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Celebrate for the lost has been found by a loving Father!

Text for today's message: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

We live in a divided world. Are we going to approach it more like Jesus, or more like the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel parable today about the two brothers of The Loving Father. 

Fourth Sunday in Lent

How we understand, God, the father affects how we live out our faith. Listen to my family to learn more.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comLuke 13 Jesus uses two tragic stories of death to present His universal point: unless you repent of your sins, you too will likewise perish. Jesus tells a parable of a fig tree that would only remain if it began to bear fruit. Repentance is a turn from fruitlessness to bring about produce for the Lord. Shortly after, Jesus heals a woman, and the Pharisees complain because He did so on the Sabbath. They still are not ready to repent and turn to Him. But their attacks would not stop Christ's kingdom. It would start small and grow like a mustard seed or like leaven in flour. As Jesus heads to Jerusalem for the last time, He notes that few will be saved in His kingdom, though He desires to save everyone.  To repent is to be sorrowful for sin, to turn away from sin, and to run to God in trust and obedience. This is a fundamental attribute of kingdom citizens. God does not demand perfection, but His mercy is tied to our repentance. The kingdom, which started small, has grown all over the world as people turn from pride and self-reliance and to live for God. So many will be lost in the final judgment, living for themselves, and failing to prepare. But we must keep humble hearts until the end. Jesus faced death courageously because He believed in sharing the kingdom's message. We must praise Him for His sacrifice and share His message of repentance with all who will listen.  Loving Father, thank You for revealing Your plan to save us in the kingdom of Your beloved Son. Help us to see what is required of us in that plan: to believe and repent of our sins and live obedient lives. Give us the wisdom to do this faithfully. Show us how to live this faith sincerely, always ready for Your Son's return, and direct us to not be distracted with arguments and bitterness, as seen with the Pharisees. Eternal death awaits those who are unprepared. Keep us among Your people and help us reconcile others to You.    -       What does repentance look like in your life? Is it found in your prayers? Does it often produce change that is seen by others? -       The kingdom grew as the Pharisee's influence diminished. Why is that? Why will genuine love and faith always prevail over hypocrisy? -       Jesus wanted to save everyone but had to pronounce righteous judgment. Is there a time when we must do so with others for their good?

