Podcasts about messianic jews

282. Family Sabbath: Pause and Delight with Eryn Lynum   Mark 2:27 NIV “Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”   *Transcription Below*   Eryn Lynum is a certified Master Naturalist, Bible teacher, national speaker, and author. Eryn lives in Northern Colorado with her husband, Grayson, and their four children, whom they homeschool—mainly in the great outdoors. Eryn has has been featured on FamilyLife Today, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Christian Parenting, MOPS International, Bible Gateway, Her View From Home, and For Every Mom. Every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God's creation with her family and sharing the adventures. To learn more about Eryn, visit ErynLynum.com.   Eryn's Books Eryn's Free Resources Mentioned Nat Theo Podcast   Topics and Questions We Cover: What can this look like to daily align our activities with our deepest values? What do people actually do on this day of rest and what do you recommend for families? Are there any other practical benefits we're missing out on if we neglect rest?   Thank You to Our Sponsor: Leman Property Management Company   Related Savvy Sauce Episodes: 81 Rest with Doctor, Author, and Speaker, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith 99 Sabbath Rest with Sandy Feit 175 Practicing Sabbath with Shireen Eldridge   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:11 - 1:34) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   Leman Property Management Company has the apartment you will be able to call home, with over 1,700 apartment units available in Central Illinois. Visit them today at lemanproperties.com or connect with them on Facebook.   Eryn Lynum is my wonderful guest for today, and she's the author of this beautiful book, The Nature of Rest. We're going to discuss all things related to rest, ways that we can prepare for it, how we can enjoy and delight in it, what good gifts God has for us with rest, and then how to reflect well on the rhythms in our life, and so much more.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Eryn.   Eryn Lynum: (1:34 - 4:03) Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.   Laura Dugger: Well, I'd love for you to start us off by sharing your personal journey and tell why you are so uniquely qualified to teach and write about rest, as stress can literally kill you.   Eryn Lynum: Yeah, that's correct. So, when I was 14 years old, I was diagnosed with a potentially fatal autoimmune disorder. And kind of the context of that season, I was preparing to go overseas for the first time on a missions trip. So, I was going to be in Africa for two months. And so, before you go do something like that, you have to go to the doctor and get a checkup and vaccine recommendations, all the things. And so, my parents took me in.   Again, I was 14 at the time, and we had no reason to believe that there was anything wrong. There were no red flags. Besides, I had been a little tired, a little dizzy once in a while, but really, we just thought, okay, well, I'm growing up, my body's changing. But when the nurse took my blood pressure that day, it was 56 over 48, which is deathly low.   And so, immediately, that's a red flag. And I undergo more testing and hospital visits and seeing specialists. And they diagnosed me with something called Addison's disease. And Addison's disease, it's where your adrenal glands no longer function. So, maybe you've heard of adrenal fatigue, where someone is so taxed out that their adrenal glands can't keep up because they're meant to produce cortisol, which is our stress hormone. Well, Addison's disease is the worst-case scenario where you can't come back from it, barring a miracle. Like, my adrenal glands don't work, and they haven't for over 20 years now.   And so, you know, this system that God has given us meant to cope with stress, and it's that fight-or-flight response. At that young age, I no longer had that. And so, stress became quite literally deadly to me. And at that point, my parents, they began coaching me in biblical stress management, so identifying stressors in my life.   You know, when your shoulders start creeping up, and you can feel that tension in your neck, and knowing that those are signs that, okay, you need to step back, you need to calm yourself. Like the Psalms talk about, “I have calmed and quieted my soul,” and to bring everything to the Lord and cast all your anxieties upon Him. And this is really where I can see, in my life, I developed a very consistent prayer pattern in my life where just all day long, like conversing with the Lord.   And so, that's been a big part of this. But yeah, that's really what began leading me into this deeply restful lifestyle was out of necessity. But really what I've seen since then is God designed all of us to live and thrive through rest. Like this is His original design.   Laura Dugger: (4:04 - 4:27) I love that so much. And you articulate this so well in your book. But before I ever encountered you, I had never heard of the term master naturalist before. So, if you want to share anything about that, it would be great. And as a master naturalist, where do you see these rhythms of rest in nature?   Eryn Lynum: (4:28 - 6:54) So, a master naturalist, it's really a fancy term for nature teacher. And I pursued this because my degree and my passion are in biblical theology. And I've always been passionate about rightly handling God's word of truth from 2 Timothy 2:15.   And I began to see as my own family, my husband and I, we have three boys and a daughter, and now they're 14 down to seven. But when they were younger and we started spending more time outdoors, I started to see, okay, God has given us so many visuals and materials in nature with which we can teach about Him. Coming from Romans 1:20, that His invisible attributes, those things we can't see about God, are clearly perceived through what He has made. And I saw that also Jesus in the gospels, He used nature all the time to teach.   And God throughout scripture, like it's not just Genesis 1, nature narratives are strong throughout scripture. And so, I thought if God and Jesus use this methodology to teach, then certainly we can. And so, that's why I went through this training and taught, teach with this method is because, you know, the more we understand these materials, the more we see of God and the more we can communicate about Him.   And so, I was working as a master naturalist in our city and teaching my own programs. And I started to incorporate it more and more into my book and then later on in my podcast. And at the same time, God was leading my family into celebrating Sabbath. We had come into this season where we were just exhausted, like running businesses and raising and homeschooling kids, like all of us, no matter our circumstances, face this very real human existence of fatigue. And so, we came to a place where rest was no longer optional. It was critical and vital.   And so, I'm living in these two realms of learning about nature while I'm learning about scripture. And then God is bringing us into deep rest. So, I started to ask the question, where do we see rest in scripture? And I found that it is everywhere. The roots of rest run deep and wide throughout scripture. And also asking, where do we see rest in creation in nature? And it's also everywhere there that God designed all these cycles and these rhythms and all of his plants and creatures, even the ones that we think of as so frenetic and busy that God designed them to thrive through rest.   Laura Dugger: (6:55 - 7:04) And will you give a specific example then of something in nature as it's so apparent that it's designed for rest?   Eryn Lynum: (7:04 - 8:28) Definitely. Let's focus on one of those ones that we often think of as really busy, the hummingbird. I opened the book with the analogy of a hummingbird because when you think about a hummingbird, what do you picture in your mind?   Laura Dugger: (7:17 - 7:19) Busy, constant movement in and out.   Eryn Lynum: (7:20 - 8:28) Yeah, exactly. Like they have to visit between 1,000 and 2,000 flowers every day to get all the nectar that they need. And so, they are always like here and there in the next place. And they look like this little thing just zipping through the air and you can't even see their wings beating because they can be up to 70 times a second. It's this blur of motion. And we think about that little hummingbird, and we can sometimes feel like that little hummingbird just zipping from one thing to the next, thinking there's no time to stop.   But the hummingbird does stop. It has a very strategic method of rest called torpor. And torpor is kind of like a mini hibernation where the little bird is going to go into this deep state of rest. It lowers its body temperature by around 50 degrees and becomes completely unresponsive. And this is a regular thing that the hummingbird does, and it enables it to continue its God-given, good, busy, fruitful work. So, it's this picture of, you know, busyness is not bad. God created us for fruitful work, but it's all meant to be sustained through deep, rhythmic, intentional rest.   Laura Dugger: (8:28 - 9:06) I mean, immediately that makes me think of the weeks, even that I'm most productive, I've probably prioritized my sleep the best of it. And if I get great sleep, even if it's extra hours, that doesn't take away from the rest of the day. That probably makes my time even multiplied.   Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I love, you point out so many times how God just clearly designed his creation to enjoy this gift of rest. So, you mentioned some of the nature parts. What about some of the foundational scriptural truths on this topic?   Eryn Lynum: (9:07 - 11:52) Yeah, well, of course, where's the first place that we get the idea of rest in the scripture? Yeah, exactly. So, God completes his work of creation and then he rests and he didn't need to rest. Isaiah 40:28 tells us that he, the creator of the world does not grow weary or tired.   I believe that one reason, and I talk about a couple of them in the book, but I believe that one main reason God rested was to stop and delight. That word Sabbath, it comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which can mean to both stop and delight. Like think about God finishing his creative work, bringing, bringing everything from nothing. Ex nihilo is that theological term, everything from nothing. Creating not only the animals and the plants, but the textures and the math and the shapes and the like everything he needed to make these things. And I imagine he just wanted to stop and enjoy it. I can even picture him going through creation and listening to the birds and taking in the colors and the shapes of the clouds.   What a beautiful reminder to us, because I know for myself, I'm so prone to just run from one thing to the next, like check it off the list. What's next? But here God is modeling for us. Stop delight, praise him for what he just allowed us to accomplish, to create, to do before rushing on to the next thing.   And so, we get that first mentioned there at creation, but then think about when Sabbath was actually established, there's a framework, there's a structure it's Exodus 16. And the context here is the Israelites. They're doing what they do. They're wandering and grumbling. They're hangry and God shows mercy to them in the form of quail and manna, but he has very specific instructions for them. He says for six days, you shall gather it, but not on the seventh day. Don't go out. It is a solemn day, a Holy Sabbath to the Lord.   That's the first mention of Sabbath, that word in scripture, but consider the Israelites. They had no context for what God was calling them to do. Surely they could think back to the creation story. Okay. God worked and then rested, but they had very little idea of what he was asking them to do. This was an act of faith. God was saying, stop gathering, trust me.   And this is so hard for us because like we are so prone to gather, gather, gather, do produce work more out of this scarcity mindset. But this picture is showing God is a God of abundance and his math works. When we trust him to be the provider, not ourselves. And we take that risk on rest. He provides abundantly through it.   Laura Dugger: (11:53 - 12:05) Absolutely. And within this gift then of rest, how can rest actually reorder and re-energize our lives?   Eryn Lynum: (12:05 - 14:03) I love this question because throughout the book, we talk a lot about reordering and creating margins. So, we can rest and reprioritizing. You know, it's so interesting when we look at the creation narrative, where we get that first mention of rest, because it's backwards to what we normally think.   Think about this. God created for six days and then he rested. Adam, the first human was created on that sixth day. So, Adam's first full day was a day of arrest, dedicated to rest. And in this, we see that God worked and then rested. But we, humanity, we were always meant to begin from rest.   And you see that even in the Hebrew tradition of a day, their day begins at evening. Their day doesn't start with, let's get up and get to work. Their day starts with, let me go to rest to get ready for the work. So, first we have to reorder our concept of rest, not see it as a reward. Oh, I'm going to work, work, work, get all the things done so that maybe I can rest this weekend or on vacation, or when the kids are out of the house or in retirement, that's backwards to the biblical framework. We are meant to begin from rest.   So, starting there. And as we do that, my family has found after sabbathing for three and a half years now, everything else kind of falls into place. And that happens when you operate by God's design. You know, rest allows us to tend to the most important things. Those deep values, whether like that should be of course, faith and family. So, getting clear on your values is really important. Like what is most important to your family faith? Maybe it's community generosity. Maybe it's physical health, mental health, all these things do better. And we have more time to tend to them when we first make room and space for rest.   Laura Dugger: (14:04 - 16:28) And now a brief message from our sponsor.    With over 1,700 apartment units available throughout Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Heights, Morton and Washington. And with every price range covered, you will have plenty of options when you rent through Leman Property Management Company.   They have townhomes, duplexes, studios, and garden style options located in many areas throughout Pekin. And make sure you check out their newest offering, the McKinley located in Pekin is a new construction addition to their platinum collection featuring nine foot ceilings, large spacious layouts, beautiful finishes, such as courts, countertops, and garages. You won't want to miss this outstanding new property in Peoria, a historic downtown location and apartments adjacent to OSF Medical Center provide excellent choices.   Check out their brand new luxury property in Peoria Heights, overlooking the boutique shops and fine dining on prospect. And in Morton, they offer a variety of apartment homes with garages, a hot downtown location, and now a brand new high-end complex near Idlewood Park. If you want to become part of their team, contact them about open office positions.   They're also hiring in their maintenance department. So, we invite you to find out why so many people have chosen to make a career with them. Check them out on Facebook today or email their friendly staff at leasing@lemanprops.com. You can also stop by their website at lemanproperties.com, check them out and find your place to call home today.   It never ceases to amaze me how God's economy and his math are just different. Sometimes upside down from ours, but I feel like when you're speaking, it reminds me of Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” So, if we actually obey, I think there are so many blessings that we can enjoy from this gift of rest. So, you're talking about our values. Then what can this look like to daily align our activities with our deepest values?   Eryn Lynum: (16:30 - 18:30) Yes, this is an ongoing practice because the enemy is always trying to distract us from what is most important. And that word there is key distract. And so, first we have to learn to identify those distractions, the things that are pulling us away from what is most important, but you know, getting to those core values and on my website, I have, my husband and I developed a family values guide that helps you step by step to really figure out what are our deepest values.   So, that's erinlynum.com/values. But really what it is, is this practice of getting clear on God's best for, for us and for our families and for those around us and, and making sure that we are aligning and realigning because it's going to get out of alignment, those values with God's agenda. You know, a lot of days I just start my day with a restful pause.   I call them in the book, Selah pauses. And I am quite literally, I am sitting before the Lord, my eyes closed and my hands just up in this posture of surrender and receiving. And I will say, Lord, I am surrendering my own agenda, my own expectations for this day. And I want to receive your power, your presence, your peace. And then throughout the day, just taking those checks.   Like I practice these daily Selah pauses and moments of rest because think about Selah in the Psalms. It can mean to pause, to contemplate, to redirect. And we need to do that often because as a day goes on, I think we lose energy and focus. You know, at the beginning of the day, we might feel really like focused. And this is what I'm getting done today. And that can waver like that can wane out as the day goes on. And so, constantly just checking back in.   Okay, Lord, what is it you have for me to do today? And how do I tend to those most important things? But you have to take that restful pause to be able to do that.   Laura Dugger: (18:31 - 18:46) That's good reminder. Okay. So, to check back in with the Lord and then can you give another example of one family and what their value is and how they live that out in their daily life. And maybe even what requires us to say no to.   Eryn Lynum: (18:47 - 20:15) Ooh, that's a fantastic question. Hmm. Can it be for my own family or do you want me to give them love it from your own family?   Okay. I was asked this question recently. Someone asked me, how do you make time to be outside as a family? One of our core family values is to be out exploring in God's creation. And this has been harder in different seasons. And we have two middle schoolers now, you know, we are, we have a lot going on.   And so, it can very quickly happen where at the end of the day, we're like, wow, we really didn't spend much time outdoors today, but how we prioritize this is you do have to say no to other things. So, we're a homeschooling family. And just as an example, it can be very tempting to feel like, am I doing enough? Am I teaching them enough? We need to check off all these boxes and get the lessons done. And it's constantly surrendering that and realizing, you know, I know that our value of being outdoors is important to God. I know that he is meeting my children there. He is meeting me there. He is giving us rest and rejuvenation there.   So, trusting with that, again, going back to the Israelites, stop gathering, stop checking off all the boxes, stop trying to provide and meet your own expectations. And instead stay super focused on what God has called you to and ruthlessly get rid of the rest, anything that's keeping you from that.   Laura Dugger: (20:16 - 20:36) I love that personal example. Thank you for sharing. And how can we also in our own families or in our own life, how can we distinguish which activities are vital for the abundant life in Christ that he offers so that we don't settle for less?   Eryn Lynum: (20:38 - 22:46) I love that you bring up that, that term, the abundant life. In John 10:10, that Christ came, that we might have life and life abundantly overflowing to the fullest, like brimming over is what that word means. And that scripture also says the enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy.   And I believe that one of the enemy's biggest schemes and methods for that is to send us into hurry and hustle mode. And he does that through distraction and discontent. And so, so much of this is pressing back against distraction and discontent and getting back to how God created us to thrive.   And again, I believe that that is through this, this gift of rest. You know, you talk about, you asked about settling for less. The enemy is going to put a million things in our life that would cause us to want to settle for less.   Let me give you an example of him trying to distract us. There was a recent weekend where we were coming up on the weekend, and I had several friends reach out and ask about me doing these things like these different opportunities coming our way. Like, do you want to do this? Do you want to do this? And each of them were for on Saturday and that's usually when our family Sabbaths. And so, I had this tension because these were good things.   It's hard to say no to a good thing, but I kept feeling again and again, the Lord saying, no, rest with your family, rest with your family. And it was so sweet because come Saturday morning, I was out on our back deck sipping coffee with my husband for hours, having incredible conversations, reading great books. The kids are playing in the yard.   Several times I caught myself thinking, I almost said no to this by saying yes to other things. And again, they were good things. This life is full of good things, but God's rest is one of the best things for our families. So, it's learning to be okay with saying no to those good things. So, you can say yes to that better thing.   Laura Dugger: (22:48 - 23:17) Examples are so helpful. And that requires a level of discernment and going to the Lord to ask him, but I'm wondering if you even have a system in place for how you discern that, or is it a gut piece that you follow or any practical ways that each of us can discern what's the right kind of busy that's good. And what's the wrong kind of busy and the things that we want to say no to.   Eryn Lynum: (23:18 - 25:05) Yeah. Going back to, again, busy is not bad. God created us for fruitful work, but I think, you know, when we are following Christ and God's spirit is within us, he's going to give us that sense of this is the right kind of busy.   This is the wrong kind of busy. And practically, you know, if it has any notion of distraction, like if you're doing this thing to just distract you or to procrastinate on better things, if it has a note of busyness, you know, some people will be like, well, some people, the enemy makes us want to think that sitting on our phones can be restful because you're not technically doing much of anything, but that distraction is stealing God's true gift of rest for us.   And so, you know, our family, as we practice Sabbath throughout the week, I know that come Saturday, we have a full day of rest. And sometimes it's tempting to add a little work into there, to let it seep out of those edges of the work week and kind of into our Sabbath. And as you practice this more and more and begin just ruthlessly protecting that time, whether it's a full day, whether you start with a half day, God is going to make you more sensitive to those things. Because sometimes I'll like work it out in my mind, like, oh, this isn't work. And really like it's definitely, it's definitely trying to serve my work during the work week.   And God is saying, no, like step away from that and allow me to refresh and rejuvenate your spirit so that when you go back to the work, you do so much more powerfully energized, restful, and ready to do that work to the very best of your ability with God's power.   Laura Dugger: (25:07 - 25:36) That reminds me of a previous guest I'll link to. He did two episodes, but Jeff Henderson just said he's a pastor too. And he said, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.   I would agree on that, which you've kind of been sharing a little glimpses of your family's experience with Sabbath, but let's just zero in on Sabbath and I'll just try and go through a series of questions. But first what's the importance of Sabbath?   Eryn Lynum: (25:37 - 26:55) Well, first God commands it. Like if God commanded it, then surely it's important, but that can also sometimes cause us to get a little legalistic about it. What is it? What isn't it? Well, it is meant to be a gift, meant to be a blessing. It's meant to empower us and what God created us for and calls us to.   And so, keeping that just center, this is meant to be a gift, but we see it all throughout scripture, the importance of rest and rest in God's design. It's celebration. Like it's not idleness. It's not doing nothing. Although sometimes like that's the most beneficial way that we can rest. Like you talked about a nap.   I love a good nap on Sabbath, but also it can be energizing activities, inspiring activities. I also love a good long walk on Sabbath. Sometimes I love cooking with fresh ingredients and working on a meal during Sabbath because I don't get much opportunity to do that during the week. Sometimes I love going out and working in the garden because that's life giving and I don't have time to do that throughout the week. And so, getting back to this concept, this idea of Sabbath and rest are celebratory. Like when we do it well as a family, it feels like a mini vacation every week.   Laura Dugger: (26:56 - 27:15) Ooh, I love that. My husband said that before about date night and I connect with that, that it's a little mini reprieve, a mini vacation each week. But then that leads me to the question because I bet so many people share their Sabbath activities with you. What do families actually do on this day of rest?   Eryn Lynum: (27:16 - 31:46) Yeah, that's a great question. And first I'll say that it should look different from family to family. We are all in unique seasons. We have different stories, different scenarios. Again, if you can't start with the full day, now I strongly believe strive and work toward that full day. That's God's design.   And we've seen the most blessing from that. But if you have to start smaller with a half day with four hours, start there. So, it's going to look different. If you have newborns, like a newborn child, it's going to look different and that's okay. No going into it, that it's going to be messy. Hebrews says strive toward rest, work toward rest. It's so counter-cultural. We have to work toward it. So, just going in, knowing these things is very helpful.   It's also going to grow, adapt, and change throughout the seasons. Our family has seen that. But a typical Sabbath for our family right now is we follow the traditional Friday evening to Saturday evening for the most part. Some people ask me, why not Sunday? Isn't Sunday the Sabbath? Well, for us, Sunday is set aside for church community and fellowship and corporate worship. And that's so life-giving to our souls. But by the time I get home from church and I'm making lunch for the family, like I'm not rested physically. So, we needed a separate day set aside for rest.   And so, Friday afternoon, we start preparing where we're going to band together and just pick up the house, get it ready, wash all the dishes and just start preparing our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our home for rest. And then we start Friday evening with communion as a family, just breaking bread and celebrating what Christ did on our behalf. And again, that, that idea of celebrate, and this marks it as special. Okay. We're heading into Sabbath. Some families will like light a white candle for Sabbath, just really marking it. And then we have, we toast to the week. So, we'll pour sparkling juice and just toast and say, “Hey, what did we see God do this week?” Like going back to that idea of stop and delight, we are setting a hard stop to the week. We are delighting. What did we see God do? What did he help us overcome? What can we thank Him for from this past week? And then we'll do an easy dinner. Think tacos, take and bake pizza spaghetti.   