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Andrea Samadi shares her personal resting heart rate data to show why measuring over time matters more than fixating on a single score. She explains how trends reveal stress, recovery, and adaptation, and why comparing yourself to your own baseline is the most useful approach. Learn practical steps to measure consistently, contextualize changes, experiment with one behavior, and use your physiological data to make intentional improvements in sleep, recovery, and performance. BONUS EPISODE 3: ON THIS EPISODE, WE'LL COVER ✔ What resting heart rate can reveal about stress, recovery, and adaptation over time ✔ The story hidden in my own data — from a high of 57 bpm in February to 53 bpm in August ✔ Why the six-month trend matters — and what my 2% lower average may be telling me ✔ How stress and training load can show up in your physiology before you consciously recognize it ✔ Why recovery and nervous-system regulation matter for building a more resilient baseline ✔ How to find your own RHR baseline instead of comparing yourself with someone else ✔ How to look for deviations and patterns across weeks and months—not individual days ✔ How to connect RHR with sleep, HRV, recovery, training, stress, and life events ✔ How to run your own personal experiment: change one variable, measure, and see what happens ✔ The bigger lesson: What gets measured over time can reveal a story you couldn't see day to day. Welcome back to the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we bridge neuroscience, social and emotional learning, and human performance so we can create measurable improvements in our well-being, achievement, leadership, productivity, and results. I'm Andrea Samadi, and if you've been following along through Season 16, you'll know that we've been building what I call The Brain's Operating System for Human Performance—a neuroscience-based framework designed to help us understand how the different systems of the brain and body work together to influence how we learn, adapt, connect, lead, and ultimately how we perform. We are currently in Phase 3 where we are covering Movement, Learning and Cognition. If you just finished Episode 405[i] with Dr. Kristen Holmes, you know we've been looking at recovery as an essential part of our Movement Loop. Movement → Brain Activation → Attention → Learning → Recovery → Adaptation → Performance → Greater Capacity. And Kristen's work has reinforced something I've learned after years of tracking my own physiology: What gets measured gets improved. But this week, I wanted to dive into my own personal data to show us something I think is easy to miss: Sometimes what gets measured over time reveals a story you simply couldn't see day to day. When we're looking at a wearable every morning, it's easy to become focused on today's number. Today's recovery score. Today's HRV. Today's resting heart rate. Was it higher? Was it lower? But one number—or even one week—rarely tells us very much about the direction we're actually moving. It's when we begin to zoom out that patterns emerge. And that's exactly what happened when I looked more closely at my resting heart rate this year. What initially looked like a collection of numbers began to tell a much bigger story about stress, recovery, consistency, and adaptation. So my hope for this episode isn't that you compare your resting heart rate to mine. Your numbers will be different. My hope is that this episode encourages you to become curious about your own data. Maybe you track sleep. Maybe it's HRV. Resting heart rate. Recovery. Exercise. Blood pressure. Steps. Or even something as simple as your energy, mood, or ability to focus. Take one metric and zoom out. Look at three months. Six months. Maybe even a year. And instead of asking, “Is today's number good or bad?” Ask a different question: “What is the trend that I'm seeing here, trying to tell me?” Is something improving? Is something slowly moving in the wrong direction? Does your physiology change during periods of higher stress? (like you will see mine did). Can you see what happens when you sleep more consistently, exercise differently, recover better, or change one habit? Because sometimes the most valuable insight isn't found in today's score. It's hidden in the pattern. And once you can see the pattern, you have information you can actually use. That's really the purpose of sharing my personal data with you today. Not to say, “Here's what worked for me, so you should do exactly the same thing.” But to show you what can happen when we become students of our own physiology. We measure. Find the tool that works best for you. We notice. Patterns…ups and downs. We experiment. We become intentional with our behaviors to change/improve the numbers. We adjust and try something new/different. And then we measure again. Because ultimately, what gets measured gets improved—but what gets measured over time can reveal the story that you tell you more than just a bunch of numbers. And sometimes that story shows us exactly where our next opportunity for change might be. And that's exactly what happened with my resting heart rate. Earlier this year, I watched my monthly average climb to 56...and then 57 beats per minute. You can see my data in the show notes. Sept and October were even, at 54, and then something happened in November that took my RHR up, and it kept climbing.  I know what was happening in those months to cause the increase. And I went all out to protect my recovery. I worked on rest, hydration, extra exercise, and recovery sessions. Then it began coming down. in March 54 in April 53 The 56 in May isn't the most accurate representation of what was happening with my data, as we travelled internationally and there were 5 days my whoop didn't calculate my score correctly (something to do with the change in time zones) so I'm not going to say that I was stressed out during a relaxing vacation. But something happened that caught my attention. You can see it with the graphics in the show notes. My newest six-month WHOOP average dropped from 55 to 54 beats per minute—2% lower than the previous six months. This NEW result was highlighted in GREEN for me to notice the improvement. For the first time in this story, the baseline itself had moved. And that's what we're going to dive into today. Because this episode isn't really about whether 53 is a good resting heart rate. It's about something much more useful: Do you know your baseline with YOUR RHR—and do you know which direction it's moving? Even better, if you can forsee that it will be moving up, like I knew it was going to in January/February, do you have strategies in place to buffer the stress, and keep this number as close as you can to your baseline? Let's dive into this bonus episode. The Story Behind My Resting Heart Rate: Do You Know Yours? There's a number I've been watching for the past year. I watched it raise higher (when I'm stressed) and go lower when I'm doing all the right things to rest and recover. When I zoom out and look at this number over the past year, it tells a fascinating story about my fitness, recovery, stress, and the way my body is adapting. That number is my resting heart rate. And today I want to ask you: Do you know yours? Because one of the biggest lessons I've learned from nearly five years of tracking my physiology is something we've talked about throughout this podcast: What gets measured gets improved. But I think I need to add something to that. What gets measured over time reveals the story. And my newest data makes that clearer than ever. PART 1 — WHAT IS RESTING HEART RATE? Resting heart rate, or RHR, is simply the number of times your heart beats per minute while your body is at rest. Normal Ranges and Fitness[ii] Average adults: 60 to 100 bpm. Active adults: 55 to 85 bpm. Athletes: 40 to 60 bpm, because their heart muscle is strong and pumps blood with ease For adults, resting heart rate varies considerably between individuals. Fitness, genetics, age, sleep, stress, illness, medications, hydration, alcohol, temperature and training load can all influence it. So I'm not interested in comparing my resting heart rate with someone else's. I'm interested in comparing me with me. That's where wearable data becomes useful. Instead of asking: “Is 53 good?” I'm asking: “What is happening to my baseline over time?” And that distinction matters. PART 2 — MY RHR STORY BEGAN WITH A RISE When I first looked at this data, I focused on January and February. My monthly resting heart rate had climbed: January: 56 bpm. February: 57 bpm. Those numbers weren't alarming. I was experiencing higher levels of stress than usual at that time, and I was even prepared for the stress. But relative to my baseline, (55 bpm) the rise caught my attention. And that's an important distinction. A wearable isn't diagnosing why something happened. It can't look at 57 and tell me: “Andrea, this is stress.” But it can show me that something has changed. Then I can look at the rest of my life. How am I sleeping? How am I training? What's my stress level? Am I recovering? What has changed? That's when data becomes feedback. I was ready to implement some stress reduction strategies to get my RHR and nervous system back to its baseline. PART 3 — THEN THE PATTERN CHANGED After February, here's what happened: March: 54. April: 53. May: 56 (International Trip impacted this data) June: 53. July: 55. August: 53. And I love this part of the story because it wasn't a perfectly straight line. My RHR didn't simply go: 57...56...55...54...53. Real physiology rarely works like that. There were fluctuations. May went back to 56. July went to 55. But my resting heart rate kept returning to 53. April: 53. June: 53. August: 53. That's when I began wondering whether I was seeing something more meaningful than a few good months. And now I have another piece of evidence. PART 4 — THE NEW SIX-MONTH RESULT My newest WHOOP six-month report covers February 23 through August 21, 2026. And this is where the story gets interesting. My previous six-month average resting heart rate was: 55 bpm. My newest six-month average is: 54 bpm. WHOOP shows that as: 2% lower than the previous six months. One beat per minute doesn't sound dramatic. But I'm not looking for dramatic. I'm looking for adaptation. Something to show me that my body responded to the extra recovery that I was implementing to buffer the higher stress. For the first time in this particular story, the six-month average itself has moved down. And that means I'm no longer looking only at a few isolated low readings. The trend is beginning to move. PART 5 — THE AVERAGE WAS HIDING THE STORY This may be my favorite lesson from this entire experiment. Earlier, when I looked at a different six-month window, my average RHR was 55 bpm. And the previous six months? Also 55. If I had stopped there, I could have concluded: Nothing changed. But underneath that average was a changing pattern. My RHR had risen to 57 in February. This makes sense to me when I glance at the data. Then it repeatedly returned to 53 with my focus being on rest/recovery. And eventually the rolling six-month average moved from 55 to 54. This is why one measurement rarely tells the whole story. Trends matter. And sometimes your body is changing before the average catches up. PART 6 — 57 TO 53 There's another way to look at the data. February was my highest monthly average in this January–August period: 57 bpm. August is: 53 bpm. That's approximately 7% lower than that February high. I want to be careful with this number because I'm comparing two monthly endpoints—not two six-month averages. So I wouldn't call this a 7% improvement in my overall cardiovascular health. But it is another signal inside the larger pattern. What was happening in February? What is currently happening in August? And when multiple signals begin pointing in the same direction, (showing an improvement) I'm  paying attention. PART 7 — WHAT CHANGED? This is where I think self-experimentation becomes powerful. I didn't respond to the higher numbers by simply exercising harder. I've spent this year becoming much more intentional about recovery and regulation. Sleep. Daily movement. Zone 2 work. Meditation. Hydration. Infrared sauna. Red-light therapy. Paying attention to training strain. And increasingly, listening to what my physiology is telling me instead of automatically pushing through fatigue. I've also been experimenting with removing alcohol at different times this year, and the changes I've seen in recovery, HRV, sleep stress and resting heart rate have given me another variable to continue watching. I can't take this dataset and say: “This one behavior caused my RHR to fall.” There are too many variables. But I can say: The environment surrounding my physiology changed—and my trend changed with it. That's worth paying attention to. PART 8 — WHY DOES A LOWER RHR MATTER? In many people, particularly when associated with aerobic fitness, a lower resting heart rate can reflect a heart that is able to pump blood efficiently with fewer beats at rest. Training can increase stroke volume—the amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat. That means the heart may not need to beat as frequently to deliver the same cardiac output at rest. Autonomic regulation also plays a role. The sympathetic nervous system helps mobilize us for action. The parasympathetic nervous system supports rest-and-recovery processes. Resting heart rate reflects influences from both, along with many other physiological factors. That's why I don't view RHR as a standalone score. I view it as one piece of my physiological dashboard. RHR. HRV. Sleep. Recovery. Training load. And, most importantly: How I actually feel. PART 9 — THIS CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE MOVEMENT LOOP Remember the Movement Loop we've been building in Phase 3: Movement → Brain Activation → Attention → Learning → Recovery → Adaptation → Performance → Greater Capacity. My RHR data brings us directly back to the part of the loop I don't want us to overlook: Recovery → Adaptation. Exercise provides the stimulus. But we don't become fitter during the stimulus itself. The body needs an opportunity to respond to that stimulus. To repair. To replenish. To adapt. And eventually, that adaptation may become visible in our trends. That's why recovery isn't the opposite of performance. Recovery is part of the process that makes performance possible. PART 10 — THE BIGGER LESSON This episode isn't really about whether your resting heart rate should be 53. Mine doesn't need to be yours. Your number might be completely different. The question is: Do you know your baseline? And more importantly: Do you know which direction it's moving? What increases it? What decreases it? Because your physiology is constantly responding to the way you're living. Training. Sleeping. Recovering. Working. Traveling. Eating. Drinking. Managing stress. And sometimes those changes are happening quietly beneath the surface. Until you measure them. PART 11 — HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS IN YOUR OWN LIFE So now I want to turn this over to you. I've shown you my resting heart rate story. What's yours? And you don't need five years of WHOOP data to begin looking for it. You just need enough information to establish your baseline, and then you need to become curious about what causes that baseline to change. Here's how I would start. STEP 1 — FIND A WAY TO MEASURE YOUR RESTING HEART RATE CONSISTENTLY First, find the measurement tool that works for you. Maybe that's WHOOP. Maybe it's an Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura Ring, Fitbit, or another wearable. Or maybe you're tracking your resting heart rate another way. The specific device isn't the most important part of this experiment. You can even just count your pulse beats that you get in one minute while resting. Just stay consistent as you measure. If you're going to look for a trend, you want to compare measurements collected under reasonably consistent conditions. We're not trying to find the lowest number we can possibly produce. We're trying to understand our normal pattern. STEP 2 — LEARN YOUR BASELINE Next, don't start by asking: “Is my resting heart rate good?” Start with: “What is normal for me?” Look at your data over time. If you have it, look at your last month. Then three months. Six months. And eventually a year. What number—or range—does your RHR tend to return to? For me, I knew that my baseline was somewhere around the mid-50s. That's why 56 and 57 caught my attention. Those numbers weren't necessarily concerning when compared with somebody else's resting heart rate. Someone else I know has a RHR of 80 and that's in the normal range. The higher scores mattered to me, because they represented a change from my baseline. That's the first lesson: Compare yourself with yourself. STEP 3 — LOOK FOR THE DEVIATIONS Once you understand your baseline, look for the places where your data moves away from it. Don't immediately label the change as good or bad. Just become curious. When did your RHR rise? When did it fall? Was it one unusual night? Several days? Several weeks? Or did your monthly average actually begin to move? This is where we stop looking at individual dots and begin looking for a pattern. STEP 4 — PUT YOUR LIFE NEXT TO YOUR DATA Now comes the part that I think is the most interesting. Take the RHR graph and mentally place your life beside it. Ask yourself: What was happening here? Was work unusually stressful? Were you traveling? Were you sleeping less? Were you sick? Had your training load increased? Were you drinking more—or less—alcohol? Had you changed your exercise routine? Were you recovering differently? What was happening emotionally? What was happening physically? This was important in interpreting my own data. When I saw my RHR increase in January and February, I knew what was happening in my life during those months. And when I saw May increase, I also had context: I had been traveling internationally, and I knew there were issues with several days of my wearable data. Context changes interpretation. A graph can show you what changed. Your life can help you investigate why. STEP 5 — LOOK AT MORE THAN ONE METRIC Here's another important point. Don't interpret resting heart rate completely by itself. Put it next to other information. What was happening with your HRV? Your sleep? Your recovery? Your training load? Your energy? Your stress? And most importantly: How did you feel? One metric gives us a clue. Multiple signals moving together can give us a much richer picture. Think of it as your own physiological dashboard. You're looking for relationships between the signals rather than allowing one number to define whether you're doing well. STEP 6 — CHOOSE ONE VARIABLE TO EXPERIMENT WITH Now we move from observation to action. Ask: “What is one behavior I could change consistently and then watch what happens?” Maybe it's getting to bed earlier. Maybe it's improving hydration. Adding more Zone 2 exercise. Building recovery days into your training. Meditating. Walking. Changing your alcohol intake. Or simply protecting more downtime during a stressful period. Choose something that's meaningful and realistic for you. Then give it time. This is important because we're not trying to manipulate tomorrow morning's score. We're trying to see whether consistent behavior begins to influence a trend. STEP 7 — MEASURE AGAIN And now we come back to the beginning. Measure. Notice. Experiment. Adjust. And measure again. You might even keep a very simple note beside your data: What changed this month? You could write: Higher workload. Travel. Better sleep. Started Zone 2. Stopped drinking alcohol. Illness. Vacation. More recovery. Over time, you begin creating something much more useful than a collection of numbers. You're creating a map of how your body responds to your life. DISCOVER YOUR RHR STORY So here's the experiment I want to leave you with. Pull up your resting heart rate data. And ask yourself these five questions: What is my baseline? When does my RHR move above or below that baseline? What was happening in my life when it changed? What other physiological signals moved with it? What is one behavior I could intentionally change and measure over time? Then zoom out. Don't judge yourself by tomorrow morning. Look for the story. Because the goal isn't to achieve somebody else's resting heart rate. The goal is to understand your own physiology well enough to recognize when something changes. And then have strategies available to respond. That's where measurement becomes useful. It moves us from simply collecting information... to using information to make better decisions. REVIEW — WHAT DID WE LEARN? Before we close, let's pull everything together. We started with one simple metric: resting heart rate. We learned that RHR tells us how many times our heart beats per minute while we're at rest—but the number becomes much more useful when we stop comparing ourselves with other people and begin comparing ourselves with ourselves. Then we looked at my own story. My RHR rose to: 56 bpm in January. And then: 57 bpm in February. Because I understood what was happening in my life at the time, those increases gave me information I could use. Rather than simply pushing harder, I became increasingly intentional about recovery. Then the pattern began to change. My RHR repeatedly returned toward 53. And eventually something even more interesting happened. My newest six-month average moved from: 55 bpm → 54 bpm. WHOOP identified that as: 2% lower than my previous six-month average. One beat per minute. Not dramatic. But that's exactly the point. We're not looking for dramatic. We're looking for patterns. We're looking for evidence that the system may be adapting over time. And that's why my biggest lesson from this experiment isn't: “My resting heart rate is 53.” It's: “I understand my resting heart rate better than I did before.” I know my baseline. I know some of the circumstances that push it higher. I'm beginning to understand some of the behaviors associated with it moving lower. And most importantly, I know to keep watching the trend. CONCLUSION — BECOME A STUDENT OF YOUR OWN PHYSIOLOGY This brings us back to something Dr. Kristen Holmes reinforced in Episode 405: What gets measured gets improved. But after looking at this data, I want to expand that idea. What gets measured gives us information. What gets measured consistently reveals patterns. And what gets measured over time can reveal a story. That's the opportunity I hope you take away from this episode. Become curious about your own physiology. Not obsessed with it. Not controlled by a score. Curious. Learn your baseline. Notice when something changes. Put that change into the context of your life. Experiment thoughtfully. And then zoom back out and see what happened. Because ultimately, we're not collecting data just to collect more data. We're trying to turn: Data → Awareness → Action → Adaptation. And that brings us right back to our Movement Loop: Movement → Brain Activation → Attention → Learning → Recovery → Adaptation → Performance → Greater Capacity. Your resting heart rate is only one metric. But it gives us a perfect example of what adaptation can look like when we stop staring at today's number and start paying attention to the larger pattern. So sometime after listening to this episode, open your own data. Go back three months. Six months. A year if you can. And ask yourself: “What story has my body been trying to tell me?” You might be surprised by what you find. COMING NEXT — BONUS EPISODE 4 And there's one part of my own physiological dashboard that I deliberately haven't explored deeply today. Sleep. Because recovery doesn't end when we stop exercising. Some of the most important recovery processes happen while we're asleep. So before we return to Dr. John Medina and move deeper into attention, learning, and cognition, I want to stay with the recovery side of our Movement Loop for one more bonus episode. In Bonus Episode 4, we're going to investigate restorative sleep. What exactly is restorative sleep? How can we measure it? What can our sleep data tell us? And perhaps most importantly: How can we use that information to improve the way we recover, adapt, and perform? We'll apply the same approach we used today. Not just: “How did I sleep last night?” But: “What story is my sleep telling me over time?” Because movement creates the stimulus. Recovery creates the opportunity to adapt. And sleep may be one of the most important places where that recovery takes place. I'll see you next time for Bonus Episode 4: The Story Behind My Restorative Sleep. REFERENCES [i]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 405 “Movement Isn't Enough: How Recovery Drives Adaptation”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/movement-isnt-enough-how-recovery-drives-real-adaptation/   [ii] Health Direct “What is RHR?” https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/resting-heart-rate