Friends of the Rosary,As we recite in the entrance antiphon today and learn in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), Our Lord is kind and full of compassion and mercy.God only desires our good. The Father “ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” With the troubled older son, He does the same. He wants nothing more from us today than our “yes,” by which we “come to life”—everlasting life.The prodigal son's parable tells us about our relationship to God. He gives us everything, and we exist through him at every moment.But the sin appears, and we break with him. Rupture or division dominates our life until we come to our senses and return to the Loving Father.God sees us coming and cheerfully runs to meet us. He puts a ring on us, symbolizing the reestablishment of the right relationship between us and the Divinity.“The Bible is not the story of our quest for God, but of God's passionate, relentless quest for us,” explains Bishop Barron.Yesterday, March 21, 2025, marked the fifth year since we started praying the Holy Rosary of Mary daily within this community. We are grateful and rejoice in the Holy Virgin as we have found favor in her Rosary — a special grace given to us!Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Saint Joseph, Pray for Us!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠March 22, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Day 4: Mary, Queen of Peace But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you (Luke I:30) Let us pray: Loving Father, through our Mother, the Lady of the Annunciation, teach us how to be calm and serene so as to feel Your presence here today as we pray for our needs and desires. Teach us how to ask for them. Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the Queen of Peace, may You grant us the tranquility in our hearts You granted to her at the Annunciation. Father, may the Blessed Virgin assist us, especially in this Novena so that we may pray with faith, and that, if it is Your will, we may obtain through her the favor that we desire. The post A Novena for the Annunciation – Day 4 – Mary, Queen of Peace appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Title: A Peculiar People Text: Acts 20:1-6 FCF: We often struggle pursuing what produces unity in and the victory of the church. Prop: Because the true church of Jesus is united and triumphant, we must continue in submission to the Word and the love of one another. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 20. In a moment we will read starting from verse one in the Legacy Standard Version. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Sermon Intro: Well, I did some math this week to discover where we are in our study of the book of Acts. Today, as we begin our study of chapter 20, we are around seventy percent done with the book according to verse count. That means we have a little over three hundred verses to go. Now my average for verse per sermon is a little under 10 verses. That being said, we probably have somewhere around 30 sermons remaining in the book of Acts. Meaning that sometime before the end of the year, Lord willing, we should be finishing the book of Acts. I hope and trust you have enjoyed the study of Acts so far. I know I have. But it seems that we are in the final stretch. That being said, let's come back to chapter 19 and 20. Last week Luke recorded for us the final episode of the Ephesian mission. But unlike similar examples where riots formed against Paul and his associates, no real harm or danger even approached any of them. From this we noted that Luke records this to prove that the Christians were not purposefully trying to cause issues around the Roman Empire. The only thing causing the offense, was the gospel of Jesus Christ. We noted that one of the primary reasons that people so hated the message of the gospel spoken through Paul and his associates, was because of the gospel's intolerance or exclusivity. And the world is the same 2000 years later. Today we will see what largely amounts to the beginning of the end of the third missionary journey of Paul. In it we will see one very important truth about the church and a couple responses that flow into and out of that truth. So please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Most Holy and Loving Father, we approach You today with our hearts held up to You. We come to be exhorted, to be encouraged, to be edified by Your Word. We come to hear from You and to obey. We come to feed our faith on the Bread of Life. We come to drink deeply from the Everlasting Fountain of Living Water. I pray that You would reveal to us today what You have made us to be in this thing called the church. Reveal what graces You have given us to keep us in Your purposes and reveal what responses You require from us as a church. Bind us together as one body in Your truth and for Your glory we pray this in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: Last time we saw the narrowness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The intolerance of the gospel to any other faiths, worship, gods, or practices that it does not teach. Related to that today we will see the church being united around a very narrow set of essentials and that unity producing victory and love for one another. Let's look closer at the text this morning. I.) The true church of Jesus Christ is united and triumphant, so we must submit to continual exhortation from the Word. (1-3) a. [Slide 2] 1 - Now after the uproar had ceased, Paul having summoned and exhorted the disciples, said farewell and left to go to Macedonia. i. Luke doesn't often give us chronological markers, and when he does, they are not typically very precise. ii. We might be irritated by this, but this irritation is probably borne from our western culture. We have somewhat of a hypersensitivity to time and chronology that those in the east do not seem to always share. iii. Still, Luke does give us a definite chronological marker here even if it is lacking in specificity. iv. After the uproar had ceased. v. From the context the uproar in question is clearly the riot or almost riot brought on by some tradesmen in Ephesus. vi. We unpacked all of this last week, but as a reminder these tradesmen feared the financial and religious impact that Christianity may have on them and the city of Ephesus. vii. Because of this they were overcome with civic and religious pride and began shouting and dragging certain companions of Paul to the theater where city disputes were often heard. viii. It all came to an end after the chief executive officer of the city warned them that they are in danger of being punished by Rome if they continue this illegal assembly. ix. With this in mind the crowd dispersed. x. We should probably not rigidly infer that the next hour or the next day is when Paul does what he does. xi. More likely we should see this as after the events and when people had moved on with their lives. xii. Now people do tend to move on shockingly fast. They get distracted by other things and what was very important one day tends to become very unimportant in a few days' time. xiii. After the dust settles, Paul says farewell to the church in Ephesus and leaves to go to Macedonia. xiv. In the process of saying farewell though, he summons and exhorts the disciples. xv. Paul does not overtly go to the hall of Tyrannus to bid farewell to the Ephesian Christians. This no doubt indicates that although he isn't leaving the city due to the recent trouble, he is not a fool. He won't flaunt a large gathering of believers right before he leaves. xvi. In this we see the heart of Paul. It is not enough to simply say farewell… he must preach to them. He must instruct and apply to them the scriptures so they can be ready to face what is coming. xvii. Paul will be giving a good number of goodbyes in the next several chapters of Acts. I think it might be good for us to observe how often he accompanies his goodbyes with some sort of exhortation, encouragement or preaching of the Word of God. b. [Slide 3] 2 - And when he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. i. Once again, we remind ourselves that Luke is not writing a history of the early Christian church. ii. Or at least we can conclude that if he is writing a history of the early Christian church, he is doing a horrible job. iii. Why do I say that? iv. He summarizes Paul's travels through Macedonia in 10 Greek words. v. What are some of the “districts” that he probably visited? vi. 2 Corinthians chapters 1-7 actually dovetail nicely with the events of these two verses, since it was probably during this time that Paul wrote the letter. vii. Taking what 2 Corinthians says we can be assured that Paul probably visited Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. And potentially spent time in several other cities and even further west into the Latin speaking region of Illyricum, which he speaks about in Romans 15. viii. Luke does not give us the where, but notice he does give us the what. ix. What was Paul doing in these districts? x. He was exhorting. xi. The same thing he did in Ephesus to the disciples there before he left. xii. Paul continues to preach the word and train believers to live in submission to all that Christ had commanded. xiii. So, if Luke is not recording a history of the early church, what is he doing? xiv. Luke describes the purpose of his two books at the beginning of his gospel. He is writing these two books to Theophilus, a wealthy and potentially powerful person involved in the government of Roman Empire, who has professed faith in Christ. xv. He writes to Theophilus to describe both the certainty and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. xvi. The certainty and the power of the gospel is on display in these 10 Greek words. How? xvii. Even though it has been years since Paul has visited these places in person – he returns not only to find believers still, but also, he returns with the authority to preach to them, encourage them, and commands their respect to listen to him. xviii. If the gospel was false and impotent, we would expect to find few if any believers here, or to find them reject Paul having wandered from his teaching. xix. Instead, he is welcomed and respected and the Word is preached again to them. xx. But how long did Paul spend in Macedonia? It is difficult to say. But some suggest that he spent as much as a year going back through these regions ministering to the local assemblies in these areas. xxi. Then, Paul goes on to Greece. xxii. There are two likely congregations that Paul visited in Greece. xxiii. The city of Athens and the city of Corinth. xxiv. We are not given any indication of how much time he spent in each city or whether he even went to Athens. We do know that he went to Corinth based on the writings of both Romans and the two books to the Corinthians. c. [Slide 4] 3 - And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. i. So, Paul spends three months in Greece, probably most if not all of it in the city of Corinth. ii. There is a reason for that which we will talk about next. iii. [Slide 5] Now based on our timeline of the New Testament I'd like to take us on a little tangent so we can shuffle in to these events exactly when Paul wrote some of his letters. 1. Because in 1 Corinthians Paul expresses his desire to winter in Corinth before going back to Jerusalem, we can reasonably guess that while Paul was in Ephesus, and probably toward the end of his stay, he had written 1 Corinthians. 2. In 1 Corinthians there was indication that he had sent another letter to them before that. Which could have also been written from Ephesus or even before he began his third missionary journey. This is a letter that the Lord did not preserve for us. 3. In 2 Corinthians we learn of another letter that Paul had sent the Corinthians that is referred to as a harsh letter. This too could have been written from Ephesus. This is also another letter the Lord did not preserve. 