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Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44Today's Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it. We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God's graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery. Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it's most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value. My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Possibly Rembrandt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. We'll continue to walk through First Samuel. We're going to be in chapter 23 and 24 today, so you'll walk through those two chapters together.In high school I played baseball and my freshman year we won state. Going into sophomore year, our senior class was kind of a little bit big headed. Before the season started, you had to pass a conditioning test called the country mile. It's about a four and a half mile run. Our seniors decided that because of where our coach was positioned—he parked his truck and the school was out in the country—it just was a run where you're running down that stop sign and back and around the school near the cow field. They realized that he didn't have visibility in every part of the run, so they thought, we're going to take some shortcuts. We're not going to run the full four and a half miles. We're going to shortcut here, here, and here.When you're 15, 16, 17, you're dumb; you're not thinking through things. We thought we were because we thought, here's what we'll do. We'll all bunch up together here and we'll release here. We had a guy on our team who was about 300 pounds, so we didn't think through that he needed to be way back and finish way late. Our coach picked up pretty quickly that we were cheating. He saw the times and said this is very curious that the biggest guy on our team is running a seven and a half minute mile pace.They finally said, all right, you guys have been running so well and doing so good. Like a cross country team, I've got your times, and that's the time you have to pass in order to make it on the baseball field. If you pass it, you go straight to the baseball field, but twice a week you have to make this run and then go to the field. He said, all right, now it's time to do it. Here are your times. We positioned all the coaches at every part of the run to see how good you were.We quickly learned that cutting this race short and taking the shortcuts was a terrible decision. For weeks as we tried to make those times, I was one of the faster guys. It was like 28 minutes. I'm not a cross country runner; I'm not going to make close to six-minute pace for four and a half miles. I'll finish that story later and what happened. But I learned there, and I think we learn in life, that shortcuts are not good. They are short-sighted. We take them because we think that's ultimately what is good, that if we take the quickest route to get what we want, that's what's best. It's our own nature to trust in our own instincts and to actually not trust in the Lord, when oftentimes He lays out the more difficult road, a difficult path filled with suffering and difficult obedience.Today we're in the part of David's story that feels, when you're in chapter 23, that for years he's been on the run for his life and he's been through trials and suffering and betrayal and the threat of death. He's been in it. But when we shift into chapter 24, he's going to have an option, a shortcut to the throne. We're going to see how this plays out and what this means for the Christian life as we consider what it means to have a long life of obedience to our Lord, even when it is difficult.Let me pray, and then we'll walk through this together.Heavenly Father, I pray that You would help us receive Your word as we walk through these chapters to see Your truth. God, I pray that we would not just be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word, responding in faith and repentance and ultimately delighting in You above all things. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.All right, so verse 1:"Now they told David, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors."We pick up where we left off last week, where David and his men are on the run. They just heard about the priest of Nob being slaughtered for proceeding to help them out. They're feeling the threat of death. At this point, they hear of a town called Keilah, a town in Judah on the border between Philistine's land and the people of Judah, and they're being robbed by the Philistines.Verse 2:"Therefore David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? And the Lord said to David, Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."David gives us an example here of what it looks like to walk with God. He sees a difficulty. He asks the Lord. The Lord responds, and he's willing to do it. But his men hear this and have questions.Verse 3:"But David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"Which is a legitimate question, because if they go into Keilah, they expose themselves. They've been hiding in caves throughout the land. To go and help this town, chances are Saul will hear about it and come. It might be a situation where they're fighting the Philistines and Saul's army is coming. This seems risky.So David goes back to the Lord.Verse 4:"Then David inquired of the Lord again, and the Lord answered him, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines, brought away their livestock, and struck them a great blow. David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.Verse 6:"When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in hand."Abiathar was the remaining priest from the priest of Nob story last week. He comes and brings an ephod. Ephods are priestly garments that priests wore, but this is probably the main ephod that the high priest wore. This is important because in it were two stones—the Urim stone and the Thummim stone. We don't know for sure how they were used, but they generally helped answer prayers in a yes or no fashion, like, should we go here or there? The priest did some type of pulling out or casting of stones.Verse 7:"Now, it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul said, God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars."Saul finally hears about it and says, aha, I've got them. They're in Keilah, a place with gates and bars. We'll stop the men there and finally take David down.Verse 8:"Saul summoned all the people to go to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him."He says to Abiathar the priest, bring the ephod here.Verse 9:"Then David said, O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard, O Lord, God of Israel, please tell your servant."They seek the Lord, asking if the city will betray them after David's protection.Verse 11:"And the Lord said, He will come down. Then David said, Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will surrender you."David and his men, about 600 now, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. They asked the question, should we trust Keilah? The answer was no, as you see from the Lord's response.When Saul was told that David escaped Keilah, he gave up the expedition. David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.David saw that Saul had come to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh and strengthened his hand. He said:"Do not fear for the hand of Saul. My father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you."Saul, my father, also knows this. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh and Jonathan went home.Jonathan, David's friend, hears about these troubles and encourages him. From Psalm 34, which was written while David was in the cave fearing his life, we know the Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. David, on the run for his life with deep discouragement, has this friend encouraging him.This encounter is significant because Jonathan has hopefulness. He says, one day you'll be king, and I'll be beside you. This foreshadows that Jonathan will never see David be king; he will not live to see him on the throne. This is their final encounter. Jonathan, in his last friendship act, encourages David, telling him not to fear and to trust God's promises.Verse 19:"Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah saying, Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Akilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand."Saul said:"May you be blessed by the Lord for you have had compassion on me. Go make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is and who has seen him there, for he is very cunning. See and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information."They went ahead to Ziph as spies.If you read Psalm 54, David expresses his distress at this betrayal by his own countrymen:"For strangers have risen up against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves."David is deeply discouraged by continual betrayal, even from people of Judah.David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, about five miles south of Ziphara in the Arabah. Saul and his men went to seek him. David went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David there. Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side.David was hurrying to get away from Saul, who was closing in to capture them.A messenger then told Saul:"Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land."Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. David then lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.At the last moment when Saul was about to capture David, God sovereignly intervened. Saul did what a king should do and protected his people, and God preserved David's life again.Chapter 23 gives us more examples of David continually facing the threat of death and betrayal. Think—he escaped death at Nob, at Ziph, at Maon, at Gath, and at Keilah. This is years of hunting, suffering, and fear. Every time trying to go to sleep, hearing a branch break, wondering, is it the day? Years of hardship and trauma under the threat of constant death.This sets up First Samuel 24, where David has the opportunity to end it.Verse 1:"When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. Then Saul took 3,000 chosen men out of Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wild Goats Rocks."Saul handles the Philistine raid, then he finds that David is near Wild Goats Rocks, basically a rocky hill where wild goats live.The story takes an interesting turn.Verse 3:"He came to the sheepfolds, where there was a cave. Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave."Saul goes into the cave to use the bathroom, for privacy. David and 600 of his men are hiding inside that cave, which hopefully gives you an idea of how big it was.David's men were very excited because Saul was most vulnerable now, when using the bathroom. This was a moment on a silver platter—David and his men could have ended all the hardship with one swing of the sword.Verse 4:"And the men of David said to him, Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you."They urged David to take this opportunity.David rose stealthily and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He could have ended it all but instead cut a piece of his robe.Verse 5:"And afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed."David persuaded his men not to attack Saul.Saul rose and left the cave, going on his way.David knew God's heart and the heart of the king. Saul was the Lord's anointed king, even if evil had been done. David would not decide when Saul's kingship ends. He trusted the Lord and obeyed, not murdering a man while he was vulnerable.His men, who have been under the threat of death for years, followed his example. That shows David's leadership.After Saul left the cave, David boldly confronted him.Verse 8:"David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, My lord the king."Saul looked back. David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage.David said:"Why do you listen to the words of men who say, Behold, David seeks your harm? Behold this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, I will not put out my hand against the Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed."David pleaded:"See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. I cut off the corner and did not kill you. You may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it."He called out:"May the Lord judge between me and you. May the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you."He even said:"Out of the wicked comes wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After a dead dog, after a flea? May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand."David showed that he would not sin to get what God promised. He humbly lowered himself to be insignificant—a dead dog, a flea—and pleaded with Saul to see that he was not the enemy.Verse 16:"As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said, You are more righteous than I, for you repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. You have declared this day how you have dealt well with me and that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands."Saul has moments of clarity and contrition. He weeps and realizes David is the better man.There's a cool link to Judah and Tamar back in Genesis 38, a picture of having evidence in hand and declaring righteousness.Saul continued:"Now behold, I know that you shall surely be king, that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hands. Swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."David swore to this.Saul went home; David and his men went up to the stronghold.Saul finally sees it: David will be king. He pleads for the protection of his offspring, as it was common in history for successors to kill rival family members.When you think about chapters 23 and 24 back to back, you see how long David suffered and how many years of hardships he endured. He had the opportunity right then to end all his hardships with one swing of the sword and take the throne. But he did not. He trusted the Lord and was obedient to the will of the Father.This is a beautiful picture of trust in God.It's also a foreshadowing of the more righteous path of Christ.Jesus also would be offered a shortcut to the throne during His temptation in the wilderness.In Matthew 4:"The devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said to Him, All these I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."Jesus was offered the throne but rejected the shortcut because He trusted the will of the Father, even when that road was filled with suffering—the road to the cross.Jesus suffered agony, physical pain, separation from the Father as the full cup of God's wrath bore down on Him.Even when Jesus was suffering, He could have called down angels to end it, but He did not.He endured to the final breath, with redemption in mind for us.When He finished His work on the cross, He ascended to the right hand of God, where He rules over all kingdoms forever.Amen.Going back to 10th grade, when we were running this unreasonable time every day before practice, it was clear we were never going to make our times.Finally, our coach said, all right, I'm going to bump up the time to what it should have been.You smaller guys got 32 minutes, which was a pretty steady pace.I hate running. To this day you won't see me running; I'm not a runner. I don't want to be a runner.Because I hated running so much, I was determined to make the time. I ran faster than I ever had in my life. I was blazing fast.Coming around the final turn, about a quarter of a mile left, my coach said, you're not going to make it.I sprinted, after running four-ish miles, with everything I had.The final few steps before the finish line, I puked. Then I puked walking across the finish line because I was not going to miss this time.He said 29 minutes.I was like, are you kidding me? I could have walked.What we failed to see about this conditioning test was we could only see what was right in front of us—a stupid run we had to do.You may think, why do baseball players have to run? It's because of endurance for the season.When you play 30 games in high school, 60 plus in college, or 162 in pro baseball, you have to get in shape, or your body will break down mid-season.At 15, you don't see what the coach is doing. You don't see that the suffering he puts you through over and over again is for a greater good, so you can make it through the season and not break down.We didn't trust our coaches. We saw what was good in our minds, so we took the shortcut.But that's what we do all the time in life. We see the easier option right in front of us and want to take it.We have wonderful examples from Scripture about what it looks like to be obedient and how good that is.David could have taken a shortcut to the throne, but didn't.Jesus was obedient to the Father, even through suffering, for our redemption.We have wonderful examples of the long road of obedience, even when it's difficult.So the question today: What shortcuts are we tempted to take?In business or work, we know shortcuts: how to cut corners, how to cheat.We see others do it and wonder why we have to do it the right way.But God calls us to integrity and obedience for our good.In relationships, it's common now to simulate marriage without the covenant.Living as if married, moving in together, enjoying pleasures without commitment.It's hard to be obedient in that and honor the Lord.But God has good for us when we trust Him in obedience.We fail to see that when we take shortcuts.Some feel a desire for vengeance when they've been wronged.Shortcut is to take vengeance ourselves.God calls us to trust Him for justice, which is far better.In parenting, there are shortcuts.Moments needing patience, control of emotions.Shortcut is to lose control or discipline wrongly.In marriage, conflict, and other struggles, shortcuts abound.We often coach people to confront, to avoid gossip, to be faithful to God's calls.Some suffer deeply and may see shortcuts like substances, self-harm, or worse.We cannot see the long obedience God calls us to.As you consider today, what shortcut options are you taking when God calls you to obedience?My hope is we consider David's actions and the better David, Jesus Christ, and follow their lead.Matt will come up and lead us in one final song.As he comes, don't shift or move, just listen.The wrong response to the call is to say, "I'm going to do this by my strength," trying to muscle obedience.The response is to look to Jesus.Hebrews 12 says this after chapter 11:"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us,looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."Our example is to look to Christ, put our hope in Him, who endured the cross and now rules from heaven.May we first look to Christ by grace through faith and be people who trust God every step in obedience.Let me pray.Heavenly Father, I pray that You would help us hear the good news of the Gospel that calls us to trust You, so that we might not take the shortcuts in life that do not bring joy, honor You, or bring good to us or those around us.God, I pray for faithfulness, but that it comes by first trusting in You.We have failed, sinned, and chosen shortcuts.May You cover us in grace, by Your grace, through the blood of Jesus shed for us.May we leave here as a people obedient to You, even when it is hard.In Jesus' name, Amen.