In episode 502 of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse begin what promises to be a multi-part deep dive into the Parable of the Good Samaritan — one of the most culturally embedded and theologically rich stories Jesus ever told. But before a single character hits the Jericho road, the hosts ground listeners in something easily overlooked: the charged context in which this parable is told. A lawyer — trained, confident, adversarial — steps forward not to learn but to test. What follows is a masterclass in how Jesus turns the law back on those who wield it as a weapon. This episode covers Luke 10:21–36, explores the covenant of works and covenant of grace, the noetic effects of sin, and why the Good Samaritan is far more than a lesson in being a helpful neighbor. Buckle up. Key Takeaways The lawyer's question is self-contradictory from the start. Asking "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" smuggles a works-righteousness assumption into the very grammar of the question. Inheritance by definition is received, not earned. Jesus does not give the lawyer a new paradigm — He reorients him to the true one. The covenant of grace is not a New Testament innovation. It runs through every Old Testament covenant administration. The lawyer should have already known this. "Do this and you will live" is not a Pelagian concession. Christ is holding out the law's own terms — perfect, total, unrelenting obedience — not to suggest it is achievable, but to expose its impossibility and drive the lawyer (and us) to the only alternative: mercy. "Desiring to justify himself" is more complex than it first appears. Tony argues that the desire to fulfill the covenant of works is not inherently wicked — it is the misguided belief that one can which is the problem. This distinction creates room for reading Christ's response as genuinely merciful instruction, not merely rebuke. The noetic effects of sin mean accurate theology can be deployed in service of self. The lawyer knows the right answers and still uses them to avoid repentance. Correct doctrine alone does not save. The fundamental human problem is not ignorance — it is the will's bondage and the heart's self-love. The parable is primarily Christological, not merely ethical. Jesus is the Good Samaritan. The story is not first about mercy ministry; it is about who binds up our wounds when we are left for dead on the road, unable to save ourselves. The priest and the Levite are not exonerated by their ritual obligations. Considerable ink has been spilled trying to justify their passing by on grounds of Levitical purity concerns. The parable refuses that exit. Everyone in the story — and everyone listening — already knows what the right thing to do was. Key Concepts The Covenant of Works Is Not a Black Box One of the more quietly important arguments Tony makes in this episode is that the covenant of works was never meant to be mysterious or inaccessible. When Jesus responds to the lawyer's question by asking, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" — He does so with a visible assumption: there is a clear, knowable answer, and the lawyer should be able to give it. And he does. Love God completely, love your neighbor as yourself. The covenant of works was always coherent and comprehensible. The problem has never been that its demands were obscure. The problem is that no one — save the Mediator — has ever kept them. Jesus is not introducing a new ethical framework. He is forcing the lawyer to confront a standard he has always known and has never met. The Lawyer as a Warning to Reformed Christians Jesse closes the episode's first movement with a pointed and personal application that cuts across theological self-satisfaction. The lawyer is not a caricature of ignorance — he is a portrait of someone with accurate, affirmed theological knowledge who instinctively deploys it in the service of self-justification the moment he senses conviction. Jesse names this directly as a danger particularly acute in Reformed circles, where doctrinal precision can become a subtle mechanism of self-defense rather than an occasion for repentance. The Reformation's great recovery of grace must not become a new form of the very disease it diagnosed. Knowing the right words about total depravity, the covenant of grace, and the mediator does not exempt anyone from the need to actually be humbled by them. Theology is not armor against repentance — it is, rightly received, the road toward it. Context Is Not Just Setup — It Is Part of the Lesson Tony and Jesse both emphasize that Luke 10:21–24 is not merely throat-clearing before the real content begins. The theological statement embedded there — that the Father has hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children, that no one knows the Son except the Father or the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him — is the hermeneutical key to everything that follows. The lawyer approaches Jesus as one rabbi testing another. But Luke has already told his readers that this is not a conversation between equals debating interpretive options. It is the Lawgiver being questioned by someone who does not recognize Him. The parable that follows is not just an answer to a legal question. It is a revelation — the kind that only happens when the Son chooses to give it. Memorable Quotes You do not want to pit the law against the one who has given the law, the one whose character is represented in the law — because you're always going to get owned, and you'll get owned before you realize you've just gotten owned on multiple levels. - Jesse Schwamb Jesus is trying to sort of reorient them back to the true paradigm of grace that is present under all of the Old Covenant administrations. It's not so much a matter of developing a new framework and imposing it on this guy. It's really trying to say, 'Listen — think about this for a second. Think about the fact that, yes, you know you have to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole strength, your whole mind, and you have to love your neighbor as yourself. You've answered correctly. If you can do those things, you will live.' — with the subtext: and of course you cannot possibly do those things. - Tony Arsenal The fundamental human problem is not primarily ignorance, but the will's bondage and the heart's self-love. It's a problem no amount of correct discipline or doctrine alone can fix apart from some kind of regenerating grace — which is exactly what Jesus is going to illustrate for us in the mercy he's about to display in this parable. - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Tony Arsenal: [00:00:00] This parable is not primarily about us figuring out how to do mercy ministry. Like, that's important. It's probably an outcome of this. It's probably something for us to think about. But really, this is actually Christ saying, like, "Hold on a second here, dude." Like, "Let's just think about this." Do you need someone who is going to tell you to pick yourself up off your bootstraps and cross to the other side of the street and leave you to your own devices? Or do you need someone who's gonna throw you on their donkey, who's gonna bind up your wounds, who's gonna pay the innkeeper, and is gonna pledge to pay everything that is owed for your salvation? Right? That's not too on the nose here, I think. Welcome to episode 502 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm [00:01:00] Jesse  And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, we've got a big one to talk about on this episode. We're marching further and further into all of the glorious parables Jesus told as part of His teaching. And as you and I kind of joked before we began, I mean, what did you call it? Did you say this is, uh, the big daddy?  Tony Arsenal: It's the big daddy, one of the big daddy parables.  Jesse Schwamb: It's one of the big daddy parables. Now, this one is probably second maybe only to the prodigal son. Yeah But in terms of its ubiquity and its kind of just common knowledge in culture, this one ranks right up there. And before I reveal what it is, which you may already know, I was thinking how so many times we look at the Beatitudes as expression of a master class in Jesus teaching the law, and I think that's true. But as I was reading and thinking about this particular parable, I thought, "I don't know. I think this one is, uh, right up there," because [00:02:00] this is like law on law. It's double law. Yeah It's law coming back at the law giver who's trying to use the law to test Jesus, and then Jesus tests him with the law that He himself gave His people. It's... I'm already getting too excited- ... and we've got something to do before we get there. But we're talking about the parable of the Good Samaritan. And so I can't imagine, can I just make a prediction up front? I, you know where I'm going with this, and probably everybody else does. Uh, this is gonna be like two conversations-  Tony Arsenal: At least ...  Jesse Schwamb: probably.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, at least two.  Jesse Schwamb: Is that fair? Because I realize we, of course, wanna get to the parable itself, and oh, my goodness, how much ink has been spilled. Even going back to, like, if you read, like, Augustine or, like, the early church, like the Patristics, the Church Fathers, there are so much that could be said, and maybe some stuff that just shouldn't be said about all the allegorical potential intent here about these characters. But [00:03:00] there's so much amazing stuff that happens in the opening of this, that's not just the setup, but it is its own lesson, and I'm real excited actually to talk about that with you before we even get into, like, all the good stuff that everybody expects that you wanna talk about. So we're gonna do it all. Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: We're gonna do it all, but it'll take time.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I'm interested to see if we're even on the same page about where to start reading, 'cause I, I think we might not be, and that's gonna be fun. So we'll, we'll let it fly and see what happens. It'll be our own little, uh, podcast game.  Jesse Schwamb: But, uh, I think- Well, I mean, we're gonna be in Luke chapter 10, but I guess to your point, we should be starting in Luke chapter one to get to this. Yeah.  Tony Arsenal: Exactly. But  Jesse Schwamb: we, we do have to back up quite a bit, and I was gonna ask you about that. Yeah. But I, apparently we're just gonna play that on the fly and see where we go.  Affirmations Denials Segment Jesse Schwamb: But of course, the Reformers had their five solos. Chalcedon had its, what, seven withouts. We've got opinions, and we're just as confident about ours, so of course it's time for affirmations, denials, where we affirm something that we think is good or awesome or [00:04:00] we wanna recommend, and we deny, again, something that is not so great or maybe just plain annoying. So before we talk about the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Tony, what do you got for us on this episode? Are you affirming with something, or are you gonna come in with a denial?  Tony Arsenal: Well, I've got two affirmations. That's fine. One is just- I will allow it ... a declaration of joy, and one is, like, a real affirmation. I, I just can't... It would be remiss of me not to share with our podcasting family that my son August and my daughter Adeline, uh, joined the visible church today as- Hear, hear ... uh, non-communicant members. Uh, Augie and Addie were baptized on the 16th of August of 2026, uh, into the visible church, into the name of Jesus Christ. Uh, was, it was just a great service. Um, it's funny because I've been- been talking with Augie. One of the thing with toddlers when you're doing something big like this is you kinda have to talk about it and practice and rehearse, rehearse it and, and get them ready for it. And up until maybe, like, I don't know, three days [00:05:00] ago, every time it would come up he would be saying, "I don't wanna be baptized. I don't wanna be baptized." And, um, you know, I, I, I, you know, I don't wanna force him to do something, but also, like, I make him eat vegetables. But, um- ... he, I, I think it was nerves, and I think something clicked in his head and all of a sudden he was very excited to be baptized. So, um, it was great. We've been talking about, you know, what baptism is, God's promise to you that if you trust him he'll save you. And so today he- Right ... he was like, "God's gonna make a promise to me to save me." So he was very excited. Nice. And he did a great job just standing quietly and listening to the pastor talk. Uh, and Addie was, was, was just a beautiful little girl, and she, um, she loved it as well. So that's just a bonus affirmation. I don't know that I could get through a podcast without gushing over that.  Glorify App and Devotionals Tony Arsenal: Uh, but the, the affirmation I have, uh, this is an, an app that I think some of our listeners may have heard of. Um, some may roll their eyes at it, to be honest with you. Um, I stumbled on this because, uh, you have an Oura Ring, don't you, Jesse? Jesse Schwamb: I do.  Tony Arsenal: You [00:06:00] do, yeah. So for those who don't know, an Oura Ring is like a little wearable ring that's like a, almost like a fitness tracker, but it tracks biometrics, pulse rate, temperature, all these different things, sleep. Um, there's a startup, uh, that has been doing a GoFundMe or a funding kind of thing for, uh, what they're calling like a Christian version of an Oura Ring. So it does a lot of the same things, sleep tracking, basic biometric tracking. Hmm. But it also has like alerts built in, and it's tied into an app that they use for devotionals. So it'll, it'll remind you to pray. It'll remind you, you know, bring you to an app to do a devotion. But the app it uses is a standalone app that I looked up, and it's called Glorify. Have you ever heard of this app before this evening? I have heard of  Jesse Schwamb: this, yeah.  Tony Arsenal: So Glorify is just a small devotional app. Uh, it's not much different than you would expect based on the name. It is connected to this, uh, to this Glorify ring, which again is, is sort of like an Oura Ring tied into this app. But this app basically is, is [00:07:00] designed to help you complete short daily devotional exercises, and they're usually very brief. They're based on a very brief, um, a very brief passage of scripture. Today's passage, uh, c- there's a quote. So today's quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It says, "True love does not consist in finding the perfect person, but in faithfully loving an imperfect one." Not sure why this devotional app is using a romance, uh, quote from Bonhoeffer of all people. But that was today's. Um, and the passage is Proverbs 5:15-17. So it's a, it's a devotional based on two verses, which is fine. So you read the passage. There's a very brief devotional on that passage, and then sort of a guided prayer, and they have both premium and free models. The premium model includes like you can listen to the devotional, you can listen to the prayer. Um, but just for example, today's prayer, it, it's very simple. "Loving Father, thank you for, uh, thank you because you're faithful and unchanging. In a world [00:08:00] marked by broken promises, disposable relationships, you remain the same. Teach me to reflect that faithfulness in my relationships. Help me to love with perseverance, grace, and commitment following the example of Christ. Protect marriages, strengthen families, restore what needs healing. May every relationship be marked by respect, truth, and genuine love. Shape in me a heart of integrity that honors you in both the small and significant choices of life. In Jesus' name, amen." So I think what I love about this, and this, I mentioned last week that there was, this is kind of like, sort of like the fluffy evangelical devotions. Like- Right ... there's not a ton of like solid doctrinal meat- But like, it's still nourishing. And sometimes we need a little bit of help. Sometimes we don't know what to pray, we don't know what to read, we're not sure. Sometimes in, I think in our Reformed circles, we feel like if we're not reading large portions of scripture and reading deep theological treaties or long, complex devotionals, that we're really not doing anything, and that's just not the [00:09:00] truth. So I've been using this in addition to other devotional studies I'm doing. I don't do it every day. I mean, there's some like streak functionality, kinda like habit tracking type stuff that's built into it. Um, but it's nice. It's nice to be able to pick it up, read a very short scripture, a brief devotional thought, and then have some guided prayer. I know one of the reasons I don't pray as often as I ought to is because I struggle to know what and how to pray. So even having some written prayers, I mean, this is why the Psalms are good, things like the Valley of Visions are good. Um, having some pre-written prayers that you genuinely pray but you're not having to come up with in the moment can really help. Right. So the app is called Glorify. I know it's available on iPhone. I'm not sure about Android. I'm sure it probably is. I'm sure they wanna have a pretty broad ecosystem. Um, and, and it's good. Again, it's, it's not anything fancy. It's not anything like super technical. Uh, and as I kind of alluded, like some of it's a little weird. Um, I, I didn't read the proverb. I think maybe the proverb is about romantic relationships, why they're, why they're tying in that, um, Bonhoeffer quote in, in the prayer. [00:10:00] But, um, even that, like it's pretty innocuous. And the quotes, like you don't have to read the quotes. It's not like you have to have to do that. Um, you could jump in, just read the scripture or just read the devotion and just do the prayer and you would be fine. So check it out. It's called Glorify, available on iPhone for sure. I'm pretty sure it's on, on Android. And maybe it's something you add daily, you know, this kinda thing like you do when you're on the bus or you're waiting at the grocery store, something quick you can do when you might be wasting that time just sorta sitting around or scrolling Twitter. Again, Twitter's fine. You can use your leisure time as you see fit. But if you wanna fill it with something like this, something that is more spiritual, then this would be a good option to just add a little bit of, uh, a little bit of nourishment to your diet where you might not otherwise be getting it  Jesse Schwamb: I have no proof of this, but I just keep saying it anyway. It might be that we're living in the golden age of really great- ... daily worship resources. Like, something to actually cultivate, not just, like, a devotional nugget, but something that actually leads you into a pattern and a habit of [00:11:00]worship, giving your attentive focus on Jesus. And I love that. So, uh, uh, 'cause I was just thinking, like, I was trying to look back on some of our past affirmations here. We've talked about the book Walking in Faith. I just gave everybody Awake My Soul last week. You're coming in with the Glorify app. I- we've talked about Dwell, if not recently, we've talked about that for some time. It's like a great Bible reading app, and there's lots and lots of new features, by the way, coming out on that- Yeah that are fantastic. And then, yes, all these other great prayers. I, I see, like, these books on prayer, like, actually, I'm sorry, like, prayer books, I guess, as, like, a great way to kinda... It's like a jumper for your car. You know what I mean? Like, just gets you started. What a, what a lovely thing to come into a place and have a launching pad. And I've been using a lot of Into His Presence, which is a collection of Puritan prayers, sometimes because, for instance, this just happened, where I wanted to pray for someone who was just going through a rough time, a good friend of mine. And I went to that place to kinda start and frame, knowing that I was gonna sit down with him and pray, how I might be able to do that well and [00:12:00] effectively. And these things are just, like, really phenomenal resources. It's just an amazing time to have all these things at our disposal. So that's another great option. It's, it's really more about, like you and I have talked about, Tony, like, whatever gets us into that pattern, whatever gets us, like, authentically experiencing under our own volition, coming in the discipline of sitting before God in daily worship with that expression being pretty broad in its representation- Yeah is to really include something of devotional time in the scriptures, memorization, metabolation, metabolizing. Metabolation, I'm just gonna make that up as, like- ... what happens when you, when you take the scripture and metabolize it into your own life. Meditating on it and, you know, again, maybe looking through the confessions and creeds that have shaped our distilled understanding of what the scripture teaches so that we're enhancing and edifying our mind. We're also engaging the heart, and then we're engaging God and ourselves in communication with Him through prayer. I'm all for anything [00:13:00] that gets us into those rhythms, reminds us of the importance of them, and like we talked about last week, makes it so that when we think about what it means to be married to Christ, so to speak, it's not just about whipping out some kind of marriage certificate to prove that, but that we actually have a frame and a behavioral pattern that fits a married person, that- Yeah how they act, how they think, how they behave, how they communicate, they're never too far away from their lovely spouse in some way or another. And so I think that these tools are great ways to get us exactly into that kind of mindset and practice.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, absolutely. And like I said, like, I think- In our Reformed circles, we can, you know, we, we tend to be maybe a little eggheaded, and we, we tend to be a little more intellectual and, and a little more, I don't know, studious. And there's nothing wrong with that. Um, but I think sometimes it can breed a sort of, uh, elitism and arrogance. Sure. Uh, this is a perfectly valid devotional tool. Yes. Mm-hmm. And, and I think, [00:14:00] you know, kinda like the old adage, like, well, what's the best translation of scripture? Well, whichever one you're gonna read. Exactly. Like, what's the best devotional tool? Whichever one you're gonna use, whichever one's actually gonna bring you into the Word, uh, on a, on a regular basis. Um, and again, like, two verses of the scripture is two verses of the scripture that you might- Right ... not have other spent time, otherwise spent time reading. And it really is short enough, and it saves your progress. Like, you can do, you can do the quote in the morning, and then you can check the scripture on the way to the, you know, the word work, on a stoplight or whatever. Um, if you have the, the paid subscription, you can listen to this stuff, you know, on the, the bus or whatever. Um, so check it out. Glorify app, they have a ring they're making. It's in funding, I guess, if you wanna check it out, you can check that out too. I am neither affirming nor denying whatever this Glory ring is, Glorify ring. But, um, but yeah, the app is great. The, the app is free, and it's, it's worth even just checking out and adding once in a while to your day  Jesse Schwamb: The glory ring or the glorify ring sounds like almost too Tolkien, even for me  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It's the one ring to rule all of your devotions. [00:15:00] Uh, and in the, and in the morning bind them. Jesse, save me from the trail I was about to go on, and, and I was gonna speak in the language of Mordor, I think, on accident. Uh, save us from this. What are you affirming or denying?  Jesse Schwamb: That's  Tony Arsenal: beautiful. Please tell me it's the language of Mordor. Elvish AI and Music Pick Jesse Schwamb: Uh, no, but can I just say at the risk of really taking us really far afield so early on, which is not necessarily off-brand for us, I have done this... I, I don't know if I should be ashamed by this or I should be excited by this. But- ... um, the Elvish tongue in the Tolkien universe-  Tony Arsenal: Oh, no. ...  Jesse Schwamb: is like, there's several... If you're super nerdy, you'll know there's like several different kind of iterations or formulas of it, and there's no, like, official language like Klingon, but there ha- it has been studied, and basically, like, it's kind of like the Eugene Peterson of the language. Like, there's, like, just kind of a dynamic equivalent or an expression of words. Anyway, all that to say- ... there's several languages that, uh, Microsoft Copilot will just not [00:16:00] translate because it says, like, "This one, this language doesn't actually exist. There's not enough for me to do anything." Let me tell you something. Tolkien Elvish is not one of those languages, and I actually built an agent, because I have a coworker who can, uh, who can appreciate all this stuff, that takes a text, translates it into this kind of academic high-level Elvish from Tolkien, and then translates it back to English. That makes anything you're saying way better and far more poetic and just absolutely amazing. So if you wanna have some fun, go and do that with whatever your favorite AI model is. Anyway, that's free of charge. Real quick, my affirmation is more music. It just turns out I've found this band, and I've been listening to them a lot. The band's name is Thronebreaker, which is just a phenomenal name, I think, for any group. Uh, it's amazing. Uh, th- this is... I'm gonna read you their description from Spotify. It just says, "Thronebreaker is Christian metalcore built for the bruised, the doubting, and the ones still fighting their way home." And what I've really been [00:17:00] loving about them is it is kind of like Wolves at the Gate adjacent. It's really lovely music. It is melodic, so it's, there's not just that there's that kind of hard edge, but that is present in it. But, uh, the music is really lovely and beautiful, and in part that's because they're going through this, like, drip of releasing music where they're taking, like, old hymns or maybe songs if you're of a certain age like I am of kind of childhood Sunday school- And they're taking the lyrics, not the melody, and they're reimagining them. So they have two versions of Jesus Loves Me that they just released. They have the old We're Gonna Cross, a song called Glory to the King Most High. These songs are just saturated with gospel. Like, they're just all power, all encouragement, and all authority represented in Jesus Christ. They're incredible, and I've j- where I've, what I've been really blessed by is these two versions of Jesus Love Me are just fantastic. Like, they're orchestral. There is a children's kind of chorus at one point, and it got me [00:18:00] singing that song again, and really, maybe to what you were saying before, Tony, like sitting in those three words, which are really phenomenal words to hear. And so I have been surprised at how moved I've been by what really I, I first understood, of course, as a children's song with simple truth that seems, you know, depending on how long you've known some part of the gospel, obvious. And yet I found them all new again, and a, a really lovely way of just sitting in the truth of God in music that I didn't expect to find. So if you're interested in any of that or maybe just curious of what it would sound like if a Christian metalcore band took Jesus Loves Me and turned it into their genre, then honestly you should just go check out Throne Breaker. I mean, you pretty much have to at this point.  Tony Arsenal: I, I don't ever have anything to add to your musical affirmations or denials, 'cause I, I just don't. What I do have to add is that Throne Breaker actually sounds like some sort of really [00:19:00] amazing, like, mace-type weapon in Lord of the Rings. Yes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes,  Tony Arsenal: it does. Or like a big hammer that a dwarf carries. And I would also like to say that if you ask Google Gemini to translate something into Tolkien English, it not only will do it, it will tell you how to pronounce it.  Google Elf: A ava aini Ilai amel i trona se.  Tony Arsenal: What do you think that was, Jesse?  Jesse Schwamb: No idea.  Tony Arsenal: First of all, that was elevated Quenya, a Quenya. Yes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that's  Tony Arsenal: the one. Classic Quenya.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  Google Elf: A leta Ilai amel aima.  Tony Arsenal: I would be willing to bet... Actually, let's do this.  Jesse Schwamb: Ugh.  Tony Arsenal: Uh, we don't give out prizes very often. Uh, I will say to anyone who can tell me what that is, the first person that emails, uh, or, or goes into the Telegram chat, we'll do this. We'll be professional podcasters and drive people to one of our channels. Here we  Jesse Schwamb: go.  Tony Arsenal: The first person who goes to our telephone, our Telegram chat and tells me what that [00:20:00] means, what that, uh, Elvish means, will get a Reformed Brotherhood T-shirt.  Jesse Schwamb: Oh, that is big.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: That-  Tony Arsenal: So I'm gonna, I'm gonna play it one more time.  Jesse Schwamb: Okay, here we go. Everybody listen. Every- All right, pull over. Stop your vehicles. Here we go.  Google Elf: A leta Ilai amel aima.  Tony Arsenal: There it is, everybody.  Jesse Schwamb: I'm not being a cry- I have a guess, but I, I, I wanna try to win the T-shirt, so I'm gonna- Yes ... wi- withhold. All right. Uh, yeah, that's, that's super fun. Did it, um... Did you also translate it back into English from that  Tony Arsenal: just to see- No, I'll do that later, 'cause that would give away the, that would  Jesse Schwamb: give away the prize. Yeah, it's, it's... We'll have to save that for next week, because that, that is the fun. It creates, like, what I was doing to, to have fun with this coworker is take very technical, like, work-related emails, and I would send it through. It would go through that iterative process, and I actually loved how it, it was talking. Like, it wa- this was an email about risk, and it, it gave, like, these beautiful grand metaphors that didn't sound corny or cheesy. That's the beautiful thing. That's amazing. It [00:21:00] was like true Elvish. Like, you were just like, "I wish I spoke that way all the time about, about risk." And it, like I said, it wasn't just like... You could, you could obviously throw something in and be like, "Make this Shakespearean," or, you know, "Make this, you know, sound like, you know, Milton." This is way better. This is way better, because it's not, like, actually trying to manipulate what you're saying. It's takes, like, the dynamic equivalent of what you said, then translates it back with way more kind of poetic infrastructure while maintaining, like, the essential meaning that you have. I'm, I'm selling this too hard. Everybody just has to go out and try it. So, all right, you know what's at stake here, but here's how you have to win this. If you want a chance, if you want a chance at winning this, you gotta go to t.me/reformedbrotherhood, t.me/reformedbrotherhood, and that link will take you to the Telegram app and our little corner of it, and you're gonna find there's a bunch of chats there. You gotta go to the affirmations or denials chat, and then you gotta put in what is the translation of what Tony just played.