4. As we have already said, 2 Corinthians covers some of the events after Paul leaves Ephesus. Paul travels north to Troas where he expects to meet Titus who will bring back word for him on the results of the harsh letter to the church in Corinth. However, Paul did not meet Titus there, so he went on to Macedonia. It was there that Titus met him with word that the Corinthians had received his harsh letter graciously and had repented. Therefore, during his time in Macedonia, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians which prepares them for his arrival in a matter of months. 5. This is why we conclude that Paul spent most of the three months he was in Greece in the city of Corinth, because there was some needed time of reconciliation. 6. Since Paul's mind was already on visiting Rome after he went to Jerusalem, since in the book of Romans he indicates that he has not yet visited them, and since Paul greets the Roman church from individuals we know were from Corinth, we can infer that Paul most likely wrote the book of Romans from Corinth during this three month stay. 7. [Slide 6] This means that by this time, before Paul goes back to Jerusalem, he had written six of his thirteen letters that we have in our New Testament. Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans – in that chronological order. iv. [Slide 7] Of course, we know that the Jews had always given Paul problems. It seems that in Corinth, again, they will stir up trouble against him. v. Apparently, the plot had something to do with his travel plans from Corinth to Syria. vi. So, Paul alters his travel plans to go back through Macedonia to set sail from somewhere else. d. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Luke presents to us via the travels of Paul as his third missionary journey comes to a close the unity and victory of the true church of Jesus. Although there have been many trials and tests, although there have been betrayals and even outright failures, the church continues to thrive in unity and victory over the forces of darkness and the wicked schemes of men. The church is the kingdom of Christ spreading to the uttermost parts of the earth, waging war against the dark domain of sin. Paul revisits these churches he helped establish with a message of encouragement and exhortation. This is the fuel of the church. The church is built up, energized, and rejuvenated by submitting to continual exhortation from the Word of God. And these churches were no different. They were united and they were victorious, but they still needed and welcomed encouragement and exhortation from the Word. We too must be continually encouraged and exhorted with the Word of God. The moment we neglect the regular preaching and teaching of the Word of God, is the moment we become weak and susceptible to error and compromise which disunifies us and defeats us. You see my friends, the Word of God is the key to unity and victory. That is why it must be continually preached and taught in every church claiming to be Christ's church. Transition: [Slide 9 (blank)] The true church of Jesus Christ is united and triumphant and the Word of God continually preached keeps it that way. But what else must continue since the church is united and triumphant? II.) The true church of Jesus Christ is united and triumphant, so we must continually love and care for one another. (4-6) a. [Slide 10] 4 - And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 - But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. i. Look at the brotherhood of believers that the Lord has raised up for the cause of Christ. ii. What began in Jerusalem around 20 years earlier had not only gone out to the uttermost parts of the earth, but even now there are missionaries from all over going to many other places helping with the spread of the gospel. iii. What a glorious testament to the power of God's grace and His work. iv. Let me briefly discuss each of these individuals or at least all we can about them and then I'll make some further comments about the significance of this list. 1. Sopater which is potentially a shortened form of the name Sosipater is only mentioned in this text and in Romans 16:21. From both texts we understand that he was a companion of Paul and from this text we see that he was from Berea and was the son of a man named Pyrrhus of whom we know nothing. 2. Aristarchus is no doubt the same one that was dragged to the theater by the Ephesian mob. During the riot we discovered he was a Macedonian and here we see that specifically he was from Thessalonica. We also know that Aristarchus accompanies Paul to Rome for his imprisonment because he is named in the letter to the Colossians and to Philemon, both of which were written during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome which is recorded at the end of the book of Acts. 3. Secundus is not mentioned in any other passage of scripture. He was from Thessalonica too. 4. There are four Gaiuses mentioned in the scriptures and because of what is revealed about them, it is really impossible for them to all be the same person. a. The Gaius that Luke records in Ephesus during the riot was from Macedonia. b. The Gaius mentioned here is from Derbe which is located in what is now south central Turkey. c. The Gaius mentioned in 1 Corinthians and Romans seems to be a member of the church of Corinth whom Paul baptized and whose home the church used for its gatherings. d. Finally, 3 John mentions a Gaius who is thanked personally by John for putting up traveling missionaries. John does not specify much more and this could be the same Gaius who put up the house church in Corinth, but because John is traditionally associated with the church in Ephesus after the fall of Jerusalem, we may wonder if the Gaius mentioned in his 3rd letter is the same Gaius from the riot or another Gaius altogether. e. In short, Gaius seems to be a fairly common name across the empire at this time. 5. Timothy of course is Paul's spiritual son, won to Christ in Lystra on his first missionary journey and accompanying him to various locations throughout Asia and Macedonia on his second missionary journey. Timothy is mentioned quite frequently in the scriptures, even having two books bearing his name as a recipient. We won't go into much more detail today about Timothy, but his role in the church could be the subject of an entire sermon. 6. Tychicus, besides being one of my favorite names to say in the scriptures, is found as a continual companion of Paul's. We find him being sent with the prison epistles of Ephesians and Colossians. In both letters Paul says that Tychicus, a beloved and faithful brother, will come and explain everything to them. He is also with Paul in Nicopolis and is being sent to Titus to relieve him on Crete so that Titus can come to Paul in Nicopolis. And of course, as we see here, he is from Asia, which typically means what is now western Turkey, although a city is not mentioned. 7. Finally, Trophimus. Trophimus is from Asia and has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the primary reasons that Paul is arrested when he goes to Jerusalem. Paul is seen with Trophimus in Acts 21, there noted that he is from the city of Ephesus. Because Paul is seen with this gentile and because Paul went into the temple it is assumed that Paul brought Trophimus in the temple with him. Of course, he didn't. But that didn't matter very much. Trophimus is also mentioned in 2 Timothy during Paul's final imprisonment in Rome. Paul tells Timothy that he left Trophimus in Miletus because he was ill. v. Such is the wide variety of Paul's companions. People from all kinds of origins and backgrounds joining him in the work. vi. They all go ahead of him to Troas where they await his arrival to go on from there to Jerusalem. vii. But I said that I would remark on the significance of this list and their region of origin. And that I will do, but only after the list is complete. Because for now it lacks 1 more name… b. [Slide 11] 6 - And we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days. i. In verse 6 another unnamed traveling companion joins Paul as he heads to Troas to meet all those mentioned in verse 4. ii. Did you notice it? iii. That's right. iv. Paul picks up the author of the book Luke, probably from Philippi. v. Luke traditionally has been said to have been from Antioch of Syria, but with familial ties to Macedonia. Here we see him still in Phillipi where Paul left him all the way back on the second missionary journey. Since Paul picked up Luke in Troas and deposited him just across the Aegean Sea at Philippi it is safe to assume that Luke is probably living in this area at this time – even if he was from Antioch of Syria. vi. Paul and Luke wait until after the days of unleavened bread, probably to celebrate with the small group of Jews in Philippi. They make the trip to Troas in 5 days, probably against the headwind, and then stay an additional week there in Troas. vii. That will be the subject of next week's sermon as Paul has a very well-known episode concerning a young boy named Eutychus. We'll get to that next time. viii. So, what is the significance of this list? ix. Remember that during this time after Ephesus and heading to Jerusalem, Paul is gathering a collection for the Jerusalem church. He is gathering aid for them because they are experiencing great financial hardship. x. Not only is it safer to travel with a large group, especially when you have a good sum of money on you, but also, because Luke mentions where all these men are from, we can infer from this that each of these men represent churches all across the empire who are giving this financial aid to the church in Jerusalem. Indeed, from almost every city in which Paul has preached, we find members of that city church coming with Paul to give their gift to the church in Jerusalem. xi. What a wonderful testimony to the unity, compassion, love, and care that is present in the universal church. c. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Once again Luke presents to us a true church of Jesus Christ, from various backgrounds, that is united and victorious. In our last point we noticed that the way the church stays united and victorious is through regular exhortation from the Word of God. But, what we see here is an effect that is caused by the church being united and triumphant. We see that the church is abundant in love and sacrificial help to those who also bear the name of Christ. Even if we do not know them, even if we have never met them, those who bear the name of Christ have more in common with us than our own unbelieving family members. Those who have shared in the death and resurrection of Christ have become members of one body. That is something that family can never be. Although our family is DNA of our DNA they can never be one body with us. The unity and victory we share in the church produces a love for one another that exceeds all other loves possible from one human to another. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC, and how then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 13] In the process of Paul closing out his third missionary journey Luke gives us a wonderful picture of the culmination of the work the Lord has done through Paul. Paul's legacy is the same as every other apostle and missionary of the early church. The Lord has produced through His abounding power and grace a church that is united and triumphant over the deception and darkness that permeated the Roman Empire. In less the 20 years after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, the church has been established and has permeated the Roman Empire leading various cities with long histories of pagan worship to be turned upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the nature of this status of the church and the effect of this status on the church is at the heart of these first six verses of Acts 20. The church is kept unified and victorious by continual exhortation from the Word of God. And one particular expression of church unity and victory is the unconditional and sacrificial love the church has for one another as the body of Christ. These two aspects come together to give us our application today. But let me get a little more concrete with these applications and explain how they might impact us on a daily basis. 1.) [Slide 14] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the true church of Jesus is united and triumphant. a. Once again, every word in this application sentence is very important. If you remove one word here it could miscommunicate a few things. b. But if I had to draw your attention to the most important word in this application it would be the word “true”. c. I would love to use a word that is found in the ancient creeds. The word Catholic. However, today the word Catholic is only associated with the Roman Catholic Church. And it is probably so associated to it that to change it would be nigh unto impossible. Therefore, I use true here. d. By true church I mean the universal church. The invisible church. The church of people who are actually believers in Jesus Christ, the elect of God, called out from all the nations to be His people and do the works for which He has created them. e. The total of the true church of God is not found in one local assembly nor is each local assembly comprised solely of the true church. Every church is a mix of those who are actually believers and those who are not. f. Because of this, there are local assemblies that are not united and they are not triumphant. g. There are even entire regions where the visible church is not united or triumphant. h. So it is important for you to understand what I am saying here. i. We do not need to affirm that every single visible church is united and triumphant. Because that is, simply, not true. j. But we must affirm that the true church is united and triumphant. k. We are united and triumphant because we have been given true faith which unites us to Christ. Upon this true faith we receive the core essentials of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is found both in the early creeds and in the 5 Solas of the Reformation. l. In this the true church is united by doctrine and practice and we are triumphant because we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God and be heralds of His Kingdom. m. The Scriptures tell us that we will not fail in this. If we are the true church, we will be united in what we believe and if we are the true church we will not fail. n. Therefore, we must affirm that the true church is united and triumphant. o. Unity is a much desired and often used buzz word in Churchianity today. Everyone wants unity. But we remain in disunity over how to be unified. p. And there is a reason for that… 2.) [Slide 15] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that in order for the church to be united we must compromise essential doctrine or practice. a. The call of many pastors, priests, bishops, reverends, apostles and whatever other titles there are out there in broad Christendom, is for us to be unified on what we agree on and discard the rest. b. The only problem is that this is NOT how we see the church unite in the scriptures. c. They do not unify over what they hold in common and then discard every thing else. d. Instead, they unify on all the essentials of the Christian faith and practice and show love in the areas that are not essential. e. There are some churches in broader Christendom that if we had to unify with them by discarding everything we don't hold in common, we would have to discard salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. f. There are some churches that we would have to discard the Deity of Jesus Christ. g. There are some churches that we would have to discard the inerrancy of the Scripture and its final authority over us for doctrine and practice. h. There are some churches that we would have to discard definitions of righteousness, holiness, and upright lifestyles, taking what the Scriptures call deeds of the flesh, and even celebrating them. i. You see the problem, I hope. j. If we would unify right now… today… every single church in broader Christendom with the one rule that anything we do not share a common belief on would be discarded… My friends there would be nothing left. k. The folks that are begging for unity pursue unity based on a cause. The cause is to come together to love and serve humanity. l. But the church is not supposed to be united in cause only… but also in identity. Indeed, our cause is only unified when our identity is unified. What happens when we unite over cause but sacrifice identity? m. We would lose unity because we would lose doctrinal clarity. In fact, we would be a unified group of nobodies who believe nothing and do nothing. n. We would lose victory because we would discard godly lifestyles in favor of a vague notion of loving people… which is only the second greatest command and not the first. o. These folks that want unity under these conditions have left their first love in order to pursue their second and in so doing have lost both. p. No, my friends, unity is only established when we demand that the essentials of our faith and practice are held in common… and if they are not – we do not discard the belief or the practice… we discard the church who does not conform. q. In the Athanasian creed it boldly declares that any who do not believe it cannot be not saved. r. Any church that does not hold to the creeds and salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone – also cannot be called the church in any sense of the word. s. There is no unity if we must compromise on doctrine or practice. t. But as the united and triumphant church… what must we do with this text today? 3.) [Slide 16] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must submit to regular exhortation from the Word of God. a. One motto that came from the reformation is Semper Reformanda. b. Always be reforming. c. This is essentially a recognition of what song writers have pointed out. We are individually and generationally prone to wander. d. We often go through spells of ups and downs and we as a race of man go through cycles of reformation and darkness. e. The church is called to continue to reform and purify itself. f. How do we do that? g. By submitting to regular exhortation from the Word of God. h. The Word of God is the foundation of all that we believe. It is the final authority for what we believe and how we live. And the Word of God never changes. i. It is not our only authority – but it is our final authority. j. We need constant reproof, rebuke, correction and instruction from its pages. k. It is only then that we will be complete and thoroughly equipped to do everything God has commanded us to do and be everything God has commanded us to be. l. Paul as he visited these churches… exhorted them. He may have eaten with them, fellowshipped with them, enjoyed the Lord's Supper with them, talked with them for all hours of the night… but the one thing Luke chose to record for us under inspiration of the Holy Spirit… is that Paul preached to them. m. If we are to stay united and triumphant, we need the constant reformation that only the Scripture can bring. 4.) [Slide 17] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must love the universal church unconditionally and sacrificially. a. This universal church is comprised of all those who are believing on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. b. We are called one body. c. Our friends and our families are close – but compared to any unbelieving family member, our brothers and sisters in Christ are much closer. They are united not by their own blood, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. d. Even our love toward our spouse is amplified because they are believers. e. And those who have spouses that are unbelievers understand the disconnect of that. They desire greatly for their spouses to know the Lord for they know that will truly bind them much closer together with their spouse. f. In our text we see members of churches from everywhere around the Aegean taking money to Jerusalem with Paul. What a glorious testimony to the love they shared with those whom they had probably never met. Those with whom they shared only their faith in Christ. g. We too must be unconditionally and sacrificially loving of the global body of Christ. h. We must weep with those who have been killed in Syria. We must mourn with those persecuted in India. We must help those impoverished in Africa. We must rejoice for those who come to Christ in Asia Pacific. These are our brothers and sisters. And one day we will be united with them in one body – a bride prepared for her groom. And we all will be with Him forever. i. Look around you and mark those whom you know to be a true believer. Now hear me… you will be living with these folks forever. We better start loving each other now. 5.) [Slide 18] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God will not allow the true church of His dear Son to fail. a. God is doing a work through us. b. It doesn't depend on us… it depends on Him. And that is why it will not fail. c. He will uphold us and ensure that the work that He has commissioned for His church to accomplish, is accomplished. d. Knowing the end does not spoil our desire to work hard for His Kingdom. e. In fact, knowing the end means we have no fear of failure. f. We can press on and continue to share the gospel and disciple one another, preparing for that coming Kingdom – knowing that we won't fail. Christ will not lose even one that the Father has given Him. g. And all that the Father has given Him will hear His voice and follow. h. So let us take heart and set out to the work knowing that the Lord is faithful and will ensure that His church is united and triumphant to the very end. [Slide 19 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the English Puritan Ezekiel Hopkins Lead us not into temptation, nor allow us to be assaulted and buffeted by the wicked one. Or if, in your all-wise counsel and purpose, you permit us to be tempted, yet deliver us from the evil to which we are tempted. Let us endure temptations as our affliction, but let us not say yes to them, nor make them our sins. Thy kingdom come, Lord! Raise, Lord; enlarge, Lord; establish your kingdom! For yours is the glory. And unless you want your glory confined only to heaven, or account the praises and eternal hallelujahs of saints and angels enough adoration for your great name, Lord, have regard to this your poor decaying kingdom. For only in it, and in heaven, is your glory celebrated. And if you leave this kingdom to be overrun by the agents and ministers of the devil, or if idolatry and the profane gain ground here so as to push you off the throne, would that not be giving your glory to another-which you have promised not to do? Lord, you are still the same God. Your essence is eternal. Your attributes will never change. Your power, wisdom, and mercy are the same as ever. So in your mercy, grant us the same favor. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Benediction: May the Lord, Who longs to be gracious to you, Who waits on high to have compassion on you, Plant you firmly in the faith, established, steadfast and unmovable Through the hope of the Gospel, proclaimed to all the creation under heaven. Until we meet again, go in peace.