Monday, 21 July 2025   But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: Matthew 12:3   “And He said to them, ‘Not you read what he did, David, when he hungered, he and those with him?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus' disciples, and thus implicitly He also, were accused of doing what was not lawful on the Sabbath. In response, Matthew records, “And He said to them, ‘Not you read what he did, David, when he hungered, he and those with him?'”   The Pharisees' accusation was of doing something in violation of the law that is not even recorded in the law. Only by a huge stretch of the imagination could what His disciples did even be inferred as wrongdoing. Rather than address the nonsensical legalism of the accusation, Jesus turned to Scripture, citing an account from the life of David.   The account is recorded in 1 Samuel –   Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?” 2 So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.' And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.” 4 And the priest answered David and said, “There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.” 5 Then David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day.” 6 So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away. 1 Samuel 21:1-6   Jesus has given an example from the historical writings of Israel about a matter that arose. This matter could also be inferred as a violation of the law. This will be further explained in His continued words.   Life application: In a society, there has to be a basis for legal matters. In the US, for example, there is the prime basis for the workings of the government, the Constitution. This sets the basis for what is legal and what is not.   From there, the Constitution authorizes certain bodies to run the government, make laws, regulations, etc. There is a judicial system set forth to interpret the constitutionality of new laws, determine if violations of the law have been made, etc.   Lower governments likewise have the authority to make and enforce laws. The Bible is the governing authority for spiritual matters in the Christian faith. At times, from that springboard, many denominations and churches add books of rules for the governance of the body that they oversee.   These usually start out closely aligned with the Bible, at least someone's interpretation of it. However, such books of common order, discipline, and governance can be amended. As amendments take place, there is often a deviation from Scripture.   As an example, a church that once would not allow homosexuality in the congregation because it is contrary to the Bible may eventually change its written guidance to allow homosexuals to be members of the congregation. Later, the book is amended again to allow them to be deacons. From there, amendments are made to allow them to be ordained.   When a book of governance deviates from the Bible, the Bible is relegated more and more to a showpiece without any true authority. The best policy is to keep away from such books that can be amended and keep to Scripture alone as the basis for the faith.   Scripture cannot be amended by man. It is also not an organic document where its meaning changes over time. Rather, it is the fixed and unchangeable word of God. Within the Bible, there are dispensations which reflect the way in which God is working with man at various times in human history, but this is not something that changes set doctrine for a given dispensation.   Rather, it is what reveals doctrine for each outcropping of dispensations as God's word has unfolded in the course of redemptive history. Understanding this, keeping the interpretation of God's word in the proper context is the appropriate way of interpreting the Bible. Let us be sure to do this.   The word is precious, and it must be treated as such. Hold fast to it and let it be your guide for daily living and a right walk before the Lord at all times.   Glorious God, may our time in Your word be guided by You as You reveal to us what You intend for our lives. Help us to properly consider what it says and how it applies as we progress through it. May You help us to keep from faulty logic and faulty interpretation concerning it. Be with us as we engage with You through this precious word. Amen.

Thursday, 26 June 2025   But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. Matthew 11:8   “But what you went out to see? A man having been enrobed in fine cloaks? You behold! Those wearing the fines, they are in the kings' houses” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus asked the crowds what they went into the wilderness to see. Was it a reed shaken by the wind? Now, He asks again, saying, “But what you went out to see?”   The thought beginning with “but” dismisses the previous thought. “No, it can't be for that reason. Maybe it was for another reason. How about, ‘A man having been enrobed in fine cloaks?'”   The word malakos is introduced. It signifies soft. By extension, that would carry to the idea of fine clothing, but also of a soft, effeminate person. That is how Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 6:9. In this case, Jesus is referring to it in the sense of enrobing a person.   If the people were looking for a particular type of person, the garments would be an indicator for them concerning a particular category. Maybe the people were looking for someone who possessed wisdom like a scribe, wealth like a nobleman, or power like a king. Maybe it was someone who could impress the people like a magician.   Each of these would normally have particular clothing to match their lifestyle. The finest of them all at this period would be the king. Therefore, Jesus exclaims, “You behold! Those wearing the fines, they are in the kings' houses.”   Is this what they went out to see? Because if that were the case, they went to the wrong place. In going out to the wilderness, one would expect someone roughly attired. This is, in fact, how John was dressed, as noted in Matthew 3:4 –   “Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.”   Indeed, some prophets and wise men of the past lived well while serving the kings. Daniel, for example, was in the king's court of Babylon and later under Persian kings. However, if the people heard of someone calling out in the wilderness, they would expect something entirely different.   Jesus' question, therefore, begs another negative answer. “No, not at all. That is not what we went out to see.” He is asking them to think through what would lead them into the wilderness and what it meant that they came to John to hear his message.   Life application: One can generally get an immediate sense of what to expect when walking into a church and seeing the pastor. When you walk into an independent fundamental Baptist church, you will often see a person with a short haircut who is wearing an inexpensive monotoned suit and tie.   If you walk into a charismatic church, you might see someone wearing a suit that is flashier, no tie, and the colors are intended to draw attention to the speaker.   The mega-church style will often have someone wearing skinny jeans, expensive leather shoes with flat-toe ends to make his feet look longer than they are, and wearing a dress shirt with no coat or tie. The sleeves may be rolled up as if he is in a conference, expecting results from those around the table.   Once the individual is seen, you can make a guess as to what his style of preaching will be. These are just generalizations, but the style of clothing attracts people. If you want formal, stuffy religion, you will go to a church with pre-designed robes, maybe poofy hats, etc.   Along with the appearance of the pastor, the style of music is a huge draw for many people. It may even be what keeps people coming back. All of these things are externals and really have nothing to do with the quality of the material to be presented. What should matter, first and foremost, is adherence to the Bible.   Unfortunately, this is often hardly a consideration at all. In some churches, the Bible is all but ignored. When you go to church, what do you expect to see? Jesus asked the people why they went out to see John. He will explain what they received when they did so.   When you go to church, are you sitting under a great teacher of the word? A great orator, regardless of how he explains the word, a flashy person whose message stirs the emotions, a showman who speaks in nonsensical tongues and makes people's stunted legs grow right in front of your eyes?   What are you going to church for? Evaluate that and consider what it is that motivates you to go at all. The answer should be Jesus. Above all, you should want to learn about Jesus, God incarnate.   The only way you are going to receive that properly is by hearing the word that tells of Jesus explained to you. Go to church expecting to find Jesus. That will be the most rewarding church experience of them all.   Glorious God, forgive us when we make going to church about ourselves. We may want to hear a band give us emotional songs, or we may go in hopes of being told everything will be ok. We may go with the intent of making business connections. Lord, help us to be motivated to learn about You. May You be our desire at all times, particularly when we go to church. Amen.

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Sunday, 25 May 2025   You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. Matthew 10:18   “And also upon governors and kings, you will be brought because of Me for a testimony to them and the Gentiles” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told his apostles to beware of men because they would deliver them up to councils and scourge them in their synagogues. Continuing with this thought, He next says, “And also upon governors and kings, you will be brought.”   A new word is introduced here, agó, translated as “brought.” It is a primary verb signifying to lead, bring, drive, etc. In this case, it is future tense with a passive voice, thus “you will be brought.”   In the Bible, the word translated as governors includes positions such as proconsuls, procurators, etc. The title of king is one that is seen at times in the NT, such as Peter's being arrested under the authority of King Herod in Acts 12.   The words of Jesus here certainly would have applied to these apostles to some extent later in their ministries, but the majority of the interaction with such positions, as recorded in the Bible, was between Paul and such men. This is because Luke especially followed the life of Paul as he traveled among the Gentiles.   In fact, the name Paul was probably one taken on by him after his meeting with Sergius Paulus, as is recorded in Acts 13. After that encounter, he is never called Saul again, except when quoting past events. From that time forward, he was known as Paul. As for the reason for being brought before them, Jesus next says, “because of Me.”   This was their life calling. They were apostles of Jesus, and He was sending them forth bearing His name. It may be that even during this early period, they would appear before such positions, but there is nothing specifically recorded concerning it. Whenever it did happen, however, it was “for a testimony to them and the Gentiles.”   The stating of two different categories, “them and the Gentiles,” seems to indicate that the testimony was for the leaders to hear and then bring a positive influence for the gospel on those under them. As many of these would be Gentile leaders, this is where their influence would rest.   As such, what appears to be the case is that this is referring to something such as the trial of Paul in Acts 25, where Festus, Agrippa, and others held trial. The testimony concerning Jesus was to both Jews and Gentiles there, as it was in other situations Paul found himself in. But Paul, like the other apostles, knew in advance this would be the case –   “Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.' 15 But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake.'” Acts 9:13-16   The words tend to give weight to the thought that while Israel was rejecting the gospel, the Gentiles would begin to be receptive to it.   Life application: The words thus far are intended to show that Israel was given every opportunity to accept Jesus as their Messiah. The testimony to foreign positions of authority and foreigners was actually a part of this. Jesus spoke concerning the sign of Jonah, meaning his preaching.   Jonah said that in forty days, Nineveh was to be destroyed. In the Bible, the often-seen application of such a statement as this is a day for a year. In other words, when Jesus said that the sign of Jonah would be given to them, He was saying that they had forty years to acknowledge Him.   The witness to Gentiles was intended, even from the beginning, to get Israel to see this and turn to Him –   “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.'” Romans 9:25-27   Paul wrote this during that forty-year period, and from other passages in the New Testament, it seems that it was believed that this blindness would quickly be replaced with sight, the kingdom would be ushered in, and Jesus' return would have taken place.   And yet, we are still waiting for this to take place two thousand years later. Jesus' plan is being worked out, and His church continues to be built. Israel was destroyed, they were exiled, having rejected Jesus, but they will be spiritually restored to usher in the promised millennial kingdom. Their regathering at this time is for this purpose.   They will go through the purification of the tribulation period along with the rest of the world, but they will be saved through it. God's promises will never fail. Let us trust in this and be confident that everything promised will come about as prophesied.   Lord God, there are times in the past when we have misunderstood Your word. Maybe that is still the case today. There may be a long haul before the return of Jesus comes about. All we can do is wait patiently and continue to faithfully proclaim Your word until then. However, it is our desire to see Him really soon! May You speed His coming. How we long to see Jesus. Amen.

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Wednesday, 14 May 2025   And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Matthew 10:7   “And going, you proclaim, saying that ‘It has neared – the kingdom of the heavens'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His twelve to specifically go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Next, He instructs them, “And going, you proclaim, saying.”   Jesus uses the same word that has been used several times already, kérussó. It signifies to proclaim or herald an announcement. HELPS Word Studies says of it, “bringing eternal accountability to all who hear it.”   Consider it! Jesus is sending His chosen twelve out among the people of Israel. He has already been conducting His ministry for some amount of time, but the harvest field is so ready for reaping that He has decided to send forth those who have followed Him and learned from Him to expand the process. What words will He ask them to proclaim? The answer is “that ‘It has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.'”   In Matthew 3:2, the first recorded words of John the Baptist were, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!” Likewise, in Matthew's gospel, after His baptism and temptation, the first words of Jesus' ministry to the people were, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens!”   Now Jesus instructs these disciples to likewise tell the people that the kingdom of the heavens has neared. In each instance, there is the anticipation that a great change in the economy and focus of God's redemptive plans is set to take place.   This is just the beginning of the instruction to these men. In Luke 9, there is a complementary account of Jesus' instructions to the twelve. That is followed in Luke 10 with Jesus sending out seventy more to continue the proclamation throughout Israel.   Life application: A common question that arises concerns the terms “kingdom of the heaven(s),” and “kingdom of God.” The words are certainly used interchangeably at times. For example, Jesus says that the kingdom of God is the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 19 –   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'”  Matthew 19:23, 24   In those two verses, which are given in parallelism, He is clearly indicating that they are the same thing. The term kingdom of the heaven(s) is not used in the epistles. Rather, they refer to the kingdom of God. However, Paul does say that the Lord would deliver him and preserve him for His heavenly kingdom.   As such, there is certainly overlap in the thought. At times, however, it is clear that the promised kingdom to Israel is a literal earthly kingdom. This is how the disciples understood it when asking Him about the restoration of the kingdom in Acts 1:6.   The best approach to understanding the idea of a kingdom, then, is to check the surrounding context to see what is spoken of. God is working through time and dispensations in various ways to bring man to a state of restoration.   As He does this, a kingdom is either set up or being set up that is being expressed in various ways, actual or anticipated. In Romans 14, Paul speaks of the kingdom as a reality for believers now, and yet it is something that is only so positionally, as indicated elsewhere. The actual kingdom is something anticipated for believers at this time.   As such, it is good not to get overly dogmatic about things but rather to consider that there is a positional belonging and an actual belonging that may apply in one way or another.   For us, because of faith in Christ, we can be reassured that we are accepted into the kingdom now, even if we have to await the rapture to be actually received into the marvelous blessing of the kingdom that lies ahead for us. Be assured that Christ has accepted you if you have believed. Every good promise He has made will, therefore, be realized on that day.   Lord God, despite not yet being with You in heaven, we know we are with You through faith in what You have done. Help us to remember this in our times of trial and difficulty. We have a better and surer hope ahead than anything this fallen world can provide. May You come soon for Your people so that we can forever rejoice in Your presence. Amen.  

