heart will not fear;Though war arise against me,In spite of this I shall be confident.4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the LordAnd to meditate in His temple.5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;He will lift me up on a rock.6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,And be gracious to me and answer me.8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,“Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”9 Do not hide Your face from me,Do not turn Your servant away in anger;You have been my help;Do not abandon me nor forsake me,O God of my salvation!10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,But the Lord will take me up.11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,And lead me in a level pathBecause of my foes.12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.Confident (baw-takh'); a primitive root; properly, to hie (go quickly) for refuge; figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure:to trust (Qal)to trust, trust in to have confidence, be confident to be bold to be secure (Hiphil)to cause to trust, make secure to feel safe, be careless KJV - be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one, woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.Prov 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Heb 11:6 And without faith (confidence) it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Sermon Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: An Invitation to Wisdom: Proverbs 1-9Proverbs 2:1-22 (ESV)1 My son, if you receive my wordsand treasure up my commandments with you,2 making your ear attentive to wisdomand inclining your heart to understanding;3 yes, if you call out for insightand raise your voice for understanding,4 if you seek it like silverand search for it as for hidden treasures,5 then you will understand the fear of the Lordand find the knowledge of God.6 For the Lord gives wisdom;from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,8 guarding the paths of justiceand watching over the way of his saints.9 Then you will understand righteousness and justiceand equity, every good path;10 for wisdom will come into your heart,and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;11 discretion will watch over you,understanding will guard you,12 delivering you from the way of evil,from men of perverted speech,13 who forsake the paths of uprightnessto walk in the ways of darkness,14 who rejoice in doing eviland delight in the perverseness of evil,15 men whose paths are crooked,and who are devious in their ways.16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,from the adulteress with her smooth words,17 who forsakes the companion of her youthand forgets the covenant of her God;18 for her house sinks down to death,and her paths to the departed;19 none who go to her come back,nor do they regain the paths of life.20 So you will walk in the way of the goodand keep to the paths of the righteous.21 For the upright will inhabit the land,and those with integrity will remain in it,22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.Sermon OutlineWisdom (intellectual, practical, ethical and theological) is only developed through a life lived in a proper relationship with God.1. Understand the fear of the Lord (v5)vv6-7 “the Lord gives… he stores up… he is a shield”vv12-15 protection from those who walk in the way of evil2. Find the knowledge of God (v5)vv1-4 searchingvv16-19 protection from the adulteressv13 , 17 “forsake”vv10-11 “wisdom will come into your heart… understanding will guard you…”v1 “my son…”Questions for ReflectionWhat does it mean to fear the Lord?Who, or what, do you “fear”? Think of examples of admiration and reverence; think of examples of dread and anxiety.Can you “know” God? In what ways should we relate to God as we would relate to a human being? In what ways is God (and therefore relating to God) entirely different?Can you trust people who don’t have good character? How do you discern, when you want to join with a person in what they are doing, whether or not it is a good idea? What if a person you don’t trust offers you something you really want – how do you think through that kind of situation?Do you find Jesus trustworthy? Is there anything in his character or his actions that gives you pause? Does the character of Christ help you follow him, even if you don’t fully understand his teachings or know what God is doing in your life?How is the Christian life like being in a relationship where Jesus is mentoring us? What are the limitations of that analogy?How would the way you live change as you shift from seeing the world as filled with things for you to take, to the world belonging to God, who gladly gives to those who are in fellowship with Him?Prayer of ConfessionOur Father, our fear of you is not always healthy. We have doubted your goodness. We are more concerned with punishment than we are with your greatness and glory. Forgive us for so misunderstanding you. Forgive us for neglecting to learn of you and your ways. Forgive our tendencies to know about you while still maintaining distance and autonomy. Show us mercy, and grant us understanding. Help us to know you and be known by you. Amen.

Isolated Unexpected Extravagance is a podcast of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Gareth Icenogle is preaching from Luke 2:1-11. This morning Jack and Judy Bell take a moment to share with the congregation the next steps in our Mission Study, called, and#8220;HolyCow!.and#8221; We are also celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper this morning. This is the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany.

Maturing in Wisdom and Grace is a podcast of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Dr. Gareth Icenogle is preaching on Luke 2:41-42. We are also celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper this morning. It is the 1st Sunday after Christmas.