[00:22:00] I just love... Isn't it amazing, though, that, like, y- as you discovered, there's more than one version of Elvish available? Yeah. And they do differentiate between the various kinds. This is a big deal. I learned there are actually scholars who have, like, again, filled in kind of like the details of the language- Oh, yeah taking as a basis what Tolkien had there. Yeah. So I think that this is the best. We couldn't have conceived of this if we'd actually tried and planned for it, so-  Tony Arsenal: It's true ...  Jesse Schwamb: it's just better that it all happened in, in real time. It's true. And, and speaking of which, I think now we get to have the fun of figuring out, uh, where in Luke chapter 10 are we gonna begin? Or should we just start in Luke 1 and just let's see how far we can get reading  Tony Arsenal: in this- I could have, I could have Google Gemini read it in elevated Kenya, Quenya I did try to get it to put it in Sindarin, and it wouldn't do it for some reason. I'm not sure. Maybe this anti-Sindarin bias in Gemini,  Jesse Schwamb: man. Disappointing.  Tony Arsenal: It's disappointing.  Jesse Schwamb: Dis- disappointing. So let's kick off some Good Samaritan talk, which again, I think is gonna take us [00:23:00] through maybe in the next couple of conversations, in part because, like I said, we're not even gonna start at, uh, verse 25 because there is so much more that needs to be said, I think, before that. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I, I think actually the proper place to start this, and I, I'm guessing Jesse probably, whether he was there or not, he probably figured out where I was going, uh, over the course of the last 20 minutes or whatever. Um, I actually think the proper place to start, at least one of the proper places to start, is in verse 21. Yeah. Um, and I- we'll talk about why that is. And I'll... I'm gonna read here, um, 21, uh, through the end of the parable. Uh, and this is Jesus talking. He says in this, uh... Well, it, this is, um... Yes, uh, I'll just read it here. "In the same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one who knows who the Son is except... No, no one knows who the Son is [00:24:00] except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Himself.'" Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it, and hear what you hear and did not hear it." And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and he saw him and passed on the other side. So likewise a Levite, [00:25:00] when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. Whatever you, whatever more you spend I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" And he said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "You go and do likewise."  Jesse Schwamb: I think you're right, of course, to back us up into verse 21 because I don't want to keep saying it's always a setup, but Jesus is certainly giving us like the right context in which... Well, Luke of course is the author here and as he's explaining the teaching of Jesus, he does so well to start out with some irony that we don't realize is gonna be ironic until we get to the, to verse 25 [00:26:00] when we realize who's testing Jesus, who's setting this all up. So this idea that the Holy Spirit, everybody rejoicing in the Holy Spirit and the knowledge and the wisdom, the intelligence that's revealed through the Holy Spirit to all of these lesser people and in particular here emblematic the infants That here we have kings and rulers, and in this case, this beloved scholar of the law, who all have this adventure in missing the point. They think, in fact, they're looking for the one who is to set them free, and they can't even see that it's Him who is before him. And yet, incidentally, God has already revealed all these things to the lowest, to the ones who are the most humble, the meek, the mild, the down and outs, the ones who are weak by the view of everybody else. And so it's amazing that if we just kinda, again, like blow past it into, like, just all the characters, we don't see that the teaching starts actually well above this, that even everything we're about to understand, that unfolds in our lives, ev- every spiritual incarnation and insight that we have [00:27:00] first starts with God himself in his revealing it to us both in his general revelation, but of course, in the specific revelation of his teaching. So I like that you started us there, because I, I'm with you. That's where this whole thing launches off, right?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Parables Reveal and Conceal Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and as we come into when we very, like very start of this, uh, series, the, the parable series, Jesus sort of embeds a theology of parables into this introduction, right? Or I should say Luke does. But this, uh, this is written a- as though all of this is occurring as sort of one event. Right. And likely it was, right? So sometimes, uh, in the Gospels, events are kind of, like, moved next to each other for thematic reasons. It's possible that that's the case. It seems like this may have actually just been one, one teaching, and I'll, I'll talk about why that is in a second here. Um, but at the very least, this is placed next to each other in the Gospel almost as, like a, "Here's the theology of parables. Now, here's actually that happening in real [00:28:00] time."  Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  Tony Arsenal: And then also, like, a parable kinda demonstrating it, right? So the theology of the parable here is that there are many prophets, kings who desire to see what it is that, that, uh, uh, the disciples are seeing, right? And all things have been handed over to the Father or to, to the Son, by the Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father. No one who knows who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal, right? So the, the theology of parables here presented in Luke is that the parable itself is being used as a way to reveal the Father and the Son to those whom the Son chooses to reveal it to. The Lawyer as the Fool Tony Arsenal: And that leaves us with this lawyer, um, sort of playing, playing the fool in almost like a dramatic sense, right? In a lot of drama, there's kind of like the fool character who's sort of like the foil or the idiot of the thing who's, who's unaware and is almost like made an example of, right? Um, I, I can't think of any examples off the top of my head, but there's often a character in a play who's like, uh, it's [00:29:00] almost like the opposite of the everyman, right? The everyman in a, in a play- Right ... or in a movie is sort of like the outsider who things gets explained to, and he's sort of the proxy for, for the audience. Um, I think like, um, Hawkeye in Avengers is kind of the everyman. He's sort of just like this regular dude swept up in this thing, and oftentimes he's the one that, uh, the big characters are explaining things to. And really what that is is the big characters are explaining that to the audience through this proxy. There's also this concept of the fool in a lot of these plays or movies who's sort of like the dummy, the idiot of the play, who things are explained to, and it's still a way to explain it to the audience, but the character doesn't get it. And so that's kind of, kind of the role that this lawyer is playing in this, this narrative here. He, he steps forward. He's like, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answers his question, and then in this like sort of like stunning moment of, like unawareness, he's trying to justify himself. He says, "Well, who is my neighbor?"[00:30:00] As though that's a question that needed to be asked, right? I think, like, we sort of think of it as like, "Oh, yeah, that's a valid question." I actually don't think it is. Like, it's pretty obvious, in the Old Testament at least, who your neighbor is. It's the people who live immediately with you. It's the other people of Israel. It's the people in your immediate concentric circles, the people you have direct access to. Um, and so then Jesus explains it through this parable, and whether or not he gets it at the end, I guess is maybe a little bit unclear. We can talk about that as we get there. But at least in the beginning, he's portrayed as this sort of, like, fool who doesn't understand what Jesus is saying, and then this parable is taught. So it's this theology of, um, revelation to those whom it is intended to, and further obscuring from those it's intended not to, not to illuminate, which is identical. Uh, maybe it's a different flavor of the same thing, but it's the same thing as what Matthew had and what Jesus taught- Right ... in Matthew with the parables. Jesse Schwamb: Right. It definitely is, again, illustrating, again, God's divine prerogative. I think you really have to do a lot of theological gymnastics [00:31:00] to try to work yourself out of a place here that says, like, "Well, this, this knowledge is accessible to all people."  Tony Arsenal: Right.  Jesse Schwamb: That if somehow we just work hard enough, study hard enough, come even before God with the right attitude or do the right things, that somehow all this will be made plain to us, and that's certainly not the truth here. In fact, again, the ironic setup is you have this lawyer asking this question, which creates this strange contrast because here's a man trained in the law, and he approaches the very wisdom of God to test him while the little children already perceive what this fool cannot. So it's irony upon irony, and then I, I like what you're saying. I think, and we'll get to this to anticipate a bit, I'm reading this as he's hoping that the answer to whom is my neighbor, just like he- he's received the affirmative from Jesus saying, "Yes, you understand. Go and do these things. This is life," and we'll get to all of what that means, I think, as well in terms of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. But I think he's hoping that the definition of neighbor is gonna mean that he has [00:32:00] already accomplished the thing then, so that if there's somehow- Yeah ... he could just set the right boundaries. He could say, "Ah, yeah, I'm already good then, Jesus. I already, already did all that stuff." So- It's wild to me that it, it all starts with, of course, like some kind of scribal specialist in the Torah, of course, likely some kind of Pharisee by theological alignment. And as I'm looking at the notes here, what I find particularly stunning as we start this out is that Luke, of course, is able to speak several times in this parable to the intent. And so he says right away with great kind of fanfare and description that the intent here from this scribal Torah person was to test or to tempt, which is the same verb used of Satan's temptation of Christ and of Israel's testing of God in Deuteronomy 6, which of course Jesus is gonna quote here later on. So it's not, of course, like sincere inquiry, like you're saying. It, it is like adversarial probing. It is like really profound setup. It is dripping with like [00:33:00] ulterior motive. It's seeking to expose Jesus as either like heterodox or as diminishing the law's demands. And I think we've talked about this before, so Tony, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure in one of the previous parables we talked about sometimes how these get set up with this kind of weird like oxymoronic setting. Inherit Eternal Life Debate Jesse Schwamb: So like this question of se- uh, uh, itself, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: It's like more than just theologically revealing. Biblically it's self-contradictory, 'cause of course like we talked about inheritance, I think actually when we went through the, the parable of the prodigal. By definition, that's received, of course, on the ba- basis of relationship or promise. It's not earned by performance. And if the inheritance comes by a law, it no longer comes by promise, right? I think that's like Galatians. So the lawyer's question already portray- portrays like some kind of weird works righteous paradigm. E- even if you think he's really after trying to understand the true intent of God's heart [00:34:00] behind the law, he is assuming at least in this question that eternal life is some kind of wage that he can earn rather than a gift to be received by grace through faith. And that's a fundamental error that the entire subsequent exchange, including the parable, is designed to expose. It's both, like you're saying, Tony, he has not learned yet what it means to be in the kingdom of God. He's outside of that, and so he's trying... Now Jesus is bringing in this corrective action, as it were, set up in a story, but he's gonna turn the law on him, which, which I don't wanna get too excited about that yet. But he's... But essentially, here we have somebody who's the expert in the law trying to leverage the law by way of force against the one who he does not understand has all leverage and authority over him, and is in fact the law giver himself So he's gonna, Jesus is gonna drive him to see his own ability to keep the law that he claims to honor, and that's more than just brilliant. This is what the law does. You do not wanna pit the law against the one who has given the law, the [00:35:00] one whose character is represented in the law, because you're always going to get owned, and you'll get owned before you realize you've just gotten owned on multiple levels, and I think that's what basically unfolds here. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, I, I have a little bit of a different take on the, the word inherit here. Um, I don't think what you're saying is wrong, um, but I think there's a little different flavor here, and actually, I, I think it, it still sort of propels us forward to the conversation we have to have, um, about the law and the gospel and the covenant of works, the covenant of grace. The, the Greek that lays under this word is, uh, it's a compound word of the word for, like, lot or portion and the word for law. And so, so the, this force of the word is more along the lines of, like, what shall I do to have a legal right to eternal life? Like- Right ... inherit, I think we hear inherit, and we think of, like, um, like what you get when someone dies, and so, like, obviously there's nothing you do to earn it, and that's certainly an element of the way this [00:36:00] word is used in some instances. I think reading this and kind of how, how the rest of the text plays out, this lawyer is coming forward and he's like, "What do I need to do to have a rightful legal claim to eternal life?" Right? We might even be able, and this is where it comes into the covenant of grace, covenant of works k- kind of paradigm. We might even be able to say that what this lawyer or this person comes forward to ask Jesus is, how do I gain, how do I gain the benefits of the covenant of works, right?  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Yep. That's language that was developed later that's not, not, like, biblical language in terms of, like, the actual language within the text, but that's the force of what he's saying. What must I do to be a rightful legal... Uh, what must I do to have a rightful legal claim on all of the blessings of the covenant of works, is really the question that's here. And so Jesus' answer is so instructive- Right ... 'cause what he says is, "Well, what's written in the law?" Like, he, he basically says, like, "Well, you should be able to tell me, teacher- Exactly of [00:37:00] the law, like, what, what needs to happen there." And there's an assumption on Christ's part that, like, there is an answer. I think sometimes, sometimes we, we, uh, we make an error in thinking that the covenant of works was never attainable, that it's somehow this, like, um, it's almost like a black box. Like, nobody could know what we have to do to, like, obtain eternal life. That's absolutely not the assumption Jesus makes. Jesus not only knows that there's an answer, it's such a straightforward answer that he expects this scribe to be able to answer it, right? And the scribe can, right? The scribe says, "Well, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, your strength, and your neighbor as yourself," right? The summary of the law. Just good old classic Westminster larger, shorter catechism. Where's the law summarily comprehended? Summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. And then, then again, I don't know the questions exactly, but then it also, like, says, like, "Where does Christ summarize this?" Well, you should love the Lord your God, and you should love your [00:38:00] neighbor as yourself, right? Covenant Works and Grace Tony Arsenal: So the, the lawyer comes forward and says, "What do I need to do to have a legal right to all of the blessings of the covenant of works?" Christ says, "Well, what do you think?" He says, "Well, you obey the entirety of the law." And he says, "You've answered correctly. Do this. Obey the entirety of the law and you will live." So the parable itself doesn't necessarily speak to this law, gospel, covenant of works, covenant of grace paradigm. The, the parable is used to show that not only does this lawyer know what is required of him, but that he won't do it.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think that's really key, because even in the parable, within the parable itself, there are these figures that know what they should do, right? I, I think, um, we'll get into it, but there's a lot of ink spilled on almost like, um, explaining [00:39:00] why the priest and the Phar- phar- and the, the Levite almost like did the right thing by going to the other side of the room, and it points to like, well, their priestly and Levitical responsibilities, if they touch a dead body, like they can't do those things, and those things are so important. Like, there's a lot of ink spilled trying to almost explain why what they did is right, when the point of the parable is that actually we all know what the right thing to do in that sense was. And even the most righteous people in the mind of the hearers, the Levites and the priests, the most righteous people, even they don't do what they're supposed to do. Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: This, this paradigm, this gospel law paradigm, law gospel paradigm, this covenant of works, covenant of grace paradigm, is so baked into the very like fabric of, of human thought that it's just there. And Christ takes this time to point out to this lawyer, like, "You know what's expected of you." And so that's why the phrase desiring to justify himself is so key [00:40:00] here. I actually think that the, the, the I don't wanna go so far as to say, like, that this person was regenerated in the midst of this conversation, 'cause I don't know that. But I actually think that there's a forward movement of this lawyer as he interacts with Christ that is optimistic. I'm optimistic about it, right? Right. He starts out trying to test Jesus, then he star- then he moves to having a desire to justify himself. I think we hear that, we read that, desiring to justify himself, we automatically think that that's a negative thing. But if we think about justifying himself in terms of what he's talking about, how do I fulfill the obligations of the covenant of works, that's not a bad thing to wanna do. Right. It's not bad to wanna obey God's law and to lay claim to His promises. It's a misguided notion of something we can't accomplish, but in itself, desiring to justify himself is to desire to fulfill the obligations of the covenant of works. That's not necessarily a bad thing. And so I think this is a merciful, a merciful [00:41:00] teaching on Christ's part. He's trying to instruct this guy to say, "Look, you can't do it. And even if you could do it, you wouldn't do it. So let's, let's talk about mercy instead and what that looks like." And that's where we get to kind of the end of the, uh, the end of the parable.  Jesse Schwamb: And again, we have to remember that we know that the intent here is actually to test or try Jesus, so He's certainly being merciful by using this opportunity not to just put him on blast, but to actually provide true instruction. And of course, like, that was, to some degree, this turning the question back would've been, like, a rabbinic pedagogical technique, but theologically, this is what floors me, is from the jump, Jesus refuses to let this man treat Him merely as one more voice among competing rabbis. Yeah. Instead, He holds that lawyer to the standard of God's own revealed word by, like you said, asking not just what does it say, but how do you read it? Mm-hmm. He's pressing not just for, like, some kind of recitation, but for the lawyer's own understanding and application, and Jesus is gonna hold him [00:42:00] accountable to his own hermeneutic. So by, by the time we get the answer, we know as readers, and all those present would've understood, he already knows the right answer, and he's not ignorant to God's requirements. He already summarizes the whole moral law correctly, encompassing both tables of the Decalogue. And so I think that does lead us then to this statement that we probably should spend a little time on, like, do this and you will live, like you introduced for us. Like, what does that even mean? Because i- it's not, like, in my view It's not like a Pelagian or Arminian concession that law keeping actually saves. I mean, it is the covenant of works principle stated truly inexorably that the law as law does promise life to perfect obedience. But that's the exact problem. I, I like what you said that it's not as if we can't understand what it would be to comprehend or contemplate this perfect law and what it means to fall under the covenant of works. It's just that he also presents for us at the same time this covenant of grace in which life is [00:43:00] granted freely through faith in the mediator who alone fulfills all of these laws' demands. So it's wild in this back and forth that's happening here where it's... I don't even know if it's fair to say this is like the most incredible subtext ever. I'm imagining trying to process this in real time and realizing everything that's being said, not just listening to what's being said and like the technical answers going back and forth. But I think like you said, that the Spirit even here is at work, I would like to believe, in the life and at the heart and the mind of this lawyer who's bringing forward this question with nefarious intent first to test and to undermine, and then is being drawn in almost inexorably into this debate to more profound understanding about a covenant based on works that cannot be accomplished, uh, in perfect obedience except through the mediator who organizes and distributes liberally this covenant of grace to his children for whom he has accomplished at least passively and then actively in his obedience in life and death. And so Jesus' reply is, I [00:44:00] think, thus a very genuine like if that functions to expose an impossibility. I, I don't think he's teaching salvation by works here, of course. He is holding out the law's own terms so that the lawyer and everybody else listening, and even us as well, can discover through this narrative which is about to happen the impossibility of self-produced righteousness, which again is what this gentleman is theologically all about. He's trying to justify himself. And that is precisely the pedagogical strategy like Paul uses later when he systemizes all of this by saying that the law was our guardian or school master until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. I think- Yeah ... and it's only because God is good to us and we might sit in some of this teaching, I think this is all in play. So, so I ask you, like, have I gone too far with all this? Like, how much do you think in the real time was being processed? And maybe that's a horrible question to ask because we know the Spirit does this work of illumination and enlightenment, and we're on the other [00:45:00] side of this and have this time to sit and to kind of parse and to really kind of just be pickled in all of this. But there's so much happening here, right?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Uh, maybe I'll answer the question a, a little bit of a different way. I think, um- We often can think about Old Testament religion, if we wanna kinda call it that. We think about Old Testament religion as though it was totally uniform and, um, entirely legalistic. Right. Uh, my- the, the listener is gonna panic a little bit when I say this, so please don't freak out, but I, I think N.T. Wright, uh, and some of the new perspective on Paul stuff is a, a little bit helpful in this, in that it gives us a foil to sorta push against. Yes. The new perspective on Paul is this idea that, um- Paul was not saying that Judaism was legalistic and Christianity is a grace-based religion, right? He, m- [00:46:00] um, N- NPP is not, is saying, um, Paul was not correcting New or Old Testament religion. And where they go wrong is that they say that Paul actually retains this concept of covenantal faithfulness, covenantal nomism fidelity. Uh, where I think, where I think they're right is that this idea that, like, the Old Testament religion is entirely legalistic and Paul was just sort of correcting that, I think that's way too simplistic. And the reason I say that is that the Mosaic Covenant for, you know, w- and predominantly this podcast is coming from a sort of Westminster Confession of Faith Presbyterian perspective, give or take, right? The, the broad Reformed tradition would say that the, the Mosaic, uh, covenant, the Davidic Covenant, all of the covenants of the Old Testament, and we can break them up in all sorts of different ways, but all of the covenants of the Old Testament, [00:47:00] um, with maybe the exception of the Noahic Covenant, and there's some debate about that, all of those are They're not just, like, supporting structures for the covenant of grace, but they actually are the covenant of grace in various administrations. If that's true, and of course we believe that it is, if that's true, then the people of those covenants understood that on some level. Right. Right? So to think that, like, people under the administration of the covenant of grace somehow thought that they were operating under a legalistic framework doesn't make any sense. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah,  Tony Arsenal: that's true. So, so where I think that applies here is I think this person coming forward, it's not as though the concept of the covenant of grace... Again, that's language that we would develop later, but the concept that God graciously saves His people by the counsel of His own will, apart from their works of righteousness, apart from their meritorious effort, that God [00:48:00] simply extends His grace and conveys the cov- the blessings of the covenant of works to those who trust in the mediator, those who trust in the one to come, the, the forthcoming serpent-crushing seed, right, if you wanna use- Right language from Genesis 3. The, the idea that God simply graciously conveys the blessings of the covenant of works to those people Um, that's not something that's alien to the Old Testament, right? It's not alien to the, even to the Mosaic economy. The most law-based of all of the Old Testament, um, covenants, even that starts with the concept that these people are God's people who he redeemed out of Egypt, right? Right. The redemption out of Egypt comes before the giving of the law, and the giving of the law is a result of the redemption out of Egypt. So to think that this lawyer comes forward, and again, this had been sort of corrupted and distorted and had become a very works-based, uh, [00:49:00] meritorious-based understanding. But the idea that this framework of a covenant of grace is totally alien to this guy just doesn't, it just doesn't, I think it doesn't play. And so I think rather than us read this as I think sometimes we do, of Christ as kind of like giving this guy, trying to give this guy an entirely new paradigm, or like the rich young ruler is very much a parallel kind of situation. We read this, this guy comes forward, he's like, "What do I gotta do to earn eternal life?" Christ is like, kinda basically says like, "Well, you dum-dum, you can't. And I'm gonna demonstrate for you that you can't by- Right ... taking sort of like this situation that you can't possibly believe that you fulfilled and telling you to fulfill it." That's the outcome of this. We'll get to that when we get to the end of the parable. Um, he's not trying to give them a new paradigm. He's trying, in my opinion, he's trying to sort of reorient them back to the true paradigm of grace that is present under all of the Old Covenant administrations. So it's not so much a matter of like [00:50:00] developing a new framework and impli- like imposing this new framework on this guy. It's really trying to say like, "Listen- Think about this for a second, dude. Think about this, right? Think about the fact that, yes, you know you have to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole strength, your whole mind, and you have to love your neighbor as yourself, right? You've answered correctly. If you can do those things, you will live. With the subtext, which I think is what you're getting at, the subtext of, like, and of course you cannot possibly do those things. Right. Right. So what's the alternative, my friend? The alternative is not justifying yourself by somehow identifying who the person is that you have to love the most. The, the, the, um, the... Well, we'll get this when we get to the parable itself, but the, the alternative is... This will be interesting, 'cause I'm not sure that we... I don't know where you are on this, but, um, the alternative is that there's someone out there who shows us mercy. [00:51:00] Right. There's someone out there who takes care of our need despite our total inability to do so. Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: That's the alternative to the covenant of works, is the covenant of grace. I m- maybe I'm, like, hinting at it too much, so I'll just say it. Like, Jesus is the Good Samaritan, right? Like, there's something for us to learn about our own justification here and our own- Right ... like, um, our own need to be merciful, to treat people as our neighbors. But just like we talked about when we talked about, like, what does the least of these mean, this parable, uh, I'm totally, like, burying the lede for next, next week, but that's fine. This parable is not primarily about us figuring out how to do mercy ministry. Right. Like, that's important. It's probably an outcome of this. It's probably something for us to think about. But really, this is actually Christ saying, like, "Hold on a second here, dude." Like, "Let's just think about this." Do you need someone who is going to tell you to pick yourself up off your bootstraps and cross to the other side of the street and leave you to [00:52:00] your own devices? Or do you need someone who's gonna throw you on their donkey, who's gonna bind up your wounds, who's gonna pay the innkeeper, and is gonna pledge to play- pay everything that is owed for your salvation? Right? That's not too on the nose here, I think. Right. And, and I really look forward to, like, unpacking that, although maybe we don't need to now, but I think, like, this parable is so much more about how salvation works than it is about, like, what it means to have a good neighbor and to be a good neighbor. I think we get bogged down in that, and I just am really excited to talk more about, like, what I think this parable actually gets at.  Jesse Schwamb: I agree, and it's happening in the contex