My guest is author Patti Clark who was born and raised in San Francisco during the 60's and 70's – a flower child who started drinking and using drugs at the tender age of 13 In this episode:- Patti started drinking and using drugs as a young teenager Her mother was an alcoholic and died when Patti was just 16. She was Academically successful despite the heavy drinking and drug use. Patti first got sober at the age of 30 – she attended AA and stayed sober for 13 years. She eventually left 12-step recovery thinking she could moderate The drinking ramped up again and she drank for another 13 years. Patti's red flags included hiding bottles, kids noticing her drinking. Patti got sober again in November 2014 and this time it stuck She rebuilt her sobriety using therapy, journaling and creativity. She eventually co-founded an NA meeting with a focus on emotional sobriety  Journalling played a huge role in her recovery, helping her to access her inner feelings and creativity. We both agreed on the value of sitting in the void Although it can be boring and uncomfortable at first it allows space for growth, ideas, and new passions. Believes women relapse partly because traditional 12-step recovery doesn't fit women's emotional needs. Relapse is often linked to lack of connection and trying to fill emotional voids. Three key messages from Patti:- a) Find your tribe — Emphasizes that connection and community is critical for recovery. b) Allow yourself to be uncomfortable in early sobriety — that discomfort will lead to growth c) Joy and purpose are central to lasting recovery — sobriety should feel like an upgrade, not a deprivation. Patti's Books a) This Way Up — about the search for self (includes journaling workbook). b) "Recovery Road Trip" — real conversations with women about relapse & recovery; includes a journaling guide. Books available via Amazon, Simon & Schuster, available on Kindle, and as an audiobook Patti welcomes emails from readers and loves hearing their stories. Her email is patticlarksemail@gmail.com More Info:            Our next BF program kicks off on 11th May    You can sign up for Breaking Free here Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today Read more about our program and subscribe HERE Help us to Spread the Word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts. Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober's Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We'll send you something special to say thank you! We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. You can join our private Facebook group HERE. PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device) Open the Podcasts app. EASY. Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Recover Like a Mother) into the search field. Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes). Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews. Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You'll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it's always good to read your experience).  

Start May with Purpose, Power, and Positivity!

Read Online“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher' and ‘master,'  and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15Do you want to be holy? Perhaps this question is not one that everyone will immediately answer with a resounding “Yes.” Sadly, holiness, for some, can seem boring and unattractive. The lure of evil is very enticing on a confused and superficial level. So what is your answer to this question? Do you want to be holy?As we begin today the sacred Triduum, we enter into the holiest days of the Church year.  We walk with our Lord through His final glorification today as He celebrates the Passover with His disciples and enters the Garden of Gethsemane to await His arrest. Tomorrow we walk with Him through the stations of His Cross. On Saturday, we sit in silent adoration of His tomb as we await the Resurrection.In the Gospel quoted above, Jesus gives us a model for holiness by the witness of His actions. He Who is the God of the Universe, the Creator of all, the Eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, humbles Himself and takes on the form of a lowly servant by washing the feet of His disciples. He then offers them the Most Holy Eucharist for the first time, before He goes to meet His persecutors.The model Jesus gives us is a prophetic action by which Jesus tells us that true greatness, that is, true holiness, is found in humility. Holiness is realized in our lives when we turn our eyes from ourselves and love others as their servants. None of us are the Savior of the World, but each of us must become instruments of His saving act for others. As we accept Jesus' gift, we must then turn to others and humble ourselves before them. We must help them to see our love and their dignity. We must serve them with humility and put them first. Doing so will then enable us to invite them to imitate us as we imitate Christ. Thus, our humble imitation of Jesus becomes a means by which Jesus invites others to follow Him.Reflect, today, upon the invitation of Jesus: “...as I have done for you, you should also do.” Jesus gave us everything, so we must give everything to others. We must serve without counting the cost. We must love them, putting their needs before ours. We must become a model of the love of Christ for them. Ponder Jesus' service today and throughout the Triduum and commit yourself to live the invitation given you by our Lord.My humble Lord, may Your name be praised and adored above all things. May You be exalted by Your humility and lowly service. I see in Your humble act, dear Lord, the deep love You have for me and for all. May I imitate that humble love in my own life so that my imitation of You will help to share Your saving love with others. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Palma il Giovane, 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.

Read OnlineSo the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” John 11:47–48Jesus' public ministry had two primary effects upon the people. For many, they were coming to believe in Him and were hanging on His every word. They sought Him out and began to understand that He was the promised Messiah. This was the response of faith. But the reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was far more worldly. In the passage above, we see a group of religious leaders who are completely consumed with worldly concerns to the point that these concerns drown out all matters of faith.As the Sanhedrin convened and discussed what they should do, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, spoke up and gave advice that perfectly depicts this worldly vision. He said, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” Caiaphas and many other religious leaders at the time appeared to be far more concerned with their worldly status and power than they were with matters of true faith and eternal salvation. If they were men who deeply loved God and sought only His holy will, then they would have rejoiced that Jesus' ministry was so fruitful in the lives of the people. They would have offered thanks to God, day and night, for the privilege of seeing the prophecies of old about the Messiah come to fruition before their own eyes. They should have had joy and gratitude, and they should have allowed those spiritual blessings to grow within them and give them the courage they needed to go forth and die with our Lord if necessary. But instead, they chose their comfortable lives and worldly status above the truth, and they decided that Jesus needed to die.One beautiful truth to reflect upon within this context is that God uses all things for His glory and for the salvation of those who believe. With this meeting of the Sanhedrin, these men began to plot the death of Jesus. Eventually they used deceit, manipulation, intimidation and fear to accomplish their goal. But even though from a worldly perspective these misguided religious leaders “won,” from a divine perspective, God used their evil to bring about the greatest good the world had ever known. Through their malice, Jesus' passion and death gave way to the new life of the Resurrection. Reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use all things for our good. Be it in the midst of corruption, persecution, discord, sin, illness or any other evil in life, when we turn to God in faith and surrender, He is able to transform all things and bring forth an abundance of good fruit through them if we only let Him and trust in faith. Prayerfully surrender over to God, today, any of the above concerns that have affected you, and allow yourself to believe the simple truth that nothing can keep you from the glorious fulfillment of the will of God. All things can help toward the salvation of your soul and end in God's eternal glory. My glorious Lord, You were loved by many but also hated by some. Those with power and authority could not see beyond their worldly ambitions, so they began to plot against You. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to see every act of evil inflicted upon me as an opportunity for You to bring forth good. You are glorious, dear Lord. May You be glorified in all things. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Brooklyn MuseumSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

https://youtu.be/snPosSHZR_s Audio: Play the audio class Download: Download this MP3 Topics: Morning Prayers Follow-Along Text: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּבַשׁ אַבְרָהָם אָבִֽינוּ אֶת רַחֲמָיו מֵעַל בֶּן יְחִידוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, כֵּן יִכְבְּשׁוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ אֶת כַּעַסְךָ מֵעָלֵֽינוּ, וְיָגֹֽלּוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ עַל מִדּוֹתֶֽיךָ.וְתִתְנַהֵג עִמָּֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּמִדַּת הַחֶֽסֶד וּבְמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, וְתִכָּנֵס לָֽנוּ לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין,וּבְטוּבְךָ הַגָּדוֹל יָשׁוּב חֲרוֹן אַפְּךָ מֵעַמְּךָ וּמֵעִירְךָ וּמֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִנַּחֲלָתֶֽךָ,וְקַיֶּם לָֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּֽנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ, עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּֽךָ מִפִּי כְבוֹדֶֽךָ כָּאָמוּר:וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב, וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק, וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָֽרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶֽרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם, לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם,לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם, כִּי אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים,אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵֽאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶֽרֶץ מִצְרַֽיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם, לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֲנִי יְיָ:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְשָׁב יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶֽךָ,וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ שָֽׁמָּה:אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָֽיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶֽךָ:וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ אֶל הָאָֽרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:וְנֶאֱמַר: יְיָ חָנֵּֽנוּ, לְךָ קִוִּֽינוּ, הֱיֵה זְרֹעָם לַבְּקָרִים, אַף יְשׁוּעָתֵֽנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְעֵת צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב, וּמִמֶּֽנָּה יִוָּשֵֽׁעַ:וְנֶאֱמַר: בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר, וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם,בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ וּבְחֶמְלָתוֹ הוּא גְאָלָם, וַיְנַטְּלֵם וַיְנַשְּׂאֵם כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָם:וְנֶאֱמַר: מִי אֵל כָּמֽוֹךָ נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעֹבֵר עַל פֶּֽשַׁע, לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ,לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ, כִּי חָפֵץ חֶֽסֶד הוּא:יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵֽנוּ, יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲוֹנֹתֵֽינוּ,וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם:תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, חֶֽסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ מִֽימֵי קֶֽדֶם:וְנֶאֱמַר: וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי, וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי,עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי, כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים:Master of the world: Just as Avraham our father suppressed his mercy for his only son in order to do Your will wholeheartedly, so too, may Your mercy suppress Your wrath from [being vented] upon us.May Your mercy outweigh Your other attributes.May You deal with us, God our Lord, with the attribute of kindness and of mercy, and deal with us more leniently than the letter of the law.In Your great goodness, may Your fierce anger turn away from Your people, from Your city, from Your land, and from Your heritage.Fulfill for us, God, our Lord, the promise that You made in Your Torah through Moshe Your servant, as it is said:3“I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and indeed My covenant with Yitzchak, and I will indeed remember My covenant with Avraham, and I will remember the land.”And it is said: Yet even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not abhor them nor spurn them so as to destroy them and annul My covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God.And it is said: I will remember in their favor the covenant with their ancestors, whom I took out of the land of Egypt, before the eyes of the nations, to be their God; I am the Lord.And it is said: The Lord your God will return your exiles and have compassion upon you, and will again gather you from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you.Even if your dispersed ones will be at the ends of the heavens, God, your Lord, will gather you from there and take you from there.God, your Lord,

https://youtu.be/suii_QNCXrA Audio: Play the audio class Download: Download this MP3 Topics: Morning Prayers Follow-Along Text: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּבַשׁ אַבְרָהָם אָבִֽינוּ אֶת רַחֲמָיו מֵעַל בֶּן יְחִידוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, כֵּן יִכְבְּשׁוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ אֶת כַּעַסְךָ מֵעָלֵֽינוּ, וְיָגֹֽלּוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ עַל מִדּוֹתֶֽיךָ.וְתִתְנַהֵג עִמָּֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּמִדַּת הַחֶֽסֶד וּבְמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, וְתִכָּנֵס לָֽנוּ לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין,וּבְטוּבְךָ הַגָּדוֹל יָשׁוּב חֲרוֹן אַפְּךָ מֵעַמְּךָ וּמֵעִירְךָ וּמֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִנַּחֲלָתֶֽךָ,וְקַיֶּם לָֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּֽנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ, עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּֽךָ מִפִּי כְבוֹדֶֽךָ כָּאָמוּר:וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב, וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק, וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָֽרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶֽרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם, לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם,לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם, כִּי אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים,אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵֽאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶֽרֶץ מִצְרַֽיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם, לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֲנִי יְיָ:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְשָׁב יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶֽךָ,וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ שָֽׁמָּה:אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָֽיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶֽךָ:וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ אֶל הָאָֽרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:וְנֶאֱמַר: יְיָ חָנֵּֽנוּ, לְךָ קִוִּֽינוּ, הֱיֵה זְרֹעָם לַבְּקָרִים, אַף יְשׁוּעָתֵֽנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה:וְנֶאֱמַר: וְעֵת צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב, וּמִמֶּֽנָּה יִוָּשֵֽׁעַ:וְנֶאֱמַר: בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר, וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם,בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ וּבְחֶמְלָתוֹ הוּא גְאָלָם, וַיְנַטְּלֵם וַיְנַשְּׂאֵם כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָם:וְנֶאֱמַר: מִי אֵל כָּמֽוֹךָ נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעֹבֵר עַל פֶּֽשַׁע, לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ,לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ, כִּי חָפֵץ חֶֽסֶד הוּא:יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵֽנוּ, יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲוֹנֹתֵֽינוּ,וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם:תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, חֶֽסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ מִֽימֵי קֶֽדֶם:וְנֶאֱמַר: וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי, וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי,עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי, כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים:Master of the world: Just as Avraham our father suppressed his mercy for his only son in order to do Your will wholeheartedly, so too, may Your mercy suppress Your wrath from [being vented] upon us.May Your mercy outweigh Your other attributes.May You deal with us, God our Lord, with the attribute of kindness and of mercy, and deal with us more leniently than the letter of the law.In Your great goodness, may Your fierce anger turn away from Your people, from Your city, from Your land, and from Your heritage.Fulfill for us, God, our Lord, the promise that You made in Your Torah through Moshe Your servant, as it is said:3“I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and indeed My covenant with Yitzchak, and I will indeed remember My covenant with Avraham, and I will remember the land.”And it is said: Yet even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not abhor them nor spurn them so as to destroy them and annul My covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God.And it is said: I will remember in their favor the covenant with their ancestors, whom I took out of the land of Egypt, before the eyes of the nations, to be their God; I am the Lord.And it is said: The Lord your God will return your exiles and have compassion upon you, and will again gather you from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you.Even if your dispersed ones will be at the ends of the heavens, God, your Lord, will gather you from there and take you from there.God, your Lord,

"May You be adored, O merciful God of ours, O All-powerful Lord and Creator. In deepest humility, we give You praise, Plunging ourselves into the ocean of Your Godhead." St. Faustina writes. Listen in as Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC, reads from this modern spiritual classic. To order a copy of the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, visit  ShopMercy.org. Support our Ministries here. 