The Righteous & Loving Father. He is righteous is because of his love. The parable of a loving father or thee two sons.  A focus on the father. How does he loves his children. Gospel Reflection (15:11-32).

Friendship with God Chapter 2-3 "Friendship with the Three in One, A Loving Father" Webster 3/9/2025 by Evangelical Fellowship Church

Your Nightly Prayer

Prayer is more than words—it starts with a relationship with our Holy, Loving Father. Jesus taught us that powerful prayer starts with surrender and leads to supernatural provision. Are you praying for your desires or God's will? When we fully trust and submit to His Kingdom, He sustains and provides for us daily. Let's dive into what Jesus teaches about prayer and experience the power of true surrender in this third part of our four week series on prayer.

Read OnlinePeople were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:13–14Simplicity, trust, purity of intent, transparency, and resiliency are all qualities that children often have by nature. They are not yet capable of evil intent. They are quick to forgive and reconcile when conflicts arise. And they have an unwavering confidence in the care of their parents. These are among the qualities that we need to imitate in our relationship with God.It seems that as we age and as our human reason develops, we can lose some of the important qualities we had as children. But when it comes to our relationships with our loving God, we must never lose the important childlike qualities that lead us to be completely trusting and dependent upon God's providence and care.Children are also weak in the sense that they are not able to care for themselves. They rely completely upon the care of others, especially parents. For that reason, a child is an ideal image of how we must approach God. We must see our weakness and dependence. We must know, with deep conviction, that we are incapable of caring for ourselves. And though we may achieve a certain independence as we age, being able to provide for ourselves materially, we will never be able to provide for the interior spiritual needs we have. For our spiritual needs, we remain completely dependent upon the mercy of God. We must never forget that, at our core, we are spiritual beings who long for true spiritual satisfaction. Material or fleshly satisfactions that we can obtain by ourselves will never suffice to fulfill us at the deepest level of who we are. God and God alone is capable of this form of fulfillment.Think about your own approach to life. Do you seek to find fulfillment and satisfaction in life through your own efforts? Have you attempted to take complete control of your present and future happiness? Though it is essential that we act responsibly in life, it must be understood that the most responsible way we can act is by willfully turning over complete control of our lives to God's providence and care. As a child depends upon a parent, so we must depend upon the grace of God.Reflect, today, upon a child. Ponder, especially, how a child is dependent upon others. As you do, see yourself similarly as one who must become completely dependent upon God for all that is important in life and for all that ultimately fulfills who you are. Trust in God's providence and mercy, and allow that childlike trust to place you firmly in the arms of your Father in Heaven.Loving Father, I turn to You in complete trust as a small child turns to a loving parent. May I never become so self-sufficient that I fool myself into thinking I am capable of finding my own fulfillment in life. Instead, may I always see You as the one and only source of true fulfillment and always trust in You alone. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Charles Lock Eastlake, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMark 11 The events of this chapter connect to a barren fig tree. Jesus approaches a tree that has no fruit on it. He immediately condemns it to never bear figs again. The next day, the tree is shriveled up and the disciples ask about it. Jesus responds with these four words: “Have faith in God.” He goes on to say that incredible things are possible if disciples trust in God. In Jesus' midst are people of faith, like those who lay down coats and worship Jesus as He enters Jerusalem. But there are also hard-hearted Pharisees who have no faith. They defile God's temple with money tables. And they question Christ's authority over them, though He silences them almost immediately. They are like that fig tree, condemned for being spiritually barren.  The gospel of Jesus has had the same effect, all over the world, for centuries. Some believe. They lay their coats before Him and worship Him as their King. Believers pray in His name, live with great faith, and bear amazing fruit in His honor. These are the few and they belong to Him. But there are always many who live for themselves, are overtaken by greed, and will not submit to Christ's right to rule their lives. They are plants with every ability to thrive but are fruitless and dead. We must choose, every day, which of the two we are going to be. We are the fig trees, and Jesus has the ongoing right to draw from us richly.    Loving Father and gift giver, we praise Your name for the coming of Jesus to be our Savior and King. May we sing as believers did when He entered Jerusalem: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord…” Indeed He is blessed, and He is a blessing to all who believe in Him. Help us to bear fruit by His power and for His glory. Lead us to be prayerful, to ask forgiveness when our branches grow bare, and to give Him the authority and the right to draw from us things that please Him.    Thought Questions: -       The plant imagery is helpful. If you are a fig tree that belongs to Jesus, how does that impact the nourishment and growth you pursue daily? -       Jesus was deeply offended that the temple of God was infiltrated by greed. Is there a sense in which that has meaning for us in His church? -       There is instruction on prayer in this chapter. Why does Jesus call us to forgive “anything against anyone” before we seek God's forgiveness?