Our Response to the Open Door is a podcast of the Sunday Worship Services at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Steve Sweet is preaching from Luke 19:1-10, the story of Zacchaeusand#8217; response to Jesusand#8217; invitation to dinner at Zacchaeusand#8217; home. It is the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are also celebrating at the Lordand#8217;s Table this morning. The worship band honorand#8217;s the life of Aretha Franklin this morning in the prelude and postlude: Precious Lord, Take My Hand and Amazing Grace. Band members include: Adam Bravo (keys), Jesse Hughes (double bass), Ross Sellers (electric guitar) and Thor Fay (drums).

Psalm 27 (NASB)A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.A Psalm of David.27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the defense of my life;Whom shall I dread?2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.3 Though a host encamp against me,My heart will not fear;Though war arise against me,In spite of this I shall be confident.4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the LordAnd to meditate in His temple.5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;He will lift me up on a rock.6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice,And be gracious to me and answer me.8 When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,“Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”9 Do not hide Your face from me,Do not turn Your servant away in anger;You have been my help;Do not abandon me nor forsake me,O God of my salvation!10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,But the Lord will take me up.11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,And lead me in a level pathBecause of my foes.12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LordIn the land of the living.14 Wait for the Lord;Be strong and let your heart take courage;Yes, wait for the Lord.

Dealing with AnxietyIn the conversation for Sunday, July 29, 2018, Aaron Redshaw talks about anxiety and offers helpful suggestions to deal with anxiety and offers hope that in Christ we can have peace.Sacred Reading 00:00-17:37, Conversation 17:37-57:07Sacred ReadingA note about the recording of the Sacred Reading:The reader will pause between each of the four readings. The pauses have been left in the recording so that the listener can experience the rhythm of the gathering and even participate in the reading. Below are the guidelines for each of the four readings of the practice.- Read: Read the passage and receive it as God’s message to you.- Reflect: Read the passage again and look for the word or phrase that the Holy Spirit highlights to your heart.- Respond: Take the highlighted words and make them a prayer.- Rest: Rest your heart on God’s promises.Cast your cares on the Lordand he will sustain you;he will never letthe righteous be shaken.But you, God, will bring down the wickedinto the pit of decay;the bloodthirsty and deceitfulwill not live out half their days.But as for me, I trust in you.Psalm 55:22-23 (NIV)

Stand Firm and Suit UpIn the conversation for Sunday, May 6, 2018, Pastor Stuart Nice continues from previous two Sundays by sharing with us the principles of personal power. This week’s talk focuses on the components of the armor of God, which are areas of power that when we commit them to the Lord, we overcome the enemy in our lives.Sacred Reading 00:00-12:45, Conversation 12:45-46:01Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.Ephesians 6:14-18 (NIV)Sacred ReadingA note about the recording of the Sacred Reading:The reader will pause between each of the four readings. The pauses have been left in the recording so that the listener can experience the rhythm of the gathering and even participate in the reading. Below are the guidelines for each of the four readings of the practice.- Read: Read the passage and receive it as God’s message to you.- Reflect: Read the passage again and look for the word or phrase that the Holy Spirit highlights to your heart.- Respond: Take the highlighted words and make them a prayer.- Rest: Rest your heart on God’s promises.I waited patiently for the Lord.He turned to me and heard my cry for help.He pulled me out of a horrible pit,out of the mud and clay.He set my feet on a rockand made my steps secure.He placed a new song in my mouth,a song of praise to our God.Many will see this and worship.They will trust the Lord.Blessed is the personwho places his confidence in the Lordand does not rely on arrogant peopleor those who follow lies.You have done many miraculous things, O Lord my God.You have made many wonderful plans for us.No one compares to you!I will tell others about your miracles,which are more than I can count.Psalm 40:1-5 (GW)

2 Chronicles 7:11-22The Lord appears to Solomon11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lordand in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared to him at night and said:‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.13 ‘When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there for ever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.17 ‘As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, “You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.”19 ‘But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple which I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?” 22 People will answer, “Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshipping and serving them – that is why he brought all this disaster on them.”’

I Call is a podcast of portions of the worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Steve Sweet is preaching on Psalm 62 and Mark 1:12-20. This is the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and we are coming to the Lordand#8217;s Table together (the movement of communion is also included in this recording.)

Open to the Wind is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Kathy Sizer is preaching on Acts 2:14-37. It is Trinity Sunday. We are also celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper.