Monday, 13 January 2025   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21   “For where your treasure, it is, there also your heart, it will be” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of amassing treasures in heaven, noting that earthly treasures can be stolen or eaten up. With that remembered, He next says, “For where your treasure, it is, there also your heart, it will be.”   This is a link right back to the book of Joshua and the story Achan. He was fixated on earthly treasure, and that is where his heart was. It cost him everything –   “And Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.' 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, ‘Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.' So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.” Joshua 7: 20-26   On the other hand David had great wealth, but it did not possess him. Instead, he was a man of faith, and his heart was set on the Lord. The few times he is noted as having failed the Lord, it also notes that his heart was contrite, and he mourned over his blunders. David's treasure, above all else, was the Lord, and that is where his heart also was –   “Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: ‘My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: 4 three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; 5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?'” 1 Chronicles 29:1-5   Life application: There is nothing wrong with possessing wealth or protecting that wealth for the future. In fact, Proverbs says –   “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22   One cannot save up for his children's children if he doesn't possess wealth to some degree. The point of the Bible's words concerning this matter is essentially, “Are you master over wealth, or is your wealth master over you.”   Be wise concerning earning and saving, but also let your heart be directed to the Lord above all else.   Heavenly Father, help us to be responsible with the blessings You have bestowed upon us. If we squander what we have, it shows that our priorities were not directed toward You in the first place. Instead, we carelessly handled Your blessing upon us. At the same time, may we never let our possessions possess us. May You always be our hearts' desire. Amen.  

Your Nightly Prayer

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." 3 John 1:2 Your health is your wealth when there is complete harmony with your body, mind, and spirit. Because our well-being is intricately linked to our daily habits. By cultivating healthy routines, we empower ourselves to transcend the limitations that life often imposes on us. Remember, a tree deeply rooted in rich soil; just as it flourishes with care, our well-being thrives when we nurture healthy habits.  Adopting healthy habits doesn't happen overnight; it requires patience and commitment. The process begins with small changes—perhaps choosing nutritious foods or dedicating time each day to physical activity. The Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” Caring for our bodies leads us toward a renewed mindset and a more vibrant existence. 1 Timothy 4:8 says, "For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." The impact of these positive shifts extends beyond physical health—they elevate our mental state as well. Engaging in exercise releases endorphins that uplift our spirits and improve our overall mood. Nurturing both body and mind fosters resilience against life's challenges, whether through meditation, journaling, or spending time in nature. As we embrace the journey of developing healthy habits, let us also support one another in this endeavor. Galatians 6:2 instructs us to carry each other's burdens, fostering community around shared goals can keep motivation high. Let today be the first step towards enriching your life—body, mind, and spirit—and remember that every small effort counts toward transforming your health into true wealth! 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Prayer for the Day! With a heart full of faith in God's omnipresent love, I lift you in prayer today. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that You open the gates of divine well-being for this beloved individual. May You guide them along paths of righteousness and health. Let every step they take be blessed with Your healing power, and may their body mirror the strength and vitality that comes from abiding in You. Lord, grant them resilience against any ailment or discomfort, as You promise us in Exodus 15:26 — I am the LORD who heals you. In Jesus' name. Amen. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pastor-divineo/support

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”  Luke 14:25–26After this startling opening line from our Lord, Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Thus, at first read it appears that we are called to not only renounce all we possess but also to hate those within our own family. But is this truly what our Lord means? Let's begin with the idea of “hating” those within our family and even our own life.Obviously the word “hate” in this Gospel passage is not the same as the sin of hate and anger. In commenting on this passage, one Church Father explains that there are some cases when the best way to love another is through a form of hate. That is, if another were to act as an obstacle to God, working to deter us from the will of our Lord, then our “hatred” for the actions they do must be firmly expressed. But this is love. A refusal to turn from God, by rejecting another's disordered actions, is a way of sharing the Gospel with them. Let's take an extreme example.Imagine that you lived at a time and circumstance where being a Christian was a crime. You were arrested and commanded to publicly renounce your faith. Instead, you renounced that command with every strength of your soul. In this case, you exercise a form of holy “hate” for the persecution the person is imposing upon you. But that is also an act of love toward them as you fully reject their action by renouncing their command.Or consider also how you hate even your “own life.” Let's say that you fall into serious sin, over and over. The appropriate response is not only to repent but also to have a form of holy hatred for the habit into which you have fallen. This is a true hatred for yourself in the sense that it is a hatred for that which you have become by your sin. But this holy hatred has the ultimate goal of passionately overcoming your sin and is therefore a true act of love for yourself.The concluding line of today's Gospel mentioned above calls us to renounce all of our possessions. In other words, we must renounce anything that we are attached to in a way that is contrary to the will of God. Of course, in God's providence most people (except those who take a vow of poverty) are invited by God to have various possessions so as to meet the material needs of life. But even in this case, we must “renounce” all that we possess, meaning, we must not allow ourselves to become attached to anything other than God. But this is freedom in the truest sense. Even if you have many things, it must be understood that those things do not make you happy. Only God and His will can fulfill you. Nothing else. Thus, we must learn to live as if God and God alone suffices. And if it is God's will that you obtain a house, car, computer, television and other modern conveniences, then so be it. But true “renunciation” of all of these possessions simply means that if at any time you were to lose them, then this would be fine. Therein is perfect detachment. The loss of something material would not deter you in any way from loving and serving God and His holy will. Reflect, today, upon these radical words of Jesus. Try to hear them in the way our Lord meant them. Work to be detached from everything that is contrary to the will of God and everything that becomes an obstacle to God in your life. In the end, possessing God alone is more than you could ever hope for. And only if you fully possess our merciful God will you be able to love yourself and others with the pure heart and love of Jesus our Lord. My demanding Lord, You call us all to a life of radical holiness. You desire that I come to love You above all with all my heart. Please give me the grace and wisdom I need to renounce all that is an obstacle to my love and service of You. May You and You alone be glorified in my life. 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 Preaching by Rembrandt, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray these words, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That is our heartfelt prayer. May You be honored in this nation with godly leaders, with humble people, with obedient followers of Jesus the Messiah. May Your kingdom come in power in each of our lives that we may do Your will on earth even as it is done in heaven. And may this nation experience a spiritual rebirth, a renewal that comes through the Holy Spirit of the Living God. We pray this in the strong name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44Today's Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it. We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God's graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery.Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it's most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value.My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. 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: Parable of the Hidden Treasure By Gerrit Dou or Rembrandt, via Wikimedia Commons

Sunday, 28 July 2024   “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21   “And she will bring forth a son, and you will call His name JESUS. For He will save His people from their sins” (CG).   Joseph was just told that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit. The messenger continues, saying, “And she will bring forth a Son.”   The words not only demonstrate the presence of God in the process, but more, they also reveal the directive hand of God. The Child will not merely be opening Mary's womb, but the Lord is directing what type of child will be born, a Son. Understanding that, it next says, “and you will call His name JESUS.”   The words of this verse are similar to what was said to Mary –   “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” Luke 1:31   Mary was told this, and even if she then told it to Joseph, it is still right that the messenger would repeat it to him now. His words confirm the words of Mary, or they establish the matter for Joseph if she had not yet told him. Either way, he is informed what will come to pass concerning the Child, and he is told what the Child's name will be.   This is not a unique event in Scripture. The names of Isaac and Ishmael were given before they were born. Josiah's name was prophesied before he was born. Also, the name of Cyrus, King of Persia, was stated in a prophecy before he was born. In the New Testament, John the Baptist had his name designated before he was born.   Though the name of Samson was not given before he was born, details concerning him were described. Such events as this show that God is in control of the redemptive narrative, and He intervenes at key points to continue having history unfold according to a set plan.   The name Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua. It is a shortened form of Yehoshua, Joshua. Whereas Yehoshua means The Lord is Salvation, Yeshua means Salvation, or He Will Save, coming from the verb yasha, to deliver or save. Joshua anticipated the coming of Christ through his name.   In the coming of Christ, the type is fulfilled: the Lord, Yehovah, is Salvation. Therefore, the messenger provides the reason for the selection of the name, saying, “For He will save His people from their sins.”   Thus, as happens so often in Scripture, a pun is formed, “You shall call His name Salvation, for He will save His people from their sins.”   The implication of the messenger's word is that Christ has a group of people that will be saved. It is also implied that some will not be saved because they are “not His people.” What is also explicit is that people have sin from which they must be saved. Without this process, they remain in a state of condemnation. Jesus has come to correct this in His people.   Life application: It is not uncommon for people to argue over the name of Jesus. Some argue that His name is originally a different Hebrew name than Yeshua, deriving their opinion from one Old Testament passage or another. However, it is most commonly accepted that His name is either Yehoshua or Yeshua.   As He is the Lord, Yehovah, in human flesh, it makes less sense to call him The Lord is Salvation (Yehoshua). Rather, He is the Lord who is Salvation (Yeshua). However, fighting over this is not necessary.   Another way people argue over Jesus' name is to insist that we should use the Hebrew name only because that is His “real” name. As Jesus isn't the way a Hebrew would speak, it is somehow bad to them that we would say “Jesus.”   This dismisses the fact that the vast majority of people don't pronounce any biblical name as it actually is. Some are so far from the Hebrew that when the Hebrew is heard, we don't even know who is being referred to. To say we must pronounce Jesus' Hebrew name would necessitate that we do so with all biblical names. It is unreasonable to hold to this view.   Languages were developed by God. They continue to change as time passes. As they do, we accommodate to the general use of names within a language. The name Yeshua is transliterated into the Greek as Iésous (ee ay soos). If God wanted us to say Yeshua today, He wouldn't have had the New Testament given to us in Greek.   From Iésous, the English language developed through the Germanic languages. Iésous eventually became Jesus (Yesous). Germans don't have the hard J (think of Johannes Kepler). The name then moved to the English people as Jesus with a hard J. Within English, this same name is actually pronounced quite differently depending on where you are. If you go to a southern church in the U.S., it sounds like Jayzuz. And so forth.   There are YT videos that give the name of Jesus in many languages throughout the world. Different people groups will pronounce the name differently. But in the end, our Jesus is the Christ of the nations as well as the Messiah of Israel. However you pronounce His name, do it with respect. He is our Lord. He is our JESUS.   Lord God, we stand in awe of what You have done. You have come to us in the Person of Jesus our Savior. May You be eternally praised for Your goodness to the sons of Adam for redeeming us unto Yourself. All hail the name of Jesus. Amen.  