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMatthew 26As the Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus, events take place in Jerusalem between Christ and His followers. A woman anoints His head with oil for burial, though the apostles do not understand why. Judas responds by heading off to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus then gathers with the twelve at the Passover and institutes His memorial supper. He points out that He knows the betrayer. Afterward, Jesus goes to the garden to spend time in prayer and is then arrested and put before a corrupt Jewish council. At the same time, the chapter tracks Peter's journey and faith crisis from dismissing that he would ever reject Jesus, to sleeping in the garden while Jesus prayed, to ultimately denying Jesus openly after His arrest. It is valuable to focus on the three main characters. First, there is Jesus. He is preparing His disciples for what is coming. He is leaning upon God in prayer as death approaches. He is faithful in times of trial. Jesus is the great example for us all. Second, there is Judas. Beneath his weak faith are greed and self-focus. He shows these by trading Jesus for money, and eventually by betraying Christ to His face. He is the man we must not be. Thirdly, there is Peter. He battles pride and ignorance. But his heart is good, and he is crushed by his failure. Soon Christ will help him rebuild stronger than ever. He exemplifies hope, even after failure.   Loving Father, thank You for submitting Your Son to death to give us restoration and life. It is difficult to see those closest to Jesus fail Him in unbelief. But it is powerful to witness Him give His life in hopes that His sacrifice and resurrection would fortify faith and change lives. Father may that be our story. We fail. And we call upon Your mercy. Help us to be like Peter in our failings: crushed and seeking Christ's help to grow stronger. We will be humble and attentive this week to glorify Him for all He endured for us.   Thought Questions:  -       Jesus said the woman who anointed Him would always be remembered. Why? And how can you be more like her in your relationship with Jesus? -       If greed was seeded in Judas's heart, someone who traveled with Jesus, how vital is it to check your heart and address worldliness?  -       Peter was overconfident and underprepared. He remedied this after Christ was raised. How can you learn from him and be stronger in Christ?

020225_the_loving_father_kensesn_lam_luke_15_11-32.mp3File Size: 59180 kbFile Type: mp3Download File [...]

From the Dawson Family of Faith, Dr. David Eldridge, Senior Pastor, shared a sermon titled "The Parable Of The Loving Father". Go to www.dawsonchurch.org for more information about the ministries and missions at Dawson.

From the Dawson Family of Faith, Dr. David Eldridge, Senior Pastor, shared a sermon titled "The Parable Of The Loving Father". Go to www.dawsonchurch.org for more information about the ministries and missions at Dawson.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMatthew 15The scribes and Pharisees are back on the scene, renewing their accusations against Jesus and His disciples, this time about the washing of hands before eating. Jesus points out how these teachers violate the actual commandments of God for the sake of their traditions. Their interpretation of the law has taken precedence over the actual teachings of God's law! Jesus reveals this is happening because of their hearts. They should be less concerned about others' dirty hands, and more concerned with their unholy hearts. This is set in contrast to the great miracles that follow. A Canaanite woman begs for healing for her daughter, and Christ commends her faith. Jesus heals many by the sea, as they glorify God. He then feeds another group of over 4,000 people, demonstrating His compassion once again. This chapter features two very different categories of people. On the one hand, the Pharisees are supposed to be the most knowledgeable and righteous people in Israel. However, they prove to be harsh and hypocritical and ultimately miss out on the immense blessings of Christ. Set in contrast, a Gentile woman, who knows she is unworthy of Jesus, begs for His help in faith. All those who pursue Jesus are healed, fed, and blessed. We must be careful because knowledge is good, but only from pure, humble, and holy hearts. We must never let knowledge make us judges of others. May we always humbly bow before Christ, side by side, begging for His help and showing mercy to others.  Kind and Loving Father, will you seed in us Your heart of compassion and consideration of others? We thank you for the Scripture, for knowledge, and for wisdom. But Lord, we pray those things do not foster within us hearts that are hard or filled with pride. Help us to never elevate ourselves and bind things on others we have no right to bind. Open our eyes to know Your Truth, and never a truth of our own will and design. And Father, keep us humble, always placing all our expectations and hope in the grace of Your beloved Son.  Thought Questions:  -       How can you grow in knowledge without becoming like a Pharisee? Why is your heart such a powerful factor in that process? -       Can you have convictions and “traditions” you interpret in Scripture without weaponizing them to judge others? What does this require?  -       Why is Jesus always saving and blessing people who know so little? How can you be like these people, even as you grow in knowledge?

Hebrews 12:4-6 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” Today, let's take our encouragement from the end of verses 4-6. In light of the struggle his readers were having to endure difficulties and hardships in their lives and their great need to endure in faith until the end of their lives, he reminded them of an exhortation from Prov. 3:11-12 and a truth from Ps. 119:75. He thought they had forgotten them.  My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. We may be encouraged in our journey of love with Jesus that God will reprove us like a father reproves a son. That is what the author has been doing with his readers—reproving them for fainting, growing weary, and losing heart due to yielding to the sin of unbelief. Because they didn't believe that everything comes from God and that He is a rewarder to those who seek Him, they had not practiced drawing near to the throne of grace for help in time of need. Therefore, God disciplined them or reproved them by not giving them grace to help. Being graceless in the storms of life left them carrying baggage as they ran their race, which was why they were growing weary and losing heart. His point in these verses was that they were not to take their gracelessness and weariness lightly. To do so would be to reject the Lord's discipline and to loathe, hate, or abhor His training of them as His children. It would be to reject His love. This speaks to us today. How are we viewing our weariness and gracelessness in our trials? Are we in unbelief, griping, complaining, and blaming others, or are we realizing our loving Father in heaven is training us by the affliction of powerlessness? The word scourges means afflicts. Ps. 119:75 keeps us grounded when difficulties arise. God is righteous when He judges that we have unbelief in our hearts. He sees us clearly. So in love and faithfulness, He afflicts us with circumstances that bring out the unbelief so we can learn to draw near to Him for grace instead of trying to handle it ourselves. A child must learn to trust in the Lord with all his heart, as admonished in Prov. 3:5. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” How does the Lord train His children to trust Him? Through affliction, hardship, and suffering, we have our senses trained to discern good and evil responses to them.  Have you forgotten your Father's exhortation to trust in Him with all your heart? Whatever trial you are going through, it has been sent to you in love, so you can experience His grace, for His glory, and the joy of the final reward with Him. You are being trained by a faithful and loving Father. So I encourage you today not to reject His loving discipline. Live to love with Him with confidence in His love, drawing near to Him for grace to love.

What does the Lord . . . ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve [him] . . . with all your heart and . . . soul . . . ? — Deuteronomy 10:12 It seems so natural to love God because he first loved me (John 13:34; 1 John 4:19). But I remember when I didn't love God with all my heart and soul. In that way each one of us is like the ancient Israelites. There are people, things, and situations that compete for our love and attention. They often start subtly and cause our love for God to shift, fluctuate, and fragment. Our love for God is a response to his love for us. Obedience is an excellent indicator of our love. Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15). Love for God and obedience to God are inseparable. We know that loving God goes beyond words. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we follow the Lord by leaving our old life behind. Life is no longer all about us but about our love relationship with the Lord. We deepen our love by getting to know God's character, who he is, his ways, and what he does. We do this by reading the Bible, observing God's presence in our lives, and being around people who love him. I remember when Deacon John and Claire invited me for a meal at their home. John was a quiet, stoic type. Before he prayed, he read aloud from the book of Psalms. Tears came to his eyes as he read about God and his goodness. Love comes from a heart of gratitude. Loving Father, I love you and want to love you with all my heart and soul. Thank you for your love. In Jesus, Amen.