The Hand on The Table is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Jerry Tankersley is preaching on Acts 1:15-20. We are joined by special guest, Yve Evans, Jazz and Gospel Singer. The offertory is entitled, and#8220;Itand#8217;s in His Hands.and#8221; Music during communion includes, and#8220;Let Us Break Bread Togetherand#8221; and and#8220;Amazing Grace.and#8221; It is the 6th Sunday of Easter and we are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ as we come to the Lordand#8217;s Table.

More Than We Can Imagine is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Beth Pinney, M. Div. is preaching from Acts 1:1-12. It is the 4th Sunday of Easter and we are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Dawn Orr-Grizel is our guest Worship Leader. The Praise Team this morning is Thor Fay (drums), Jesse Hughes (bass), Rev. Jeff McCrory (guitar), Andrea Galante, Jeff Nagel and Abby Garcia (vocals). Introit by Chancel Bells is entitled, and#8220;Holy Mannaand#8221; by S. Geschke. The Anthem by the Chancel Choir is entitled, and#8220;Lift Up the Name of the Lordand#8221; by J. Helgen.

Burning Hearts / Open Eyes is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Jerry Tankersley is preaching on Luke 24:13-44. It is the 2nd Sunday of Easter and we are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ and coming to the Lordand#8217;s Table!

Waiting for Mercy is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Jerry Tankersley is preaching on John 5:1-18 It is the 3rd Sunday in the Season of Lent. We are also coming to the Lordand#8217;s Table.

Transition Trust is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service and the sermon at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Jerry Tankersley is preaching on Daniel 6. This is Christ the King Sunday and we are celebrating by coming to the Lordand#8217;s Table.

When You Walk Through the Fire is a podcast of portions of the Sunday morning worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Dr. Kathy Sizer is preaching on 1 Peter 4:12-19. We continue our sermon series in 1 Peter. We are come to the Lordand#8217;s Table this morning.

Job 19: 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,And He shall stand at last on the earth;26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,That in my flesh I shall see God,27 Whom I shall see for myself,And my eyes shall behold, and not another.   Isaiah 41: 14 “Fear not, you worm Jacob,You men of Israel!I will help you,” says the LordAnd your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

2015 Dec 15 Tue: 3rd week of Advent==============================================A reading from the book of the prophet ZephaniahZep 3: 1-2. 9-13==============================================Thus says the Lord:[1] Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city![2] She listens to no voice,she accepts no correction.She does not trust in the LORD,she does not draw near to her God.[9] "Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoplesto a pure speech,that all of them may call on the name of the LORDand serve him with one accord.[10] From beyond the rivers of Ethiopiamy suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones,shall bring my offering.[11] "On that day you shall not be put to shamebecause of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;for then I will remove from your midstyour proudly exultant ones,and you shall no longer be haughtyin my holy mountain.[12] For I will leave in the midst of youa people humble and lowly.They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,[13] those who are left in Israel;they shall do no wrongand utter no lies,nor shall there be found in their moutha deceitful tongue.For they shall pasture and lie down,and none shall make them afraid."The Word of the Lord==============================================From Psalm 34Ps 34: 2-3. 6-7. 17-18. 19 and 23==============================================The Lord hears the cry of the poor.[2] I will bless the LORD at all times;his praise shall continually be in my mouth.[3] My soul makes its boast in the LORD;let the afflicted hear and be glad.The Lord hears the cry of the poor.[6] Look to him, and be radiant;so your faces shall never be ashamed.[7] This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him,and saved him out of all his troubles.The Lord hears the cry of the poor. [17] The face of the LORD is against evildoers,to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.[18] When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,and delivers them out of all their troubles.The Lord hears the cry of the poor. [19] The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,and saves the crushed in spirit.[23] The LORD redeems the life of his servants;none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.The Lord hears the cry of the poor.==============================================A reading from the holy gospel according to MatthewMt 21: 28-32==============================================Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:[28] "What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' [29] And he answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went. [30] And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go. [31] Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. [32] For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.”The Gospel of the Lord

This is a podcast of the Sunday Sermon and portions of the worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Jerry Tankersley is preaching, “Getting Even” from Romans 12:17. We continue our sermon series in Paul’s Letter to the Romans and are reading from the NRSV. This morning we are celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper.

This is a podcast of the Sunday Sermon and portions of the worship service at Laguna Presbyterian Church. Rev. Jerry Tankersley is preaching, “The Jesus Wisdom” from Romans 12:16. We continue our sermon series in Paul’s Letter to the Romans and are reading from the NRSV. This morning we are celebrating the Lordand#8217;s Supper.