Are you looking after your energetic state? It's no secret that most of what we desire is “high vibe” - and since like attracts like in order to attract your desires you need to be in a high frequency.  BUT - how can you get there?  Today's episode is a solo pep talk from G about what you can do to nurture your energetic state and raise your frequency.  If you have been currently trying to manifest a desire or are feeling like your sparkle has disappeared then this is the perfect episode for you.  You can purchase the project here. Use the code 'NEXTLEVEL222' to get $222 off for the first 24 hours. (Available to purchase from 7:00am, Monday 27 May) You can find G's book recommendation - the Source by Dr Tara Swart here.  You can listen to the episode on the Law of Attraction here.  You can find out more about RISE the app here.  You can join our Facebook group here.    You can find our Instagram here.   You can shop our courses here.  You can shop our products here.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join host Tewannah Aman for her podcast, "In Christ, I Can!" How many of us struggle with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy? Philippians 4:13 is a verse that many know well,  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” But how often do we freeze up? How many times have we not gone through a door? Or we haven't taken advantage of an opportunity? Do I  hear a resounding yes and amen? I can relate. We have had many who have criticized and condemned us, and that has created a fear of rejection and a fear of failure deep within us. Those times when someone made us feel so  insecure and inadequate, telling us things like:   “You aren't good enough. You are a failure. Why even try? You are hopeless and helpless.”  And the list goes on. When we accepted Jesus, we were adopted into His family. We are children of God and daughters of the King. But the tapes that have been playing in our heads don't just disappear. Wouldn't that be nice? We are now on a journey called the process of sanctification. That is when we seek God and His Word to renew our hearts and minds (Romans 12:1, 2). It is allowing His truths to transform us into the image of Christ. Walk with me as I share how God has enabled me to work through and overcome those fearful times that still can come back to haunt me. And let's look at Moses and how he struggled with deep feelings of fear and insecurity.  When God called him, he practically refused.   He tried to  convince God He had chosen the wrong person.  We are in good company. God empowered Moses to deliver the Israelites. Even though he was scared, he went through the door anyway.  He trusted the Lord. And the Holy Spirit kicked in, and that is what He wants to do in each of our lives. He wants to reveal His power in and through us. He wants to heal, redeem, and restore the brokenness from our past.  So that you can be used to achieve great and mighty things for His Kingdom. May You seek Him with your whole heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13). God has chosen you. He has a purpose and plan for your life. How exciting is that?!! Now, go rock the world for Jesus.

So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” John 11:47–48Jesus' public ministry had two primary effects upon the people. For many, they were coming to believe in Him and were hanging on His every word. They sought Him out and began to understand that He was the promised Messiah. This was the response of faith. But the reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was far more worldly. In the passage above, we see a group of religious leaders who are completely consumed with worldly concerns to the point that these concerns drown out all matters of faith.As the Sanhedrin convened and discussed what they should do, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, spoke up and gave advice that perfectly depicts this worldly vision. He said, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” Caiaphas and many other religious leaders at the time appeared to be far more concerned with their worldly status and power than they were with matters of true faith and eternal salvation. If they were men who deeply loved God and sought only His holy will, then they would have rejoiced that Jesus' ministry was so fruitful in the lives of the people. They would have offered thanks to God, day and night, for the privilege of seeing the prophecies of old about the Messiah come to fruition before their own eyes. They should have had joy and gratitude, and they should have allowed those spiritual blessings to grow within them and give them the courage they needed to go forth and die with our Lord if necessary. But instead, they chose their comfortable lives and worldly status above the truth, and they decided that Jesus needed to die.One beautiful truth to reflect upon within this context is that God uses all things for His glory and for the salvation of those who believe. With this meeting of the Sanhedrin, these men began to plot the death of Jesus. Eventually they used deceit, manipulation, intimidation and fear to accomplish their goal. But even though from a worldly perspective these misguided religious leaders “won,” from a divine perspective, God used their evil to bring about the greatest good the world had ever known. Through their malice, Jesus' passion and death gave way to the new life of the Resurrection.Reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use all things for our good. Be it in the midst of corruption, persecution, discord, sin, illness or any other evil in life, when we turn to God in faith and surrender, He is able to transform all things and bring forth an abundance of good fruit through them if we only let Him and trust in faith. Prayerfully surrender over to God, today, any of the above concerns that have affected you, and allow yourself to believe the simple truth that nothing can keep you from the glorious fulfillment of the will of God. All things can help toward the salvation of your soul and end in God's eternal glory.My glorious Lord, You were loved by many but also hated by some. Those with power and authority could not see beyond their worldly ambitions, so they began to plot against You. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to see every act of evil inflicted upon me as an opportunity for You to bring forth good. You are glorious, dear Lord. May You be glorified in all things. 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 Chief Priests Take Counsel Together By James Tissot, via Brooklyn Museum

"May You be adored, O merciful God of ours, O All-powerful Lord and Creator. In deepest humility, we give You praise, Plunging ourselves into the ocean of Your Godhead." St. Faustina writes. Listen in as Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC, reads from this modern spiritual classic. To order a copy of the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, visit  ShopMercy.org. Support our Ministries here. 

Let me ask you a question: How are you feeling this holiday season? A) I'm feeling the Christmas magic! Grateful!  B) I'm sad or lonely or really stressed… If you answered yes, you're in good company. Maybe you're having the best Christmas season you've had in a long time! Or maybe you're coping with grief, illness, financial insecurity, or something else. There's a good chance you're dealing with some mix of all of the above, and that's okay.  The holidays can be complicated, and every Christmas song tries to tell you to “be of good cheer.” I'm here to tell you that you don't have to. And you're not alone. So how do you cope when the holidays are hard? Take a listen, and I'll share some ways I'm shedding expectations this year. (And I sing a little too…)  Prayer: God, we acknowledge who You are, and we are grateful. We praise You for who You are, and we thank You for what You've done. We know You've done so much for us this year, but we also want to come to You and say there's many of us that are struggling this holiday season. May we base our expectations on Your expectations. May we be grateful for the gift that Jesus was in our life and is in our life, and the fact, God, that You sent Your only Son. And if that is the end of our gratitude, may we not feel shame in that being all we can celebrate. May You bring comfort to those who are mourning. May You bring freedom to those that are chained. And may You bring peace to those that are in pain. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. _____ Purchase your copy of my new book, How to Human, HERE:  https://bit.ly/HowtoHumanNotes Let's keep in touch! Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear ALL my updates: https://bit.ly/MasFamiliaNotes Interested in advertising with us? Reach out here. _____ INDEED: Need to hire? You need Indeed. Visit indeed.com/HUMANHOPE to start hiring now. HIYA HEALTH: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/HUMANHOPE

Let me ask you a question: How are you feeling this holiday season? A) I'm feeling the Christmas magic! Grateful!  B) I'm sad or lonely or really stressed… If you answered yes, you're in good company. Maybe you're having the best Christmas season you've had in a long time! Or maybe you're coping with grief, illness, financial insecurity, or something else. There's a good chance you're dealing with some mix of all of the above, and that's okay.  The holidays can be complicated, and every Christmas song tries to tell you to “be of good cheer.” I'm here to tell you that you don't have to. And you're not alone. So how do you cope when the holidays are hard? Take a listen, and I'll share some ways I'm shedding expectations this year. (And I sing a little too…)  Prayer: God, we acknowledge who You are, and we are grateful. We praise You for who You are, and we thank You for what You've done. We know You've done so much for us this year, but we also want to come to You and say there's many of us that are struggling this holiday season. May we base our expectations on Your expectations. May we be grateful for the gift that Jesus was in our life and is in our life, and the fact, God, that You sent Your only Son. And if that is the end of our gratitude, may we not feel shame in that being all we can celebrate. May You bring comfort to those who are mourning. May You bring freedom to those that are chained. And may You bring peace to those that are in pain. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. _____ Purchase your copy of my new book, How to Human, HERE:  https://bit.ly/HowtoHumanNotes Let's keep in touch! Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear ALL my updates: https://bit.ly/MasFamiliaNotes Interested in advertising with us? Reach out here. _____ INDEED: Need to hire? You need Indeed. Visit indeed.com/HUMANHOPE to start hiring now. HIYA HEALTH: Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/HUMANHOPE

*** IAYAALIS traces the Christmastime roots back to Ancient Egypt  ***What's Up, my fellow Seekers of The Divine!?!In this 20th episode of ✨

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25–26After this startling opening line from our Lord, Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Thus, at first read it appears that we are called to not only renounce all we possess but also to hate those within our own family. But is this truly what our Lord means? Let's begin with the idea of “hating” those within our family and even our own life.Obviously the word “hate” in this Gospel passage is not the same as the sin of hate and anger. In commenting on this passage, one Church Father explains that there are some cases when the best way to love another is through a form of hate. That is, if another were to act as an obstacle to God, working to deter us from the will of our Lord, then our “hatred” for the actions they do must be firmly expressed. But this is love. A refusal to turn from God, by rejecting another's disordered actions, is a way of sharing the Gospel with them. Let's take an extreme example.Imagine that you lived at a time and circumstance where being a Christian was a crime. You were arrested and commanded to publicly renounce your faith. Instead, you renounced that command with every strength of your soul. In this case, you exercise a form of holy “hate” for the persecution the person is imposing upon you. But that is also an act of love toward them as you fully reject their action by renouncing their command.Or consider also how you hate even your “own life.” Let's say that you fall into serious sin, over and over. The appropriate response is not only to repent but also to have a form of holy hatred for the habit into which you have fallen. This is a true hatred for yourself in the sense that it is a hatred for that which you have become by your sin. But this holy hatred has the ultimate goal of passionately overcoming your sin and is therefore a true act of love for yourself.The concluding line of today's Gospel mentioned above calls us to renounce all of our possessions. In other words, we must renounce anything that we are attached to in a way that is contrary to the will of God. Of course, in God's providence most people (except those who take a vow of poverty) are invited by God to have various possessions so as to meet the material needs of life. But even in this case, we must “renounce” all that we possess, meaning, we must not allow ourselves to become attached to anything other than God. But this is freedom in the truest sense. Even if you have many things, it must be understood that those things do not make you happy. Only God and His will can fulfill you. Nothing else. Thus, we must learn to live as if God and God alone suffices. And if it is God's will that you obtain a house, car, computer, television and other modern conveniences, then so be it. But true “renunciation” of all of these possessions simply means that if at any time you were to lose them, then this would be fine. Therein is perfect detachment. The loss of something material would not deter you in any way from loving and serving God and His holy will. Reflect, today, upon these radical words of Jesus. Try to hear them in the way our Lord meant them. Work to be detached from everything that is contrary to the will of God and everything that becomes an obstacle to God in your life. In the end, possessing God alone is more than you could ever hope for. And only if you fully possess our merciful God will you be able to love yourself and others with the pure heart and love of Jesus our Lord. My demanding Lord, You call us all to a life of radical holiness. You desire that I come to love You above all with all my heart. Please give me the grace and wisdom I need to renounce all that is an obstacle to my love and service of You. May You and You alone be glorified in my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

RISE OF THE ENEMY IS NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON! RISE OF THE ENEMY — NOW AVAILABLE! Today is BOOK LAUNCH DAY!  My new devotional book for boys has been launched out into the world, and it is now officially available on Amazon!  I'm super excited!  The book was funded successfully on Kickstarter back in May […]You can find the shownotes for this episode HERE.The post Rise of the Enemy is Available on Amazon! RTC 80 appeared first on Laurie Christine.

The pinnacle of our relationship with God includes being stripped of every other earthly tie so that nothing holds us back from running toward God with great passion and purpose. We must be freed of every attachment in this life so that our one attachment is God and His holy Will. This does not mean we ought to neglect our love for others. This is especially true with family love. Love for those in your family must take on a special focus and become total and irrevocable. However, there is a difference between loving your family with a perfect love and being attached to them in an earthly way. In fact, holy detachment is necessary if you are to love with the Heart of Christ. Loving Jesus as your one desire in life will direct you to Him through others. You will love Christ in your family and in all aspects of your earthly vocation. But your love for all will be a love for Christ when you love Him with this perfect love. When this happens, every other attachment will be transformed into your love of God (See Diary #1365).What do you love in this world? What is it that you are attached to? Think about your greatest earthly loves. Hopefully these loves include family members and others whom God has put in your life. Now examine those loves and ponder whether they are centered in Christ. By loving them are you actually loving God? Or do these earthly loves remain ends in themselves? Reflect upon the goal of making love of God the one and only focus of your life and try to discover how you love God in and through every other person and every aspect of your life.My Lord, I love You and desire to love You above all else and in all else. May You become the one and only goal of my love. As I love You in all Your creatures may I be drawn closer to You and lavish Your perfect mercy upon their lives. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Feeling stuck? May Yeo Silvers provides practical advice, or fast “hacks”, to boost your personal and professional success. Drawing from a recent conversation with a savvy business associate, May shares the 4 big takeaways she learned that can help you shift your results.   First, she emphasizes the critical link between physical health, mental clarity and business success, stressing diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Second, be cautious about your media intake; avoid negative content and choose sources of information and advice that you've researched and who align with your values. Next, remember that your close circle of friends and business associates matter; your success often mirrors the average success of your five closest associates. Choose them wisely. Lastly, visualize your goals, immersing yourself mentally in where you aim to be. Imagining business and life success before you have it can make it more possible for you to achieve.   This short episode is packed with advice to help you get unstuck and transform your outcomes.   Quotes • "Physical health directly relates to mental health, emotional health, and also your health of your business." (02:46 | May)  • "Your potential for success in life and in business is the average of the five people that you surround yourself with." (10:47 | May)  • "Your current environment, is it a reflection of where you want to go?" (14:52 | May) • “You want to be able to extract yourself from an environment that's not serving you and physically plant yourself in another environment that's going to serve you.” (16:23 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone For more information about our virtual Passion To Profit Workshop on September 13-14 2023: How To Attract Your Ideal Clients & Book Them, click on this link to register: https://workshop.mayyeosilvers.com/optin-passion-to-profit-sept-2023   If you want the FULL EXPERIENCE, for only $37, you get an ADDITIONAL bonus of a pricing video tutorial that teaches you how to price for profit PLUS a pricing calculator with embedded formulas where you can input your numbers and calculate your fees.   Click this link to access your FULL EXPERIENCE for the workshop:  https://workshop.mayyeosilvers.com/optin-passion-to-profit-sept-2023-free-37 Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