NEW SEASONS- step into a new season with confidence, hope, and alignment. You're invited on a journey to discover your true identity, purpose, and belonging as a coach. Learn how to shift your paradigm, embrace your journey without judgment, and partner with God to create lasting change in your life and the lives of others. VIParts of this episode: Key Takeaways Your Identity, Purpose, and Belonging Are Already Within You These truths are foundational, and discovering them requires courage, curiosity, and action. Shifting Your Paradigm Leads to Transformation Align your thoughts and beliefs with God's truth to influence your emotions, actions, and the legacy you leave behind. God is a Loving Father, Not a Taskmaster Step into your role as an adopted son or daughter, leaving behind the mindset of scarcity and fear. Seasons Are an Opportunity for Growth Whether it's January or any other time, approach each new season with intention, clarity, and partnership with God. Personal Responsibility is Empowering Take ownership of your thoughts, actions, and the lies you've believed. You have the power to choose truth and live in freedom. Listener Challenge Reflect: Take 15 minutes to sit down with a pen and paper or your favorite notes app. Write out the following: What do I desire in this season? What has God already spoken over my life? What promises or prophetic words have not yet come to pass? Plan: Identify 1–3 actionable steps you can take this week to align with those desires and promises. Write them down and commit to following through. Shift Your Paradigm: Each day this week, practice speaking this affirmation: "I am worthy of love, growth, and hope. I am stepping into this season with courage and intention." Read this in the Life Coach Blog   Grab your FREE list of Coaching Business Resources and a Business Plan Template! Become a Life Coach Figure Out Who to Coach Start Your Online Coaching Business Join the Coaching FB Community —> HERE Find me @coachlauramalone on IG —> HERE I'D BE SO GRATEFUL IF YOU LEAVE A WRITTEN REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS FOR ME ~ THANKS IN ADVANCE!

In this conversation, Tyler and Chris Swinford explore the concept of God as our Heavenly Father, emphasizing the personal relationship believers can have with Him through Jesus. They discuss how this relationship transforms our understanding of God, the importance of viewing Him as a loving protector, and the significance of home in the context of faith. The conversation also delves into how our earthly relationships, particularly with parents, shape our perception of God and the responsibility of believers to cultivate intimacy with Him through prayer and worship.

David Geherin, author of 'Organized Crime on Page & Screen' "Tony Soprano took is his daughter to potential colleges in New England.  Drops her off, tracks down the guy & strangles him to death....which is it?  Is it the loving father or the guy who strangles a guy?  It's both"-We've always had a fascination with outlaws-The Mexican Drug Cartel-Why do Americans love the Italian Mob-The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Departed ... -The movies that make fun of the Mob To subscribe to The Pete McMurray Show Podcast just click here

Sermon by Andrew Flowers on November 10, 2024.In Hebrews 12, the author reminds the readers of the themes of child-shaping discipline and holiness—challening concepts our culture often misunderstands or rejects altogether. How are we to understand the correction from God, our loving Father? What is it for, what does it lead us to, and why is it the best thing for us?

Robbie Freeman continues our series on the parables by looking at two short parables concerning Jesus's teaching on prayer.Luke 11:5-13"And he said to them, 'Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'"

Check out this week's sermon!

The indescribable love of God pursues us and sanctifies everyone who receives it.

Sermon for 10/13/24 at Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville, FL.

If you want to follow Jesus, don't come to him halfway. Come all the way out of the world and trust him as your loving father to guide you. Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Ned sits down with Joey Hahn, a former Navy SEAL and father of four boys. Joey shares his unique perspective on fatherhood, shaped by his challenging upbringing in foster care and his intense military career. He gets into the concept of fatherhood as both a duty and a choice, emphasizing the importance of working oneself out of a job as a parent. Joey discusses the delicate balance between being a strong protector and a gentle, approachable figure for his children. He also reflects on the significance of allowing children to navigate their conflicts independently, fostering resilience and problem-solving skills. This episode offers valuable insights for fathers striving to be both strong and emotionally available, preparing their children for the challenges of life.---------Transform Your Body with Ned & RUK Fitness: RUK FitnessThis episode is sponsored by The Adventure of FatherhoodOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx----------Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?https://www.adventureoffatherhood.com/https://www.rebelandcreate.com/Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebelandcreateMentioned in this episode:RUK Fitness

Pastor Shaun gives a relevant word from the story of the prodigal son about having a relationship with a loving Father,

This week on Mortgage Lending Mastery, join Jen and guest Tom Bickett. Tom shares what drove him to the path he is on now, helping homeowners and what the turning point to his success was! ____________________ Join the Mortgage Lending Mastery Community Today: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIz6-AkN3rMajV8OHfbJ_zw?view_as=subscriber       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenDuPlessis22   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenduplessis/      Website: www.JenDuPlessis.com    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenduplessis/    LinkedTree: https://linktr.ee/jenduplessis Interested in joining the Marketer's Cruise? Go to https://marketerscruise.com/ make sure you scroll down and find my name as your referral when booking. Book a Strategy Call with Jen TODAY: www.ChatwithJen.com _________________________ About Tom Bickett Devoted Husband, Loving Father, and Graduate of Cornell University ‘98. I have devoted my career to helping Homeowners with all of their financing needs.. For many people, selecting the right mortgage is an overwhelming experience. It doesn't have to be. I have been in consumer finance since 1998. I started as an Investment Advisor for a Money Management Firm. We preached suitability. Making sure the investment was the appropriate choice for the customer. I take the same approach with my mortgage clients. They need to know their options and understand how each one applies to their unique situation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Psalm 34:1-4 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises…I prayed to the LORD and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. This is one of 14 psalms that has a title which identifies when David wrote it. The background to this particular psalm is found in 1 Samuel 21 and 22. To summarise, David had run away from King Saul who was trying to kill him. He escaped to the King of Gath for safety. However, David felt far from safe and so he decided that it would be best for him to pretend to be mad. This worked well and he successfully escaped from the King of Gath to his next hiding place in the cave of Adullum. So the context of this psalm is one of threat and insecurity. And yet David is full of praise and worship. Indeed, he encourages us to praise the Lord at all times and says that praise will always be on his lips. The truth is that it is easy to praise the Lord when everything is going well. But David, in common with the apostle Paul, was convinced that praising God is the appropriate response every day. Just think of all the challenges and difficulties which Paul faced that we have read about over the past month. He constantly experienced pressure and frequently faced physical threats. He was let down by close colleagues and suffered continually from his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7). But nevertheless, he encouraged the church in Ephesus to: “be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18–20). Every day we have a choice as to how we will approach life. We could go into today full of complaints. But we could listen to David and Paul and decide that the best attitude to have is one of praise and thanksgiving. And I can assure you that, whatever may be happening in your life, if that is your attitude then you will find no end of things for which to praise God. Question What are three reasons why you should praise God right now? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for the ways in which you are continually blessing my life. Help me to keep praising you throughout today. Amen