We use paperware, which is a bit controversial since I work as a master naturalist, but it has been an easy button for Sabbath that I'm not worried about like dishes piling up on the counter. And then we'll, we'll wrap it up with a sweet treat like ice cream and then our kids go to bed, or they'll listen to audio books. Audio books have been massive for our Sabbath because they're screen-free because we do put away all screens and work like devices on Sabbath, but they can listen to good books.   And my husband and I, we read, like people ask me, when do you find time to read? You don't find time to read. You have to make time to read. And for us, that's on the Sabbath mostly. And then Saturday we sleep in, we get up pretty early during the week and the kids just know like you don't wake mom and dad on the Sabbath. Like that's their day to sleep in.   Again, if you have a newborn or young children, that's gonna look different and that's okay. But for us, that's the season that we're in and our kids, they'll make themselves first breakfast and then eventually we'll get up and we'll join them for a second breakfast or some Sabbath. I don't want to cook at all. And so, it's just take and forage. And you know, I usually have a grocery delivery the day before or go to the grocery store and make sure we just have a ton of good stuff in the house. So, no one's, you know, everyone has what they need.   Then the rest of the day, it is just a day of delight. Reading books, playing games, being out in creation, visiting with neighbors, having great conversations together. Sabbath is this space where you get to do all those things during the week that you're like, oh, I wish I had time for that and you just don't get to them. Like recently my daughter during the week, she really wanted me, she's seven. She wanted me to sit down and watercolor paint with her, which I love doing, but it was a really busy week. And I just didn't have the space.   And so, I told her like, “Hey, I would love to do that. Can we do that on Sabbath?” And she was so happy with that answer. And come that Sabbath a few days later, she remembered, she came up to me. She's like, mom, it's time to paint. And she got all the supplies, and we went and sat outside at our picnic table and painted for the afternoon.   You know, Sabbath does so much for me as a mom to remove that guilt of the things I don't feel like I have time for because I know, and my kids know, Sabbath is coming and that's our day to be together and do those things.   Laura Dugger: (31:47 - 31:57) Hmm. Okay. That makes me curious. Then to how much of a vote does everyone in the family get for what Sabbath will look like?   Eryn Lynum: (31:57 - 34:02) Oh, that is a great question. No one's ever phrased it to me like that before. I love that. What we found that's been important to keep in mind is that we all individually find different things, restful and inspiring. I'll give you an example. One Sabbath, my husband, especially in the spring, he loves to work in the yard on Sabbath because he spends most of his week. He runs a construction company on the computer or on the phone. And so, in the spring, he wants to be out in the yard and trimming his fruit trees and just working with God's creation. And so, one Sabbath he comes and he has like the clippers in his hand and he's like, “Hey, let's go work on the yard.”   And I was like, that's great. You do that. I'm going to go read my book in the hammock. And I fell asleep for two hours while he worked on the yard. And so, a lot of this is being okay that yes, a lot of it's going to be together. Like I talked about, we did, we do communion together and we do meals together. And a lot of times we'll be out on a hike together. That's a favorite Sabbath activity. But a lot of times we're also doing separate activities.   The kids are enjoying their books or their audio books or their painting or their, uh, visiting the neighbor kids. And my husband and I are reading books on the back deck. And so, it's okay that there's going to be some together time and some separate time, you know, just being flexible with it. Like our first year of Sabbath, we went, we had to go like hardcore. We had to learn to stay. I think about in the book, I talk about the word abide meno in the Greek and it can mean to stay, to dwell, to remain.   So, we've spent our first year of Sabbath, not getting in the car. We stayed home and learned to just be home together. And after that year, we started to miss our time. We live in Colorado, missing our time hiking in the mountains. And so, we changed it. We said, okay, well, toward the end of Sabbath Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, let's go hike or let's go have a picnic in the wilderness. And just being open to that, that God's going to change you as a family and change you individually. And just growing up in a Sabbath practice together.   Laura Dugger: (34:03 - 34:20) I like the freedom that you're communicating there. And then when you mentioned the neighborhood kids, it makes me curious. Do you encourage community for some of those who recharge with other people? Would you recommend Sabbath thing with others or just keeping it your family?   Eryn Lynum: (34:21 - 36:16) Absolutely. We love inviting others into Sabbath. And it actually started with, we started our Sabbath practice. It was so sweet because God convinced us to do this. And then our first Sabbath was on January 1st. That happened to be the first Saturday that we did it. So, it was like this fresh start. And right around that time, we had moved to a new neighborhood. And our neighbors near us are Messianic Jews.   And they follow Shabbat, the traditional Shabbat. And they invited us into that. It was the sweetest evening, and they have children, young children, like we do. So, like there's chaos and there's mess. And then there's sweet times of singing together and scripture reading. And they follow it much more the traditional method than our family has.   But it was so sweet to be invited into that and to get a picture for how to invite others into this rest. And so, absolutely, we encourage, especially our kids having friends over. And we do usually ask parents, hey, can you drop them off? And then we can bring them back maybe like later that day toward the end of our Sabbath. Or if you want to come pick them up. Because again, we like to just stay home if we can.   But our kids are to the point now too where they can ride their bikes over to friends' houses. And we're fine with that. They might not be home on Sabbath once in a while. It's not a regular thing. But they're getting fed. And we know that the people they're with are people who share our values, people that we do life together.   We love having bonfires in the backyard on Sabbath. Now one thing I have to be careful of is I don't want to invite people over and feel like I need to host or clean up first. And so, for one, we don't have full families over a whole lot on Sabbath because I just don't want any sort of self-induced, self-imposed pressure.   But sometimes it's so much fun to just be like, hey, let's go meet at a park and have a picnic dinner. Or let's have a family over and do a bonfire. Just making sure that you're keeping it really, really simple if you are going to incorporate community.   Laura Dugger: (36:17 - 37:54) Guess what? We are no longer an audio-only podcast. We now have video included as well. If you want to view the conversation each week, make sure you watch our videos. We're on YouTube, and you can access videos or find answers to any of your other questions about the podcast when you visit thesavvysauce.com.   Some of these things, like you said, “They do require forethought where you have the groceries coming or certain things in place. And I think you even refer to it as a sacred striving.” So, it's important for us to learn more about that. And here's a quick story.   I just remember we've moved states quite a few times in marriage. But when I was a young mom, there was a mom in the next season of life, and she had more kids than we did. And we went to church together, and she was just like, “Oh, we learned about Sabbath. That's not a thing for moms with multiples.” And I always wrestled with that, and I love her. She's a wonderful person. Maybe she's even changed her stance on that, so it's not to speak ill of her. But I do think that we can struggle with that because that's not an actual truth. I do think that's a message from the enemy.   So, I guess this is a two-part question. How do we protect ourselves from buying into a storyline that is not true that may hold us back from Sabbath? And then also, what is kind of the both and? It's both restful, and it requires a lot of work up front to make this a reality.   Eryn Lynum: (37:55 - 41:19) It does, and knowing that, that it is going to take work, but God's going to bless it. Think about Isaiah 55:10-11, that says, “Just like the rain and the snow go forth and produce life and bring forth life from the land, so my work goes out and does not return void or empty. It produces that which I sent it out for.”.   That is true for Sabbath and rest because, again, we find it all throughout scripture. So, know that it's going to take hard work, but God will not allow it to return void. He will bless our efforts as we step into His design that He created us for.   I talk about in the book a few ways that you have to prepare mentally, physically, and spiritually. So, mentally, for me, I have to just totally remove anything mentally that's going to distract me from rest. So, I own a business, and so a lot of my work is on the computer and on the phone. I will answer, so this is like Friday, I'll answer any lingering emails, those ones that are going to be on my mind if I don't get to them. And then I put an away message on my email. So, if anyone emails me on our Sabbath, it sends an automatic reply that says, hey, thanks for your message. My family's resting. It has a little blurb in there about Sabbath. I'll get back to you in the new week.   That gives me permission to not even look at my email. In fact, people expect that I'm not looking at my email if I'm keeping my word. And so, this has just freed me up mentally to step away, and then I literally put my laptop in my closet.   With my phone, I set it to a Sabbath mode, and you can create these different focus modes if you have a smartphone, so that I can only receive messages from my mom in case of emergency. And our people, our friends, they all know this now. Like, oh, I'm not going to hear back from Erin because it's Saturday for the most part.   And so, these little things that you might just need to mentally prepare yourself. And then physically, that goes back to preparing our home. So, this is not a deep clean that we do prior to Sabbath. It's just tending to the things that are going to distract me if we don't get to them beforehand. So, again, washing all the dishes and having the kitchen clean, vacuuming. Like, that's like just a hack to make the house feel clean is I feel like it's clean if it's vacuumed.   So, just these little things, and then physically also doing that grocery order. And I have a free Sabbath guide on my website, erinlynum.com/family-sabbath. And it walks you through creating your Sabbath grocery list so that every week you have what you need in the house. These little things that truly make it, Sabbath easier and more successful.   And then preparing spiritually, going into this, like a lot of times I'll know, okay, I'm going to study this on Sabbath. For our first year, I just had like this stack of books on Sabbath that I would work through on our Sabbath. Right now, I am parked in Genesis 1 and have been for weeks. And so, just preparing spiritually, you know, this is a time of communion with our creator, with our heavenly father. And so, just having an idea of, you know, this is how I want to spend time delighting in God on the Sabbath.   That might be a long walk. That might be time in the word or time of worship but making sure that that is a keystone part of your Sabbath practice.   Laura Dugger: (41:20 - 41:45) And, you know, it really is possible. I just think so many of us celebrate holidays and we do the same thing where we plan, prepare, prioritize ahead of time so that we can delight in that day. And what a gift to get to do that weekly. So, with all of these amazing benefits, why do we still resist God's design for rest?   Eryn Lynum: (41:46 - 43:00) Because we live in a fallen world, broken by sin, and the enemy wants to do everything he can to keep us from this. This is God's design and our faith, and our souls and our families flourish in this design. And so, the enemy is going to do whatever he can to keep us from it.   He's going to insert fear. He's going to insert distraction. He's going to insert doubt. You know, when we started this practice coming up to it, I was thinking, there's no way, like how are we going to get everything done in one last day a week, all these doubts. And yet what we found so quickly is that as we took this step of faith, we quickly became so much more productive and effective and creative during the work week, because we were starting from rest and following God's design.   We resist this because it is counter-cultural. Everything in society is set up against us doing this and succeeding in this. So, again, going and knowing that our war is not against flesh and blood. It is against the powers of the spheres, like things unseen. The enemy is against us, but God is on our side. And as we step into his design, he's going to make much of it.   Laura Dugger: (43:01 - 43:12) Okay. So, if we are convinced and we want to give this a try, what is a practical first step to just obeying this and receiving this gift of rest?   Eryn Lynum: (43:13 - 45:23) Yeah, super practical here. Two first steps. The first is to set a day and time. Now you're not committing to this forever. And again, if you, if a big hesitancy here is I can't do a full day. Okay. Work and pray toward that but start smaller. If it's four hours on a Wednesday, guard that time. Ruthlessly guard it. Don't let anything be written on the schedule besides that.   So, set a day in time and then write two lists. This is going back to the idea of stop and delight, right? Your stop list. These are things that send you into hurry and hustle mode, things that are related to normal work, things that feel heavy. Some of them are so important.   Again, our work is important, but this is going to be things like devices, media, regular work, answering emails, phone calls. It might be driving in traffic. It might be spending money. Write down those things that feel heavy. That's your stop list. The things you're not going to entertain on that day or that time.   And then write your delight list. This might be hard at first because what I've found with myself, with many of us is that we forget what we delight in but causes that childlike sense of play and wonder. This is learning to be human again, coming back to those things.   So, it might be playing music or listening to music, working with fresh ingredients, reading a good book, writing by hand, watercolor painting, going for a walk. What we find is that a lot of people who spend time during the week in front of a computer want to be outdoors on the Sabbath, but people who run a landscaping company might want to be inside with a great book. So, just writing down those things that are, again, those things that you think during the week, oh, I really wish I could get to that.   Only we don't. Those are your delight list. So, now you have a day and a time. You know what you're not going to do, what you're setting aside, even physically, that should probably most definitely be your phone. Stick it in a drawer. I have my Sabbath drawer where I put my phone, and then you know what you're going to do and spend that day on.   Laura Dugger: (45:24 - 45:47) That's so good. And for those who have been listening for a while, they could even put their phone in their RO box, and I could link to that episode as well with Joey Odom. That's incredible about where our phone could be in its right place.   But Eryn, are there any other practical benefits that we might be missing out on that you've seen as a result of this Sabbath rest?   Eryn Lynum: (45:48 - 49:44) One of my favorite benefits is how it unlocks our creativity. Whether you work in a career or position that you consider creative or not, God designed all of us to be creative, to produce. And so, what I have found is that my work, my work is very in that creative sphere, writing books, creating podcast lessons for children.   It's very creative work. And I've found that Sabbath is this day where God gives my mind rest. It's so incredible thinking about how he wired our brains to thrive through rest, and science points to that that a restful mind is better at problem-solving, connecting ideas, remembering details.   And so, as my mind is allowed to rest on Sabbath, and I'm out on a walk in nature, or I'm reading a good book, or I'm writing by hand, when it comes time to sit down at the computer Monday morning, I am ready. I am flowing with ideas. They are there.   And I'll give you an example. This one isn't from Sabbath. It's from one of my daily rest rhythms that I call Selah Pause, and that's a walk in the morning. And this might be a little controversial, but this is not an easy stroll. I have my rucking pack on, and I'm trekking up a hill, which is not physically restful, of course, but it's mentally restful for me. I love it.   And so, it was in January, so it's frigid out, and everything's covered in snow, and I'm in all my snow gear, and I'm trudging up this hill. And at the time, I was dealing with a problem in my podcast where it was a good problem. We had spent the month teaching about God's designs in the human body. So, we had taught kids about God's designs in cells and DNA and the heart and the brain, but I didn't want to just let this series end. I wanted to wrap it up in some powerful way, and I didn't know how. So, I could have stayed home that morning and hashed this out and been at the computer, and how should I end this thing?   Instead, I went on this walk, and God just dropped this idea in my mind. And it was this idea. He said, ask the kids how they are wonderfully made. And that was the top. The theme was wonderfully made. And so, I put it out there to my email list. When I got back from that walk, I said, hey, I would love to hear how you kids believe you are wonderfully made by the creator. And I opened up this little voice mailbox on our website, and I didn't know if anyone would respond. And then I'm like, what if they don't? And then I don't know what to do because I said I'm going to do this thing.   I tell you, message after message came in from children from ages. I think it was three or four up to 14 from all over the world. And I was weeping as I edited that episode. I had planned to add something at the beginning and the end to build out this episode. I didn't do that because it was, I believe it's 22 minutes straight of children saying, this is my name.   I'm five years old. I live in England and I'm wonderfully made because God made me to read well or God made me fast. Or one little boy shared, he said, I know I'm wonderfully made because my mama lost a baby before me. And I'm here and I'm wonderfully made. And I'm weeping.   And this idea that God gave me, I would have missed it if I hadn't taken that pause to be out in his creation walking that day. And so, that's a very roundabout way to get back to your question of what are the other benefits? We hear from God when we make time for rest. And if we keep just rushing and hurrying, I'm concerned that we are walking by so many opportunities to hear from his spirit and to let him unlock that potential within us.   Laura Dugger: (49:45 - 50:22) Oh, I love that. And I'm even reminded of one other thing that you write in your book that today, one way we can practically experience his original design of rest is by stepping outside. And you're full of tips and ideas like that, but I so appreciate those stories.   So, you've equipped us with this foundation of rest and ways that we can prepare for it, how we can enjoy and delight in it. And so now, Eryn, how can we reflect well on our rhythms of work and rest?   Eryn Lynum: (50:25 - 53:19) So, much of this is reflection. So, much of this is stopping to consider where God is at work in our lives, where we need to recalibrate, where we need to realign, where we need to step back into his pace because we're trying to run ahead of him. And one way that we can see it, you know, like you might ask the question, am I at rest? Even me sometimes on Sabbath, I'm like, am I doing this right? Like, is this actually restful? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?   I think we can answer that question by the fruit in our lives, the fruit inside of us that God is producing and the fruit that we are producing. So, one thing I kind of sum up the book on is this question of, are you growing in truth and love? Because the enemy, when he gets us away from God's rest and into hustle, into distraction and hurry, we are not fully experiencing God.   And so, our levels of experiencing his love and offering it to others is going to suffer. Our experience of hearing his truth and living that truth out in our lives is going to suffer. And so, the opposite is true that as we live at rest, this whole concept of abide, that is living at rest, not just these rest practices, but living at rest in God's restful presence, we are going to be producing more love and more truth.   So, that's like a key visual. And then I love on that idea of abide. We spent a whole week on abide in the book and, you know, John chapter 15 being the abide passage. And what we see there is there's these 11 mentions of that word abide. And they all refer to us abiding in Christ, Christ abiding in us, God's word abiding in us. So, all this connectivity between Christ and God and us and his word.   But then it's, I think it's verse 16. There's a different mention of meno, abide. And it says that he wants us to go out and produce fruit that abides. So, this is different. It relates to our fruit and that word abide. Yes, it can mean dwell, remain, stay, but it can also mean continue and endure.   God created us to produce fruit and fruit that endures. Doesn't rot, doesn't fade, but continues into eternity. So, we can look at, okay, am I personally in my spirit? Am I growing in truth and love? Because God's spirit actually has the space to minister to me when I rest. And is that rest directly affecting the fruit of my life?   These are key things that we can look at and ask to see. Are we truly living from God's rest?   Laura Dugger: (53:19 - 53:53) I love questions so much. And that's so good to reflect then on the fruit that's being produced. And a mentor many years ago said, you never reap what you sow in the same season. So, that's a great place to even begin just reflecting. What did we do in the past season and what fruit are we reaping now? And where do we want to go then from here?   And one place we could go from here after this chat is to follow you. And you've mentioned your podcast. Do you want to elaborate on all the places that you're available?   Eryn Lynum: (53:54 - 55:03) Yes, thank you. So, the new book, The Nature of Rest is available wherever you get your books, along with my second book, Rooted in Wonder: Nurturing Your Family's Faith Through God's Creation. And that's all about taking our kids or grandkids, the next generation outside and reconnecting the dots between creation and creator. Really returning nature study and time outdoors to its proper place as theology and the study of God.   So, those are available anywhere, including Amazon or my website, which is my name, erynlynum.com. And then my podcast is Nat Theo, short for Natural Theology. It's nature lessons rooted in the Bible. It's a podcast for kids and families where we dive deep into science and all the design and intelligence we see in creatures and plants. And we tie it all back to biblical truth so that our kids are learning science and theology at the same time.   And that's available on any podcast platform, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, right on my website, erinlynum.com, as well as YouTube. We actually provide visuals so you can watch what you're learning about as well.   Laura Dugger: (55:04 - 55:22) So, incredible. We will add links to that in the show notes for today's episode. And Eryn, you may already be familiar. We're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Eryn Lynum: (55:24 - 56:34) I love this question. And this is one that actually I was like, oh, I'm not asked this much. I'm going to have to really think deeply on this one.   It's get outside every day. That seems so simple, even though it's not really simple in practicality. But one thing I've learned through rest and through time outdoors is that 10 minutes matters. Like if you think I don't have time for this, but you have a 10 minute slot, go for a walk and see how God just communes with your spirit. Even in the dead of winter, if you live somewhere cold, like if it's safe to do so. For me, I had to buy like the best pair of snow pants I could find because I used to really dislike the winter. And I would just become like really down in those winter months.   And so, God just convinced me, don't go outside every single day if it's for 10 minutes. And then pretty often he just extends that. Like I think I'm going out for 10 minutes. And sure enough, I'm like playing with my kids outside. It's much longer.   But yeah, as best as you can, just prioritize that. If you have to do it first thing in the morning to make sure it happens, go for a walk and watch the sunrise. And God is going to minister to your soul through his creation.   Laura Dugger: (56:35 - 56:54) Amen. Amen. That is so good.   And this conversation has been so rich. Eryn, it is just very clear you have filled up on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you have just poured out goodness and love and truth for all of us, all over all of us today. So, thank you for all that you shared. And thank you for being my guest.   Eryn Lynum: (56:55 - 57:03) Thank you. Thank you so much for that encouragement. That means a whole lot to me. So, thank you. And for the opportunity for a great conversation.   Laura Dugger: (57:03 - 1:03:10) I really enjoyed it.    One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: https://family-bible-church.org/2025Messages/25Dec28.pdf * We have seen that Jesus came to establish a "New and Living" Way into the Presence of God. Through the sacrificial death of the Messiah, we can - by faith - come openly and with confidence into YHWH's presence knowing that this is the fulfillment of His Redemptive Plan. * The author of the book of Hebrews then chastened and exhorted the Messianic Jews to not be deceived into thinking that they needed to turn back to the Law. If they did so, they would be trampling the sacrifice of the Messiah and placing their confidence in their ability to "work" for their salvation. * He quoted the prophet Habakkuk, declaring: "The just shall live by faith." * He now transitions into a discussion of what faith is and what it looks like. He, again, reveals that this Redemptive Plan of God spans from Creation through his current day. * Lord willing, we will be spending the next four weeks considering this marvelous chapter. Today, we begin by considering the Foundation and Focus of Faith. * This message was presented by Bob Corbin on December 28, 2025 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