In today's episode, we're diving into a surprising topic: how staying active and getting physically fit can actually boost your business success. Host May Yeo Silvers suggests that the way you handle personal challenges can be a sneak peek into how you tackle business obstacles.    May shares a personal story from her past to highlight the concept of mental toughness. She recalls a not-so-great moment in a badminton tournament where she faced a crushing defeat. Despite feeling embarrassed, her passion for the game pushed her to keep going, leading to continuous improvement. This experience became the cornerstone for developing not only physical skills but mental resilience. Participating in sports can be similar to starting a business. There will be times where there are setbacks, but to persevere, you must track and refine your processes along the way.    It's important to learn from your personal achievements and setbacks, using them as building blocks for a strong and confident mindset in entrepreneurship. The key takeaway is to remember the times you've triumphed over challenges and apply that same resilience to your business journey. Quotes • “However you do something in your personal life is how you will show up in your business life." (01:02 | May)  • "You can train your mind to be tough, just like you can train your muscle to be tough. If you can train your body to be tough, you can also train your mind to be tough." (01:58 | May) • "Your mind has different muscles, different levels of personal toughness that you can train." (02:34 | May) • "When I show myself that I can do hard things it will naturally show to the others that they can also do it." (13:21 | May)   Links For more information about our virtual Passion To Profit Workshop on September 13-14 2023: How To Attract Your Ideal Clients & Book Them, click on this link to register:https://workshop.mayyeosilvers.com/optin-passion-to-profit-sept-2023   If you want the FULL EXPERIENCE, for only $37, you get an ADDITIONAL bonus of a pricing video tutorial that teaches you how to price for profit PLUS a pricing calculator with embedded formulas where you can input your numbers and calculate your fees.   Click this link to access your FULL EXPERIENCE for the workshop:  https://workshop.mayyeosilvers.com/optin-passion-to-profit-sept-2023-free-37   Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilversofficial  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Have you really sat down and taken the time to figure out your sales numbers? If not, you are doing yourself a disservice and may even find yourself having to go back to working a corporate job. Today, host May Yeo Silvers shares real life examples as case studies of entrepreneurs who have had to go back to corporate in spite of their business looking like they were doing well.    When business is “good” and you have lots of money coming into your bank account every month, you may make the mistake of thinking you are in the clear and can go ahead and spend that money. However, you might just be making a big mistake! As CEO, it is critical that you take a step back and really get serious about knowing your numbers. Just making sales is not enough if you do not know how many sales you actually need to make in order to afford to pay both your personal bills and your business bills. Also, unlike a corporate job where you make a set amount of money every month, entrepreneurship is trickier. You will likely have some months that are slower where you make much less money or might not have any sales at all. By accounting for this in your calculations, you can determine exactly how many sales you need to be making and how much money you need to have in the bank at all times in order to afford your lifestyle and keep your business afloat even in hard times.    Even if you do not consider yourself a numbers person, it is a crucial component of being a successful CEO. Being great at sales is only one part of the equation. Determining and keeping track of your numbers will help you to make the best decisions for yourself and your business as well as protect you from having to go back to a corporate job.    Quotes • “In running a business, you have to understand what are the must track numbers… all these numbers will determine what you need to do, the next course of action in your business.” (3:53 | May)  • “These four numbers are what's going to save you from not having to go back to corporate.” (5:09 | May) • “You not only need to do the selling, you need to know how much to sell.” (7:39 | May)  • “I should have taken the time to sit down and determine how much money I need in order to live and thrive as a full time CEO for my business.” (9:17 | May) • “When you are in a corporate world, you have a fixed paycheck, so you know how much money is coming in. But when you're in business, you don't know how much money is coming in unless you do your sales projection.” (19:06 | May) • “If you are running a full time business, it is so important to incorporate a line item, which is your salary that you need to pay your personal bills.” (28:50 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm  

Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44Today's Gospel presents us with two very short and similar parables. In the first, quoted above, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “treasure.” In the second parable, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a “pearl of great price.” Though these parables are very similar to each other, there are also subtle differences worth pondering. It appears that the treasure mentioned in the first parable is discovered almost by accident. The person simply “finds” it. This is in contrast to the second parable, in that the merchant who finds the pearl of great price did so after “searching” for it. We often encounter the Treasure of the Gospel without even looking for it. We do so any time God intervenes in our lives without us seeking His intervention. For example, if someone were to offer an act of charity to you without you seeking it out, this is God giving you a treasure of His Kingdom. Or if someone shares with you their faith, or an inspiration they received, this is indeed a treasure given to you by God. The problem is that many times when we are given these treasures of the Gospel, we do not always see them as treasures. Imagine, for example, if the person in this parable were to stumble upon the treasure in the field and fail to open it out of indifference. They see it from a distance, have a bit of curiosity about what is in the box, but they are not energetic enough to actually open the box and look inside. In that case, the person would have no reason to go and sell all that they have so as to buy the field in which the treasure is found.One clear message that this first parable reveals is that we must be attentive to the countless treasures of God's graces given to us each and every day. God is so prolific in offering us grace, that we truly do stumble upon His grace all the time. Thus, having eyes to perceive His actions and ears to Hear His Voice is essential.A second message clearly given in both of these parables is that once we discover the graces God gives us every day, we must foster within ourselves a desire for those graces that is so strong that we are willing to do anything necessary to obtain them. The discovery is made through the gift of faith, but the discovery by faith must then be followed with a zeal that drives our will to conform to that discovery. Reflect, today, upon two things. First, have you discovered the treasures God has given to you? If you hesitate in answering this, then it's most likely the case that there is much you have yet to discover. Secondly, as you do discover the riches that come with the gift of faith, then have you allowed that which God has spoken to you to consume you to such a point that you are willing to sell all you have, meaning, do whatever it takes to further accept all God wants to bestow? Resolutely determine to go forth on this holy search and you will find that the riches of grace that you obtain are of infinite value. My Lord of all riches, You bestow upon me and upon all Your children countless graces every day. The treasures of Your mercy are of infinite value. Please open my eyes so that I can see and my ears so that I can hear so as to discover all that You wish to bestow. May You and the riches of Your Kingdom become the one and only, all-consuming focus of my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Are you really giving your business your all? It's one thing to go through the motions, but it's another to be fully present and put your heart into everything that you do for your business. Today, host May shares the importance of self-awareness and the ability to self audit in order to really be sure you are going all in for your business' success.    In order for your business to grow, you must first grow as a person. Assuming you are a full time CEO, there are around 8 hours available for you to devote to your business each day. How many of those hours do you actually spend on sales generating activities or coming up with creative ideas for your business? If you're being honest with yourself, you will likely find that you are not actually giving all you could be to being a CEO. You are getting your day to day activities done, but maybe your heart is not really in it or your mind is elsewhere. It can be daunting to ask yourself why you are procrastinating certain tasks or why you are struggling to be fully present, but self-awareness is key for accessing a growth mindset.    You owe it to yourself and to your business to give it your all. If you are struggling with really dedicating yourself to taking inspired action rather than just checking off tasks, you first need to have the courage to ask yourself the hard questions and face whatever fears and doubts are standing in the way.    Quotes • “If you want your business to grow, you have got to grow first.” (2:42 | May)  • “How many hours are you taking inspired action? Taking action is not good enough. Taking inspired action is what is going to move the success needle. Taking actions by just checking off, okay, I got to do this, I got to do this, I got to do this. That means your heart is not there. When your heart is not there your people can feel it in terms of your content. You're just a robot reading a script.” (10:50 | May)  • “When you put in your heart, your emotions, in carrying out an action, a sales generating action, delivering a message, communicating your value, your expertise, talking about your brand, connecting with people, those are sales generating activities.” (13:11 | May) • “You can work all day long. But all day long, are you really working? Are you really present? If you are not, you're just doing it for the sake of doing it, then you're not really giving it all.” (16:53 | May) • “Self awareness is key.” (18:22 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Wednesday, 19 July 2023   This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. Acts 18:25   The previous verse introduced Apollos, noting that he was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures and that he had come to Ephesus. Luke next records, “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord.”   The verb being imperfect gives the sense of “He was being instructed.” He didn't just get instructed at a certain point, but his instruction was ongoing in nature. He continued pursuing the knowledge of “the way of the Lord.”   These words are both technical and descriptive. The faith was called “the Way” at this time (Acts 9:2, for example). At the same time, it is technical in the sense that he understood the doctrine of the Lord. Today someone might say, the “religion” of Christ in a comparable sense. Therefore, he knew both what Jesus taught and he knew what was taught concerning the Lord. Next, it says of him, “and being fervent in spirit.”   The word translated as “fervent” is zeó. It is an onomatopoeia. It describes the sound of boiling water. It means to bubble over because it is hot enough to boil. Figuratively, it means showing great zeal or being keenly passionate, as if one is boiling with great interest or desire. It is found only here and in Romans 12:11.    The words “in spirit” surely refer to his spirit, not the Holy Spirit. He was zealous for his doctrine and instruction. The words “spoke” and “teach” are in the imperfect tense and should be rendered as “speaking” and “teaching.” He continuously did these things. One can imagine Apollos simply exuded with his love of telling others about the Lord and explaining the wonderful things He has done. Therefore, it next says that “he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord.”   The Greek word translated as “accurately,” akribós, is described by HELPS Word Studies, saying, “This root (akrib-) refers to gaining exact information with the highest level of accuracy (‘exactness') and is acquired by probing investigation to provide a comprehensive circumspect (precise) view in strict adherence to the facts.”   What this means is that his instruction and his knowledge of the Scriptures had led him to know and understand that Jesus is, in fact, the Christ. And so, this is what he proclaimed. His deficiency in the faith that will next be described was a result of a lack of instruction on doctrinal matters, but not a lack of understanding who Christ is and what role He filled. Why is this important? Why is this being relayed to us? The answer is seen in the final words of the verse, saying, “though he knew only the baptism of John.”   The implication is that Apollos was, at this time, a saved Jew. He was a believer. Because this is so it reveals an important truth. Even though he was saved, he only knew of John's baptism. Therefore, it is sure evidence against those heretics who say that water baptism is a necessary condition for salvation, thus adding works to the simple gospel of Jesus Christ.   Rather, water baptism is an issue of obedience and right doctrine. This is what is being conveyed, and it is fully supported by verse 27 as well as what will occur in Chapter 19. Despite being a descriptive passage, the internal clues about the faith of Apollos still help us to more accurately understand Paul's prescriptive words in the epistles.   Life application: The simple (and only gospel) is belief in the finished work of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins. He was buried. He rose again. This was in accord with Scripture and it is what we need to know in order to be saved. If we believe that He has done these things, God will accept our faith and impute to us the righteousness of Christ.   Salvation and proper doctrine do not necessarily go hand in hand, except proper doctrine on how to be saved. But for other matters, such as the rapture or how to properly conduct oneself in life as a Christian, one must learn those things. However, they have no bearing on the matter of getting saved or remaining saved.   Water baptism is an external sign of the inward change that has taken place in us. And yet, it is a command of the Lord. As such, to not receive water baptism is disobedience to His command. Thus, to refuse to be water baptized when it is clearly known that Jesus stated to do so will result in a loss of rewards, but it will not affect one's salvation. Get these things right, be saved through belief, and then be baptized as an open profession that you are a saved believer and follower of Jesus.   Lord God, thank You for what You have done in the giving of Jesus. May we be obedient to the faith we profess and adhere to the word that has been given to us after we are saved. Help us to pursue proper doctrine all our days. May You be glorified as we do. Amen.  