In this message from Joshua 1:1–9, David Platt exhorts us to trust in God's presence and cling to his Word in every circumstance.Explore more content from Radical.

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ਨ ਆਈਆ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਲਾਗੋ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਓਸ ਨੋ ਸੁਖੁ ਨ ਉਪਜੈ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਉ ਗੇੜਾ ਆਵਉ ਜਾਉ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਚੇ ਸਿਉ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਉ ॥੧॥ Core MessageThis passage highlights the necessity of absolute faith in the True Guru (Satguru) and the Divine Word (Shabad) as the only pathway to inner peace, liberation from ego, and direct connection with God.Key ThemesTrue Faith vs. Empty Rituals (Shalok, 1st Section): Merely visiting the Guru repeatedly without inner devotion, faith, or love for the Word brings no peace. True connection occurs naturally when a follower aligns with the Guru's teachings and directs their focus toward the Eternal Lord.Overcoming Ego and Illusion (Shalok, 2nd Section): Seeking and serving a true spiritual guide removes the cycle of spiritual suffering and anxiety. Meditating on the Word burns away ego and tears down the veil of falsehood, allowing truth, self-discipline, and deep internal tranquility to enter. Meeting such a Guru is ultimately a gift of divine grace.The Absolute Authority of God (Pauree): The sovereign power of God surpasses all earthly courts or human authority. While one can flee human judgment, no one can escape God's realm. Those who harbor God within their hearts receive divine honor, and even worldly forces yield before them. Meditating on the Lord's Name is a rare blessing granted through grace.

Keilee Webb is a field staffer with K-Life in Missouri and serves as summer staff with Fuge Camps. On this episode of the Ordinary Christian Podcast, Keilee shares her journey of faith, discipleship, and ministry, emphasizing the importance of mentoring, and discipleship with a special emphasis on her heart for discipleship among to and among young women. Keilee also discuss the role of God's Word in her daily life and the value of having parents who are seeking to live out their faith authentically, even when it isn't perfect.Key TopicsDifferences in discipling women and menThe role of the Holy Spirit and God's Word in growthBuilding trust and sisterhood in discipleshipThe importance of community and church involvementPersonal faith journey and sanctificationSound Bites“Discipleship is sharing our lives with others”“Women's brains are like spaghetti, men have boxes”“Renew your mind in truth through God's Word”Chapters00:00 Introduction to Kylie Webb and Her Ministry00:28 Kylie's Background and Ministry Focus01:17 Discipling Women vs. Men: Key Differences02:13 Biblical Foundations for Discipleship (1 Thessalonians 2:8)03:39 Understanding Gender Wiring and Discipleship Approaches04:23 The Imago Dei and Discipleship Seasons05:16 Comfort Levels in Mentoring Men and Women07:14 Connecting with Younger Women and Trust Building09:28 The Role of Experience and Age in Discipleship11:00 Starting Discipleship at a Young Age12:17 Kylie's Faith Journey and Salvation Testimony15:56 College Years and Spiritual Growth16:25 Recent Pivotal Moments in Faith and Discipleship22:22 Seeking God's Will Through His Word24:25 Renewing the Mind and Daily Discipleship26:38 Meditating on Scripture and Holy Spirit's Role28:58 Practical Daily Walk with Christ34:41 The Role of Family and Personal Faith in Discipleship42:20 Kylie's Ministry at K-Life and Community Engagement47:28 Young Adults' Hunger for Truth and Community51:40 Favorite Scripture and Its SignificanceK-Life MinistriesEphesians 2:8-9Romans 12:2Colossians 3:1-2RESOURCES

ജ്ഞാനത്തോടും വിവേകത്തോടും ജീവിക്കുക | Walking In Wisdom And Understanding | Malayalam Christian Message | Br. Damien Antony | Morning Glory 1989 | 05 Aug 2026വിവരങ്ങൾ അറിയാം, പക്ഷേ ജീവിതത്തിന് കൃത്യമായ ദിശ ലഭിക്കുന്നില്ലേ? ദൈവത്തിൻ്റെ ജ്ഞാനവും വിവേകവും അനുഭവിക്കാൻ ഈ വചനം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുക.Walking in wisdom and understanding is essential for every believer navigating spiritual warfare, career challenges and daily life. True divine knowledge surpasses human education, illuminating the mind through the Holy Spirit just as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego experienced in captivity. While secular knowledge sharpens intellectual capacity, only God brings true spiritual illumination and revelation. Knowledge understands what facts are, but understanding connects those facts to purpose, while wisdom teaches practical application. Believers must actively seek divine guidance, prioritizing scripture over endless distractions. Biblical principles emphasize that wisdom brings solutions to impossible situations, elevating individuals into positions of influence, excellence and integrity. True excellence combines godly character with professional competence, making believers trusted counselors in a broken world. Meditating daily on the Word of God opens doors, destroys spiritual darkness and releases the divine spirit of excellence into every area of life.ദൈവവചനത്തിൻ്റെ അനുഗ്രഹങ്ങൾക്കായി Blessing Today ചാനൽ ഇപ്പോൾ തന്നെ Subscribe ചെയ്യൂ! ✨പുതിയ വീഡിയോകൾക്കായി Bell Icon അമർത്തുക.