Patrick brings Catholic teachings to the forefront as he fields callers wrestling with everything from ethical questions about secular divorce for financial reasons to nuanced debates on the filioque and church unity. He grounds every conversation in real-world examples and personal stories, weaving practical wisdom into complex theological topics, touching on marriage across denominations, health care dilemmas, and questions about support for Israel. The honesty, humor, and directness keep listeners on their toes, while deep reverence for truth and faith sits at the center of the hour. Patrick continues his conversation with Todd who is asking if it’s okay to get a civil divorce, but stay married in the Catholic Church, to save money? (00:43) Lying is tempting to get out of a bad situation, but it’s still the wrong thing to do. Patrick shares a story about doing what is right, even when it’s going to be inconvenient (12:08) Stuart - What is your opinion on the pushback against Pope Leo's statement on the Nicene Creed, where the filioque was removed? What is the significance of this? (19:44) John - What is your view of how to deal with Messianic Jews and the idea that we need to support Israel because that is where Jesus is coming. (31:23) Adam - We have a son who is engaged to a Lutheran. They are getting married in a Lutheran Church. Do we need to have a Catholic priest there? Is this possible? (37:24) Thomas - I am finally ready to go to Charity mobile. Can you give a good analogy to describe the two natures of Christ for kids attending a Bible Study? (40:42) Ray – If I was Pope, I’d like to see the Byzantine Rite celebrated in Catholic Schools once per month. (47:54) Originally aired on 12/04/25

What happens when a brand‑new believer faces mockery at home, financial strain, and a nation at war—and chooses to study harder, love deeper, and answer with reasons instead of rage? Raviv Dror shares his newfound faith and path through doubt, dialogue, and devotion, exploring how apologetics turned shaky mornings into a steady, lived faith.In Part 2, Raviv explains how apologetics helped him both strengthen his new faith and share it with others. He ends with thoughts on the Israeli war, the Christian response, and how to pray for the nation.Helpful Links:Raviv's book Three in One: Being Israeli, Jewish & Believer IN CHRISTRaviv's book The Third WayRaviv's Faithful Tales Children's books, seriesApologetics resources recommended by Raviv:Dr. Frank Turek, CrossExamined.org Prof John Lennox https://www.johnlennox.org/Dr. William Lane Craig reasonablefaith.org Dennis Prager, https://www.prageru.com/Prayercast IsraelOther resources:Zionism: A Concise History, Alex RyvchinLet us know what you thought of the show!Follow One80 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Never miss a One80. Join our email list. Follow us on Instagram.Share One80, here's how!OneWay Ministries

We have on Rabbi Eric Lakatos of Tikvat Yisrael Cleveland, Ohio to discuss his new Messianic Jewish siddur, Siddur Nishmat Kol Chai, and Messianic Jewish liturgy. We discuss why liturgy matters, the importance of Hebrew, and questions that Messianic communities face when considering liturgy in their services. Enjoy!A link to Rabbi Eric's websiteA link to Rabbi Eric's podcastA link to Tikvat Yisrael Cleveland______________________   You can also watch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠    Follow us on Social Media:     ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Patrick brings Catholic teachings to the forefront as he fields callers wrestling with everything from ethical questions about secular divorce for financial reasons to nuanced debates on the filioque and church unity. He grounds every conversation in real-world examples and personal stories, weaving practical wisdom into complex theological topics, touching on marriage across denominations, health care dilemmas, and questions about support for Israel. The honesty, humor, and directness keep listeners on their toes, while deep reverence for truth and faith sits at the center of the hour. Patrick continues his conversation with Todd who is asking if it’s okay to get a civil divorce, but stay married in the Catholic Church, to save money? (00:43) Lying is tempting to get out of a bad situation, but it’s still the wrong thing to do. Patrick shares a story about doing what is right, even when it’s going to be inconvenient (12:08) Stuart - What is your opinion on the pushback against Pope Leo's statement on the Nicene Creed, where the filioque was removed? What is the significance of this? (19:44) John - What is your view of how to deal with Messianic Jews and the idea that we need to support Israel because that is where Jesus is coming. (31:23) Adam - We have a son who is engaged to a Lutheran. They are getting married in a Lutheran Church. Do we need to have a Catholic priest there? Is this possible? (37:24) Thomas - I am finally ready to go to Charity mobile. Can you give a good analogy to describe the two natures of Christ for kids attending a Bible Study? (40:42) Ray – If I was Pope, I’d like to see the Byzantine Rite celebrated in Catholic Schools once per month. (47:54)

What happens when a life built on certainty starts to crack? Hear the One80 of Raviv Dror, who grew up in a hardline communist kibbutz where the collective came first, religion, even true Judaism, was scorned, and affection felt scarce. His story carries us from growing up on a faithless kibbutz to a cross-continent love that opens a door he isn't ready to walk through—until everything else falls apart.In part 1, hear how God broke Raviv free from communist ideology and slowly, faith starts to move in.Helpful Links:Raviv's book Three in One: Being Israeli, Jewish & Believer IN CHRISTRaviv's book The Third WayRaviv's Faithful Tales Children's books, seriesApologetics resources recommended by Raviv:Dr. Frank Turek, CrossExamined.org Prof John Lennox https://www.johnlennox.org/Dr. William Lane Craig reasonablefaith.org Dennis Prager, https://www.prageru.com/Prayercast IsraelOther resources:Zionism: A Concise History, Alex RyvchinLet us know what you thought of the show!Follow One80 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Never miss a One80. Join our email list. Follow us on Instagram.Share One80, here's how!OneWay Ministries

There are 8 billion people in the world. About 350,000 of them are Messianic Jews, Jewish people who believe that Jesus is the Messiah that was prophesied about in the Old Testament. On this weeks show, Kurt and Chad are joined by Jewish believer Rachel Kushner, founder of Links to Messiah https://linkstomessiah.com , a ministry that helps parents teach their children about Jewish traditions with a subscription that sends 4 kits a year to your home. Rachel talks about her grandfather‘s journey from Nazi occupied Austria, and his escape to America and now he became a believer in Yeshua, which led him to become an evangelist and pastor who ministered to the Jews and the gentiles about Jesus. Rachael talks about being a rare 3rd generation Jewish believer and why the Jewish culture and traditions matter today and how we as Gentiles can deepen our faith with the Jewish Messiah. Tune in to Rachel's podcast more about Jewish testimonies and traditions https://podcasts.apple.com/.../links-to.../id1718396867 (This is a repeat episode - enjoy!)

What happens when a viral political debate meets centuries of biblical prophecy—and your kids are the ones asking the hard questions? In this pivotal episode, Catherine confronts a question that’s as theologically complex as it is culturally relevant: Is the modern nation of Israel the same Israel God promised to Abraham, or has the church replaced her in God’s plan? This topic has taken center stage in cultural and theological debates, fueled by viral exchanges between commentators like Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz, as well as in the classroom, on college campuses, and around family dinner tables. Catherine welcomes back Jewish historical scholar Clifton Payne Junior for a deep dive into Israel’s biblical, historical, and genealogical identity. Key moments include: The viral exchange between Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz that exposed how unprepared many believers—and national leaders—are to answer “Is the Israel of Genesis 12 the same as modern Israel?” Dinesh D'Souza’s fascinating breakdown of how the Jewish people have genetically, culturally, and historically preserved their identity despite centuries of exile and persecution. Powerful prophecies in Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Amos—read in synagogues on the very day Israel was reborn in 1948—that reveal God’s hand at work through history. The “dry bones” prophecy, dissected in real-time as evidence of God reviving both the physical and spiritual life of the Jewish nation, with numbers of Messianic Jews in Israel growing 100-fold since 1948. A behind-the-scenes look at why so many Christians (and their kids) misunderstand Israel’s role in God’s redemptive plan, and how replacement theology distorts our perspective and engagement with both history and scripture. The core of “replacement theology” and why it matters. Whether the modern state of Israel (established in 1948 and led by Benjamin Netanyahu) is truly the continuation of the nation God promised to Abraham. The mystery of partial spiritual blindness over the Jewish people, the rise of Messianic Jews, and scriptural explanations many Christians and Jews have missed. The danger of misunderstanding Israel’s significance, and how well-meaning Christians and secular thinkers alike have sometimes distorted or neglected the biblical narrative. Special attention is given to Ezekiel 37’s “valley of dry bones” prophecy, the fulfillment of Isaiah 66’s “nation born in a single day,” and the astonishing coincidence that the scheduled synagogue reading on the Sabbath Israel was reborn included Amos 9’s promise of restoration—a detail highlighted from Jonathan Cahn’s Book of Mysteries. Through scholarly insight, biblical exposition, and practical application, this episode equips parents to have intelligent, faithful conversations with their children about Israel, prophecy, and what it means to “bless” this nation. It concludes with a call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and a reminder that God’s faithfulness to Israel is a testament to His faithfulness to all His people. Meet the Guest: Guest bio: Clifton Payne Junior is a gifted Bible teacher and Jewish historical scholar with advanced studies in Jewish history from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Author of “What the Bible Really Says About Tithing and Giving: It’s Different Than You Think,” he brings clarity and depth to some of the most misunderstood questions facing the Church today. References: One for Israel: “Israel’s Dry Bones Prophecy about Israel Coming Back to Life” Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Lisa Loden, Christian Israeli public theologian and poet, joins Daniel for a candid conversation about the October 7th and the ensuing genocide in Gaza. They discuss Lisa's story as a Messianic Jew and Lisa shares about her thoughts on what's happened in Gaza and how a theology of suffering and hope can help us move forward.Lisa Loden is a theologian, lecturer, author, teacher, peacemaker, and a poet. In 2014, together with Salim Munayer, she co-authored, Through My Enemies Eyes: Envisioning Reconciliation in Israel and Palestine. Lisa is also a member of several international ecumenical theological dialogues. For more, visit https://www.lisaloden.com/home/aboutPurchase your own copy of “Being Christian After the Desolation of Gaza”https://wipfandstock.com/9798385254859/being-christian-after-the-desolation-of-gaza. Use the coupon "DESOLATION40" to get 40% off.Become a monthly supporter of Across the Divide on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/AcrosstheDivide Follow Across the Divide for more on ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠Across the Divide partners with Peace Catalyst International to amplify the pursuit of peace and explore the vital intersection of Christian faith and social justice in Palestine-Israel.#israel #palestine #gaza #christianity #bible #faith #zionism

Hosts Pastor Vincent Fernandez and Pastor Robert Baltodano Question Timestamps: Anonymous, email (2:49) - What steps should I take to become more grounded and allow others to see that I'm still a believer? Paul, NJ (7:24) - In the Bible, God spoke to people in the past, but how does that apply to us today? Enoch, NY (11:52) - How does someone go about hiding God's word in their heart? Maria, FL (17:48) - Is it Biblical to become a Messianic Jew? Dwayne, SC (23:10) - Do we have to have our marriage recognized by the government or other people, in order for God to recognize it? Marco, FL (33:58) - Is it a command to have children according to Genesis 9:1? Jacob, KY (43:43) - Is it Biblically okay to join the military, since the Bible says not to swear or take oaths? Janet, NJ (47:53) - My husband and I got divorced three years into our marriage, but didn't separate. Are we living in sin now since we aren't married? Julie, NY (52:27) - Does God see going to the doctor as not trusting in him? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Guests: David & Denise Blakeslee | Bob Moffitt interviews David and Denise Blakeslee who have sold their home to provide resources in saving the Hebrew people. Denise Blakeslee says, "I want you to be part of this", referring to how David was involved in taking the gospel to the scattered tribes of Israel. Denise says, "My heart leaped. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me, 'Listen, tune in, I want you to be part of this.'" David says, "Something was stirring early in our marriage about going directly into the heart of Israel. We have several friends that we call 'boots on the ground', that have been born and raised in Israel that are walking worthy of their calling, and they are very effective and strategic in the way they love-on-the-people in the community. We partner with them... in the work that we've been call to together." Denise shares several stories of what God is doing through partnering with people in Israel https://blessingbroker.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast. On this podcast, let's step aside from our busy lives to have fun, fascinating life giving conversation with inspiring authors, pastors, sports personalities and other influencers, leaders and followers. Sit back, grab some coffee, or head down the road and let's get the good and the gold from today's guest. Our host is Jeff Pinkleton, Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to connect men to men, and men to God. You can reach Jeff at GatheringMV.org or find him on Facebook at The Gathering of the Miami Valley.Aaron Shust's fascination with music—with unique sounds, melodies, progressions, and techniques—has always been a salient part of who he is. From an early age, Aaron has felt most at home in front of a piano. Just as innate to Aaron is his love of God's Word—of wrestling with the Scriptures, with the hard and beautiful things they say, and the way they foretell and fulfill a picture of a suffering servant, King Jesus.You'll hear these twin loves in Shust's music, from his debut success with “My Savior My God,” winning the 2007 New Artist, Songwriter and Song of the Year. Later, as he grappled with a surprise Down Syndrome diagnosis for one son and waged a war with chronic illness for two, he continued to declare “My Hope is in You,” a song which spent 14 weeks at #1, and “Ever Be,” which debuted at #3 on the NCA chart. Over the past several years, Aaron has delved deeply into friendship with Messianic Jews, both in Nashville and Israel, as well as into the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish tradition that they yield. Shust, a native of Pittsburgh, makes his home in Nashville with his wife Sarah and their sons Daniel, Nick, and Michael, as well as a growing menagerie of pets.

Check out all the great resources below that CEO Aaron Abramson mentioned in the interview. The Jews for Jesus Classroom Aaron's Book Mission Design Jews for Jesus' Website In this enlightening episode of the Radio Coffee House, host Clint Armitage sits down with Aaron Abramson, the CEO of Jews for Jesus, to delve into the unique mission of this organization and its impact on the Jewish community. Aaron shares the inspiring history of Jews for Jesus, founded by Moishe Rosen in the early 1970s, and how it seeks to connect Jewish people with their Messiah through various outreach efforts, including community coffee shops and digital resources. Listeners will gain insight into the challenges faced by Messianic Jews, including historical rejection and modern-day anti-Semitism, as well as the growing openness among Jewish communities to discuss faith and the Gospel. Aaron discusses the significance of understanding Jewish customs and holidays, highlighting how these traditions connect deeply with the teachings of Jesus and enrich the Christian faith. Throughout the conversation, Clint and Aaron emphasize the importance of building relationships and showing genuine love and support for Jewish individuals, especially in light of current global tensions. They explore the transformative power of faith and the hope that can emerge from understanding and dialogue between communities. Join Clint and Aaron for this thought-provoking discussion that not only sheds light on the mission of Jews for Jesus but also encourages listeners to engage with their Jewish neighbors in meaningful ways. This episode is a call to action for Christians to share the love of Jesus and foster understanding across cultural and religious divides.

Today we had another “ask the Rabbi” session!  Rabbi Jim explained why Messianic Jews still celebrate Yom Kippor and other Jewish holidays.  Rabbi Jim is our Rabbi at Congregation Shema Yisrael in Rochester, New York. 

Rabbi Michael Shorb is a third generation Messianic Jew.  Even though he was raised in a believing home, his own personal faith and commitment to the L-rd didn't come until much later.  While in the service, he became friends with a believer and while visiting his friend's farm, he heard the friend's mother, a devout believer, praying for him and calling out his name before the Lord. God began to place people in Shorb's life who would pray for him, minister to him, and eventually he surrendered to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Lord called him to reach Russian speaking Jews.  He went to Kyiv and he traveled to Ukraine four times a year, where he became a member of the world's largest Messianic congregation in Kyiv.  While in Ukraine, Rabbi Michael went into prisons and to rehab centers.  He experienced the casting out of demons and those who were instantly healed from drug addiction.  But the Lord showed him that his true calling was to be in his own home, near Baltimore, Maryland.Rabbi Michael had visited Israel and had pondered making Aliyah, but he clearly heard the Lord tell him to go home to his people in Maryland, where there are approximately 250,000 Russian-speaking Jews.  The Lord impressed on him that if all the believing Jews left, who would teach his people?Rabbi Michael's Congregation, Beit Chesed (House of Mercy), is located in Baltimore County in Reisterstown, Maryland. 

Rita Springer sits down with pastor and friend Scott Volk, a Messianic Jew, to unpack what it really means to walk in the fear of the Lord. From Abraham and Moses to revival history and today's church, they explore how awe, reverence, and surrender shape authentic faith. Scott shares 5 practical ways to grow in the fear of the Lord and why it leads to joy, freedom, and hope.If you're enjoying the show, please rate and review!Follow Rita on ALL Social Media: https://linktr.ee/ritaspringerIf you would like to support the Worship Is My Weapon podcast you can donate to Wearing Justice at https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=0f0e22b...

Who are we?  How do you “identify” yourself?  Are you a son or daughter of the MOST HIGH GOD?  A son or daughter of YHWH?  Or Part of the Bride of Messiah?  Or Part of His end times remnant? Or part of Israel?  Or living stones in the temple of YHWH?  Or all 5? Or none of these?  Perhaps you identify as a Gentile Believer?  Or a Noahide?  Or one of the righteous of the nations?  Or a Christian?  Or a Jew?  Or a Messianic Jew? Or an apostate? Or an unbeliever?  Who are you?  And Who do you want to be?  We all have a choice to make.  We must understand what the choices are so that we understand what we are choosing and what the consequences and responsibilities for that choice will be. What does scripture really say? When we believe in Jesus (Y'shua Messiah) were we reborn into the Kingdom and Family of YHWH our Creator OR into a New Religion? Let's see what scripture says, even and especially the scriptures written by Paul the Apostle.  This message will be a huge help to those trying to witness to friends and family regarding the entire Word of YHWH!

Some Christians seem to be obsessed with modern-day Israel, while others act like it doesn't matter at all. But what does the Bible actually say about God's chosen people? In this message, Lead Pastor Jamie Nunnally wraps up our Elephants in the Room series by challenging us to think biblically about Israel.Today's topic is the relationship between Jews and Christians, the Old and New Testaments, and Israel's role in our faith. Some churches focus heavily on Christianity's Jewish roots and modern Israel, while others ignore them. Let's avoid two errors:Replacement theology – the belief that the Church has replaced Israel. Romans 11 makes it clear: God has not rejected Israel.Dual covenant theology – the idea that Jews are saved by the old covenant while Gentiles are saved by Jesus. Romans 3 and 30 affirm there is one way to salvation—faith in Christ, for everyone.The Messy MiddleBiblical balance comes from holding two tensions at once. Think of a see-saw: each truth needs equal weight. We don't dilute truth; we clarify it by holding multiple truths together.We must affirm both:Christians should bless Israel for their history and legacy and embrace Messianic Jews as spiritual family.Christians are not bound to follow Old Testament law, Jewish traditions, or to support modern Israeli politics.Blessing IsraelIsrael gave us the covenants, the law, the promises, and ultimately Christ (Romans 9:4-5, John 4:22). Messianic Jews are part of our spiritual family (Ephesians 2:14).No Obligation to Jewish Law or TraditionsThe law was a guardian until Christ came (Galatians 3:24). We now live by faith. The law convicts sinners—it's not a manual for saints (1 Timothy 1:8-9).Jewish customs are not required. Colossians 2 says these were shadows; Christ is the reality. God meets us where we are. Communion is about heart, not method.Political Support for IsraelYou don't have to support modern-day Israel's politics to be a faithful Christian. Understand the terms:Dispensationalism is a theological view that separates Israel and the Church in God's plan.Zionism is political, advocating for a Jewish homeland.Christian Zionism blends both, often linking Israel to end-times prophecy.Be cautious concerning blind support. Romans 9 and Galatians 6 remind us: not all who are descended from Israel are true Israel. Our allegiance is to God's kingdom above all nations.How Can We Bless Israel?Reject false saviors—Judaism without Jesus cannot save (Acts 4:12).Recognize priority—the gospel came to the Jew first (Romans 1:16).Remember God's promise—Israel's hard hearts are temporary (Romans 11:25-26).Preach Jesus—He is Messiah to Jew and Gentile alike (Acts 2:38).Israel's legacy is part of our faith story—but salvation is in Christ alone. Bless Israel, love the Jewish people, but follow Jesus into the messy middle: gratitude without obligation, love without blind loyalty, truth without compromise. When it comes to Israel, are you willing to follow Jesus into the messy middle?

Gloria is a Messianic Jew living in Texas, but her story begins in Nigeria where she was born and raised. At the age of 12, a neighbor faithfully stopped by her home after school each day for 3 years, getting her to memorize the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John). Through that simple act of love, she came to faith in the Messiah — a decision that has shaped her life ever since.Today, Gloria is a wife, a mom of three, and a CPA who runs her own accounting firm in Texas. She loves using both her faith and her professional gifts to encourage and serve others, and she's passionate about sharing the hope of the Messiah with everyone she meets. She's been on multiple mission trips to the middle east, and especially carries a burden for the persecuted church in “unreached places” like North Korea and much of the Islamic world.

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 08/22/2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Matt Discusses Work on a New Concept Article Refuting Atheism/Interactions with Atheists/ Email Question: Did Satan Know He would be Defeated by Jesus?/What Does The Bible Say About Castes?/Can a Christian Go to a Bar if They Don't Get Drunk?/ Why do Atheists use "Don't Judge" against Christians?/What About Christians that do This?/Is there Scriptural Support for our Knowledge of People Living, who are Going to Hell?/ How Do We Deal with Variant Number Readings in Scripture?/Is Divorce Due to Physical Abuse Scriptural?/ Can a "Gay Christian" Go to Heaven?/Can a Person Have "More" of The Holy Spirit than another Person?/ Did Jesus Die Because of Adam's Sin?/What is The Nature of Original Sin?/ What is The 3rd Heaven?/What About The King James Translation?/ Is There a Difference Between "The Elect" and God's "Chosen People?"/ Why Aren't There Female Roman Catholic Evangelists?/ Does a Christian Have Two Natures?/Can a Person be Saved During The Tribulation?/Who are the Nations of Rev. 2?/Messianic Jews?/ August 22, 2025

(14:26) Bible Study: Matthew 22:1-14 What is hell like? Judges 11:29-39a Father talks about this reading and the difference between covenants and contracts. (27:26) Letters: Who is in charge of making relics for the Catholic Church? What does it mean that first shall be last and the last shall be first? Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (26:59) Break 1 (32:37) Word of the Day Chief Priest (40:23) Phones: Theresa - What would it take for Messianic Jews to come under the pope? John – Who was the queen of the south?

Matt Slick Live (Live Broadcast of 08/21/2025) is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (CARM). Matt answers questions on topics such as: The Bible, Apologetics, Theology, World Religions, Atheism, and other issues! You can also email questions to Matt using: info@carm.org, Put "Radio Show Question" in the Subject line! Answers will be discussed in a future show. Topics Include: Matt Discusses Work on a New Concept Article Refuting Atheism/Interactions with Atheists/ Email Question: Did Satan Know He would be Defeated by Jesus?/What Does The Bible Say About Castes?/Can a Christian Go to a Bar if They Don't Get Drunk?/ Why do Atheists use "Don't Judge" against Christians?/What About Christians that do This?/Is there Scriptural Support for our Knowledge of People Living, who are Going to Hell?/ How Do We Deal with Variant Number Readings in Scripture?/Is Divorce Due to Physical Abuse Scriptural?/ Can a "Gay Christian" Go to Heaven?/Can a Person Have "More" of The Holy Spirit than another Person?/ Did Jesus Die Because of Adam's Sin?/What is The Nature of Original Sin?/ What is The 3rd Heaven?/What About The King James Translation?/ Is There a Difference Between "The Elect" and God's "Chosen People?"/ Why Aren't There Female Roman Catholic Evangelists?/ Does a Christian Have Two Natures?/Can a Person be Saved During The Tribulation?/Who are the Nations of Rev. 2?/Messianic Jews?/ August 21, 2025

Before the Jewish Apostle Saul became an apostle, he was a Yeshua-hating ultra orthodox Pharisee. His life's mission at that time was to stop what he thought was the apostasy of believing Jesus was the Messiah. The story of what changed him reveals the total Jewishness of the event, as well as highlighting other Jewish realities which help interpret scripture.

What happens when a Dutch pastor encounters the living heartbeat of Jerusalem? Sebastiaan van Wessem shares his journey from a seminary-trained, Western lens to a Bible interpreted through first-century Jewish eyes.  From his first trip to Israel to the relaunch of KNGDM Alliance - with Jerusalem at its center - Sebastiaan has been on a mission to unite Jew and Gentile under Messiah. But this vision unfolds in the shadow of rising antisemitism across Europe. From street protests to political battles over Israel's right to defend itself, Sebastiaan exposes the spiritual forces at work and the cost of standing with God's chosen people. In this episode, you'll hear how the One New Man isn't theory - it's a prophetic calling that challenges the Church to live as a united testimony before the Lord's return. Key Takeaways First-century eyes change everything - reading Scripture as Jesus' listeners did transforms theology and practice. Jerusalem must be the center - God's plan for His Kingdom flows from Zion. Antisemitism is alive and escalating - from soccer riots to parliamentary moves against Israel. One New Man is more than unity - it's Jew and Gentile, distinct yet one in Messiah. Prophecy is unfolding - growing global hostility toward Israel affirms the Bible's truth. The Church must demonstrate, not just teach - unity has to be lived, not only preached. Partnership with Messianic Jews is vital - relationship precedes mission. The Great Commission and Israel are linked - God's timing involves Jew and Gentile together proclaiming the Kingdom. Chapter Markers 00:00 – Meet Sebastiaan: from the Netherlands to KNGDM Alliance 02:06 – First trip to Israel changes everything 04:59 – Relationships in Jerusalem: building trust before mission 06:44 – Leading a church through theological transformation 12:34 – The Netherlands' complex history with the Jewish people 17:35 – Post–Oct. 7 antisemitism and protests in Europe 21:46 – Soccer riot exposes deep societal hatred 24:43 – Political battles over Israel's defense 27:35 – The prophetic reality of nations turning against Israel 29:01 – One New Man: God's vision for unity in diversity 34:35 – Historical revivals and Jew - Gentile revelation 35:43 – Our role in “speeding up” the Lord's return 36:54 – KNGDM Alliance: global teaching, prayer, and connection 38:03 – Shalom Yerushalayim: praying for the peace of Jerusalem Stand with Israel. Live the One New Man. See prophecy unfold. Learn more: thejewishroad.com Watch teachings & conferences: KNGDM Alliance YouTube

Episode Title: Hebrews: A Letter to the Drifting (Part 7 of the Melchizedek Series)   Host: Rod Thomas   Date: Tuesday, August 5th, 2025   Episode Summary: In this episode, Rod Thomas continues the Melchizedek series with Part 7, titled "Hebrews: A Letter to the Drifting." Rod delves into the Book of Hebrews, exploring its profound messages and themes. He emphasizes the significance of Yahoshua (Jesus) as the ultimate High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, surpassing the Levitical priesthood and the old covenant worship system.   Key Points Discussed:   Introduction and Updates: Rod greets the audience and provides updates on the ministry's upcoming missions trip to Kenya, focusing on helping widows and orphans and spreading the Gospel 1. He expresses gratitude for the audience's support and prayers 1. Dramatic Opening Monologue: Rod sets the stage with a dramatic monologue titled "The Throne and the Veil," highlighting the significance of the Book of Hebrews 2. Main Teaching: Rod introduces the main teaching, focusing on the Book of Hebrews and its message to the drifting believers 3. He discusses the historical and spiritual context of the Book of Hebrews, emphasizing its relevance to modern-day believers 4. Rod explores the themes of Yahoshua's exaltation, the Melchizedekian priesthood, and the renewed covenant 5. Key Themes and Messages: The superiority of Yahoshua over angels, Moses, and the Levitical priesthood 6. The concept of Yahoshua as the eternal High Priest and mediator of a better covenant 7. The importance of understanding the Book of Hebrews in its historical and cultural context 8. Conclusion: Rod concludes the episode with a preview of the next installment in the series, encouraging listeners to continue their study of the Book of Hebrews 9. He expresses his hope that the teachings will inspire and bless the audience 10.   Call to Action:   Listeners are encouraged to support the ministry's missions trip to Kenya through prayers and financial contributions. Donations can be made through the Qumran Family Foundation's website 1.   Contact Information:   For more information and to support the ministry, visit [http://qumranfamilyfoundation.org](http://qumranfamilyfoundation.org).

Is Israel Starving Palestinians? A Firsthand Report from the Border There's a growing claim in the global media that Israel is blocking food and aid from reaching Palestinians in Gaza. But what's actually happening on the ground? In this episode, we're joined by Yair Pinto, an Israeli believer, IDF reservist, and voice on TBN Israel. Yair recently returned from a UN distribution facility near the Gaza border, where millions of meals are sitting untouched—spoiling in the heat. From what he's seen firsthand, the problem isn't the supply. It's the systems of control and obstruction. Together, we take a closer look at how Hamas and the UN are shaping the flow of humanitarian aid, the double standards Israel continues to face, and what we can do to cut through the confusion from afar. If you've been trying to sort out what's real and what's rhetoric, this is an episode worth your time. Key Takeaways: October 7 wasn't just a terror attack - it launched a war across multiple fronts, including the battlefield of global opinion. Yair's unique voice - as an IDF soldier, a Messianic Jew, and a media communicator - brings clarity few can offer. The truth about humanitarian aid: Israel sends it. Hamas steals it. The UN looks the other way. The war is spiritual: Satan hates a faithful God - and Israel is His proof. The media war is being lost - but truth still has a remnant. Israel's fight is defensive, not imperial: It's survival against genocidal hatred. Many Palestinians remain under the grip of Hamas ideology, not because of race or religion, but radical indoctrination. Even amidst sirens and rockets, God is still doing miracles in Israel. Prayer matters - especially for the children, the hostages, and even for Israel's enemies. Chapter Markers: 00:00 – Introduction: Who is Yair Pinto? 01:03 – October 7: The day the world changed 04:33 – Called to the front lines as a reservist 06:45 – Why this war is being fought on two fronts 08:38 – The truth behind “Israel is starving Gaza” 10:41 – Hamas, humanitarian aid, and the UN's role in failure 13:45 – The GHF model: How Israel is feeding civilians while Hamas sabotages 16:25 – Rewarding terrorism: The West's dangerous game 17:48 – Why Israel limits press in Gaza - and who's really doing the reporting 20:21 – Why Gaza is suffering - and how Hamas exploits it 21:58 – The spiritual war against God's promises 23:40 – Biblical-level miracles in modern Israel 26:44 – The church's silence - and the poison of replacement theology 28:21 – What do Israelis really think about Palestinians? 30:15 – Why peace can't happen with the current leadership 34:16 – The forgotten hostages - and global hypocrisy 36:00 – What happens next: difficult decisions and long-term peace 38:20 – Praying for Israel's enemies: A radical hope 40:45 – Closing encouragement and call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem If this conversation moved you, don't stop here. Visit thejewishroad.com to learn, connect, and engage with what God is doing through Jewish and Gentile believers alike. And for more on what's happening right now in Israel - straight from the front lines - go to tbnisrael.com. Watch, pray, and support truth in a world clouded by lies.  

Send us a textINTRODUCTION:In this episode of the Sex, Drugs and Jesus podcast, host De'Vannon Seráphino addresses spiritual warnings directed towards Jewish communities, distinguishing between Messianic Jews and other sects. De'Vannon discusses the differences between Christ-centered faith and other religious beliefs, emphasizing the subtle but pervasive influence of the antichrist spirit. He provides insights on the importance of genuine spiritual connections, warns against being deceived by false idols, and underscores the necessity of maintaining a true and heartfelt relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The discussion also extends to personal spiritual practices, the pitfalls of ritualistic religion without sincere devotion, and the personal journey of understanding one's ancestral roots and personal identity.Playlists: https://music.apple.com/profile/DeVannonSeraphinoWebsite: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comINCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to):·      A Warning To The Jews.·      An Explanation Of Anti-Christ.·      What/Who Is A Jew?·      There's Only One Jesus Christ.·      A Definition Of A Devil.·      How Near God Really Is.·      Pray. Fast. Bible.·      Demonic Power Can Be Palpable. ·      Tithing Is OPTIONAL. CONNECT WITH DE'VANNON SERÁPHINO:TikTok: https://shorturl.at/nqyJ4YouTube: https://bit.ly/3daTqCMLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannonEmail: SDJPodcastNewYork@Gmail.comREFERENCES: https://jewishroots.net/library/miscellaneous/denominations-of-judaism-2.html#Past Thanks for listening!!! Please follow us on YouTube + TikTok @SexDrugsAndJesusPodcast

On October 7, 2023, the city of Sderot became one of the first places Hamas unleashed its brutal assault. But right there - in a city riddled with bullet holes, bomb shelters on every corner, and stories of terrorized children - there's something unexpected: life.  In this gripping and emotional episode, we sit down with Pastor Michael, leader of City of Life Ministries, just steps from the rubble where terrorists stormed and slaughtered innocent police officers on that Shabbat morning. He takes us into the chaos of those early hours, the miracle that spared his apartment building, and what it's like to raise a family under rocket fire - with just 15 seconds to run for cover.  But this isn't just a story of survival. It's a story of spiritual resistance. Of staying. Of blessing. Of building a community that not only endures, but proclaims hope in Yeshua despite pressure, persecution, and war. This episode reveals what the global headlines miss: how God is still writing His story in the land of Israel - even when the world wants to erase it. Key Takeaways: The October 7 Attack in Sderot: Pastor Michael recounts how Hamas deliberately targeted the local police station - killing friends and neighbors - while miraculously sparing nearby residents. Raising Families Under Fire: For over two decades, families in Sderot have lived under constant rocket threat. Bomb shelters aren't just safety - they're part of daily life. A Ministry of Life in a City of Death: City of Life Ministries feeds the hungry, counsels the traumatized, shelters the displaced, and proclaims the eternal hope found in Yeshua - right in the heart of a war zone. Opposition from Within: While Hamas wages war outside, ultra-Orthodox communities protest against Messianic Jews inside. Pastor Michael shares the spiritual and legal battles they've faced and how they keep loving their enemies. The Bigger Picture: What if this war is stirring both Jews and Christians toward a deeper prophetic return - to the land, to the Scriptures, and to one another? Pastor Michael unpacks a theopolitical vision of what God might be doing in our time. Chapter Markers: [00:00] – Standing on Ground Zero: The site of the police station massacre [04:00] – 15 Seconds to Live: Life under rocket fire in Sderot [06:30] – October 7th: The timeline of terror and miracle [10:00] – Displacement and Fear: What it meant to flee their home for 9 months [14:00] – Teaching Children Not to Fear, but to Bless [16:00] – Why “City of Life”? Naming a congregation in a war zone [17:00] – Serving the City: From food to therapy to field trips [19:00] – Why Proclaiming Yeshua Still Draws Fire in Israel [24:00] – Theopolitical Lens: What God might be doing in this war [27:00] – A Desert That Will Bloom: Fulfillment of prophecy in the Negev [31:00] – The Coming Aliyah and a Messianic Movement Rising Support City of Life Ministries City of Life is doing the real work - providing food, diapers, trauma counseling, and the hope of Yeshua to those surrounded by war. Learn more or support their work at: clm-israel.org Join The Jewish Road Community If you want to stand with Israel, rediscover the Jewish roots of your faith, and walk the narrow road with us - join The Few. We're not the majority, but we're faithful. Learn more and support the work at: thejewishroad.com

Are you ready to hear from Mrs. Jamaica International?In this inspiring episode of Heels, Handbags & Hustle, I'm joined by my friend and powerhouse woman of faith, Dr. Kanema Clark, for a heartfelt conversation on overcoming negative self-talk and embracing your God-given purpose...even in the middle of life's messiest moments.Dr. Kanema shares her remarkable journey as a Messianic Jew, doctor, entrepreneur, and mother of eight (including three heavenly babies), and how faith has shaped her story through deep loss, global impact, and personal transformation.In this episode, we go really deep into what it truly means to walk boldly in your calling—when you don't feel qualified, when the journey feels hard, and when doubt tries to take the lead. Whether you're a faith-filled woman building a business, leading a family, or simply trying to love your life even in the hard parts, this conversation will breathe life into your spirit and courage into your steps.✨ You'll hear about:How to silence negative self-talk and step into purposeWhy giving yourself grace in the hard seasons mattersBuilding resilience through faith, family, and lossThe connection between health, healing, and callingHomeschooling, entrepreneurship, and raising world-changersGlobal impact through medical missions and advocacyDr. Clark's role as Mrs. Jamaica International 2025 and her passion for championing faith, family, and freedomThis episode is full of truth, tenderness, and transformation—and I can't wait for you to hear it.

I was absolutely fascinated by a Messianic Jew's insights on the Old Testament Tabernacle, and how every aspect of it pointed to Jesus the Messiah. Watch the video version of this episode.  All of the Scriptures I mention can be found here.  Check out my blog, my other podcasts, my books, and so much more at http://linktr.ee/craigtowens  ►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Developing A Strategy to Cope How can we, as 21st century Christians, keep from falling away. I would call it the COPE strategy: Consider, Persevere and Encourage. Keep Considering! (Hebrews 3:1-6) The first thing we do is to consider Jesus or as the NIV here puts it "fix our thoughts". Now remember, that these are Hebrew believers. I guess we would call them Messianic Jews today. They believed that Jesus was their Messiah, Saviour and Lord. They were obviously coming under pressure from their Jewish friends and leaders to deny this Jesus and return to the fold. They would have been told how great Moses was. In the previous chapter we read how Jesus is greater than the angels, because He is God, but was made a little lower than the angels when he became a man. Moses was cool In this chapter, we read a comparison between Jesus and Moses. Moses to the Jews was like a super-hero. Moses was revered because it was to him that God revealed His will. Moses was the key figure in the establishment of Israel as a nation - God's chosen people! Moses suffered persecution and rejection from the rest of the family of Israel. He had great zeal for God and was willing to sacrifice everything for God. He had fellowship with God. Yet all this is merely a shadow and a prophetic sign of what was to come in Jesus. Moses, we read in Numbers 12:7, was faithful to God's house, God's people. The house of God is the people of God. It was this Moses who was held in such high regard by the Jews, that some might well have been tempted to renounce Jesus and go back to the old ways. God's Messiah would need to be greater than Moses, and Jesus is and was this Messiah. Later on in the book of Hebrews, we discover that Jesus is greater than Aaron through whom the law was ministered; but here we see that Jesus is greater than Moses, the lawgiver, the servant of the house of God. Moses and Aaron represented God's house in Israel; Moses was the Apostle or Prophet and Aaron was the High Priest. Jesus, an Apostle and Prophet as well as being the High Priest, joined the two together. By Apostle, I mean as a Messenger - that's what an apostle is - a messenger or representative. As the Apostle of our faith, Jesus was faithful. Jesus was God's representative for us, making God known to us. Jesus was totally faithful, means to be both trusting and to be capable of being trusted. Moses was the one to whom the Law was given - the Mosaic covenant under which the Jewish people lived. This covenant with Moses commenced with the stipulation "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me." (Exodus 19v5). This covenant was to Israel in order that those who believed God's promise to Abraham, could know how to live rightly in accordance with how God wanted them to live. This covenant with Moses covered the three areas of life: The commandments were given so they would know how to relate socially to God (Exodus 20v1-6) The judgments were given in order that they could relate socially to each other (Exodus 21v1 - 24v11) The decrees dictated their religious life so that God could be approached by humanity on His terms (Exodus 24v12 - 31v18). This covenant that God made with Moses and the ancient nation of Israel was never meant to be as a means for providing salvation. It was given so that they could realize the helplessness and futility of their own efforts and their need of God's help. It was to serve only as a protective fence until the promised Messiah came; the long waited for Saviour of all humanity, so that the whole world, Jew and Gentile, could be made right with God through faith and faith alone. In Comes Jesus And that is where Jesus comes in. As their Messiah and Saviour, Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, which was promised by God through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. What are the features of this New Covenant or promise? Four features of this covenant are: Regeneration -God will write His law on the hearts of people. Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people. Promised Holy Spirit - God will indwell people and they will be led by Him Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed eternally This new covenant is sealed only through the perfect sacrifice of the God-Man Jesus on the cross. His blood ensures the truth of this New Covenant. His death pays the penalty for the sins of all people who say yes to God and are ready to run the race and travel the course. This New Covenant finalizes what the Mosaic Covenant could only point to: the follower of God living in a relationship with God conforming to God's holy character. That is one very specific way of Jesus being superior to Moses! The original readers of this letter being God-fearing Jews would be aware of all this. They would also be aware that it is sin, which separates humans from God and as a consequence leads to both a spiritual and physical death (Romans 3v23, Romans 6v23, Isaiah 59v2). In the Old Testament, sins were dealt with by blood sacrifices of atonement as coverings for sin (Leviticus 17v11), for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9v22). A blood sacrifice is God's way of dealing with sin. These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament signified several things: It provided a covering for sin. It showed the great cost of sin. It was an exchange or substitution. It was only always going to be a temporary measure, as it pointed forward to Jesus' death and it needed to be done over and over again. So how is Jesus better than Moses? The answer lies in the solution to sin. The ultimate solution to sin lies not in the continual animal sacrifice under the Covenant with Moses, because as the writer later in Hebrews 10v4 stipulates the blood of animals cannot take away sin but was only ever going to be a veneer or a covering. That was why it was necessary to repeat time and time again! It is only through the victorious death of Jesus, that sin is permanently taken away (Hebrews 9:v11-15, 26-28), because Jesus is the permanent sacrificial substitute! It is as if the writer is saying give up on Jesus, stop considering Him and you would still be in your sins - that's the way the original readers would have understood it! Right mouse click or tap here to save this as mp3 And as for us? As followers of Jesus Christ we are built together so that the Spirit of God may join us together in love. Both individually and as a group, we are the house of God. Jesus said, "We will come and make our home in you". We know Jesus has been faithful as a Son over God's people. We celebrate His faithfulness at Easter, when we acknowledge and rejoice at the sacrifice He made for us. We remember it in the act of Communion, which we will have later. Jesus suffered persecution and rejection from his peers. We know Jesus was godly and full of zeal for God, and was willing to sacrifice everything for God and his people. We are the house of God. And yet, do we not reject Jesus sometimes, or do we keep on considering? Do we give Him and trust in His faithfulness to complete the good work he has started in us? This NIV translation has "fix your thoughts". Here is how the New King James Version puts verse 1 "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus". I personally think that that is a better way of putting it. And not only because it has the word partakers in there! To "consider" has a much broader meaning than just "fixing your thoughts" as the NIV puts it. It means to seek, to fully understand or comprehend as well as fixing thoughtfully. To consider means to contemplate, to think about, to persevere with, to concentrate on and to fix eyes and thoughts upon. We have to allow Jesus Christ to permeate every aspect of our life, if we are to be partakers of Him. To consider not just how Jesus would do something, but how Jesus would think. What attitude would Jesus take? What would Jesus not do? Just as the Hebrews receiving this letter were told to do, in their race of the life following Jesus, we too are to hold fast to our courage, but only by considering Jesus and trusting in Him relying on the Holy Spirit to help us as we ask Him. This phrase "to consider" is perhaps the central theme of the book of Hebrews. We are to consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Jesus was faithful to the purpose of His Coming to be among people. His purpose in coming to earth, as a mere man, was to die for sins and be raised up on the third day so as to be victorious over death and sin. This Jesus perfected our human nature in His life of simplicity, suffering, devotion and obedience. He now lives at the right hand of the Father in heaven, to communicate to us His life and blessedness through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We must therefore consider Jesus in everything we do, every thought we think and in every attitude. This is the aim of the writer to persuade these Hebrew Christians that if they knew Jesus to be the faithful, compassionate Almighty apostle and priest in Heaven, then they would find everything in Him that they needed for life. Moses couldn't help them, but Jesus could! Moses had died, they could perhaps visit his tomb if they wanted to. But Jesus, well, Jesus' tomb was empty! Jesus is alive! The life of these Hebrew Christians would be united with their faith, and united with the life of Jesus whom their faith would glorify God. To these Hebrew Christians their salvation was based on Jesus, but to renounce Jesus and go back to following Moses was apostasy. Moses couldn't offer salvation because the Law was not meant as a means of salvation! But what about you? Are you trusting in this Jesus for salvation or are you even subconsciously relying on your own good works or something else? That was what these believing Hebrews were to do - consider how vastly superior Jesus is to Moses. We also are to consider how superior Jesus is to all other things that would try to entangle us and allure us away with false promises. Keep Persevering! (Hebrews 3:7-12, 15-19) And then after considering Jesus, these Hebrew Christians were to do something! They were to persevere in believing. The writer now warns these Hebrew believers against the sin of unbelief, which is the hardening of their hearts. The writer quoting from Psalm 95 reminds them of the way Israel rebelled against God in the desert. He warns them not to be like their forefathers, who did not trust fully in the Lord their God. From Psalm 95, he proceeds to remind them of their ancestors' deeds of unbelief. The privilege of the house of God is in hearing God's voice. By choosing not to listen to God's voice, peoples' hearts grew hard and cold. These words are of course written to believing Christian Hebrews, not unbelieving Jews, and are as appropriate for us today, as it was for them when they received it. As the people of God today, the Church, we need to be ready to listen to God's voice. As we see God working in us, our trust and belief in Him grows. If we do not believe in Him to help us, then of course our hearts will harden against him. As we grow and run the race, willingly sacrificing what needs to be sacrificed, we realize the glory and majesty of God, His holiness and perfection, His love and tenderness, and gladly listen to hear what He says to us, and willingly receive what He gives us. When you pray, do you have your Bible open? When you read your Bible, do you do so prayerfully and considerately? Bible reading and prayer go together! Unbelief stops a person from holding fellowship with God. Our God is alive, not a dead idol on the shelf or in the bank. This church of Hebrew believers, for all their Christian profession and religious exercises, were in danger of falling away from God, due to their not believing totally in Him. God would not abandon them, but they would abandon God! We need to take care, in case we also fall into unbelief. Unbelief and falling away act upon and react to each other. If we have any unbelief in our hearts tonight, then let us ask God to give us a heart that believes in Him so that we may not fall away from Him. And what is one of the main ways we can stop from falling away or letting others fall away into unbelief? Keep encouraging! Hebrews 3:12-14 So we keep on considering Jesus. We persevere in our believing in Him. Now thirdly, to show we are considering Jesus and are persevering in our believing Him, we are to encourage and be encouraged! In verse 12, we read, "See to it, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God". This means, that we are not only to take care of our own hearts, but as verse 13 goes on to say, we are to encourage and ensure no one is in danger of falling away. We who are believers, have to make sure that each one of us is staying on the path that leads to life, that is, the race towards Jesus. This group of Hebrew Christians were to help and encourage each other! And so are we! For us, maybe it is by phoning somebody you haven't seen in a while or to phone somebody you get a random thought about! If we see a brother or sister that we know is starting to fall out of the race, we need to do all we can to stop them falling away. We need to encourage them, to continue considering Jesus and believing in Him. We all know of people who are new believers, full of joy and zeal for God, that end up falling back into unbelief, unable to hold fast to the end. To some degree, it is because the Church body has failed to encourage them to continue on in the race. It is our duty, and our daily responsibility to encourage people on in the race or the journey. However, to encourage is not just these easy things. To encourage can also mean to rebuke, to correct in love. I look back at my tutor, during my first stint of Bible College back in the 1980s. His name was Ed. Ed the head we called him. We had weekly tutorials then. Every week he would get me to read a chapter of Knowing God by JI Packer and a chapter of Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Then during our tutorial I would have to try and explain what I learnt from both those chapters. It was a slog at times I tell you. But it gave me a good grounding for my Christian thinking and life of discipleship to Jesus. Or I think back to my dear friend Rose, a kind and dear elderly lady from the church I used to attend back in the 80s. She would have us young adults back to her house overlooking the ocean for coffee after church on a Sunday evening. She would always be showing love, caring and encouraging to all people - ready to lift them when they were down and eager to cheer from the sidelines. She was also a tough cookie at times and if we got out of line, she would say so in no uncertain terms! When we see somebody sinning or contemplating Therefore in considering Jesus, believe in Him and encourage others to do the same. That is the purpose of encouragement mentioned here. Let all of us give ourselves to the service of Jesus to watch over other people: let all the fresh grace and deeper knowledge of Jesus we see, be for the service of those around us. Where will you and I be spiritually next year, in 10 years' time, in 25 years' time? Will you be able to honestly say to yourself at that time, I have grown spiritually and haven't fallen away? If you would call yourself a Christian, and you are unsure where you are, then do this. Look back and remember what Jesus has done for you. Consider Him as you look back to your first profession of faith in Him. Consider that just as He died, you died in the waters of baptism. Consider that just as He rose to physical life, you rose from the waters of baptism and will also rise again when you physically die. Consider that just as Jesus will be glorified, so too will you be glorified before the Father - if you hold out until the end. Be assured of who you are - you are a child of the living God - hold out to the end. He has a firm grip on you, so maintain your grip on Him! Remember who you are! The way to cope with the rigours of 21st century life as a Christian believer, is to keep considering, keep persevering and keep encouraging. Right mouse click or tap here to save this as mp3

What's behind the current military strikes on Iran's nuclear and military by Israel, and the longstanding threats by jihadists to wipe out Israel?

In this powerful episode, host Tracy Daugherty welcomes Andrew Ginsberg, the new President and CEO of Operation Mobilization (OM), for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation. As a father of three daughters, a Messianic Jew, and a seasoned leader in both biotech and ministry, Andrew shares his journey of faith, his passion for empowering women, and his vision for reaching the most marginalized communities around the world.Together, Tracy and Andrew explore the biblical call to justice, the importance of uplifting women and children in vulnerable contexts, and how OM and the Freedom Challenge are partnering to bring hope and transformation to the least reached. From personal stories to scriptural insights, this episode is a timely reminder of the power of compassion, prayer, and action.Whether you're a long-time supporter or new to the movement, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to step into your calling with courage and purpose.---Watch the interview: https://youtu.be/P5vJYtNpFG8Read the blog: www.thefreedomchallenge.com/blogposts/2025/6/9/call-to-justice---Want to learn more? The Freedom Challenge US: thefreedomchallenge.comOperation Mobilization USA: omusa.orgInstagram: @freedomchallengeusa / Facebook: @thefcusaSupport the show

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Guest Pastor Bill Penna Question Timestamps:  Cynthia, YouTube (2:14) - My husband is still practicing an addiction that I used to have, am I guilty of that sin he still commits? Betty, HI (5:26) - Is there anywhere in the Bible that says God cannot look at sin? Mike, NJ (9:03) - How did John know that Jesus was testing the disciples when he asked them to feed the 5,000 in John 6? Brent, UT (12:42) - Is baptism absolutely essential for salvation? Gwen, SC (15:35) - Why do I have to ask for forgiveness for my sins everyday when he already died for my sins? Why did Jesus say "It is finished" in John 19:28 when there were still things to happen? Maria, FL (26:04, continued after break at 33:51) - Does the Bible say that we should convert to being Messianic Jews? What does "devour" mean when the 1 Peter says "the devil seeks to devour" us? Don, IA (42:06) - Did men kill Jesus, or did Jesus suffer on the cross then give up his spirit? Luis, NY (45:27) - My pastor's wife came up and presented for forty minutes after the regular sermon, is that right? Farid, Facebook (47:22) - Why did churches around the world have altars? Where did this come from? Jean, NJ (50:29) - How is a Christian wife supposed to react when a husband repeatedly disrespects her? Maria, YouTube (52:23) - My husband committed infidelity, I don't think I can forgive him. How do I move forward? Ask your Questions: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

FOLLOW RICHARD Website: https://www.strangeplanet.ca YouTube: @strangeplanetradio  Instagram: @richardsyrettstrangeplanet   SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! HIMS - Making Healthy and Happy Easy to Achieve Sexual Health, Hair Loss, Mental Health, Weight Management START YOUR FREE ONLINE VISIT TODAY - HIMS dot com slash STRANGE https://www.HIMS.com/strange   ⁠⁠RingBoost⁠⁠ The largest provider of custom phone numbers since 2003 ⁠⁠https://www.ringboost.com⁠⁠ If you're ready to sound like the business people want to call, head over to ⁠⁠https://www.ringboost.com⁠⁠ and use promo code STRANGE for an exclusive discount.   QUINCE BEDDING Cool, Relaxed Bedding. Woven from 100% European flax linen Visit www.quince.com/RSSP to get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.    BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER!!! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm Three monthly subscriptions to choose from.  Commercial Free Listening, Bonus  Episodes and a Subscription to my monthly newsletter, InnerSanctum.  Visit https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm Use the discount code "Planet" to receive one month off the first subscription.  We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices   EP.  #1209 Reincarnation, Alien Deceptions, and the Cosmic Slingshot Dive into a mind-bending exploration with UFO researcher Ella LeBain, as she unveils reincarnation as a suppressed truth of the Hebrew Scriptures and early Christianity. In this episode, Ella, author of Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? and The Cosmic Slingshot, exposes how Rome, under Empress Theodora's influence, allegedly erased reincarnation from the Bible to control spiritual narratives. She connects alien abductions, soul harvesting, and End Times prophecy, suggesting the Antichrist may be a reincarnated historical figure walking among us. From her Near-Death Experience with an inter-dimensional Yeshua to the Jewish concept of kafakela, Ella challenges conventional eschatology and reveals reincarnation's role in Israel's prophetic destiny. This episode is a spiritual war manual for truth seekers—prepare to question everything you thought you knew about the Bible, the afterlife, and humanity's cosmic purpose. GUEST: Ella LeBain is a Messianic Jew, UFO researcher, and survivor of alien encounters, renowned for her six-volume Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? series. Her latest work, The Cosmic Slingshot, bridges reincarnation, Biblical prophecy, and extraterrestrial manipulation. With a Near-Death Experience in 2010 revealing inter-dimensional insights, Ella's research unveils suppressed truths about the Hebrew Scriptures, early Christianity, and the cosmic forces shaping human destiny.   WEBSITE: https://whoswhointhecosmiczoo.com   BOOKS: The Cosmic Slingshot: Connecting Dots to Reincarnation in the Bible, Alien Abductions and End Times Prophecies Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? (Book 1) Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? (Book 2) Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? (Book 3) Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? (Book 4) Who's Who in the Cosmic Zoo? (Book 5) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm/

Ricardo Navas was a devout Messianic Jew. He joins Michael Regilio to talk about what he used to believe and how he found his way out.  More at dogmadebate.com

Apostates who deny they are Phantom Nation 28MAY2025 - PODCAST

Elder Andrae Parker, the esteemed pastor of Faith Temple of Hope—a Messianic Jewish temple situated in Charlotte, North Carolina—provides profound insights into the significance of the new covenant as articulated in the book of Jeremiah. He elucidates how this covenant is not merely a continuation of the old, but a transformative relationship that is written on the hearts of believers. The discussion delves into the implications for modern-day faith practices, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's identity in relation to both Jewish traditions and Christian beliefs. Throughout the episode, we explore how the observance of the Sabbath and other biblical feasts serves as a means of fostering spiritual renewal and community cohesion. Join us as we engage in this enlightening conversation that bridges the ancient with the contemporary in the pursuit of faith and unity.Elder Andrae Parker's interview on The Whole Church Podcast offers an in-depth exploration of Messianic Judaism, a faith tradition that intertwines Jewish customs with the belief in Yeshua as the Messiah. With Joshua Noel as the interlocutor, the episode unfolds a rich narrative of Elder Parker's faith journey, tracing his roots from a Pentecostal background to the establishment of his community at Faith Temple of Hope in Charlotte, NC. Elder Parker discusses the significance of the new covenant as foretold in the scriptures, particularly drawing from the book of Jeremiah, which speaks of a time when God's teachings would be inscribed upon the hearts of His people. This transformation emphasizes the continuity of God's promises from ancient times to the present, inviting listeners to contemplate their relationship with the divine. The conversation delves into the theological nuances of Messianic Judaism, addressing common misconceptions that arise when Jewish identity is conflated with a rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Elder Parker articulates a vision for unity within the Church, advocating for an understanding that transcends denominational barriers. His insights underscore the importance of community and the shared pursuit of holiness, as well as the necessity of engaging with scripture to foster a deepened faith. By emphasizing the observance of sacred times, particularly the Sabbath, Elder Parker invites believers to explore how these practices can enrich their spiritual lives and enhance communal bonds. As the episode progresses, practical advice is offered for fostering unity within the Christian community. Elder Parker encourages listeners to dedicate time to observe the Sabbath, framing it as a spiritual discipline that cultivates a deeper reliance on God and encourages community engagement. This call to action resonates with the episode's overarching theme of unity amidst diversity, challenging believers to actively seek connections with those from different faith backgrounds. The episode concludes with a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of faith and the importance of nurturing a collective identity rooted in shared beliefs and practices.Takeaways: Elder Andrae Parker emphasizes the significance of the new covenant as a transformative relationship with God, where His teachings are inscribed upon the hearts of believers rather than merely written on tablets. In the practice of Messianic Judaism, observance of the Sabbath and Jewish festivals is seen not only as a tradition but as a vital connection to the spiritual heritage and teachings of the Scriptures. The podcast discusses the misconceptions faced by Messianic Jews, particularly the misunderstanding that they do not believe in the Messiah, emphasizing the belief in Yeshua as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy. Elder Parker articulates the importance of unity among diverse Christian denominations, advocating for a return to the Scriptures as the foundation of faith to foster communal harmony and...

Natalie interviews Rabbi BenTzion Kravitz who made aliyah in December 2024 from Los Angeles to Jerusalem. Rabbi Kravitz is the founder of Jews for Judaism, which aims to teach Jews how to think critically and embrace their Jewish heritage, so that they can repel the advances of Christian missionaries. There are many missionary groups right here in Israel, looking to confuse and entice Jews who are removed from Judaism. According to R'Kravitz, 20,000 Israelis have become Messianic Jews, aka Jews who follow Jesus. To learn how to combat this, visit jewsforjudaism.org and contact me with questions. Returning Home 25MAY2025 - PODCAST

The American Messianic Jewish congregational movement as we know it today blossomed in the 1960s and ‘70s. These young congregations borrowed theological ideas from Judaism and from Christianity, but comparatively little work has been done to synthesize a truly original, authentic, relevant, and beautiful Messianic Jewish theology. Our guest today, Dr. Richard Harvey, is the only person in the world with a Ph.D. in Messianic Jewish theology, and in this conversation he discusses how far Messianic Jews have come and how far they have yet to go as they attempt to articulate their most deeply cherished beliefs in a rigorous and systematic way.

We just participated in our first TikTok livestream with @hellomrsrachel She has us on to discuss FAQ's for Messianic Jews after the amazing response to her video explaining that she is a Messianic Jew. That video now has over 246,000 views! Here is the recording! If you have TikTok, we encourage you to follow her channel! 0:00 Intro4:17 Are Messianic Jews Jewish or Christian or both (ethnically & religiously)? 11:15 Do we believe that Jesus is fully divine and fully human?22:43 Why do Messianic Jews still follow the Law?33:28 What pressures have you felt (if any) from Christians to assimilate and/or stop practicing Judaism? 40:09 How do you respond to the claim that Messianic Jews are only practicing Judaism as a strategy to convert other Jews?46:40 Should the Church assimilate to how Jesus lived as a Jew?Note: For clarification, our view and the view of the Messianic Jewish community is that you are Jewish if you have a mother or a father who is Jewish. We emphasized matrilineal descent in this video because each of our mothers are Jewish.

The Soviet Union suppressed Judaism and Jewish identity for decades. Atheism was enforced by the state. But our guest today, Pinchas Shir, knew there was more to life than the material world. In the era of perestroika, he fled to the United States, and today, he's a Messianic Jewish rabbi. Join us as Rabbi Shir unpacks his academic work on Jewish literature, meals and food in antiquity, and the impact of texts like 1 Enoch, Letter of Aristeas, and Wisdom of Solomon on our understanding of the New Testament. Whether you're new to Second Temple studies or a seasoned scholar, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on the historical and spiritual context of early Judaism and Christianity. – Takeaways – The Suppressed Jewish Identity in the Soviet Union: Rabbi Shir shares firsthand accounts of how Jewish identity was hidden and discouraged under Soviet rule. Many Jews in Russia grew up without religious education or knowledge of their heritage due to the state's suppression of religion. A Spiritual Journey of Discovery: Growing up in an atheistic society, Rabbi Shir felt an inner pull towards spirituality. His first encounter with the Bible came from American missionaries, leading him on a long journey of faith that intertwined with his Jewish identity. The Unique Culture of Russian Jewish Communities Today: Whether in Israel, America, or Europe, Russian Jews tend to maintain a strong sense of community. Many still speak Russian, preserve distinct cultural habits, and have a unique approach to Judaism and Messianic faith. Interpreting the Bible in Its Historical Context: The importance of understanding Scripture through its original Jewish and historical setting cannot be overstated. Engaging with Second Temple literature helps modern readers grasp the cultural and theological ideas that shaped early Jewish and Christian beliefs. Rabbi Shir highlights how 1 Enoch, Letter of Aristeas, and other Jewish texts offer helpful context for understanding New Testament thought. – Chapters – (0:00) Episode Introduction (1:24) Growing up Jewish in the Communist Soviet Union (4:20) Encountering the Evangelical gospel (12:42) Journey to recover Jewish identity (15:40) Becoming a Bible teacher (17:14) Challenges of being a Rabbi (20:17) Russian Messianic Jewish Community (27:02) Doctoral Dissertation on Ancient Foods (31:57) Academic exploration of Second Temple literature (35:09) Diversity of thought in intertestamental Jewish writings (42:38) Influential streams of Judaism (45:34) Best books of Second Temple literature (51:21) Unheard voices of Hebrew kings and prophets – Resources – Pinchas Shir Online: https://pshir.com Unheard Voices of Hebrew Kings and Prophets, by Pinchas Shir https://www.amazon.com/Unheard-Voices-Hebrew-Prophets-Literature/dp/B0CKXK5DFH

There's a growing question in our culture - why should we care about Israel? The answer is bigger than politics, bigger than history. It's biblical. Since October 7th, the conversation has changed. The battle isn't just on the ground - it's in the media, in our churches, and in the hearts of believers.  Anti-Zionism is on the rise, and many don't even see it. In the first episode of this two-part conversation, we sat down with Moshe Sigulim, a Messianic Jew who holds citizenship in Israel, Canada, and the U.S., to unpack the spiritual war behind the headlines.  From ancient antisemitism to modern-day propaganda, we expose the undercurrents shaping how the world sees Israel - and why the church cannot afford to stay silent. Key Takeaways God's covenant with Israel still stands - and ignoring it has consequences. The propaganda war is real - and it's influencing the next generation. Many churches are unknowingly embracing replacement theology - and it's leading them into dangerous territory. History repeats itself - what happened in 1930s Germany is unfolding again. Chapter Markers [00:00] – Why antisemitism is never really new [05:30] – How October 7th changed everything [12:15] – The rise of anti-Zionism in the West [20:40] – The church's role in standing for Israel [28:10] – What history tells us about today's conflicts [35:00] – How to fight the spiritual battle for truth Call to Action This isn't just about Israel. It's about the gospel, the church, and God's promises. Stay informed. Listen in and join the conversation. Challenge replacement theology where you see it. Follow us at TheJewishRoad.com for more content connecting the Old and New Testaments. History is being written. Will the church stand with Israel or stay silent?  

Dr. Matthew Wiseman discusses his new book, The Two Jerusalems, which is the moving story of a young man's amazing journey to discover the roots of the Christian faith in the Ancient Near East, which led him from Protestantism through the Messianic movement and into the Catholic Church. This journey took him to the rainforest of Papua New Guinea, the Nożyk Synagogue in Warsaw, and the Judean Desert, and into the heart of ancient and medieval Jewish tradition: the Hebrew Bible. Along the way, he met a cast of odd and wonderful characters, false prophets, and saintly Catholics who taught him about God, Scripture, and prayer. His steps were dogged throughout by God's strange, providential provisions, despite his human blindness. At the heart of the ancient faith, much to his surprise, he discovered what a billion people across the world already know and live: the Catholic faith. Through it all, Matthew Wiseman's relentless desire for truth and consistency kept him searching until he discovered the "beauty ever ancient, ever new". His powerful story is like a course in fundamental theology, in compelling narrative form. This ground-breaking book can change the lives of traditional Jews, Messianic Jews, Protestant Christians, and wavering Catholics. And because it is a narrative from his life vs. an apologetics text, it will reach many who prefer the autobiographical genre. His vivid, rhetorical style renders complicated theological issues clear and understandable.

Hanukkah is more than a holiday of oil and light—it's a story of resilience, faith, and miracles that shaped Jewish history and identity. What does it mean to kindle light in the darkest time of year, and why is this holiday deeply connected to the Messianic hope? Discover how the courage of the Maccabees parallels the journey of modern Messianic Jews reclaiming their heritage. Explore prophetic allusions to Hanukkah hidden in the Torah and New Testament. Join us to uncover how this ancient celebration inspires renewed dedication in every generation.

Mary chats with theologian, author and speaker Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum. He is one of the foremost authorities on the nation of Israel. He received his BA from Cedarville University, and his Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary.The completion of his dissertation, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology, was the culmination of 13 years of research for which he earned his Ph.D. at New York University in 1989. He has done graduate work studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in NY and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the founder and director of Ariel Ministries, which is dedicated to evangelism of Jewish people and discipleship of Jewish and Gentile believers from a messianic Jewish frame of reference. His testimony as a Messianic Jew goes back to the 1940s when his parents were driven from their home in Poland, ending up eventually in the US after the war. A full version of his conversion is found here. Today we discuss his story as well as the biblical teaching that all of Israel shall be saved. Gentiles often have questions about this very subject because today's churches are not clear on this issue, citing that since Israel is gathered in unbelief since 1948,  today's Israel has no prophetic significance. Dr. Fruchtenbaum's teaching on the 5 covenants of Israel and who exactly is in the land clears this up. Dr. Fruchtenbaum has a pre-trib, pre-millennial, dispensational perspective; his teachings help the Gentiles understand the Jewishness of the entire Bible. All of his incredible resources are found here.   Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

Mary chats with theologian, author and speaker Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum. He is one of the foremost authorities on the nation of Israel. He received his BA from Cedarville University, and his Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary.The completion of his dissertation, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology, was the culmination of 13 years of research for which he earned his Ph.D. at New York University in 1989. He has done graduate work studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in NY and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the founder and director of Ariel Ministries, which is dedicated to evangelism of Jewish people and discipleship of Jewish and Gentile believers from a messianic Jewish frame of reference. His testimony as a Messianic Jew goes back to the 1940s when his parents were driven from their home in Poland, ending up eventually in the US after the war. A full version of his conversion is found here. Today we discuss his story as well as the biblical teaching that all of Israel shall be saved. Gentiles often have questions about this very subject because today's churches are not clear on this issue, citing that since Israel is gathered in unbelief since 1948,  today's Israel has no prophetic significance. Dr. Fruchtenbaum's teaching on the 5 covenants of Israel and who exactly is in the land clears this up. Dr. Fruchtenbaum has a pre-trib, pre-millennial, dispensational perspective; his teachings help the Gentiles understand the Jewishness of the entire Bible. All of his incredible resources are found here.   Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A

On In The Market with Janet Parshall this week we addressed the ongoing fight to protect the unborn and spoke with a doctor who explained what it means to have an abortion pill reversal procedure and how that can impact the life of the mother and her unborn child. A wonderful book from several years ago has become a special day and opportunity to bless someone in your life. We spoke to one of the authors of this book who explained the 5 elements of this blessing and when and how you can participate in National Blessing Day later this month. Jesus is all over the New Testament and His impact can be clearly seen in the lives of those who met Him and those who came after. But what about the Old Testament? Can we find Jesus clearly in the Old Testament? Our guest, a respected Messianic Jew and the former leader of one of the most important ministries leading Jewish people to their Messiah, took us all the way back to the very beginning and showed us from Genesis forward the prophecies of the coming of Messiah. He also explained why and how the people of that time misread and misunderstood that the prophecy was being fulfilled right in front of their eyes. We shared the insights of a man whose groundbreaking work on birth order and its effect on our lives have impacted people around the world. He explained how birth order influences leadership style, how understanding ourselves better and a few practical strategies, can help us develop the skills to lead others through deeper, more productive relationships. Once again we encouraged you to lengthen your prayer list as we shared more stories of God working through his followers in the entertainment industry. What impact did the Christian vote have on the recent presidential election? What about believers who didn’t vote. We explored both sides of this very interesting issue. As the week comes to an close, we invite you to join us in the marketplace of ideas as Janet and Criag teach us how to look past the cheap goods on display to find the quality craftsmanship of the truth in the headlines of the week.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I'm continuing the summer encore series – re-releases of some of your favorite past episodes – with a special podcast that was recorded in Israel. As Israel braces for a likely imminent attack by Iran and its allies, it's important to know what's going on in Israel and how the people that live there are affected by this ongoing conflict. Samuel Smadja, a friend of mine that lives in Israel, is a Messianic Jew who took time to explain how the Israeli people are doing and what it's like to be in Israel during a time like this. The Middle East and Israel can be very complicated and I hope you'll be encouraged to learn more about what's going on and to pray, as Samuel said to “pray for the peace between the God of Israel and the people of Jerusalem.”For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.