It is finally time to bust the biggest myth of all when it comes to starting your event planning business. If you've been told that in order to be an event planner you need to purchase your own inventory, listen up, because May is here to explain why this could not be further from the truth. In fact, if you do decide to invest in your own inventory, you could actually be limiting your business growth potential.    While it may seem like less of a hassle or even a way to save money in the long run, owning your own inventory comes with a lot of additional costs than just buying it in the first place. You will have to maintain that inventory, store it somewhere, set it up at the event and break it down afterward. That's a lot of extra work! These are all labor costs and taking up valuable time that you could be spending on growing your business and generating sales. If your goal is to be an event planner, then you do not need to spend your money, time, and energy on physically designing and staging the materials for the event. You're a planner, not a designer! Doing all that extra work on top of your planning duties will quickly cause you to wear down and risk burning out, all while not really benefiting your business in terms of revenue.    Don't let not being able to afford your own inventory stop you from starting your event planning business! The top most successful event planners in the industry do not own or manage their own inventory. You should not have to be responsible for manual labor at your events like setting up and breaking down equipment, because this takes from your time to actually manage the event and generate more sales. The next time someone tells you that you need to own your own inventory in order to be a successful event planner, direct them to May for some much needed myth busting.    Quotes • “It's a widespread belief that you need to purchase inventory in order to start your event planning business.” (1:28-1:41 | May) • “If you want to own inventory, you were probably given this idea that it's so much cheaper to just own it than to rent it from a vendor.” (8:55-9:09 | May) • “You forget the costs of maintaining the inventory, of keeping the inventory, of setting up the inventory. You forget the costs of breaking down the inventory. All those are labor hours.” (9:48-10:08 | May) • “You want to copycat? Find the right cat to copy.” (14:04-14:06 | May)  • “If you are living in a small town and you need this inventory, find a cheaper labor than you that costs less than what you're charging yourself.” (16:50-17:01 | May) • “If you are doing something, that means you're not able to do something else. You also limit your growth. If you are actively involved in the inventory portion, that means you're doing things that's not sales generating.” (18:10-18:24 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

If you are an event planner or designer who wants to build a sustainable business both in terms of profit AND freedom based lifestyle, you CANNOT be personally handling every manual task at each event. Instead, envision yourself as the CEO or boss lady, overseeing a team of talented individuals who specialize in different aspects of your craft. By delegating tasks and trusting others, you can scale your business, cater to multiple events in a day, and avoid limiting your earning potential.   The key here is finding the right balance between honoring your passion and maximizing your income. You deserve to enjoy what you do, but you must also consider the opportunity cost of your time. Charging premium rates for your presence at events is a fair and effective way to ensure you're adequately compensated for your expertise. By openly communicating with clients about the additional fee for your on-site involvement, you can maintain transparency while aligning your income goals. Remember, you don't have to be physically present at every event to provide exceptional service. Instead, selectively choose which events require your direct involvement and charge accordingly, allowing you to play to your strengths, earn a substantial income, and nurture your passion for your craft without sacrificing your financial success.   It's crucial to recognize that your passion for your craft shouldn't come at the expense of your profit margin. Embrace the role of a business owner and delegate tasks to a competent team, but find the right compromise that allows you to maximize your income without compromising your love for your craft. Quotes •  "If you are hearing from other people or seeing how other people are running their business by having to use your talent and your time doing all these manual tasks that you could actually delegate to someone else to do it or hire a vendor to do that, that means you are limiting your earning income." (06:20-06:38 | May) • “You've got to have a good balance of really honoring your passion for your craft and making the money that you want to make.” (09:52-09:59 | May) • "If you wanna make money, start looking at how very successful wealthy people run their business. They are not in the day-to-day operation. They're not in the day-to-day client facing operation. They do more strategy work." (11:19-11:32 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Have you been taught by sales professionals that you should always go into a sale assuming that it is a done deal? While assuming the sales is an important piece of a sales strategy, it is not the complete equation. In today's episode, host May Yeo Silvers discusses the other 50% of the equation for forming a successful sales strategy.    Building up your confidence is a big part of being successful in sales. You always want to go into a conversation with a potential client with a lot of confidence in yourself and the services you are offering, as well as with an assumption that they will want to work with you. However, if you go into it leaning too heavily into your assumptions, that potential client might feel like they are being forced to say yes to you. Instead, give that person a way out by asking them questions that enable them to explain in their own words why they want to work with you. When people have a chance to articulate their reasoning, they will be much more likely to go through with the sale.   Most people are not inclined to argue against themselves. So, instead of insisting that someone work with you, give them an opportunity to choose to work with you and explain their reasoning in their own words.  Tune into this episode of The Unstoppable Eventrepreneur™ to learn more about why assuming the sales is not always enough.    Quotes • “Assuming the sales is 50% of the equation.” (7:14-7:17 | May)  • “You need to create an opportunity for your potential client to tell you, to articulate it themselves, that you are the person that they want to work with.” (7:59-8:15 | May) • “You want them to explain why they want to work with you. Because when they say out loud the reasons why they want to work with you, they are justifying to themselves and they probably will hear 100% of what they're saying.” (11:44-12:22 | May)  • “You want to be confident in presenting your services and assuming the sales. But then at the later part, you want to be curious by asking them questions, so they don't feel that they are being pushed to have to work with you.” (15:04-15:16 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: events4anyone.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Are you afraid of being judged or rejected? Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? Knowing strategy and tactics is only a small part of being successful when building a business. You also have to be able to execute that strategy, but that can be hard to do when your ego is getting in the way. In today's episode, host May Yeo Silvers discusses what she refers to as the four demons you face when building a business and shares her tips for dealing with them.   May explains that the four demons are imposter syndrome, the fear of failure, the fear of rejection and the fear of judgment. All of these fears are tied to the ego and to your pride. With imposter syndrome, it is important to check the source and verify the facts. If someone is calling you a fake, who are they to say that? Unless you are lying about your services, you are not an imposter. When thinking about the fear of failure, judgment, and rejection, these fears are linked to a desire for external validation and come from your ego trying to protect itself. Remind your ego that you are grateful for it keeping you safe all these years, but that it is no longer necessary.    If you focus only on learning strategy and do not put in the work to get past your own ego and imposter syndrome, then you will not be able to implement these strategies effectively. Tune into this episode of The Unstoppable Eventrepreneur™ for a closer look at the four demons and ways to navigate them.    Quotes • “Knowing strategies and tactics are only probably 20% of what you need in your business and the rest of the percentage all depends on how you manage these four demons.” (2:58-3:12 | May) • “Unless you are lying about it, you are not an impostor. You may not know the ins and outs, or you may not be an expert in the subject topic, but that doesn't mean that you're an impostor.” (5:50-6:07 | May) • “You should not need someone's validation to tell you whether you're doing a good job or not.” (6:38-6:44 | May) • “A lot of times what we fear are not real fears. A lot of times it's our pride.” (10:05-10:10 | May)  • “If you have impostor syndrome, if you have a fear of failure, that means you are afraid of being judged.” (13:55-14:03 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: events4anyone.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Thursday, 25 May 2023   And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. Acts 17:4   A more literal rendering than that of the NKJV needs to be used – “And some of them were persuaded and joined themselves to Paul and to Silas, along with a great multitude of the worshiping Greeks, and not a few of the leading women” (CG).   Paul has been in the synagogue at Thessalonica for three Sabbaths discussing the matter concerning Israel's Messiah. He has just said, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” With that, it now notes, “And some of them were persuaded.”   Some translations say, “believed,” but this is not the word pisteuo found in verses such as John 3:16. Rather, this word, peithó, means to urge or to persuade. It is the root of the word pistis, or faith. They were persuaded, having faith that what they were told was true. Even if the meaning is that they believed, it is based on Paul's teaching and urging. In this, they were persuaded, “and joined themselves to Paul and to Silas.”   It is a word found only here in Scripture, proskléroó. It signifies to assign by lot, to associate with, or to follow as a disciple. The basis of the word is kléroó, to assign by lot. Hence, it is to share common lot with another.   They have accepted the message that Jesus is the Christ and have thrown their lot in with those who proclaim Him. This has been referring to the Jews in the synagogue. However, they are not the only ones who have been so persuaded. It next notes, “along with a great multitude of the worshiping Greeks.”   Calling them “worshiping Greeks,” means that they were proselytes to some degree or another. They had already accepted that the God proclaimed in the Jewish Scriptures was the true God and had worshiped Him as such. However, they have now been convinced, right from those same Scriptures, that Jesus is the fulfillment of them. He, in fact, is the promised Messiah. As a note of the universality of the message, it next says, “and not a few of the leading women.”   These would be influential women who were probably connected with ranking families within the community. They may have been proselytes, or they may have been the wives of some of the proselytes who came and they wanted to identify with their husbands. The main point is that the women were not excluded from this fellowship and these women were influential in their circles. Thus, they would become a means of attracting others as they developed in their own faith.   Of the status of women in Macedonia, the Pulpit Commentary says –   “Popular prejudice, and the verdict of Grecian wisdom in its best age, asserted her natural inferiority. The Athenian law provided that everything which a man might do by the counsel or request of a woman should be null in law. She was little better than a slave. To educate her was to advertise her as a harlot. Her companions were principally children and slaves. In Macedonia, however, monuments were erected to women by public bodies; and records of male proper names are found, in Macedonian inscriptions, formed on the mother's name instead of on the father's. Macedonian women were permitted to hold property, and were treated as mistresses of the house.”   Life application: In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Paul says to those in the congregation, “...how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” This would obviously be people other than those who were mentioned in Acts 17:4. What can be inferred is that Paul and Silas talked to others throughout the week. Their soul-focus (pun intended) was not just on those at the synagogue, but it extended to pagans as well.   Though it was Paul's practice to teach at the synagogue, it was also his passion to speak about Jesus to anyone at any time. It is a good lesson for us all. Our interactions with others regarding Jesus do not have to be limited to our time at church. Rather, we should be ready and willing to interact with people at all times. When the opportunity arises, let us open our mouths and speak!   Lord God, may we never withhold the precious, saving message of Jesus. Rather, give us the boldness to always tell others about His goodness. May You be glorified in our willingness to share the gospel often and with zeal. Be with us as we do! Amen.  

Do you know all of your sales numbers for your business? It is a common mistake for new entrepreneurs to not understand the difference between financial numbers and sales numbers. Without knowing your sales numbers, you cannot turn your passion into profit. In today's episode, host May Yeo Silvers talks about the sales numbers you absolutely must know in your business.   May explains that while exact sales numbers differ for every business owner, they do not differ in the manner in which they are calculated. She gives an example working backward from an income goal of $120,000 and walks through how to arrive at each sales number including calculating conversion rate, number of qualified leads, and how many sales you need to make to reach the desired income. May also explains the 80/20 rule which states that in a room of 100 people, only 20 will actually hear you and maybe 1 or 2 will become a sale. When you can see each sales number tracked, then you have a better understanding of what is required to reach your goals.    Sales numbers are different from financial numbers, but are just as important for running a successful and profitable business. Tune into this episode of The Unstoppable Eventrepreneur™ for a deeper dive into the sales numbers every business owner must know.   Quotes • “There's a big difference between financial numbers and sales numbers.” (1:41-1:45 | May)  • “A lead is someone who knows the services you provide and they want and need the services you provide. They know how much you cost and they're able to pay how much you are charging.” (5:05-5:23 | May) • “The goal here is to work less and make more. So you need to keep testing your price point to see where you are in terms of your conversion rate.” (9:07-9:18 | May) • “You want to be able to track all these numbers to see what your closing rate is. You want to be able to reverse engineer the numbers.” (17:11-17:18 | May)   Links Connect with me at: may@events4anyone.com Website: events4anyone.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilvers  FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” John 11:47–48 Jesus' public ministry had two primary effects upon the people. For many, they were coming to believe in Him and were hanging on His every word. They sought Him out and began to understand that He was the promised Messiah. This was the response of faith. But the reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was far more worldly. In the passage above, we see a group of religious leaders who are completely consumed with worldly concerns to the point that these concerns drown out all matters of faith.As the Sanhedrin convened and discussed what they should do, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, spoke up and gave advice that perfectly depicts this worldly vision. He said, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” Caiaphas and many other religious leaders at the time appeared to be far more concerned with their worldly status and power than they were with matters of true faith and eternal salvation. If they were men who deeply loved God and sought only His holy will, then they would have rejoiced that Jesus' ministry was so fruitful in the lives of the people. They would have offered thanks to God, day and night, for the privilege of seeing the prophecies of old about the Messiah come to fruition before their own eyes. They should have had joy and gratitude, and they should have allowed those spiritual blessings to grow within them and give them the courage they needed to go forth and die with our Lord if necessary. But instead, they chose their comfortable lives and worldly status above the truth, and they decided that Jesus needed to die.One beautiful truth to reflect upon within this context is that God uses all things for His glory and for the salvation of those who believe. With this meeting of the Sanhedrin, these men began to plot the death of Jesus. Eventually they used deceit, manipulation, intimidation and fear to accomplish their goal. But even though from a worldly perspective these misguided religious leaders “won,” from a divine perspective, God used their evil to bring about the greatest good the world had ever known. Through their malice, Jesus' passion and death gave way to the new life of the Resurrection.Reflect, today, upon the fact that God is able to use all things for our good. Be it in the midst of corruption, persecution, discord, sin, illness or any other evil in life, when we turn to God in faith and surrender, He is able to transform all things and bring forth an abundance of good fruit through them if we only let Him and trust in faith. Prayerfully surrender over to God, today, any of the above concerns that have affected you, and allow yourself to believe the simple truth that nothing can keep you from the glorious fulfillment of the will of God. All things can help toward the salvation of your soul and end in God's eternal glory. My glorious Lord, You were loved by many but also hated by some. Those with power and authority could not see beyond their worldly ambitions, so they began to plot against You. Give me the grace, dear Lord, to see every act of evil inflicted upon me as an opportunity for You to bring forth good. You are glorious, dear Lord. May You be glorified in all things. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

There are many things in life we can become attached to. Sometimes we can even become attached to things that are good. Most often, what we become attached to is our own stubborn will. We want what we want when we want it. One key to authentic holiness is to strive to be detached from everything but God and His holy Will. This requires much “letting go” in our lives and much surrender (See Diary #338).What is it that you are attached to? What comes to mind first? What is it that you would not want to let go of? Even attachment to good things in life is a way of trusting more in creatures than in God. And, in fact, the only way to authentically love another, be it God, family, friends, or anyone else, is to detach from your selfish attachments so that the love of God can flood you and love others through you with His pure and perfect love.Lord, help me to let go of all that is not of You. Help me, especially, to see my sin and to surrender it over to You. Help me to detach even from family in a holy way so that I am free to love them with Your Heart. May You, my Lord, be my one goal and love, and in this love may I discover how to love everyone with Your Heart. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

There are many times in life when we are treated unjustly. As a result, our first instinct is to fight back, defend ourselves and see to it that justice is done. But is that what Jesus did? No, He remained silent and accepted all injustice as a sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. He was the Just One who took upon Himself all injustice. In doing so, He did two things. First, He appeased the justice of the Father as He offered this injustice for the atonement of sin. This is the central and deepest mystery of our faith. Second, He invites us to follow His example. In doing so, we are invited to accept unjust treatment and meet it with Mercy and forgiveness. This requires great inner strength and love. But if we are able to unite our own unjust suffering to that of Christ's, we will win more souls for God than if we fought back winning a temporary satisfaction of earthly justice (See Diary #81).How have you been treated with cruelty and injustice? Reflect upon that which has been most painful to you and know that this suffering is an opportunity for you to atone for the sins of the world. You are enabled, by uniting your hurt to the suffering of Christ, to win many souls for God. This is the mystery of our redemption. It's a mystery we are invited to enter into, live and offer to God as a sacrifice of love. Take a step in this direction, today, and watch the hurt you have dissolve into Mercy.Lord, I offer You, this day, my hurt, pain and all suffering. I especially offer You the injustices I have faced in life. May You remove all bitterness from my heart and replace it with Your Divine Mercy. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: www.divinemercy.lifeCopyright © 2023 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

2023 Annual Prayer Planner - 21 Days of Prayer & Journaling to Plan Your Year digital download  2023 Annual Prayer Planner - 21 Days of Prayer & Journaling to Plan Your Year print book at Amazon   Well, hey there! So good to be with you today on this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are trusting fully in the Lord as we move toward 2023. My prayer for you is that you will know God better, hear the voice of your Good Shepherd more clearly, have more joy and peace and faith than ever before, and see the miraculous happening all throughout the coming year. Is that a big, bold prayer for me to be making on your behalf? Perhaps. But isn't that what makes it a prayer worth praying from the very depths of my heart? Definitely. You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, part of the Spark Network, now playing in the Edifi app. This is episode number 130. Recently I have been reading through the later chapters of the book of Genesis, along with 1 Peter and Hebrews. And every single day it seems like the Holy Spirit shows me places where He wants me to yield more, trust more, believe more, grow up more. Looking at the life of Joseph in Genesis, from his childhood to his difficulties with his brothers to his betrayal to his time in Egypt that was anything but sunshine and roses, to be honest, I have been encouraged, convicted and challenged. That's not always the most fun place to be in my walk as a disciple of Jesus, but it is always a healthy, good place for me to be. And so, as it says in chapter 4 of 1 Peter, I am finding joy in the hard things (that's a very, very loose paraphrase, btw).    I'd like to read a verse from the NLT out of Psalm 18. Let me read verse 3 aloud to you.    It says: I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.   Here it is from the Amplified: I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.   Very small differences between the two versions, but the Amplified Bible changes the tense a bit. From called in the NLT, past tense, to CALL in the Amplified, present tense. And the last portion - and I am saved from my enemies.    Right now is the moment we can call upon the Lord and be saved from our enemies. We have enemies, like it or not. The devil, of course, is our ultimate enemy. But so often, in my own life, I am my own enemy. I fear failing at some new thing so I sort of put it off, do some other stuff, work on this, fiddle around with that. But fail to do that thing I should get going on, fail to do it because I don't want to fail in doing it. Anybody else?    I know that failure is not fatal, that failure is actually not doing anything. Trying at something, learning and growing and slowly at times taking baby steps forward, that is actually a part of success. Failure isn't as big a deal as I give it credit for, when I frame it correctly. Failure when I am doing what the Lord calls me to do is falling forward, toward His good and perfect and pleasing will for my life. Failure is falling backward when I do nothing, try nothing, attempt nothing for God's glory or for His Kingdom or for other people's benefit. Failure, according to the book of James, is when I know the good I ought to do but do not do it.    So as I live out the last couple of days of 2022 and step toward the new year, which feels new even though technically it is simply turning the page on the calendar and not one single thing beyond the date change may be even remotely new at this point in time - as I live in this moment and move forward into the next moments of my life, I am choosing to remember this truth about failure. Because there are some things I need to work on, some prayers I need to pray, some tasks I need to be about, some people I need to love better, some dreams I need to dream with the Lord, and some nonsense and baggage I need to drop right here and never pick up again. And I am thinking you may need to leave some stuff behind too. Maybe you need to redefine failure for the new year. Maybe we need to, collectively, give each other ample grace while also extending that grace to our very own selves.    Back to Psalm 18, I'm calling on the Lord today and have plans to call on Him as often as need be in 2023, and I am believing He will save me from my enemies. Even if the biggest enemy is me at times.    I'd like to take a moment and pray a blessing over you for the New Year.    Lord, my prayer for each listener is that they will wholeheartedly, with fervency and devotion, love you more in 2023 than at any other time in their life. Would you be their strength, and not only when they face trouble or trials or difficulties or stress, but every single day. Be their strength as they parent their children, as they grieve losses, as they do their job week after week, in their finances, as they face what may feel like difficult economic times that are heavy and hard to bear, in their family relationships and in their ministry roles and even when they lie down to sleep each night, would you be their strength in those times to rest fully in you and be able to sleep and get the rest You want them to have? Be their rock, fortress, and rescuer in this new year. May they turn to you and take refuge in you as often as they need to. Be their shield, their high tower where they will be above the stresses of daily life and able to see things from Your point of view. Be their stronghold, a very certain help and comfort in their time of need.    You are worthy to be praised, Lord. May they praise You often and with great adoration. Save them from their enemies, whomever and whatever those enemies may be. Hear me as I pray today, and keep this prayer before You all year, one You will answer on their behalf again and again. Open dry paths for them to walk on when it seems as if deep waters are hindering their way. Where You lead, may they follow, and may they be blessed in that following of Your daily leading. Reach down from on high, rescue them, delight in them, bring them out into a broad place. Enable them to live clean lives before You, honoring You in public and in private, keeping the ways of the Lord. Help them to remain in Your Word, to spend time in prayer, and to be part of the local church that blesses them and is a blessing through them to other believers. Show yourself kind to them, and may Your kindness spur them on to kindness that overflows onto others. Save Your people who are afflicted, and remind them of the need to remain humble before You. Keep them from arrogance, foolishness, and haughty behaviors or thoughts. By Your power, Lord, they can crush a troop or scale a wall. As they do great exploits spiritually for Your kingdom, may You receive all the glory and praise. Bring them healing in every area that it is needed - emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually, relationally, and every other way that healing will bless them. Encircle them with strength, be their rock, make their way blameless.    Make their feet like hinds feet, stable and sure and able to climb on the heights - because we know that the high points of life require sure footing so we don't forget You or Your blessings in the good times, or think we caused the good things of our own accord, or focus so much on the good life that we stumble due to not caring for those around us who may not be in a good times season of life. Make us able to stand firmly and walk safely in the midst of trouble. Set us securely on the high places You have ordained for us. Train our hands for the battles we fight, and to be in the fray and in the fight by praying for those You lead us to pray for. May we be able to bend a bow of bronze and see the prayers we pray through to fruition. Uphold and sustain them with Your right hand. May Your gentleness, Your gracious response to them as they pray and on their behalf as I pray this over them today, may Your gracious response make them great, for Your kingdom and Your purposes in this world that needs You so desperately.    Enlarge the path before them and make their steps secure so that their feet will not slip. They will pursue their enemies and overtake them this year. They will not turn back until their enemies are consumed. Satan will not have the final victory, and I am asking that he will not win in the battles they are fighting in 2023. Lord, with humility I am making this request on their behalf. Lord, do not deny me my requests today. May I be like the woman in Luke chapter 18 - like that parable You told about praying and not giving up, I will ask and ask and ask again like the persistent widow. Do not withhold from me answers to this prayer. Answer it again and again on their behalf, all throughout the next twelve months. May their enemies fall wounded under their feet, as it says in Your Word. Encircle them with strength for the battle, strength for whatever comes in 2023. Subdue those who come against them in ways that will not grow them, sanctify them, or honor You through them. Rescue them from contentious people, place them as the head and not the tail, may they be positioned for service among those who are Your people, Lord, and those who are in need of You in their lives. May they live in obedience to You, to Your will and Your call on their lives. And may they see the fruit of the Spirit in their life again and again and again, all year long. You, Lord, live. Blessed be Your name! May You, the God of our salvation, be exalted!    Rescue these ones for whom I am praying today. Life them above those who attack them and rise up against them, whether those are people attacking, circumstances attacking, or satan attacking. Deliver them from men of violence. We are Your people, we are a people of peace, and may we live in peace and at peace as far as it depends on us. We choose today to honor You with our lives all year long. We set this year before You and offer it to You before it even begins. And we give You our worship, our love, our adoration, our hearts. You are good, and You cannot be otherwise. You do nothing apart from Your lovingkindness for us. We give thanks to You, we praise You, O Lord among the nations, and we will sing praises to Your name all throughout this new year. Thank You for Your care for us, for hearing my prayer and answering it, for Your Word which teaches me how to pray and what to ask You for, thank You for Your steadfast love toward us and the mercy You extend. Thank You, and once again I say thank You.  This I pray in the name of Jesus, and may it be done according to Your Word. Amen.  I am always so blessed, so thankful, for the opportunity to pray for you. And I really do mean that. It is a privilege to pray for others, isn't it? And one thing that gave me sort of a heart jump-start when it comes to prayer was the realization that I won't need to pray when I am in eternity, in heaven, with the Lord. I am still going to praise and worship and adore Him, revere Him, honor Him. But He will set everything aright, He will make all things new, and He means it when He says in Revelation that there will be no more crying or death or pain and so I won't need to lift those requests before Him since they will be gone forever. That realization moved me to pray with more fervency, more intensity, more longing for Him to hear and answer when I pray because I don't have forever to be about this work of praying for others. I only have right now. And that's, I suppose, why I am so thankful to be able to pray for you in this episode.    If this is something that blessed you, I have three things to quickly mention. One is my private prayer group on Facebook (and it is a private group because prayer requests are confidential sometimes and so it's just a private group for that one reason). I do videos and pray in the group a couple of times a month, so it's not an overwhelming amount of notifications from the group. It's called Praying Through the Storm Online Prayer Retreat with Jan L. Burt on Facebook and the link will be at the top and the bottom of the show notes for this episode and also on my website, Jan L Burt . com.  Second is the new podcast I am working on. This one will be here focusing on God's promises primarily, and the second one is called The Prayer Podcast with Jan L. Burt, and it will be, you guessed it, about prayer.  Third, a resource I created for the new year (based on something I do each year and on something I did with a group of people via email in early 2022 that ended with so many people asking me to turn the content into a book of some sort, and so that's what I did) is called The 2023 Prayer Planner. It's 21 days of verses, devotional type content about each verse, and a prayer for each day with some journal type pages with room to pray and plan and take note of what the Lord is saying to you about the coming year.  It's a way to give the Lord the first fruits of the year, as an offering to Him. And man, it is a great way to start a year. To begin with the Word of God as our foundation. If you'd like to get a copy, it is available as a digital download on my website, it is also on Etsy and TPT and as a print book to order via Amazon.  The price is between $7 and $8, depending on the platform where you buy it, so it's not a huge financial investment per se but it is an investment that will pay huge spiritual dividends so check that out if you want to kick off the year praying and seeking the Lord intentionally and to grow your faith, your trust and your prayer life.