Do you have a real passion for God in your daily life? In this episode of Words From The Word, Pastor Roderick Webster of Good News Baptist Church in Sint Maarten opens Psalm 63 and Psalm 91 in the King James Version to show us what a passionate believer actually looks like — not just on Sunday, but in the quiet moments, on the bed, in the night watches, and in the storms of life.You might be asking: Is it okay to pray lying down in bed? How can I find peace when the world around me feels fearful and uncertain? What does it really mean to hide under the shadow of God's wings? How do I stay close to God when life pulls me in every direction?In this devotion you will discover:- The passionate believer meditates on the Lord even in the night watches (Psalm 63:6)- Sweet meditation on God's Word opens your spiritual eyes (Psalm 104:34)- Hiding under His wings brings real confidence and joy about the future (Psalm 91:1-7)- God's strength upholds you moment by moment — but you must cling to Him, not follow afar offIf this devotion blessed you, please like, leave a comment, share it with a friend, and subscribe so you never miss a word.WordsFromTheWord #KJV #BibleDevotion #ChristianLiving #HolySpiritStay connected with GNBC:

Certified Consulting Hypnotist Shawn Mossell joins Bob Sirott to talk about the importance of meditation, how you can stay in the moment as you meditate, and why giving yourself permission to relax is important. He also discusses why it’s a good sign if you fall asleep while you meditate, as well as leading us in a […]

2026-08-02 - Sermon by Pastor Jason Huntsinger - Today Jason spoke about the benefits of meditating on Scripture and acting on what we have learned.

Text Us Your Feedback! (Likes, Dislikes, Guest/Conversation Recommendations). Toby Sola has spent two decades teaching meditation — years of it inside a monastery, refined through close work with world-renowned teacher Shinzen Young. Today he runs Bright Mind, an app built on one guiding principle: as simple as possible, but no simpler.In this conversation, Toby and Boysen talk about what monastic life actually teaches you — not mystical secrets, but community and humility, the two things that turned out to matter most. They dig into why so many men try meditation once, get frustrated with their own "monkey mind," and never come back — and what's usually missing (hint: it's often not more discipline, it's community and structure). Toby walks through how Bright Mind is designed as a guided journey rather than a random library, so progress actually builds instead of resetting every time you open the app.The conversation goes deep into the parts of practice nobody warns you about: the doubt that shows up right when things start to open up, the strange sense of space and time dissolving, and the nihilism that can surface when you get quiet enough to really look. Toby's take is grounded and useful — sometimes the answer isn't more meditation, it's fixing something in your actual life: a relationship, a career decision, a worldview you're ready to let go of.Whether you've never meditated or you've been sitting for years, this episode offers a clear, unpretentious map for a practice that's often made either too complicated or too watered down to matter.Go to the Brightmind App - https://www.brightmind.com/Use Code MKP to get a free month!  Hearing the call? We're here. https://mkpusa.org BetterHelp: Get 10% Off Your First Month Of Therapy The ManKind Podcast has partnered with Betterhelp to make it easier for listeners to access licensed mental health therapists who can aid them in their mental health journey. Brandon and Boysen stand by this service as they use BetterHelp for their therapy needs.#Sponsorship #AdSupport the show

Thought to share? Send me a text...Have you ever wondered why some Christians remain rooted and full of peace through life's hardest seasons while others feel spiritually exhausted and easily shaken?In a world filled with endless distractions, opinions, and social media, it's easy to spend more time meditating on everything except God's Word. Psalm 1 offers a timeless invitation to delight in Scripture, develop deep spiritual roots, and build a faith that remains steady no matter what season you're facing.Discover what it truly means to delight in and meditate on God's Word instead of simply reading it. Learn why Scripture compares a faithful believer to a flourishing tree and how that picture applies to your everyday life. Walk away with practical encouragement to cultivate stronger spiritual roots that produce lasting fruit through every season. Press play to discover how Psalm 1 can help you build a deeply rooted, flourishing faith that stands firm no matter what life brings.New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday mornings.To connect with Betsy for speaking, resources, or curriculum head to https://betsymarvin.com/contact-me/For access to past podcasts and transcripts, head tohttps://betsymarvin.com/podcasts/A Christian podcast centered on Jesus, the Bible, and God explores faith through the Old Testament and New Testament, sharing Bible stories and Bible explained insights to help women of faith and Jesus followers grow in faith, strengthen their relationship with God, and know God more deeply through Bible study, women Bible study, and practical Christianity, all while encouraging spiritual growth, understanding identity in Christ, and learning to understand Bible teachings to become closer to God.

People are now meditating in coffins… and yes, this is a real thing. In this episode of Make You Crunch Podcast, we dive into one of the strangest wellness trends making headlines: people climbing into coffins to meditate, reflect on life, and supposedly reduce stress. We break down what coffin meditation is, why people are doing it, and whether this bizarre self-care trend is deep, creepy, or just plain weird.If you love weird news, strange internet trends, bizarre true stories, and crazy wellness fads that sound fake but are actually real, this episode is for you. Tune in as we react to one of the wildest meditation stories out there and ask the question: have self-care trends officially gone too far?

“When You Long for God: A Psalm of Desire” Psalm 63 Week 4 of “Summer Psalms: Ancient Songs for Modern Hearts” We've spent three weeks exploring Psalms that meet us in crisis, in waiting, in uncertainty. This final week, we explore something different: longing. Not crisis. Not waiting. But a deep ache for God's presence. A spiritual thirst. A heart that says, “I need more of God than I currently have.” Summer is a season when we can feel this. Slower pace. Time to think. Time to notice what we're missing. Time to feel the gap between who we are and who we're called to be. Some of you know this feeling. You remember when your faith was alive. When prayer felt real. When God felt close. And somewhere along the way, it faded. And now you're feeling the absence. You're longing for what you've lost. This is when you need Psalm 63. David wrote this psalm in a wilderness season—literally fleeing for his life, camping in desert places. And in that wilderness, in that loneliness, something awakened in him. A desperate hunger for God. A longing for God's presence that was stronger than his physical need for food or water. “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). That's the heart cry of this psalm. Not need. Longing. THE PSALM: LISTEN TO DAVID'S DESIRE FOR GOD Psalm 63:1-2, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have beheld You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.” Notice the language. “My soul thirsts.” “My flesh yearns.” This is not intellectual. This is visceral. David's entire being—soul and body—is reaching for God. Then verse 3: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, I will praise You.” This is the central declaration of the psalm. God's lovingkindness is better than life itself. Better than comfort. Better than security. Better than anything else. Then verses 5-8: “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” David is in the wilderness. Physically uncomfortable. Possibly hungry. But spiritually satisfied. His longing for God has been met, and that meeting satisfies more than food could satisfy. THE REALITY: SPIRITUAL THIRST AND THE WILDERNESS Here's what most of us don't talk about: Many of us have drifted from real faith into routine faith. We still go to church. We still pray (maybe). We still believe (sort of). But there's no fire. No longing. No passionate seeking. We've settled for less than what's available. Maybe it happened gradually. Life got busy. Kids. Work. Responsibilities. Mortgage. The grind. And somewhere between the busyness, the intimacy with God faded. Prayer became obligation instead of conversation. Worship became routine instead of real. We show up, we go through the motions, we leave feeling like we've checked a box. Or maybe it happened because we've experienced disappointment. We prayed and God didn't answer the way we wanted. We trusted and felt let down. We gave our whole heart and got hurt. And now, to protect ourselves, we've backed away. We keep our distance. We believe in God intellectually, but we don't long for God emotionally. We've built walls. Or maybe we've just gotten comfortable. Our faith became comfortable. Manageable. Safe. And somewhere along the way, we forgot what it felt like to actually hunger for God. To want Him like we want food and water. To seek Him like a person lost in the desert seeks water. But Psalm 63 invites us to something different: passionate faith. Living faith. The kind that says, “My soul thirsts for You. My flesh yearns for You.” And here's the beautiful part: this longing often awakens in the wilderness. Not in comfort, but in hard places. In loneliness. In disappointment. In seasons that strip away the comfortable surface and show us what we really need. I think of a woman I know who grew up in the faith. Church every Sunday. Youth group. Christian college. The whole package. But somewhere along the way, it all became mechanical. Prayer was something she did in the morning because it was routine. Worship was something that happened on Sunday because that's what you do. Scripture reading was a check mark on a discipline list. But there was no fire. No joy. No longing. Then one season, she got honest with God. “I don't feel anything,” she said in prayer. “I've lost my passion. I've lost my longing for You. What happened to me?” And instead of pretending everything was fine, instead of beating herself up, she started seeking. Real seeking. She read Scripture differently—not to check a box, but asking God to speak. She prayed differently—out loud, honest, raw. She started going on prayer walks. She joined a small group where she could be real about her struggle. And gradually—not all at once, but gradually—that longing came back. Not because her circumstances changed. Not because a crisis forced her to seek. But because she stopped settling for routine and started pursuing real intimacy. APPLICATION: THE WILDERNESS AWAKENS LONGING One reason Psalm 63 is so powerful is that David wrote it in the wilderness—in hard circumstances. Not in comfort, but in the dry and weary place. And in the wilderness, something awakened. His longing for God. The text says, “my soul thirsts for You; my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” The wilderness wasn't a detour from his spiritual journey. It was the place where his spiritual passion was rekindled. Sometimes we need the wilderness to wake us up. Not the crisis that demands rescue. Not the waiting that teaches patience. But the loneliness that makes us realize what we're missing. The wilderness that shows us how thirsty we actually are. C.S. Lewis wrote about this. He talked about “the sweet poison of false security.” When life is comfortable, when everything is fine, when we have enough security and enough entertainment and enough success, we stop seeking God desperately. We're satisfied with the surface. We're content with routine. But when comfort is stripped away, when we're alone in the wilderness, when the things we thought satisfied us don't, the real longing surfaces. And that's actually a gift. Your dissatisfaction might not be a sign that something's wrong with you. It might be the Holy Spirit beckoning you back. It might be the beginning of a deeper journey into intimacy with God. THE DISCIPLINE: PURSUING GOD DELIBERATELY Notice what David does in the wilderness. He doesn't just experience longing passively. He pursues it actively. He doesn't wait for God to force intimacy. He reaches out. “Thus I have beheld You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (verse 2). He's remembering encounters with God. He's meditating on God's presence and power. He's calling to mind the times when he experienced God's character firsthand. In the middle of the desert, he's remembering what God looked like in the sanctuary. “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches” (verse 6). He's being intentional. In the quiet hours when he can't sleep—and you know, if you're camping in the desert and your enemies are hunting you, you're not sleeping well—he's choosing to think about God. To remember. To meditate. To rehearse God's faithfulness and character. Have you ever woken in the middle of the night, your mind overcome with the burden of worry or anxiety? I have, I have been there many times myself. What to do? Where to turn? “I meditate on You in the night watches.” “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me” (verse 8). He's clinging. Holding tight. Desperately grasping. Not distantly believing, but closely holding. Not going through the motions, but actively, physically, emotionally clinging. This is the practice. Deliberately seeking. Meditating. Remembering. Clinging. It's work. It's intentional. It's not passive. In our comfortable lives, we can drift without noticing. Without intention. We wake up one day and realize the fire is gone. But if we want to recover a passionate faith, if we want to feel that longing again, we have to be deliberate. We can't expect it to happen to us. We have to cultivate it. We have to carve out time. Time to pray without an agenda. Time to read Scripture not looking for a quick answer, but wanting to know God. Time to worship not because it's Sunday, but because we're hungry. Time to sit in silence and just be present to God. We have to remember. Deliberately recall the times when you knew God was real. Meditate on God's past faithfulness. Let memories of encounter stir your heart. We have to confess our drift. Get honest. “I've settled for routine. I've kept my distance. I want more. I want to long for You like David longed for You.” And we have to persist. Because recovering spiritual passion isn't always immediate. It takes time. It takes practice. But it's worth it. THE INVITATION: TASTE AND SEE Here's the profound promise at the end of Psalm 63: “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness” (verse 5). David's thirst has been satisfied. His longing has been met. And the satisfaction is complete. “Better than life,” he says about God's lovingkindness. And that's the invitation Psalm 63 extends to you: Taste this. Experience real intimacy with God. Let your longing be satisfied. Not in the future. Not when circumstances are better. But now. Even in the wilderness. Even in the mundane. Even in summer when you have time to notice what's missing—that's when you can discover what's available. HOW TO PRAY THIS PSALM First: Pray it in quiet moments. Psalm 63 is a meditation. It's meant for early morning or late night. The times when you have space to think and feel and long. Second: Be honest about your longing (or lack of it). If you've drifted, admit it. “O God, I've lost my thirst for You. Awaken it in me again.” Third: Remember encounters with God. Think back to times when you knew God was real. Times when prayer felt alive. Times when His presence was tangible. Let those memories stir your longing. Fourth: Meditate on God's character. “Your lovingkindness is better than life.” Spend time thinking about what that means. What does it look like to choose God over everything else? Fifth: Practice spiritual disciplines. Read Scripture. Pray. Worship. Sit in silence. These aren't meant to be legalistic. They're meant to be pathways toward intimacy. Ways of saying to God, “I want more of You.” Sixth: Cling. Don't hold back. Don't keep God at a distance to protect yourself. The promise is that His right hand upholds you. You're safe to pursue Him desperately. THE GIFT OF DESIRE Some of you have never lost this longing. Your faith has always been alive. Your heart has always reached for God. You're the kind of person who finds joy in worship, who experiences real connection in prayer, who feels God's presence tangibly. That's beautiful. Treasure it. Keep pursuing. Keep clinging. Keep letting Him satisfy your deepest thirst. And please, help the rest of us remember what we're aiming for. Others of you have lost it. The fire has faded. The intimacy has grown distant. Maybe it was gradual. Maybe it was sudden. But you can feel the absence. You remember what it was like to know God intimately, and you grieve the loss. Psalm 63 is an invitation to remember. To seek again. To let your soul thirst for God like it once did. The longing can return. The fire can be rekindled. It takes intention, but it's possible. And still others of you are in the first awakening. You're beginning to feel the longing. You're beginning to notice what's missing. That restlessness you feel? That's not a sign of crisis. That's a sign of spiritual health. That ache is the Holy Spirit calling you back to intimacy. Don't dismiss it. Don't medicate it. Pay attention to it. Let it lead you toward God. CONCLUSION As we close this summer of Psalms, we've journeyed through crisis, through waiting, through uncertainty, and now to longing. Four different seasons of the soul. Four ancient prayers that speak to modern hearts. But Psalm 63 reminds us of the heart of it all. Everything else—the rescues, the waiting, the guidance—it all points to this: a soul that longs for God. A heart that says, “Your lovingkindness is better than life.” That's the invitation of summer. Not just to survive the season. But to rediscover what you're longing for. To let the slower pace awaken your heart. To feel the thirst. To take steps toward intimacy. And to taste and see that the Lord is good. Because when you've tasted, when you've known real intimacy with God, you realize: this is what you were made for. This is what satisfies. This is home.

Checking if our notion of the body corresponds with what the body actually is Experiences from witnessing an autopsy Contemplating the impermanence of the body Reducing sexual attraction by contemplating causes, nature and result of body Quotes from Nagarjuna and Shantideva Mindfulness of the the four elements Understanding the properties of earth, water, fire and […]

How does meditating on Krishna's romantic pastimes conquer lust? Not through repression — through a higher meditation. In classical yoga, the very first demand is to root out every vestige of erotic thought. With the meditators on Krishna, the romantic mood became the queen of all meditation. The gopīs' love is the diametric opposite of lust — being entirely selfless. Meditating on something so pure reprograms the heart from within — the counterfeit simply loses its pull. Raghunath and Kaustubha complete all five chapters of the Rāsa Līlā. Krishna's pastimes are not the product of material desire. They are its antidote. And anyone who hears them faithfully will attain pure devotion and quickly conquer the disease of the heart. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.35-39 ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

Meditating on God's Word is so much more than reading a verse, checking the box, and moving on with the rest of your day. It's choosing to stay with it, to slow down, think deeply and let God's truth settle into your heart.SHARE HOW GOD IS USING THIS PODCAST!Support the show

How does meditating on Krishna's romantic pastimes conquer lust? Not through repression — through a higher meditation. In classical yoga, the very first demand is to root out every vestige of erotic thought. With the meditators on Krishna, the romantic mood became the queen of all meditation. The gopīs' love is the diametric opposite of lust — being entirely selfless. Meditating on something so pure reprograms the heart from within — the counterfeit simply loses its pull. Raghunath and Kaustubha complete all five chapters of the Rāsa Līlā. Krishna's pastimes are not the product of material desire. They are its antidote. And anyone who hears them faithfully will attain pure devotion and quickly conquer the disease of the heart. Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.35-39 ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

Sermon from 07-19-2026

July 19th, 2026

Please join us for this new series entitled Meditating With the Masters.  In this meeting we will be asking the Higher Beings and in particular Masters in various known and unknown traditions to assist us in the development of our consciousness and subtle bodies.  These Masters are particular to each person in the meeting and your personal connections will be invoked both in the transmission and meditation.In this particular meeting, we will be asking the Divine, Our spiritual guides and Teachers, and the Holy Masters to assist us in downloading the virtue of forgiveness in particular from a non-dual perspective.  From this perspective of unity, the hurts and mistakes either done to us or that we have done no longer have any effect.  We ask from these evolved beings the capacity to see this life and our experience from this non-dual perspective of unity consciousness.After the 40 minute transmission we will then do a Pillar of Light meditation meant to download these patterns into our subtle bodies and consciousness.  In particular we will be focusing on the further opening and development of the heart chakra and its connection to the pineal chakra in the head.  This will work to alchemically connect the head and the heart through the central channel of energy.  A clean flow of prana can then occur to further develop the head and the heart which leads to universal love, compassion, and higher state of clairvoyance.If you would like to further your study on this topic we will be using the book The Masters and the Path by C.W. Leadbeater as a textbook for this series.This episode is the energy transmission of the event.

Meditating on the Word -July 5, 2026 Nathan Brewer

Meditating on the 6th doctrine mentioned in the Introduction to the Sermon Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, needed to be explored deeper. And 2 more fearful teachings in this doctrine.

You've listened to Neville's words. Now practice living from them. Join Unlock God Mode at unlockgodmode.org and begin a 30-day journey into state, assumption, self-concept, and conscious creation.  ------------------------ Start here: nevillegoddard.com – download Neville Goddard's most powerful book free and receive weekly insights to help you manifest.  ------------------------ NEW PODCAST: Follow the brand new Neville Goddard Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast platform. The Neville Goddard Podcast is dedicated to bringing Neville's timeless ideas into a modern, immersive format you can return to again and again. This is a modern faithful interpretation of Neville Goddard's most powerful teachings. Listen to Episode 1 on Spotify → Listen to Episode 1 on Apple Podcasts →   ---------Neville once said, “Assumption, if persisted in, will harden into fact.” That one truth is enough to change your life. The question is, how do you live from that place, day by day? That's exactly what Unlock God Mode was created to help you do.If you've been waiting for a sign to take Neville's teachings deeper and make them the rhythm of your daily life, this is it. Start your journey now: unlockgodmode.org. ---------He Is Meditating Me (Neville Goddard, 1963 Lecture) ***Download the free Neville Goddard PDF Guide at manifestwithneville.com - Discover the transformative power of Neville Goddard's wisdom with this FREE 60-page guide on his 12 timeless principles of manifestation and reality creation.★ Follow the podcast for daily lectures from the mystic Neville Goddard ★FREE RESOURCES:• Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter• Join the FREE Telegram Channel• Feeling is the Secret • Full Audiobook* * *The James Xander Trip Podcast:• Listen on Spotify• Listen on Apple Podcasts• Listen on YouTubeDIVE DEEPER:• The Unlock God Mode Course• The Infinite Wealth Guided Meditation* * *ABOUT NEVILLE GODDARD:Neville Goddard (1905-1972), was an English writer, speaker and mystic. He grew up in Barbados and moved to the United States of America as a young adult. Neville Goddard was perhaps the last century's most intellectually substantive and charismatic purveyor of the philosophy generally called New Thought. He wrote more than ten books under the solitary pen name Neville, and was a popular speaker on metaphysical themes from the late 1930s until his death in 1972.Possessed of a self-educated and uncommonly sharp intellect, Neville espoused a spiritual vision that was bold and total: Everything you see and experience, including other people, is the result of your own thoughts and emotional states. Each of us dreams into existence an infinitude of realities and outcomes. When you realize this, Neville taught, you will discover yourself to be a slumbering branch of the Creator clothed in human form, and at the helm of limitless possibilities.Neville's thought system influenced a wide range of spiritual thinkers and writers, from bestselling author Dr. Joseph Murphy to Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer.He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of readers around the world.* * *SOCIALS:• Neville Goddard Newsletter• Neville Goddard Telegram• Neville Goddard Instagram• Neville Goddard Threads• Neville Goddard Twitter• Neville Goddard YouTube* * *ABOUT THE COURSEUnlock God Mode is a transformative 30-day course designed to accelerate your journey towards greater wealth, love, and success through a deeper understanding and manipulation of your reality.  Comprising of 30 audio lessons, this course unfolds as a self-paced, introspective expedition into reality creation, aiding you in elevating your consciousness to what's referred to as the God Mode. Throughout this journey, practical tools will be provided daily to help enrich your life with more love, money, and success by altering your mental models and perceptions. This course combines theory and hands-on experience to create a unique deep dive into manifestation, consciousness, and reality creation. Join me on an extraordinary, 30-day adventure (1 lesson per day) and watch your reality transform. Begin the Unlock God Mode experience today »* * *Follow Neville Goddard on Telegram, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and YouTube.★ Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter ★» For the Neville Goddard listener: Access the 30-Day Unlock God Mode Program «----------

Meditating on the 6th doctrine mentioned in the Introduction to the Sermon Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, needed to be explored deeper. And 2 more fearful teachings in this doctrine.

Meditating on the 6th doctrine mentioned in the Introduction to the Sermon Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, needed to be explored deeper. And 2 more fearful teachings in this doctrine.

Nocturnal Worlds is certainly a curious podcast. A unique mix of science, nature, meditation, and lush soundscapes from Audiocraft, an Australian production company. Why mix science education and meditation? Olivia O'Flynn, the host and producer of Nocturnal Worlds, lays out the how and why of the show. 

This is a sort of book report Jeff brings after reading Sarah Allen, The Way of Water and Sprouts of Virtue (Chinese Philosophy Culture). We discuss how in ancient China, the root metaphor of water was the focus itself. It's not as if water is a metaphor for an abstract reality. Its flow is the flow. Meditating on water is to glimpse the Tao, not an object lesson for some ideology.

Hello, Beautiful...I'm so grateful you're here with me. Tonight, peaceful water sounds and calming meditation music come together to create a deeply relaxing sleep experience. These soothing ambient tones help ease anxiety, quiet the mind, and support meditation, mindfulness, and restorative sleep. Let the gentle flow of water guide you into calm and stillness. Love,

Guided Question Are you growing older in your faith—or truly growing up through intentional application of God's Word? Summary In this sermon from Fellowship Bible Church, Dr. Robert Lewis challenges believers to examine whether they are spiritually maturing or merely aging in the faith. Drawing from Epistle to the Hebrews 5, he addresses Christians who had followed Christ for decades yet remained spiritually immature. He describes three evidences of spiritual stagnation: dull hearing, an ailing appetite for truth, and failing discernment. Spiritual truth is never neutral—if not applied, it hardens the heart. Using the parable of the talents from Gospel of Matthew 25, he emphasizes that unused truth is eventually lost. The heart of the message centers on intent and application. Maturity is not measured by biblical knowledge but by practiced obedience. Christianity becomes boring when it is merely acknowledged—but becomes an adventure when lived. Through a powerful real-life story of a woman who chose obedience during a painful divorce, the sermon concludes with a compelling reminder: abundant life cannot be defined without application. Outline I. Introduction: Growing Older vs. Growing Up Age does not equal maturity. Christians can expend energy yet remain spiritually stagnant. The “spiritual treadmill” problem. II. Context: Hebrews 5 and Spiritual Immaturity Written to believers mature in years but immature in growth. The writer pauses discussion of Melchizedek to address stagnation. III. Three Evidences of Spiritual Stagnation (Hebrews 5:11–14) 1. Impaired Hearing (Dull of Hearing) Spiritual calluses form when truth is not applied. Two root causes: Utility — Failing to see Scripture as useful. Intent — Never intending to fully live it out. If truth is not used, it is lost (Matthew 25 principle). 2. An Ailing Appetite (Milk Instead of Meat) Stuck on elementary principles. Immaturity is lack of experience, not lack of knowledge. Maturity = practiced obedience, not accumulated information. 3. Failing Faculties (Lack of Discernment) Without practice, life becomes guesswork. Repeated conflict and instability often stem from lack of biblical discernment. Meditation integrates Scripture with daily living. IV. The Proposal: An Exciting Christian Life The difference between reading about something and experiencing it. Christianity is not a job—it's an adventure. Radical obedience breeds: Joy Freedom Anticipation Abundant life V. Illustration: Obedience in Divorce A woman applies 1 Corinthians 6 instead of retaliating. Intentional obedience brings freedom and restoration. Application leads to true spiritual adventure. VI. Conclusion Abundant life cannot be defined without application. Choose adventure over boredom. Apply one specific truth this week. Key Takeaways Growing older in Christ does not guarantee spiritual maturity. Spiritual truth is never neutral—it either softens or hardens. If you don't use what you've been given, you lose it. Maturity is measured by practiced obedience, not Bible knowledge. Discernment comes through application. Christianity without application is boring. Christianity with radical intent is an adventure. Abundant life begins where obedience begins. Scripture References  Hebrews 5:11–14 — Spiritual immaturity revealed through dull hearing, spiritual infancy, and lack of discernment. Matthew 25:14–29 — What is not used is lost; faithful application leads to growth and joy. Proverbs 14:12 — What seems right without wisdom leads to destruction. Psalms 1:1–3 — Meditating on God's Word produces stability and fruitfulness. 1 Corinthians 6:7 — Better to suffer wrong than abandon obedience among believers. 3 John 1:4 — True joy comes from walking in the truth. Recorded 3.14.82

In this episode I am once again joined by Lorin Roche PhD, meditation teacher and author of “The Radiance Sutras”. I first met Lorin at the Summit at Sea conference in 2015 where we were both teaching. We attended each others' workshops and immediately hit it off. In those days, we both taught on the California conference circuit and were often booked to teach at the same gatherings. Over the years we spent many weeks enjoying extended conversations, raucous dinners, and long evenings of music and poetry. In short, we became true friends. It was a desire to share the rich conversations I was having with friends like Lorin that contributed to my decision to start the Guru Viking Podcast. And so, naturally, I asked Lorin to be my first interview subject. He went on to become one of my most popular, recurring guests. On the 18th of April 2026, Lorin died. What follows is our last interview and conversation, recorded a few months before his passing. The episode covers many of Lorin's most characteristic teaching themes and I have also included some of the conversation we had before and after the main episode content. There are many poignant and amusing stories from the years of my friendship with Lorin and there is a lot worth saying about his approach to meditation. One day, I might record an episode dedicated to those themes. For now I will say that it is obvious to all that Lorin was a vivacious man - the essence of his approach to teaching meditation was an encouragement to wholeheartedly embrace life. But I can also report that behind the scenes and off the stage Lorin was a generous man, irreverent, funny, and very kind. … https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep365-the-last-interview-lorin-roche-phd Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:5 - Boats, geese, and hummingbirds 07:05 - Meditating with the flow of nature 08:14 - Being human is like being president of Earth 11:35 - The miracle of attention 13:51 - Teaching was easier in the 70s 15:15 - Agencylessness is a dumb idea 16:38 - Human reaction time 17:52 - Attending to the inner life 18:44 - Evil meditation teaching 19:58 - Misunderstandings about Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras 22:55 - Taming the body 26:33 - The genius of yoga 28:01 - Pros and cons of stopping the mind 28:57 - Where meditation went wrong 35:47 - Tuning the instrument 38:56 - Limitations of the “tuning” metaphor 43:24 - Monastic ideas sabotage lay people 45:41 - Religion vs meditation 50:56 - Is Loren's approach self-indulgent? 56:18 - Peak experiences and enlightenment 59:20 - Loren's drug experiences 01:02:20 - LA Yoga community's enthusiasm for drugs 01:04:50 - Loren asks about Steve's meditation … Previous episodes with Lorin here: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=lorin 
 To find out more about Lorin visit:
- www.lorinroche.com 
- www.radiancesutras.com 
- www.meditationtt.com For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com/ Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

To get enlightened you have to cooperate with the process.  So you may have to revamp your diet. And your mental diet.  What thoughts do you feed yourself?  And you may have to work on how you show up in relationships.  Meditating in solitude won't make you a master of relationships.  A yoga master is a master of the world, as well as a master of... — Gurudevi Nirmalananda   Watch Gurudevi's full discourse “Food Affects You" here: https://gurudevi.vhx.tv/products/food-affects-you-5-24-26   #spirituality #meditation #Gurudevi #yogamysticism #svaroopa #meditate #divine #yoga #swaminirmalananda #blissyoga #svaroopayoga #siddhayoga #muktananda #gurudevinirmalananda

Our Spiritual Formation Director, Blake Zimmerman, begins our new teaching series, Summer in the Psalms.

Our devotional today is from Jeremiah. Meditating on this passage not only gives us a lesson in adoration, but informs us of the attributes of the Holy God of the universe.Many look at God as a character in the image of mankind, but stirring passages like Jeremiah 32:16-22 remind us just how majestic He is in His name, in all the earth!“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the LORD, saying, 17 ‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee, 18 who showest lovingkindness to thousands, but repayest the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; 19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; 20 who hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and Thou hast made a name for Thyself, as at this day. 21 ‘And Thou didst bring Thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 and gavest them this land, which Thou didst swear to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. Jeremiah 32:16-22 Our So What? for today:Take this passage read it over and over, and meditate on the passage, digest it, give the worship some time in your mind. Perhaps you may apply His majesty in your own relationship with Him. apply to your own life. God isAll-powerful in verse 17Loving verse 18 aJustice verse 18 bKing of all creation 18 cWise and all-knowing verse 19compassionate v 21:God of integrity v 22Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen 1 Timothy 1:17Brethren, let's pray for one another.Donation link:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=G9JGGR5W97D64Or go to www.freerangepreacheronprayer.com and use the Donations tab."What a man is on his knees before God, that he is and nothing more."Robert Murray M'CheyneAssistant Editor: Seven Jefferson Gossardwww.freerangepreacheronprayer.comfreerangeprayer@gmail.comFacebook - Free Range Preacher MinistriesInstagram: freerangeministriesAll our Scripture quotes are drawn from the NASB 1977 edition.For access to the voice-over services of Richard Durrington, please visit RichardDurrington.com or email him at Durringtonr@gmail.comOur podcast art was designed by @sammmmmmmmm23 on InstagramSeason 008 Episode 030

This sermon centers on the transformative power of meditating on Scripture, drawing from Psalm 119 to illustrate how consistent engagement with God's Word produces delight, stability, direction, and victory in the believer's life. It emphasizes that the Bible is not merely a book to be read but a living, active force that shapes the heart, renews the mind, and equips the believer for spiritual warfare and daily living. The preacher calls the congregation to move beyond passive reading to intentional, reflective meditation—carefully reading, prayerfully reflecting, personally applying, and promptly responding to God's truth—while warning against the distractions of modern life that hinder spiritual focus. Through practical guidance and heartfelt encouragement, the message affirms that sustained meditation on Scripture is the foundation for a life marked by joy, wisdom, and divine empowerment.

June 7, 2026 - Summer of Psalms - "Walking, Standing, Sitting, & Meditating" by Southwest Christian Church

What if the biggest obstacle to your meditation practice is the way you've been taught to do it?In this series, I select my favourite and most insightful moments from previous episodes of the podcast.My guest Earle Birney, a meditation teacher and spiritual guide with over 27 years of experience, reveals the two most common mistakes people make when meditating, and what to do instead. If you have ever sat down to meditate and walked away feeling like you failed, this one is for you.˚VALUABLE RESOURCES:Listen to the full conversation with Earle Birney in episode #466:https://personaldevelopmentmasterypodcast.com/466˚Coaching with Agi: https://personaldevelopmentmasterypodcast.com/mentor˚

Meditating on the Word and character of God is a lifeline in all seasons. In this episode, you'll hear scriptures around the truth of meditating on the Word and character of God. These moments are full of eternal truth paired with testimonies of women who have learned the power and beauty of keeping their mind on Jesus. Sisters in Christ share about seasons of suffering, sitting in rocking chairs with babies, creating in art studios, and even living abroad in areas of conflict. Jesus is near to His daughters in all these places and circumstances, and as you listen we pray that you feel his nearness too.

We want our children to be like a tree planted by streams of water — strong, rooted, and bearing fruit for the sake of others. LINKS:Download How to Pray God's Word for Your ChildrenFollow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms A Prayer to be "like a tree" by Nicolet Bell Psalm 1 reminds us that kind of life starts with delight. Delight in the Word. Meditating on it day and night. This summer, we're praying that our children would have a deep desire for God — and that starts with us. Reference: Psalm 1 Prayer: Father, give my children a desire for you. Help them to delight in your word. Show me how to help our family meditate on it day and night. I desire for my children to be planted by streams of water, to be rooted deeply in your word, drawing refreshment from your living waters. Help them not to seek to quench their thirst in the things of this world, but to know you are the only one who satisfies our thirsty souls. Lord, in this new pace of summer, would you help us to pause and to dedicate time to meditate on your word day and night. May it become part of our rhythm as a family. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A special healing service today with Ps. Ricky sharing a personal testimony of healing as we close out our series on Peace vs. Anxiety.With so much fear and angst in the world, many people have struggled with anxiety and worry. But what if there was a remedy to this battle? Meditating and knowing the Word of God can bring much peace in times of fear of the unknown.Download our Free App:https://get.theapp.co/hghqPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecmInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==X: https://x.com/faithlifecmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@faithlifecm?_t=ZT-8wIjieGeyOk&_r=1Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistriesWebsite: https://faithlifecm.comIf you feel led to sow a seed or support our ministry, you can donate here. Thank you!: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/giveTable Talk with Yvette Gallinar:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yvette_gallinar/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvettegallinarTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tabletalkwithyvette?_t=ZT-8wIjgUR1eJ8&_r=1Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/table-talk-with-yvette-gallinar/id1729036339Substack:https://substack.com/@tabletalkewithyvetteRumble:https://rumble.com/user/tabletalkwithyvettegallinarX:https://x.com/YvettegallinarYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@tabletalkwithyvettegallinar

May the God of Wonders Bless You!

May the God of Wonders Bless You!

What is social media doing to your soul?In this conversation, John Ortberg and Steve Cuss explore Psalm 1, online outrage, anxiety, reactivity, and the emotional formation happening through social media.Why do platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram so easily pull people toward outrage, contempt, comparison, and self-righteousness? And what do the Psalms have to say about it?This episode explores:- Psalm 1 and “the company of mockers”- Reactivity and self-righteousness online- Why Steve deactivated Twitter- Social media algorithms and outrage- Meditation, attention, and spiritual formation- “Relaxing into God's presence”This is an honest, thoughtful, and deeply practical conversation about technology, attention, anxiety, and the health of the human soul.Scriptures:- Psalm 1- Psalm 55#Psalm1 #JohnOrtberg #SteveCuss #SocialMedia #Prayer #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Anxiety #Twitter #Psalms

Life can feel heavy. Worry settles into our minds, tension finds its way into our bodies, and burdens quietly accumulate. In this gentle Scripture meditation, Alisa Keeton invites you to intentionally pause and place yourself in a posture of receiving. As you settle into stillness, you'll be encouraged to notice where you're carrying weight, stress, or concern and welcome God into those places. This is a sacred invitation to say, "God, I need You. Come find me." Meditating on Psalm 139:7–12, you'll be reminded that there is nowhere you can go beyond God's loving presence. He surrounds you with His wraparound care, hems you in on every side, and meets you right where you are. As He finds you, He brings peace, lightness, and the reassurance that you do not have to carry life's burdens alone. Come as you are. Bring what hurts. Bring what feels heavy. God's presence is already near. Anchor Scripture "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" — Psalm 139:7–12 How to Use Be Still and Be Loved Find a comfortable, quiet place and press play on this gentle biblical meditation. Allow Alisa Keeton to guide you through Scripture, prayer, and moments of stillness as you rest in God's presence and receive His love. Ready to Go Deeper?

Pastor Yvette brings a revelatory word on this Pentecost Sunday.With so much fear and angst in the world, many people have struggled with anxiety and worry. But what if there was a remedy to this battle? Meditating and knowing the Word of God can bring much peace in times of fear of the unknown.Download our Free App:https://get.theapp.co/hghqPodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/faithlife-christian-ministries/id1606442323Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithlifecmInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithlifecm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==X: https://x.com/faithlifecmTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@faithlifecm?_t=ZT-8wIjieGeyOk&_r=1Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlife-christian-ministries-82ab77191/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FaithLifeChristianMinistriesWebsite: https://faithlifecm.comIf you feel led to sow a seed or support our ministry, you can donate here. Thank you!: https://subsplash.com/u/faithlifechristianminist/giveTable Talk with Yvette Gallinar:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yvette_gallinar/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvettegallinarTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tabletalkwithyvette?_t=ZT-8wIjgUR1eJ8&_r=1Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/table-talk-with-yvette-gallinar/id1729036339Substack:https://substack.com/@tabletalkewithyvetteRumble:https://rumble.com/user/tabletalkwithyvettegallinarX:https://x.com/YvettegallinarYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@tabletalkwithyvettegallinar

Meditating in the Word of God produces life-giving transformation in us and in our lives. When we realize that the Bible is living, God speaking to us now, It's living impact begins to be seen in us.   

Discussion QuestionsSermon Overview Pursue gospel-powered transformation by speaking and singing it to one another.I. The whole church is responsible for keeping the gospel abundantly central     (v. 16a)II. We do this as we speak it to one another variously and wisely (v. 16b)III. A primary way we speak it is our Sunday morning singing (v. 16c) Digging Deeper    The whole church is responsible for keeping the gospel richly central (v. 16a)1. Paul tells the whole church to let the word of Christ "dwell richly" among them. What do you think it would look like on Sunday morning or in Gospel Community to take shared responsibility for keeping the gospel central? What would that require from each of us? 2. Do you have a time and place to get alone with God in his Word on a regular basis? What does that look like for you? 3. Meditating on God's word goes beyond simply reading it, but “chewing” on it, reflecting on it, letting it sink in. How might you grow in this?    4. Sadly, instead of the gospel dwelling richly in us, other rivals can occupy that space in our minds and hearts (e.g. - what we take in from YouTube, cable news, movies, advice from well-meaning friends, etc.). How might we determine (with one another's help) if this is true of us? If it is, what might intentional fighting and guarding against this look like for you? We do this as we speak it to one another variously and wisely. (v. 16b)5. What might it look like for you to more regularly remind those around you of truth from God's Word (and in so doing do what v.16b calls us to do: “teaching …. one another”)?6. Please share an example (with appropriate anonymity) of a time that you admonished a friend or a friend admonished you, and God clearly used it for good. A primary way we speak it is in our Sunday morning singing. (v. 16c)7. What do you think about this idea that one of the ways we teach and admonish one another is through “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in our hearts to God” as we gather on Sunday mornings?  8. Given this reality (of #7 above), are there ways we might take our responsibility (and joy) of corporate singing more seriously? How so?  9. Gospel-powered transformation happens as we speak and sing the gospel to one another. Think of a fellow believer in your life, who you know is enduring some sort of trial / challenge. What truth do they need to be reminded of?  How might you be a means of grace in their life by reminding them of this truth?  When are you going to do this? Prayer

None are available at this time.

Psalm 119 sets the Word of God right onto our heart and life. Join us in this first of four studies into this important passage that teaches us to love and delight in the Word of God! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    According to the podcast, what is the overarching theme of Psalm 119? What does this theme call us to?  2.    According to the podcast, how is Psalm 119 arranged? What is each section arranged according to? In the original Hebrew text, what does every verse start with? How is this helpful for us to understand this psalm?  3.    What are the two principles in verse 1? How does this set the tone for the rest of this psalm? 4.    Verse 1 mentions blessings for those who walk according to God's Word. What kinds of blessings have you experienced by walking according to God's Word? Look over verses 5 to 20. How are these blessings listed in these verses? 5.    According to verse 4, what is the origin of God's Word? What does it tell us about why the Lord has given us these instructions? What is the expectation for what we do with them? How did the Podcast explain that Christians can still keep the principle of these words, even if we're no longer under this covenant?  6.    The podcast mentioned that another key principle in this psalm is the necessity of the Lord's grace to enable us to live out these principles. How do verses 4 to 40 teach this principle?  7.    The podcast mentioned that this section also has much to say about "meditation". What is biblical meditation? How does the author model meditation in this psalm?   8.    Clearly the author is devoted to God's Word. Why do you think he is so devoted? In what ways is your devotion similar? Is it different in any area? How might you seek the Lord for a change in attitude towards His Word?  Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

If you've ever sat down to meditate and felt like you were failing at it, this episode is for you. In this special episode, I read a section from my new book, Stuck Not Broken Book Three, on why most people are meditating wrong — and what to do instead. We'll get into:What meditation actually is through a nervous system lensWhy "clearing your mind" misses the point entirely How rejecting the present moment sabotages your practiceWhy quality matters far more than quantityWhat realistic, incremental progress looks like Meditation isn't about forcing your thoughts to stop or sitting still for 30 minutes. It's about connecting with your internal experience of the present moment — whatever it brings.

Meditating on God’s Word, following His instruction, and trusting Him to provide for your needs are the foundation of obedience.Donate: https://store.intouch.org/donate/generalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.