Acts 23:11 That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” Paul was going through an incredibly difficult time. His arrival in Jerusalem had sparked a riot and the Roman authorities struggled to know what to do with him. They didn't know how to handle religious disputes and so they tried to hand the matter over to the Jewish council. However, when Paul appeared before them the meeting soon descended into chaos. The Roman commander who was watching the proceedings thought that Paul was in danger of being torn apart and so he ordered his soldiers to rescue him and take him back into protective custody. By this time, they had discovered that he was a Roman citizen and so knew they had to be very careful with Paul (see vv1–10). In the midst of this confusing and dangerous situation, God spoke to Paul confirming the fact that his witness would continue and would even take him to Rome itself, which was the heart of the great Roman Empire. Paul could have no idea how that word was going to be fulfilled. In that moment he didn't need to know. All he needed was to have the encouragement that he was doing God's will, and that God had a definite purpose for his life. The next few chapters of Acts will reveal that the road ahead was going to be incredibly tough, but God's will was fulfilled and Paul was able to take the good news to Rome. I would love to tell you that your future is going to be free of difficulties. But I'm not going to, because it wouldn't be true. God never makes such promises. What he promises, as we serve him in this sinful and sad world, is that he will be with us and that he has got vital work for us to do. That should be a massive encouragement for us, and should enable us to face the future with confidence and peace. Question Do you look to the future with confidence? Prayer Loving Father, thank you that my future is completely secure in your hands. Amen

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Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.” Mark 12:1–3This was the first of “many” servants the owner of the vineyard sent to the tenants to obtain some of the produce of the vineyard. Some of the servants were mistreated, some beaten and others were killed. In the end, the owner sent his son. The tenants killed him, thinking that they would inherit the vineyard if the son were dead.The context of this parable is important. Jesus had just entered Jerusalem for the beginning of the first Holy Week, which would ultimately end with His death and resurrection. The day before, Jesus had cleansed the Temple of the money changers. The chief priests, scribes and elders were outraged and began to plot His death. Jesus especially addressed this parable to them.To understand this parable, you need to understand who represents whom. The religious leaders of Israel were the tenants, the vineyard was the Jewish nation, God the Father was the man who planted the vineyard, the many servants sent to gather the produce were the prophets of old, and Jesus was the Beloved Son Who was killed. The parable concludes by saying that the owner of the vineyard (God the Father) will put the tenants to death and give the vineyard to others. In other words, the scribes, Pharisees, chief priests and elders would soon have their religious authority taken away from them, and it would be given to the Apostles and their successors. This parable, therefore, presents us with a summary of the way the Church was formed. It's helpful to note that the religious leaders of the time knew that Jesus addressed this parable to them, but they failed to heed the lesson. Ideally, if they were open to the gift of faith, they would have realized that they were attempting to steal the “vineyard” from God. They were attempting to control and manipulate the Kingdom of Israel, to make it into their own image, and to disregard the will of God Who established it.This parable is especially important for anyone who exercises some form of holy authority. Parents exercise authority within the home. Bishops and priests exercise authority within the Church. And we all exercise a certain spiritual authority when we seek to fulfill our unique mission in life. The lesson from this parable is simple: don't abuse your authority. Don't exercise authority according to your own will; exercise it with humility only in accord with God's will. Every leader, always and everywhere, must lead according to the mind and will of God. If they fail, they will suffer the consequences.Reflect, today, upon any way that God has entrusted you with a spiritual duty to fulfill His mission in this world. When a duty of leadership is entrusted to a person, the leader is also entrusted with the spiritual authority to fulfill that duty in accord with the mind and will of God. This requires constant humility so that it is only God's will that is fulfilled. Seek to exercise all authority in accord with the mind and will of God, and the vineyard entrusted to your care will bear an abundance of good fruit.Loving Father, You have chosen to send me, as a tenant of Your Kingdom, to bear good fruit for eternal life. Please help me to always exercise the authority and duty entrusted to me with humility so that I will seek to fulfill Your will and Your will alone. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: The Parable of the Vineyard (one of a set of twelve scenes from The Life of Christ) Creator:Jan Rombouts, via Wikimedia Commons

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:13–14Simplicity, trust, purity of intent, transparency, and resiliency are all qualities that children often have by nature. They are not yet capable of evil intent. They are quick to forgive and reconcile when conflicts arise. And they have an unwavering confidence in the care of their parents. These are among the qualities that we need to imitate in our relationship with God.It seems that as we age and as our human reason develops, we can lose some of the important qualities we had as children. But when it comes to our relationships with our loving God, we must never lose the important childlike qualities that lead us to be completely trusting and dependent upon God's providence and care.Children are also weak in the sense that they are not able to care for themselves. They rely completely upon the care of others, especially parents. For that reason, a child is an ideal image of how we must approach God. We must see our weakness and dependence. We must know, with deep conviction, that we are incapable of caring for ourselves. And though we may achieve a certain independence as we age, being able to provide for ourselves materially, we will never be able to provide for the interior spiritual needs we have. For our spiritual needs, we remain completely dependent upon the mercy of God. We must never forget that, at our core, we are spiritual beings who long for true spiritual satisfaction. Material or fleshly satisfactions that we can obtain by ourselves will never suffice to fulfill us at the deepest level of who we are. God and God alone is capable of this form of fulfillment.Think about your own approach to life. Do you seek to find fulfillment and satisfaction in life through your own efforts? Have you attempted to take complete control of your present and future happiness? Though it is essential that we act responsibly in life, it must be understood that the most responsible way we can act is by willfully turning over complete control of our lives to God's providence and care. As a child depends upon a parent, so we must depend upon the grace of God.Reflect, today, upon a child. Ponder, especially, how a child is dependent upon others. As you do, see yourself similarly as one who must become completely dependent upon God for all that is important in life and for all that ultimately fulfills who you are. Trust in God's providence and mercy, and allow that childlike trust to place you firmly in the arms of your Father in Heaven.Loving Father, I turn to You in complete trust as a small child turns to a loving parent. May I never become so self-sufficient that I fool myself into thinking I am capable of finding my own fulfillment in life. Instead, may I always see You as the one and only source of true fulfillment and always trust in You alone. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Christ Blessing Little Children by Charles Lock Eastlake, via Wikimedia Commons

The devil's deceptions can be so enduring that many Christians doubt whether God truly is their kind and generous Father in heaven. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains the advice of John Owen to "eye the Father as love." Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/looking-to-our-loving-father A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://www.ligonier.org/donate/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts