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25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26“The idea of the Spirit held by the average church member is so vague as to be nearly nonexistent. When it is thought of at all, it is likely to be misunderstood as an influence or an impersonal power.”A.W. Tozer“From my perspective, the Holy Spirit is tragically neglected and, for all practical purposes, forgotten... while no evangelical would deny His existence, I'm willing to bet there are millions of churchgoers across America who cannot confidently say they have experienced His presence or action in their lives.”Francis ChanWhat do you believe concerning the “Holy Spirit”?First, that the Spirit, with the Father and the Son, is eternal God. Second, that he is given also to me, so that, through true faith, he makes me share in Christ and all his benefits, comforts me, and will remain with me forever.Heidelberg Catechism, Q.53THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT A PAST/PRESENT POWER APPLIED TO A CHRISTIAN, HE'S THE PERSON OF GOD WHO HAS COME TO MAKE HIS HOME IN A RESURRECTED HEART.25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26THE TEACHERTeacher: someone who helps others learn, understand, and grow in knowledge, skills, character, or wisdom.MATH EQAUTION PIC***Teacher: someone who takes what is formless and void to the student, and brings order to the chaos through words.25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:25-26ONE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PRIMARY ROLES IS TO PARTNER WITH GOD'S WORD TO CREATE ORDER.Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.Acts 2:2-4Modalism: a theological view that posits the Trinity is not three distinct persons within one Godhead, but rather one God who reveals Himself in different "modes" or “manifestations"THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CREATIONIn the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.John 1:1-5THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EZEKIELThe hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley;[a] it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath[b] to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling,[c] and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.Ezekiel 37:1-10THE HOLY SPIRIT IN JESUS31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.Luke 1:31-35GOD'S SPIRIT WORKS IN TANDEM WITH GOD'S WORDTRY TO SEPARATE GOD'S SPIRIT FROM HIS WORD AND YOU WILL GETWORSHIP THAT IS “WITHOUT FORM” (John 4)22 You worship what you do not know;John 4:22They worshipped a God whom they did not really know. Thereason for this was their rejection of most of His revelation inthe Old Testament. On top of this, the Samaritans had addedpagan concepts to their faith, concepts that came from theirGentile forefathers.Dr. Thomas ConstableWORSHIP THAT IS “VOID” (Matthew 23)2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.Matthew 23:2“AM I GIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT THE WORD TO WORK WITH?”LEARNING TO DWELL AND FEAST ON THE BIBLE IS THE START TO A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE“AM I GIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT ROOM TO WORK WITH THE WORD?”DON'T READ ALONE. INVITE THE HELP OF THE TEACHER....
Psalm 73 ESV God Is My Strength and Portion ForeverA Psalm of Asaph.73 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.
2020 Anime Awards – Best, Worst & Underrated (5 Years Later) | AniPro Podcast 192Episode Overview:In this episode, hosts Cole, Mike, and Jay review 2020's catalogue of anime, and discuss how good the year truly was!Also, the boys look back at their first recording day, Mike's escaped the green void, Tokai Teio sang an anime OP, and more!Topics & Timestamps:00:00:00 – AniProPod 192 Intro00:05:08 – Life & Anime in 202000:12:48 – Why We're Revisiting 2020 Anime00:19:26 – Biggest Anime Flops of 202000:33:57 – Best Anime Openings (OP) of 2020 00:44:43 – Best Anime Endings (ED) of 202000:47:50 – Best Anime Direction of 202000:54:27 – Best Animation & Visuals of 202001:00:11 – Best Anime Studio of 202001:09:35 – Best Girls of 202001:22:55 – Best Boys of 202001:32:57 – Best Duos & Pairings of 202001:39:11 – Most Fun Anime of 202001:46:53 – Most Underrated Anime of 202001:55:03 – Anime of the Year 202002:02:03 – Wrap-Up & Final ThoughtsSupport AniPro:Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/AniProPodMailbag – https://anipropod.com/mailbagTokyoTreat ($5 off) – Use code "ANIPRO" for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/AniProFollow & Subscribe:X (Twitter) – https://twitter.com/AniProPodInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/anipropodDiscord – https://discord.gg/dV5tMCWvM7Next Reviews:Anime – ID: INVADED → Buddy DaddiesManga – Wandance → Kindergarten WarsMusic & Credits:Opening Theme – “Shibuya”Bumper Track – "The Most High" by "moon cafe"Music licensed via – slip.streamEnjoying the show? If so, please rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – it only takes a moment and helps new listeners find us!
You are not here by accident. This is the moment your soul has been calling for — the moment you remember who you truly are.In this episode of The Positive Mindset Podcast, Henry Lawrence takes you beyond the cars, the buildings, and the bank accounts… into the infinite frequency that created it all. This isn't about positive thinking. This is about stepping into the highest frequency, the faith that moves mountains, and the vision that sees forests in seeds.We'll break open the illusion of “this world” and awaken the part of you that knows:Your words are commands that shape realityYour vision determines the size of your blessingsYour purpose is far beyond titles, possessions, and rolesBy the end, you'll know how to see with the eyes of the Most High, speak with unshakable faith, and walk in the knowing that you are infinite.----Schedule a 1 on 1 with me!----Social MediaSay hi on TikTokSay Hi on Instagram----Join THE SHIFT!! (Free community )----Email List
Send us a textINTRODUCTION:In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we delve into the importance of placing cultural and personal identities at the feet of Jesus to avoid idolatry. The discussion emphasizes the importance of prioritizing one's faith in Jesus Christ above all else, including family, culture, and community. It touches on the challenges of maintaining faith in a commercialized Christmas, the pitfalls of the universe rhetoric, and the distinction between prophecy and general clairvoyance. The episode also explores the significance of maintaining spiritual integrity in relationships and warns against the subtle dangers of envy and negative spiritual influences. Tune in for an enlightening conversation about realigning with God and nurturing a personal relationship with the Most High.Playlists: https://music.apple.com/profile/DeVannonSeraphinoWebsite: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comINCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to):· Cultural Idolatry.· Taking The “Christ” Out Of Christmas.· Place The Universe & Astrology At God's Feet.· It's Time To Get Personal With The Lord.· Invest In A Physical Bible.· The Solitary In Families.· Addiction To Community.· Weakness In Faith Mixing.· When A Parent Becomes Your Enemy.· Let Envious People GO!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#PastThanks for listening!!! Please follow us on YouTube + TikTok @SexDrugsAndJesusPodcast
Why is cutting back on commitments never quite enough to fix the burnout we feel—physically and spiritually? In this life-giving episode of She Speaks Life, author and podcast host Tara Sun joins us to share the heart behind her new book, Overbooked and Overwhelmed: How to Keep up with God When You're Just Trying to Keep Up With Life.Tara offers a powerful invitation to stop doing the most and start devoting our lives to the Most High. Through her own experience with extreme overwhelm and burnout, she learned that—we need daily rhythms that build a life with margin, meaning, and consistent connection with God.We discuss:Why Cutting Back Isn't Enough and how there's a better way to beat burnout and receive true restLess Distracted, More Devoted living—how to recognize distractions and stay present with what God is doingFrom Overbooked to Unburdened, and what it looks like to steward our season without strivingLetting Go to Let God In—how to clear the clutter from our schedules and our souls to make room for deeper intimacy with HimThis episode is a timely invitation to experience revival when you feel too weary to chase it, and a reminder that rest isn't a retreat—it's a return to the One who gives it freely.Tara Sun is the uplifting host of the popular women's podcast “Truth Talks with Tara” and the author of “Surrender Your Story” and “Overbooked and Overwhelmed”. She is a dynamic speaker and creative, using each of these platforms to equip women with the tools to know, love, and live God's Word in their daily lives. Connect with Tara Sun: https://www.tarasunministries.com/Pick up a copy of her book- Overbooked and Overwhelmedhttps://a.co/d/iZXeFmJIG Tara Sun: @misstarasunTruth Talks With Tara PodcastPersonalize Scripture With Me! Get Your Serenity Journal & Connect: https://www.jaymeelizabeth.com/CONNECT WITH JAYME ON SOCIALS: Instagram l YouTube l Pinterest l Facebook
Evening lessons: Psalms 91; Hosea 5; John 9. Whoever dwells under the defense of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So107.1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.33 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in;37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes;41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 32:1-27Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew,like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.5 They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.6 Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and unwise people?Is he not your Father, your Creator,[a] who made you and formed you?7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind,he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.[b]9 For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste.He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye,11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young,that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.12 The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.13 He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields.He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag,14 with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats,with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat.You drank the foaming blood of the grape.15 Jeshurun[c] grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior.16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols.17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.19 The Lord saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters.20 “I will hide my face from them,” he said, “and see what their end will be;for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful.21 They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols.I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains.23 “I will heap calamities on them and spend my arrows against them.24 I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague;I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.25 In the street the sword will make them childless; in their homes terror will reign.The young men and young women will perish, the infants and those with gray hair.26 I said I would scatter them and erase their name from human memory,27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstandand say, ‘Our hand has triumphed; the Lord has not done all this.'”
Psalm 91 is a powerful declaration of God's protection, presence, and peace for those who trust in Him. It paints a vivid picture of refuge under God's wings, safety in the face of fear, and strength amid trials. Whether facing danger, disease, or distress, this psalm reminds us that those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High can live with courage and confidence—because God is not distant; He is our Defender. The post Psalm 91 appeared first on Pine Lake Covenant Church.
Send us a textLeaning into Jesus When Fear Overtakes – Psalm 91:1Podcast Series: Daily Christian Prayer Devotional Scripture Focus: Psalm 91:1What happens when your faith wobbles and fear creeps in? Where do you turn when worldly comforts and routines can no longer provide peace or stability? In today's five-minute spiritual meditation, Reverend Ben Cooper takes us to the heart of Psalm 91:1, where the Psalmist declares, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”In a world that constantly pulls us toward temporary escapes—materialism, noise, performance, and distraction—this episode invites you to lean into Jesus in a deeply personal way. With tender vulnerability and Holy Spirit-filled authority, Reverend Ben reflects on what it truly means to trust God as our shelter, refuge, and dwelling place.“I've tried leaning into everything else, Lord... and I've fallen, I've stumbled, and I've crashed.” — Reverend Ben CooperThrough biblical imagery and the powerful moment of the Last Supper—where one disciple physically leaned into Christ—this episode explores what it means to spiritually lean into the heart of Jesus. You are reminded that divine rest doesn't come from perfect circumstances, but from perfect trust in an unshakable God.As we name and declare God's character—Jehovah Jireh (Provider), Jehovah Nissi (Banner of victory), Jehovah Shalom (Peace)—we are reminded that everything we need is found in Him. Whether you are walking through anxiety, uncertainty, or emotional exhaustion, this short yet profound prayer devotion helps re-anchor your soul in God's unchanging presence.Scriptures ReferencedPsalm 91:1 – “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High...”John 13:23 – “Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples...”Philippians 4:6–7 – “Do not be anxious about anything...”Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast...”Life ApplicationThis episode is your reminder that it's okay to feel weak—so long as you lean into the One who is strong. Stop leaning on temporary scaffolding. Start dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty. Whether you're on your morning commute, walking through work stress, or ending a long day—let these five minutes realign your spirit to the eternal truth that God is your refuge and strength.Support This Global Christian MinistryIf these daily devotional moments speak to your heart, please consider partnering with us. Your support allows us to reach thousands of listeners across the world every day with the power of God's Word.Buy Me a Coffee for just £3/month Visit: www.RBChristianRadio.netLeave us a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Your feedback helps more people Support the showThank you for listening! For more inspiring content, visit our main site at RBChristianRadio.net. Explore our ministry services and celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net. If you'd like to support our work, you can now Buy Me a Coffee and help us keep spreading the word. Every bit makes a difference! God bless and see you in the next episode.
We have the Most High, the Almighty, telling us to fear not! He is calling us as His warriors. We are at a very serious time now.
Theological Categories of God's Will The will of God can be divided between His secret will and revealed will. Moses wrote, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deut 29:29). What God has revealed in Scripture is what He deems important for us to know. But there are secret things that belong to the Lord, and on these matters, He remains silent. To spend our days pursuing what God has sovereignly chosen to keep hidden will only lead to unending frustration. If we have prayed and studied God's Word thoroughly yet received no clear answer, it may be because God does not want us to know—or not to know at this time. Though we may seek to discern God's will through daily experiences, such providential insight must always remain subordinate to His written revelation. Though we don't know many particulars about what God is doing, we know He is in control and directing history to the return of Christ and the eternal state, and we are part of that grand plan. Concerning God's revealed will, Scripture presents several classifications. First, there is God's sovereign will, which refers to His free and independent choices to do whatever He pleases, without external constraint or consultation. God declares, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isa 46:10b; cf. Psa 33:11), and “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?'” (Dan 4:35). “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psa 135:6), and He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11b). According to McChesney: "There is a sense, indeed, in which the sovereignty of God is absolute. He is under no external restraint whatsoever. He is the Supreme Dispenser of all events. All forms of existence are within the scope of His dominion. And yet this is not to be viewed in any such way as to abridge the reality of the moral freedom of God's responsible creatures or to make men anything else than the arbiters of their own eternal destinies. God has seen fit to create beings with the power of choice between good and evil. He rules over them in justice and wisdom and grace."[1] God remains in constant sovereign control, guiding His creation through history. He meddles in the affairs of mankind, and His unseen hand works behind all their activities, controlling and directing history as He wills. We know from Scripture that God possesses certain immutable attributes and that He never acts inconsistently with His nature. For example, because God is righteous, all His actions and commands are just. Because God is immutable, His moral perfections never change. Because God is eternal, He is righteous forever. Because God is omniscient, His righteous acts are always predicated on perfect knowledge. Because God is omnipotent, He is always able to execute His righteous will. Because God is love, His judgments can be merciful toward the undeserving and humble. God controls who sits in positions of power, whether they hold that position by birth or democratic vote. Ultimately, it is God “who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21a), for “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). When Israel turned negative to God, He judged them by placing weak leaders over them, saying, “I will make mere lads their princes, and capricious children will rule over them (Isa 3:4). The result was, “Those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your paths” (Isa 3:12b). God even controls hostile unbelievers to accomplish His purposes (Prov 16:4). When Jesus was on trial, Pilate falsely thought he had control over Him, saying, “Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” (John 19:10). Operating from divine viewpoint, Jesus said to Pilate, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). While praying to God, Peter and John acknowledged God's sovereignty over the Gentile rulers, saying, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28). Second, there is God's directive will, which refers to His actively guiding His people to do what He expects. It is sometimes called His prescriptive will because it prescribes how people are to think, live, and relate to Him and others. For example, God directed Adam and Eve to be “fruitful and multiply” and to “rule” as theocratic administrators over His creation (Gen 1:28). After creating the garden of Eden, He directed them to “cultivate it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). He also gave them freedom, saying, “from any tree of the garden you may eat freely” (Gen 2:16), but also gave one prohibition, saying, “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Gen 2:17). Other examples include God directing Noah to build an ark (Gen 6:13-14), directing Abraham to leave his country and go to the place where God wanted (Gen 12:1), directing Moses to go to Egypt to liberate His people (Ex 3:10), and later to give them the Law so they could walk in His will (Ex 34:27-28).[2] It should be remembered that the four Gospels reveal that Jesus was born and lived under the Mosaic Law code (Gal 4:4), and during His time of ministry, He directed others to obey that code (i.e., Matt 8:1-4; 23:1-3). Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div. [1] E. McChesney, “Sovereignty of God,” in The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, ed. Merrill F. Unger and R.K. Harrison (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988). 1085. [2] God had revealed His will for Israel through the Law of Moses, and this gave them clear guidelines for how to live as God desired. Because God cares for His people, He provided them rules for living in relationship with Himself and others. If His people walked in the ways of the Lord, He promised them blessing (Deut 28:1-14). But if they turned away from His revealed will, He promised them cursing (Deut 28:15-68). The blessed life or the cursed life was always before them (Deut 11:26-28). God's directives were communicated through Moses to God's people (Deut 6:1-2), who were to receive them and adhere to them (Deut 6:3-6), and communicate them to their children (Deut 6:7).
Hosea 11-12:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led the with cords of kindness, with bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels. My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God, and is faithful to the Holy One. (desc. ends at chapter 11:12)
By David Morker - Prayer is not a ritual reserved for the few - it is the real, relentless cry of every child and saint of the Most High. In this message, we are reminded that prayer began not with religion but with dependence, not with formality but with faith. Framed by Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us then with confidence
Daily Anglican Prayer - Sunday Morning – 3rd August 2025 Readings NRSV: Psalm 49. 1-12; Hosea 12.2-6; Luke 12.22-31. Led by Felicity Scott, an Anglican prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Sunday Morning prayer. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ as our saviour and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray. 1 This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118.24 Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. The Sentence of the day on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of GOD. Colossians 3.1 3 The opening Canticle Oh come let us sing out to the Lord. let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his face with thanksgiving. And cry out to him joyfully in psalms. For the Lord is a great God. and a great king above all gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth. and the peaks of the mountains are his also. The sea is his and he made it. His hands moulded dryland. Come let us worship and bow down. And kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is the Lord our god. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Today if only you would hear his voice: “Do not harden your hearts as Israel did in the wilderness.” “When your forebears tested me.” “Put me to proof though they had seen my works.” “Forty years long I loathe that generation and said.” “It is a people who err in their hearts.” “For they do not know my ways.” “Of whom I swore in my wrath.” “They shall not enter my rest.” 3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind. Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen. 4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each. Psalm 49 1-12 5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow Lord God, whose blessed Son rose in triumph and set us free: grant us the fullness of life he promised us, that through the Holy Spirit our hearts may possess him whom our eyes cannot see, the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed. OLD Testament reading … The reading is followed by Hear the word of the LORD Thanks be to GOD NT Reading … The reading is followed by Hear the message of Christ Thanks be to GOD. 7 The Canticle, The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel: who has come to his people and set them free. The Lord has raised up for us a mighty Saviour: born of the house of his servant David. Through the holy prophets, God promised of old: to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us, To show mercy to our forebears: and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear: holy and righteous before him, all the days of our life. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation: by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God: the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death: and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1.68–79 8 The Apostles creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the virgin Mary. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 9 The Prayers Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. 10 The LORDs prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. 10 The Collect of the Day Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Living God, Judge of us all, you have placed in our hands, the wealth we call our own: Through your spirit give us wisdom, That our possessions may not be a curse, But a means of blessings in our lives. Grant this through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy spirit, one God for ever and ever Amen. Prayer of the Week Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Almighty God, whose beloved Son for our sake willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross: give us courage and patience, to take up our cross daily and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one GOD, now and forever. Amen 11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray Almighty God, through your Son Jesus Christ you gave many excellent gifts to your apostles and commanded them to feed your flock. Bless all Archbishops and bishops in the Anglican Church. So, to fill them with your truth, and clothe them with holiness, that as pastors of your Church they may diligently preach your word, and modernise their teachings of the people, to the glory of your name. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer God of wisdom, grant we pray that the words we have heard today make in us a desire to serve the people in bringing the good news of Christ to all who have yet to hear it, so that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good works to honour and praise your name. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer Creator God, we thank you for all created living beings, we ask that you look kindly with saving grace upon all animals this day, whether they are in the wild, on the streets, in captivity, or elsewhere. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer Almighty God, today we remember African people, we ask for Your peace to reign in Africa. May African nations come together in harmony, setting aside differences and working towards a common good for all African people. Let Your common sense be their guide in actions and decisions. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer Loving God, as we remember all the missing children in the world, we ask that you embrace them with Your love and protection. Guide them safely back to their loved ones. Grant strength and comfort to the family during their time of waiting. May Your divine light illuminate their path, leading them home. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer Blessed God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer: Sunday 3 August The Episcopal Church in the Philippines The Diocese of Armidale: The Parish of Centenary Suburbs: Anglicare Australia: Cannon Hill Anglican College All Prison ministry chaplaincy teams All people joining in this prayer offering. Humbly we Pray – LORD hear our prayer 12 The Morning Collect Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and by whose love we are redeemed; guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and live this day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 13 The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13.14 Music by John Keys – Anglican Chant Canticle organ accompaniments. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today's modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSV bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.
The world offers all sorts of pleasures, falsely promising to be satisfying but always finding to be leaving you more empty than before. God offers us a full and abundant life through Jesus Christ. Because of His death and resurrection, we can live a life where our soul is satisfied in the Most High.
The world offers all sorts of pleasures, falsely promising to be satisfying but always finding to be leaving you more empty than before. God offers us a full and abundant life through Jesus Christ. Because of His death and resurrection, we can live a life where our soul is satisfied in the Most High. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29
There shall be no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god. I, the LORD, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt. Sing with joy to God our help.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:54-58, today's readings).But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.The psalm for today presents the words of the Lord to the Israelites. "There shall be no strange god among you. . . ." In the Gospel, Jesus is in his hometown of Nazareth among neighbors and family friends, when they say of him: "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son?" They name Mary, and his brothers and sisters, family members, and say out of bewilderment. "Where did this man get all this." Among his own townspeople, Jesus would have been no stranger, yet they rejected him despite witnessing his words and miraculous works. The greater truth that some would come to believe is that Jesus was no strange god among them but the Son of the Most High.Father in heaven, I know that Jesus is present in many ways, foremost in the real presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Help me see Jesus also present in the faces of the people I encounter today and in their words and actions. Those closest who bear Christ and manifest his presence are often the ones most taken for granted. Give me the grace, Lord, to pause and see in them, as Saint Paul said, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious." Let me consider how Christ is in my midst, right her in my native place. Saint Alphonsus Liguori, pray for us!Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Community is our Opportunity all hinges on us embracing our purpose as a local congregation; Helping people discover and develop a life in Christ.
Daily Dose of Hope July 30, 2025 Scripture – Luke 1:57-80 Prayer: Abba Father, You are the potter, we are the clay, and the work of Your hands. Mold us and fashion us into the image of Jesus, your Son. Father, may we be one in You as He is in You, and You are in Him. Glory and praise to you, forever and ever. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish Luke 1. We finally read about the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth. You will remember the angel visiting Zechariah the priest in the temple from our reading two days ago. Because of his disbelief, the angel takes away Zechariah's ability to talk. It isn't until Zechariah and Elizabeth's son is born and circumcised that he is able to speak again. By this time, he's had many months to ponder the words of the angel that visited him in the temple. I've often wondered if Zechariah and Elizabeth thought about how similar their situation was to Abraham and Sarah. As good Jews, they would have known the story of Abraham well. They would have known how God also promised a childless Abraham and Sarah a baby even though they were very well along in years. They would know that despite Abraham and Sarah's skepticism and their attempts to take matters into their own hands, God's promise proved true. Abraham and Sarah did in fact have a son, Isaac, and Abraham became the father of many nations. I can't help but think Zechariah would have thought about that during his many months without a voice. And when his own son comes, they name him John just as the angel had told them to do. And this was also unexpected. Scripture says that, “On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” The relatives and friends don't believe that the child's name should be John so they go to Zechariah next. Still mute, he asks for a writing pad and clearly communicates that his child is to be named John. Keep in mind, in that culture, it would have been normal to name a son after his father, implying that the child would walk in the steps of his father, that he would carry of his father's name, and his work as well. If he had been named little Zechariah, it would have been expected that he grow up to be a priest like his dad. But as we know, God had other plans for this child. Of course, we know this child to be John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. And it took a while, but Zechariah is now filled with joy and hope, because he understands that with the birth of his son, God was fulfilling a promise he made a long, long time ago. Not just for him and Elizabeth but for all people. God is raising up a savior for his people just as the prophets had declared 700 years before, and Zechariah's son John will go before this savior to prepare the way, to prepare the hearts of the people for the Savior of the world. John will prepare the way for Jesus Christ. Zechariah knows this and rejoices in it. He says this in v. 76, And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him… Blessings, Pastor Vicki
Daily Dose of Hope July 29, 2025 Scripture – Luke 1:26-56 Prayer: Almighty God, We rejoice in your holy name. We give you glory. Thank you for a new day. May we experience you, today, Lord. May we hear your voice and hear you when you call us. We want to do your will. We want to say yes. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are covering part 2 of 3 in Luke 1. We are reading about Mary. We read that the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her that she is highly favored. She is immediately troubled with this greeting. Think about this – Mary was a poor, humble girl, probably around age 14. Why in the world would an angel greet her this way? But we soon find out. Gabriel tells Mary that she will become pregnant and her son will be called the Son of the Most High; she is to call him Jesus. Some context is helpful here. Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. In those days, girls were married very young. As soon as they became able to have children, they were betrothed. It could have been as young as 12, as old as 15. (Life expectancy was low.) And once the marriage was arranged (by the parents), the betrothal was marked by a party, which would be followed up by another party a year later, and it is at that time that the couple would start to live together as husband and wife. It was definitely more formal thatn what we think of as engagement. A divorce was required to end it, and if the groom died during the year, the woman was considered a widow. I say all this to show how serious an engagement was during the first century. And now the angel is telling Mary that she would become pregnant. Mary would have known that this kind of incident put her in real danger. Virgin births were no less unusual two thousand years ago than they are today. And Mary, despite her young age, would have known where babies come from. She knew that to be pregnant meant that she had to be impregnated. She supplies half the genetic material. Someone else had to supply the other half and Joseph would have know that he did not do it. We probably don't read between the lines as quickly as someone in the first century. Probably one of the first things to go through Mary's head was “Umm...this could get me in some real trouble.” And I don't mean it would just upset her parents. This threatened all her plans. She risked losing her upcoming marriage. She risked being ostracized by her family. She risked being the butt of the gossip mill in little Nazareth, being called names and being subjected to hardship. She even risked being killed by the Jewish authorities. The consequence for adultery was death according to Jewish law and although this wasn't always carried out, it certainly could be, and a young, unmarried, poor girl from Nazareth would sure be an easy target. So, you would think this information would make Mary hesitant. But after the first question of “well how in the world could this be,” Mary responds with “I am the Lord's servant...May your word to me be fulfilled.” I've often wondered what went on in Mary's mind between “how can this be” and “I am the Lord's servant.” She had every excuse in the book to say, “NO! Not me!” But she doesn't. She trusts God and allows him to use her. God is telling us a lot about his character and what he values. We know that God uses and God values the meek, the humble, and the lowly. He uses a poor, young girl from a poor little town to be the mother of the savior of the world. We know that, over and over again, God identifies with the poor, the weak, and the oppressed. This ends up being a central theme in Jesus' ministry as well. God values meekness and humility and because of that, so should we. It also shows that God chooses to work in places and through people that the world would not choose. He is more concerned with someone's willingness to say yes than their pedigree or resume. That is certainly the case with Mary. So what can we learn about God through the person of Mary? The reality is that God sometimes calls us to do things that are hard. God calls us to things that aren't on our agenda, things that might derail our hopes, plans, dreams. He may even call us to do things that are dangerous and be with people we don't want to be with or go places we don't want to go. This is the hard truth – Just as he did with Mary, God may call us to make sacrifices, to give up things we would prefer to do, all because he asked us to do it. Blessings, Pastor Vicki
Thanks to Mitch for the prayer last week. This year I realized some important lessons that have always been present but I was unable to understand. You may not hear what I am trying to say either but I know you will in time. If you have an ear, please hear. the stuff that happens to us from the cradle to the grave not only shows us the presence of God but that we are connected like a piece of fabric to each other. Our lives are intertwined. Imagine a loom potholder you made in summer camp with those big loops. It was of many colors and the patterns change the older it gets. The stains that we have don't come out always but make a pattern we don't see. Sometimes others can see it clearer. The stains are the things that happen to us. All of us go through some of the same things even if we don't share the extent or the facts. Why it happens is that we belong to the same maker who knows what each of us represent better than we do. He knows that what happens to you, will give you the opportunity to either curse or bless. You have a choice. If you bless, it won't erase what you are going through but will take you through more loops. You are an influencer if you are connected to His will. Even our tragedies, give us the opportunities unknowingly usually. I recently found out that a friend of mines brother attempted to kill himself. He blew a massive hole in his head. For as much as I know, he suffered his whole life from addictions, schizophrenia, and a every mental malady you can name. He is still alive. Horrific right? What in the world could God be thinking? I don't know. I don't know but I am watching. I am observing what is happening from afar. My friend is publicly questioning God. He has written so. He is now asking for prayer for his parents, that I don't think were together. His mother has flown from somewhere to be by her son. Her son is able to respond to her touch. The doctors have closed up "Rauls" skull and he is doing better than I would have expected seeing the before photos. But guess what? I am not in control of anything. My friend is the founder of a large international motorcycle club. Believers are calling, praying and donating money he asked for in his GoFundMe appeal to help with his elderly parents travel expenses. I never heard of his brother before. He is sorrowful for how he treated him in the past. If you can look pasted the horrific event, look at the people that this has touched. and continues to touch. In detective work, that is called a clue. god is working, we just don't always see it. personally, I had a member of this podcast ministry welcome me into their home for some R&R. Another, flew all the way here to take me to see me, and another let me drag him to church. God inspired these folks to think it not robbery to help me. I didn't and don't even know what I need. look at your life. Look at who you touch. Who you bless. Who is blessed by your help, your encouragement, your prayers to God. Look at me, at times I felt like I am all over the place. Guess that put me in the perfect position to have you talk to your heavenly Father on my behalf. You unselfishly won't even pray for yourself but you prayed for me, a stranger, a rogue pistol packing preacher, a dude with more issues than Field and Stream. Oddly enough, just as many talents and gifts it seems. WHO would that come from, Jehovah, Yahweh, Adonai, Elohim, the Most High, the Holy One of Israel, the A and O, we are all in this together, all of our life isn't tragedy and tears, there are good times, and fun in there too. but its life. the good and the bad. the sunny days and the cloudy ones. And we are not supposed to try to do it alone. You are part of this Loom. This ugly ass potholder only a Father could love. You don't understand why stuff happens like it does. I don't know why. I just know that HE is. He doesn't need you to believe in Him but He wants you too. We do a lot of unnecessary crap and call it church. Church isn't the problem it is us. You and I are the church. that is why it is raggedy. We are looking for escapes, entertainment and ethos. (good feelings) Ain't none of that a biblical requirement. We make up stuff and get comfortable with it. And then we wonder why the golden plates, holy water, scented candles, chants, pendants, rocks, numbers, astrological signs, alcohol, dope, sex, work, and retail therapy doesn't work. In the midst of my mess there is a message. in the midst of my conundrum I am becoming something more than I was. I am changing. I am growing. Not only my feet and hat size has increased. I am not the same guy I was 4 years ago. I have a sneaking suspicion, I ain't by myself. the Loom is bigger. you are connected to more people, or if not more, someone important to God. you matter. What you are going through brings others to loop in with you. What you have makes the pattern complete. Your stains color the design. It's an intelligent design by the way. just like there are bacteria in your mouth that help break down the French fries you left in there, there is reason known only to God for the stuff in yours, ours, my life. and what is the purpose of a potholder anyway? it helps protect your hands from getting burned. Throughout the Bible, fire is often used as a metaphor for testing and refinement, purifying individuals or situations. It can also represent the intense passion and zeal that believers should have for God and His Word. Fire holds significant symbolic meaning in the Bible. It represents purification, judgment, and the presence of God. In Hebrews 12:29, it is written, “For our God is a consuming fire.” This verse highlights the power and holiness associated with fire. And you know you can't handle that Fire on your own. We need Jesus.
The Jews are saved, Haman is defeated, and the people rejoice. Mordecai is elevated, and Esther's people are delivered.God delivers His people by grace, through hidden means. This foreshadows the greater deliverance in Christ. Esther 8:3–8, 15–17 (ESV)On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.”Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.Luke 1:67–79 (ESV)And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his peopleand has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on highto give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'” (Psalm 91:1-2) Scripture References: Matthew 6:19-34
In a world filled with uncertainty, fear, and challenges, Psalm 91 offers a powerful promise of God's protection, peace, and presence. In this encouraging sermon, "God's Got Your Back," we explore how abiding in the shelter of the Most High gives us confidence that we are never alone—no matter what comes our way.Join us as we walk through Psalm 91:1-16 and uncover the truth that God is our refuge, fortress, and faithful defender. Whether you're facing spiritual battles, personal struggles, or just need reassurance, this message will remind you that you are covered by God's love and shielded by His grace.
Welcome to Day 2682 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2682 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:17-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2682 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2682 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today's Wisdom Nugget is titled: Testing the Almighty – The Cost of Ungrateful Hearts - A Trek Through Psalm 78:17-31 Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 17 through 31. In our last conversation, we began Asaph's solemn history lesson for future generations. We saw the painful example of the Ephraimites' failure in battle due to their unfaithfulness, their refusal to keep God's covenant, and their tragic forgetfulness of God's glorious deeds. Then, Asaph immediately reminded us of those very deeds: God's astounding miracles in Egypt, His splitting of the Red Sea, His constant guidance by cloud and fire, and His miraculous provision of water from solid rock in the wilderness (Psalm 78:9-16). The contrast was stark: human rebellion against divine faithfulness. Now, as we move into this next section, the story continues, detailing a new, disturbing chapter in Israel's journey: their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, even in the face of His overwhelming provision. It reveals the devastating consequences of demanding hearts that question God's power and generosity, demonstrating that God provides, but also justly judges ungrateful unbelief. So, let's lean in and absorb the sobering lessons of Israel's continued rebellion and God's mighty, yet sometimes punitive, response. (Reads Psalm 78:17-20 NLT) But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers! But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” Guthrie Chamberlain: Despite the astonishing miracles of water from the rock, the constant guidance by cloud and fire, and the fresh memory of Red Sea deliverance, Asaph immediately reveals Israel's shocking reversion to rebellion: "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert." The word "continued" (yâsaph) emphasizes the persistent, habitual nature of their sin. They weren't just making a one-time mistake; this was a pattern of defiance. They rebelled "against the Most High" – El Elyon, emphasizing God's supreme authority and transcendence. This rebellion occurred "in the desert," a place of utter dependence on God, making their unfaithfulness even more grievous. Their rebellion manifested as a direct, stubborn challenge to God's power: "They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved." To "test...
Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High; Then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 13:24-30, today's readings)."He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”'”Jesus speaks to the crowds in a parable about a sower who sows good seed. The seed sprouts and grows, but an enemy of the sower comes at night to sow weeds throughout the wheat. When the slaves of the sower ask if they should pull up the weeds, he tells them to let the wheat and the weeds grow together and at the harvest separate them. They will then gather the wheat into the barn, but the weeds they will tie up and burn. At the harvest, the final judgment, Jesus will come to separate the weeds from the wheat. The Gospel acclamation reminds us to receive the word of God and realize the kingdom of heaven now and eternally for the life of the world to come: "Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls."Father in heaven, help me today see the the kingdom of heaven already here and yet to be. Like a planted seed, the word has in it challenges to life along with the potential for life brought to fulfillment at the time of harvest. Give me the grace to live the present moment with enthusiasm and in hope of the fulfillment of the word in the eternal kingdom yet to be. In a world where good and evil coexist, help me, Lord, hold onto the hope of the ultimate triumph of your kingdom in its fullness through Jesus Christ, your Son. Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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Tonight's talk is titled, Pentecost: Repentance Required If you have your bibles, lets jump into our key text, turn to Acts 2:38
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
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Growing In God Podcast Web Description: The spiritual battle we face today, as Daniel described, attempts to wear us down. But according to the Word of God, we can hide in a secret place under the shadow of His wing. He has seated us with Him in the heavenly places. Let us live in that place and move from that place in everything we do. This is our strength that the Lord has sent us in this generation to proclaim deliverance for Israel and the gathering of the nations into His Kingdom. Show Notes: The people of Israel have had to live under continual missile attacks. This lifestyle of warfare that drags on and on is satan's tactic to wear down the saints, and it is not in alignment with God's promises. We must be able to see an end to the warfare and see a time of peace emerge. As we read in Daniel 7, satan tries to wear us down but his dominion will be taken away, annihilated, and destroyed forever. This reality already exists in the heavenly realm where satan no longer exists because he was cast down to the earth, which is where his wrath is focused. If our focus is down here on this natural level, we should not be surprised that we are running into problems. We need to move into the heavenly places where we dwell with Christ at the right hand of the Father. We are to dwell with Him there and move with Him from there in all that we do. We need to stay where God is positioning us and not waver. We need to continue our walk in the Spirit and exercise His Word, as it is already finished. Israel had lost everything—like a land that was consumed by swarming locusts—but God is restoring Israel just as He promised. And you can feel like you are being overwhelmed by a cloud of locusts that are trying to devour you until there is nothing left of your strength, your hope, or your faith. Do not buy into that feeling. We live in the moment of the restoration. We live in the moment of all things being finished and completed and handed over to the saints. Key Verses: • Psalm 31:20. “You hide them in the secret place of Your presence.” • Psalm 91:1–4. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” • Judges 6:1–6. “Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord.” • Matthew 6:6. “When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door.” • Isaiah 26:20. “Enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you.” • Joel 2:25–27. “I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” • Judges 6:14. “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel.” • Daniel 7:24–26. “His dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.” • Revelation 12:7–12. “Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth.” • Ephesians 6:18. “Be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” • Ephesians 2:4–6. “God … raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” • Colossians 3:3. “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Quotes: • “Where we place our awareness and our focus is extremely important. So we need to be aware of the battle, but we need our spiritual focus and awareness to be on where He is, where we are with Him, and what has already been done in the promises.” • “Has He not sent you in this hour? He could have had you born in any generation. And God chose not to do that. He brought you forth in this generation for this moment so that we would be the proclaimers of now. It is now that the Lord will move to bring forth the fulfillment of every Word that He has spoken. And that is our strength.” • “Delivering Israel is the first step to delivering the nations and bringing all nations into the Kingdom that God is setting up and establishing.” Takeaways: 1. After making a strong stand in support of Israel and against anti-Semitism, we have seen an increase in spiritual warfare. This spiritual battle against Israel and against us seeks to wear us down. 2. We need to walk and move in the Spirit to exercise God's Word and His promises as being already fulfilled, rather than praying in hope for fulfillment while dwelling in what seems to be an endless battle. 3. The Lord has brought us to a new dwelling place, and we intercede from an awareness of where we are seated with Him in the heavenly places. We apply to Israel the fact that God hides them in the secret place of His presence. They are to dwell there, and we are to dwell with them in the protection of the Lord under the shadow of His wings. 4. The Lord said to Gideon, “Go in this your strength to deliver Israel. … Have I not sent you?” Where does our strength come from? Our strength comes from the fact that He has sent us to be part of delivering Israel; we are to be those who stand up and proclaim to Israel what the Lord has said.
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Satan, whose name means “adversary,” is a created angelic being who once held an exalted position in God's heavenly order. In Ezekiel 28:12-15, under the figure of the king of Tyre, we are given insight into Satan's pre-fall splendor: he was “the anointed cherub who covers,” full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, created blameless until iniquity was found in him. Isaiah 14:12-15, speaking of the fall of “Lucifer, son of the morning” (KJV), reveals the inner ambition of this being who said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven... I will make myself like the Most High.” These five self-centered declarations form the anatomy of the first sin—prideful rebellion against God's sovereign authority. Though the passage addresses the king of Babylon, the language transcends the human plane, revealing a supernatural reality behind the earthly ruler. Satan's fall was not due to ignorance or weakness, but the willful distortion of his privileged position and beauty, which corrupted his wisdom (Ezek 28:17). His rebellion marked the beginning of moral evil in the universe. When Adam, the original theocratic steward of the earth (Gen 1:26-28), sinned by submitting to Satan's temptation (Gen 3:1-6), dominion was effectively transferred from man to Satan (Luke 4:5-6), who then became “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4) and “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). While God remains sovereign over all (Psa 103:19), Satan now exerts delegated influence over human systems, cultures, and ideologies through deception and darkness (Eph 2:2; 1 John 5:19). Following his fall, Satan became the chief adversary of God, His program, and His people. He is the “god of this world” who blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4), the “prince of the power of the air” who energizes the sons of disobedience (Eph 2:2), and the “deceiver of the whole world” (Rev 12:9). His access to heaven has not yet been fully revoked, for he presently accuses believers before God, day and night (Job 1:6-12; Rev 12:10). He is active in the affairs of nations (Dan 10:13), sows tares among the wheat (Matt 13:39), and promotes counterfeit signs, doctrines, and ministers (2 Cor 11:13-15; 1 Tim 4:1). Jesus called him a murderer and “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Yet even now, Satan operates only within divinely permitted boundaries—he is a defeated foe on a short leash. At the cross, Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities,” triumphing over them (Col 2:15), and though Satan remains active, his judgment is certain. His end has already been decreed. Satan's ultimate demise will unfold in stages. During the future Tribulation, he will be cast down from his heavenly access and confined to earth (Rev 12:7-9). Near the end of the Tribulation, he will empower the Beast and the False Prophet in their final global rebellion (Rev 13:2-7). At Christ's Second Coming, Satan will be bound and imprisoned in the abyss for a thousand years during the millennial reign (Rev 20:1-3). After the thousand years, he will be released for one final revolt, gathering the nations for battle against Christ's kingdom, only to be defeated in a moment and cast into the lake of fire, where he will be tormented forever (Rev 20:7-10). This is not annihilation, but conscious, eternal punishment. The irony is profound: the one who said, “I will ascend,” will be brought “down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit” (Isa 14:15). His story ends not with exaltation, but humiliation—forever crushed under the heel of the Sovereign God (Gen 3:15; Rom 16:20). Demons Fallen angels, often referred to as demons, are those angelic beings who chose to rebel against God. Revelation 12:4 suggests that one-third of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion and were cast down with him. These fallen angels became hostile spiritual entities, operating in opposition to God's purposes and in deceptive rebellion against divine truth. Some are active in the present age (Mark 1:32-34), while others are bound in chains awaiting future judgment (Jude 1:6; Rev 9:1-2, 14). Others are active in influencing world leaders, as seen when demonic spirits go out to deceive the kings of the earth and gather them for battle at Armageddon (Rev 16:13-16). Still others are employed by God as agents of discipline and judgment (Judg 9:23; 1 Sam 16:14-16). Demons are consistently depicted in Scripture as unclean spirits (Matt 10:1; Mark 6:7), deceitful and malevolent (1 Tim 4:1; Rev 16:14). They promote false doctrine (1 Tim 4:1), oppose the truth (2 Cor 4:4), and seek to destroy lives, both spiritually and physically (Mark 5:2-5; Luke 9:39). Their activity includes demon possession (Matt 8:16; Mark 9:17-29), where they exert direct control over human faculties, often producing self-harm, mental torment, and violent behavior. While possession is a reality in the Gospels and Acts, believers today are assured they cannot be possessed by demons, for they are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; 1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph 1:13-14). Still, demons can tempt, oppress, and deceive (Eph 4:26-27; 2 Cor 2:11). Satan, as the leader of fallen angels, is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), and the “accuser of our brethren” (Rev 12:10). He blinds unbelievers, tempts saints, and prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour (1 Pet 5:8). He is cunning, having disguised himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), and he works through systems of false religion, secular ideologies, and demonic doctrines to oppose the gospel (Rev 2:13-24; 1 John 4:1-3). His defeat is already secured through Christ's work on the cross (Col 2:15; Heb 2:14), and his final doom awaits in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10). Until then, believers are called to resist him by submitting to God and standing firm in the truth (Jam 4:7; Eph 6:10-18). Our victory is not in power encounters or mystical deliverance rites, but in the sufficiency of Christ, the authority of His Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Satan's Strategies to Deceive Satan's primary method of attack is deception. As “the father of lies” (John 8:44), he traffics in half-truths, distortions, and subtle misrepresentations of God's Word. His first recorded words in Scripture are an assault on divine truth: “Indeed, has God said…?” (Gen 3:1). He questioned God's goodness, denied His judgment, and promised a counterfeit enlightenment to Eve (Gen 3:4-5). This pattern persists. Satan's deception often appears religious and even virtuous. He disguises himself as “an angel of light,” and his agents as “servants of righteousness” (2 Cor 11:14-15). He promotes false doctrine that appeals to human pride and legalism (1 Tim 4:1-3), enticing people to trust in rituals, works, or mystical experiences rather than the sufficiency of Christ and the clarity of the gospel (Gal 1:6-9; Col 2:8). He twists Scripture, as he did when tempting Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4:6), seeking to lead believers into disobedience through misapplied truth. One of his deadliest tools is religious systems that use biblical language but deny grace, subtly shifting trust away from Christ to human performance. Another key strategy Satan uses is infiltration into the thought life of believers. Paul warns of being “led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor 11:3), and commands believers to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Satan sows seeds of fear, anxiety, envy, bitterness, and doubt—undermining the believer's confidence in God's character and promises. He exploits emotional instability, tempts toward discontentment, and entices with worldly lusts (1 John 2:15-17). He is the master of discouragement, often accusing believers and dredging up past failures to immobilize present faith (Rev 12:10). Moreover, Satan creates ideological strongholds—philosophies, political movements, and cultural trends—that oppose biblical truth and condition people to reject the gospel (Col 2:8). He builds systems of thought that appear noble or compassionate but are anchored in rebellion against God. His endgame is to blind minds (2 Cor 4:4), corrupt hearts, and neutralize the impact of God's people. Yet believers are not helpless. By walking in the Spirit, renewing our minds with Scripture, and putting on the full armor of God, we are equipped to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:11-17). How to Be Rescued from Satan's Kingdom All people are born into Satan's domain of darkness, separated from God and spiritually dead in sin (Col 1:13; Eph 2:1-3). But in His grace, God rescues us through the finished work of Christ. At the moment of faith in Jesus—believing that He is the eternal Son of God who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:3-4)—the believer is delivered from the authority of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of God's beloved Son (Col 1:13-14). This transfer is instantaneous, permanent, and entirely the work of God. Justification is by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), and results in spiritual rebirth (1 Pet 1:3, 23) and a new identity in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Though Satan can no longer possess or eternally condemn the believer, he still seeks to deceive, discourage, and derail. The Christian life, therefore, is a spiritual battleground—not for salvation, but for sanctification, fruitfulness, and eternal reward (2 Cor 10:3-5; 1 Cor 3:12-15). To live effectively for the Lord in this fallen world, believers must learn and live God's Word by faith. Scripture is our source of truth and stability in the face of Satan's lies (John 17:17). It nourishes spiritual growth (1 Pet 2:2), renews the mind (Rom 12:2), and equips us for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). As we walk by faith and are filled with the Spirit (2 Cor 5:7; Eph 5:18), prayer becomes the posture of dependence—bringing our needs, confessions, thanksgiving, and intercessions before the throne of grace (Phil 4:6-7; Heb 4:16). Sharing the gospel is both our privilege and duty, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16), and through it, others can be rescued from darkness as we were. Doing good—as God defines it—is not about self-promotion or religious performance, but humble service empowered by the Spirit and aligned with divine truth (Gal 6:10; Tit 2:11-14). As we abide in Christ, our lives bear fruit—bringing glory to God and blessing to others (John 15:5-8). This is how we shine as lights in the world and stand firm against the darkness—not in fear, but in confident obedience to the One who saved us by grace and sustains us through truth (Phil 2:15-16; Eph 6:10-13). The Christian Armor Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians with a powerful call to spiritual readiness: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph 6:10). The verb endunamoō (“be strong”) is in the passive voice, indicating that believers are to be strengthened by God, not by self-effort. This strength comes in the Lord (en kyriō), through dependence on His strength and might. The believer stands not in personal resolve, but in the resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead (Eph 1:18-20). To walk in that strength, we are commanded to “put on the full armor of God” (panoplia), a reference to the complete suit of Roman military equipment—every piece essential for defense and stability (Eph 6:11). The goal is not to attack, but “to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” The term methodeias refers to Satan's cunning strategies—his deceitful systems, twisted half-truths, and subversive ideologies designed to lead believers astray. Paul clarifies that our conflict is not “against flesh and blood” but against unseen forces of spiritual evil (Eph 6:12). The battle is not political or cultural at its root, but spiritual. Demonic powers are organized in ranks—rulers, authorities, world-rulers of this darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness—and they operate in the heavenly realms. For this reason, Paul repeats the command to take up the full armor of God so that we may resist in “the evil day” (Eph 6:13)—those seasons of intense spiritual assault. The goal, repeated throughout the passage, is to stand, firm and immovable. Victory is not flashy or mystical; it is doctrinal, daily, and practical. We are to gird our loins with truth (Eph 6:14)—that is, fasten ourselves with God's revealed Word, which brings stability and prepares us for action. The breastplate of righteousness refers not to justification but to sanctification—practical righteousness that guards the inner life and silences Satan's accusations (1 Pet 3:16). A holy life is one of the best defenses against spiritual attack. Paul next highlights the footwear of the believer: “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Eph 6:15). This speaks of readiness and sure-footedness. Just as Roman soldiers wore sandals studded with nails for grip, the believer stands firm when grounded in the gospel. The peace we have with God through Christ (Rom 5:1) brings confidence and steadiness in battle. Then comes the shield of faith (Eph 6:16)—the thyreon, a large Roman shield used to block arrows. Faith is trust in God's person and promises, and it extinguishes the devil's flaming arrows—temptations, accusations, and lies. When doubts or fears are hurled at the soul, faith deflects them with the truth of God's character (1 John 5:4). The helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17) protects the mind, pointing not only to justification, but also to our future glorification—our hope in Christ's return and full deliverance (1 Th 5:8-9). Lastly, the believer takes up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” This is the machaira, a short sword for close combat, and the word rhēma refers to the spoken Word—specific Scriptures applied in real-time spiritual conflict. Just as Jesus used Scripture in the wilderness to deflect Satan's temptations (Matt 4:1-11), so must we. The Spirit empowers the believer not with mystical formulas, but with rightly understood and applied Scripture. Victory in spiritual warfare belongs to those who abide in Christ, walk by faith, think biblically, and live obediently—not in fear, but in confidence grounded in divine truth. Conclusion In the end, the study of angels, Satan, and demons grounds the believer in spiritual reality. It helps us interpret the chaos of our world through the lens of God's revealed truth, not mere human observation. We are reminded that unseen spiritual agents—both holy and hostile—operate within the bounds of God's sovereign rule, and that we are not spectators, but participants in an ongoing conflict between truth and deception, light and darkness. Our calling is not to speculate about the invisible, but to stand firm in what God has revealed. As we obey His commands, share His gospel, and endure in hope, we bring glory to the One who has already secured the final victory. And so, we press on—not with fear, but with clarity, confidence, and courage, knowing that the Lord of hosts is with us, and the battle is the Lord's (1 Sam 17:47; Rom 8:37-39). Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.
Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to introduce you all to: Satanic ritual abuse, mind control, Stargate, Freemason, Jesuit, and organized abuse survivor, overcomer and whistleblower, loving mother, founder of ‘The Quickening Project', content creator and podcast host, faithful servant to the Most High, gardener, floral design extraordinaire, singer and songwriter, poetry reader and writer, and absolute inspiration: KadayaKadaya's life began in a web of multigenerational abuse, orchestrated by a high-level cult with ties to Freemasonry, the Vatican, the Jesuits, and military intelligence programs. From infancy, possibly even in utero, she endured deliberate trauma designed to fracture her psyche, creating dissociative identity disorder to mold her into a mind-controlled operative. As a child, she was forced to participate in heinous acts, including filming snuff films on a church “missions' trip”, under the guise of helping an orphanage. Her abusers, including a 33rd-degree Freemason programmer who studied neurology to perfect mind control, exploited her high IQ and spiritual gifts, using children's books like Dr. Seuss, and the music from and keys of a piano to create a highly organized system of alters.Despite this, Kadaya's awakening began in her 20s when chronic illnesses defied medical diagnoses, hinting at trauma-based origins. As memories of ritual abuse flooded back three years ago, she faced disbelief from family, friends, and authorities, culminating in a betrayal that cost her everything: her husband filed for divorce, a protection order barred her from her two children, and her resources were stripped away. Her faith in Yah became her anchor. Recognizing that Christian terminology and music often used in rituals can retraumatize survivors, Kadaya launched The Quickening Project, a podcast and music initiative. With her co-host, she creates worship music designed to soothe fractured souls without triggering trauma, offering a safe space for survivors to reconnect with faith. Today, we will be continuing Kadaya's testimony, discussing mind control programming locations, psych ward experiences, specific abuse methods that do not leave marks and somatic body memory experiences, SRA in scripture, Antarctica, the state-sanctioned kidnapping of her children, and so much more.DONATE TO KADAYA'S GOFUNDME: https://gofund.me/cb63137dCONNECT WITH KADAYA:-YouTube: @thequickeningproject - https://www.youtube.com/@thequickeningproject-Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OmNqqtVj3GC91wUqdHAgo?si=KEgkSw9sSUGUtIHheuY3Hg&nd=1&dlsi=0fc9bed697ac4cef-IG: https://www.instagram.com/thequickeningproject/CONNECT WITH THE IMAGINATION: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationpodcastofficialSubstack: https://emmakatherine.substack.com/BUY ME A COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theimaginationAll links: https://direct.me/theimaginationpodcastRIFE TECHNOLOGIES:https://realrifetechnology.com/15% Code: 420CZTL METSupport the show
Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.1. Do you think of yourself as an envious person? Or are you a complainer? What does that say about your belief in God? 2. Have you ever felt like G
Do you know the journey you're on? Is it to simply be a servant of the Most High, knowing that it will cost all to follow Jesus? Or is about you??
PSALM 82 is a courtroom scene in heaven. This psalm is the source of the term “divine council,” a concept well known in the ancient Near East. The high god in the pantheon was believed to preside over a group of lesser gods, who were tasked with carrying out the will of the king of the pantheon. But in the religions of Babylon, Canaan, Egypt, Greece, Rome, etc., the lower gods were part of a polytheistic pantheon. This is a twisted version of God's council. We see God's divine assembly in action in Job 1 and 2, and especially in 1 Kings 22, where God asks the council for recommendations on how to lure King Ahab to go to war with the Syrians where he will fall in battle. To be clear, God doesn't need a council to carry out His will. He created one for His pleasure, because He desires family. However, just as with us humans, the spirits in the unseen realm were created with free will, and many of them chose to rebel against His authority. What we see in Psalm 82, then, is God passing judgment on those lesser elohim, the “sons of the Most High,” for exercising their free will to “judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked”. As a result of their mismanagement of creation, which threatened the very “foundations of the earth,” God decreed that these small-G god will die like men. We also discuss the New English Translation's rendering of Psalm 82:1, in which Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “stands in the assembly of El,” the creator-god of the Canaanites, to pass judgment on the gods of Canaan! Was that a prophecy of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the summit of Mount Hermon? Here's the link to the paper by Dr. Michael Heiser explaining Jesus' quotation of Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34 (link opens a PDF document) Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! Derek's new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback, Kindle, and as an audiobook at Audible! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! • X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship JOIN US IN ISRAEL! Our next tour of Israel is October 19–30, 2025. For more information and to reserve your place, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site! Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.
PSALM 82 is a courtroom scene in heaven. This psalm is the source of the term “divine council,” a concept well known in the ancient Near East. The high god in the pantheon was believed to preside over a group of lesser gods, who were tasked with carrying out the will of the king of the pantheon. But in the religions of Babylon, Canaan, Egypt, Greece, Rome, etc., the lower gods were part of a polytheistic pantheon. This is a twisted version of God's council. We see God's divine assembly in action in Job 1 and 2, and especially in 1 Kings 22, where God asks the council for recommendations on how to lure King Ahab to go to war with the Syrians where he will fall in battle.To be clear, God doesn't need a council to carry out His will. He created one for His pleasure, because He desires family. However, just as with us humans, the spirits in the unseen realm were created with free will, and many of them chose to rebel against His authority. What we see in Psalm 82, then, is God passing judgment on those lesser elohim, the “sons of the Most High,” for exercising their free will to “judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked”. As a result of their mismanagement of creation, which threatened the very “foundations of the earth,” God decreed that these small-G god will die like men. We also discuss the New English Translation's rendering of Psalm 82:1, in which Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “stands in the assembly of El,” the creator-god of the Canaanites, to pass judgment on the gods of Canaan!Was that a prophecy of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the summit of Mount Hermon?
Almost every Christian denomination accepts that God is sovereign--which is interpreted to mean that He always does precisely what He pleases, and everything that happens on earth has either His explicit or implicit stamp of approval. So when we find ourselves in a crisis--we or someone we love gets a terminal diagnosis, or we don't have enough money to make the mortgage and may lose the house, or we're in the direct path of a natural disaster, etc--we pray for a miracle, because we all know that God can do anything He wants. And who knows? Maybe He'll say yes. But if He says no, the common theology goes, it's because He sees the bigger picture. He knows more than we do, and we have to just trust that He knows best. That sounds so spiritual, doesn't it? Some believers manage to weather these trials of faith, pointing to Job as their example, when he said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21) and "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). (One side note. When you hear of a great saint who loses everything and yet clings to their trust in God anyway, certain that He has a greater purpose for their loss, does that inspire you to praise God--or to praise that great saint? Who actually receives the glory for that?) This theology has its roots in Calvinism, which espouses an extreme form of predestination (meaning that God chooses whether each of us will ultimately be saved, or damned, before we're ever born. He has to do this, they argue, because it is God who gives us the faith even to be saved, Eph 2:8-9, and if He withholds that faith, salvation for that individual is impossible.) So God, in this theological persuasion, decides a priori who will be saved and who will not, and then punishes those to whom He has not given the faith to be saved for their sins. They do have scriptures to back up their argument--if you take them out of context. One of the big ones is Romans 9:18-21, which says: "Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?' But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?'" In this passage, Paul was comparing Israel's hardness of heart in rejecting the Messiah to Pharaoh from the time of the Exodus (Romans 9:15-17). The reason it took ten plagues and the decimation of Egypt for Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites was because Pharaoh's heart was hardened, far beyond reason. Paul's point in this passage was that God did this so that He could display His power to the Israelites, delivering them with great signs and wonders (Romans 9:17). If Pharaoh hadn't resisted, it would not have taken great miracles to do it. (In the same way, Paul argues, the fact that Israel had rejected Jesus gave the Lord the opportunity to bring the Gentiles in to the New Covenant, too.) But if God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, is Pharaoh still responsible for his own actions? If we go back to the original source text, we can see that this isn't quite the whole story. God did tell Moses in advance that He would harden Pharaoh's heart before the plagues ever began (Ex 4:21, 7:3). But for the first five plagues, Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Ex 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7). It was only by the sixth plague that the scripture says God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Ex 9:12). Pharaoh still made his own choice first; God just enforced it and used it for His own purposes. I love the analogy Charles Capps uses to explain this. If one sets clay and wax out in the hot sun, the sun will harden the clay, but melt the wax. The sun adds the same heat to both, but the substance (wax or clay) determines its effect. A potter chooses whether to make “noble or ignoble” vessels from clay not arbitrarily, but on the basis of the quality of the clay. If the clay is supple and pliable, it can be made into something beautiful; if it is brittle, it might not be fit to shape into something worthy of display. God works with what we give him. In the same way, in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23), the sower sows the Word indiscriminately, but it is the condition of the soil that determines the harvest. Luke later writes that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and Peter writes that He is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9, more on this later). Likewise, any reasonable person would have been terrified into obedience by the plagues, long before they progressed to the death of the firstborn. And some of the Egyptians did believe and take refuge in Goshen, and the final exodus included “a mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38), meaning some of the Egyptians were convinced, converted, and left with them. God gave the Egyptians the opportunity to escape the plagues that might otherwise have caused death, telling them to pull their livestock and their servants inside before the hail (Exodus 9:19), and to paint their doorposts with the blood of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:22-23), which was symbolic of and foreshadowing the blood of Christ. Again, the Lord is “not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He didn't want to harm the Egyptians, but neither did he want them to keep His people in bondage. So, did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Yes, but perhaps only in the sense that God performed the miracles, and Pharaoh’s heart was such that those miracles caused him to dig in his heels. We’ve all met stubborn people like this, with whom any direct attempt at persuasion will cause them to double down on their original position. God does not override our free will, so in this case, He worked with it, using it to His advantage. Our choices do matter. But He's so amazing that He takes those choices and still manages to work “all things together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). As a result of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, God’s people had a legacy of spectacular stories to remind their children and their children’s children of His might on their behalf. My point in saying all that is just that the argument that God sovereignly controls everything that happens is inconsistent with the overall teachings of scripture; even the individual verses that seem to suggest that don't stand up to scrutiny. But a larger problem is that, taken to its logical conclusion, the theological position that God's will is absolute, and will come to pass no matter what we do, leads to a sense of futility. Why pray--why even evangelize--if God is going to do what He's going to do, regardless? To their credit (though against logic), most Calvinist denominations recognize that the scriptures are very clear that we should still both evangelize and pray, and they therefore preach that we should do both, just because God said we should. (Sort of the equivalent of a parent saying, "Because I said so, that's why!") But historically, many Protestant denominations stemmed from or were heavily influenced by Calvinist doctrine. As a result, until about the late 18th and early 19th century, almost all missionary activity around the world came from the Catholic church, which I suspect was precisely because it held no doctrine of predestination, so they thought their efforts could make an eternal difference. Motivation matters. (Protestant missions largely date back to William Carey's work in India in 1793. The London Missionary Society was founded two years later, in 1795, and in 1810, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was founded.) Even if we're not ultimately each predestined for heaven or hell, God is still sovereign, though, right? He knows way more than we do. So doesn't that mean sometimes He'll say no to our prayer requests, and when we all get to heaven, we'll understand why? Yes, God is sovereign in the sense that He is all-powerful, all-loving, and all-knowing, but He is not all-controlling (and I covered this extensively in this podcast https://www.drlaurendeville.com/podcasts/why-bad-things-happen-from-a-biblical-perspective on why bad things happen, from a biblical perspective). God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; they did anyway. Was that God's will? Certainly not! He did everything He could to keep them from doing it, short of making them automatons, when He told them, don't do it. Likewise, any sovereign can set laws that his citizens may not necessarily obey. The US is a sovereign nation and in 1974 the administration set the "National Maximum Speed Law" of 55mph. But many drivers exceeded that speed limit daily. The New English Translation has the word “sovereign” appear more than any other biblical translation (368 times). Not one of the original Hebrew or Greek words connotes the idea that He controls everything that happens. Most of the time, "sovereign" is just the way they render God’s names. The word sovereign is often translated from Shaddai (meaning Almighty) when it’s part of God’s name (48 times in the OT). Other times it’s translated from ‘elohiym: supreme God, as a superlative, or ‘elyown, meaning High or Most High. Sometimes it's thrown in as part of the transition of ‘Adonay: an emphatic form of the Lord. Sometimes it's translated from tsaba’, also translated the Lord of Hosts, meaning one who commands an army. In some cases the word sovereign is used to describe God's characteristics, but in context, it doesn't mean what we typically mean by the word (that His will always happens). The NET version of 1 Chronicles 29:11 says, "O LORD, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all." Only this translation uses the word sovereign; the others , translate it Head. This word connotes the idea of a supreme ruler, but not of one who always gets His way. Psalm 84:11 says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield (magen: shield, buckler, protector).” The same verse is translated in NET: "For the LORD God is our sovereign protector." Clearly the word magen does not indicate that He always gets His way, either. Sovereign power is also translated as holiness from qadash: "to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate." This word is used in Ezekiel 28:25: "'This is what the sovereign LORD says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power (or holiness) over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob." It doesn't mean supreme dictator there either. Micah 5:4 says, "He will assume his post and shepherd the people by the LORD's strength, by the sovereign authority of the LORD his God. They will live securely, for at that time he will be honored even in the distant regions of the earth.” Sovereign authority here is the words ga'own (exaltation, majesty, pride) shem (name, reputation, fame, glory): thus, it's better translated “in the majesty of the name” of the Lord. Not a supreme dictator there either. Habakkuk 2:14 says, "For recognition of the LORD's sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea." Sovereign majesty here is yada (to know, to perceive, to make known) kabowd (glory, honour, glorious, abundance), also translated “for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Still not indicating ultimate control over everything that happens. Of course God's will does not always come to pass. As I mentioned earlier, the classic example of this is 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance,” and 1 Timothy 2:4: “[He] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Matthew 18:14 also says, “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world, not just those who are saved. 1 John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world”, and 1 Tim 4:10 says, "That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” This doesn't sound like a God who created anyone for the expressed purpose of eternal damnation to me. On the contrary, He did everything He could possibly do to save us all, short of making us automatons. But not everybody will be saved, because He doesn't force us to choose Him--nor does He make any of our other decisions for us, either. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." God wills it; He paid an enormous price for it; but He won't get all of us, because we get a choice. There are other verses that imply the concept of sovereignty as we typically define it (in the sense that when God decides to do something, He does it, and no one can stop Him). Here are a few of those verses: Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Isaiah 46:10: “I declare the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” Romans 8:28: “All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” (i.e. He can use bad and work it for good.) But these verses refers to God’s right and His power -- they say nothing about voluntary restrictions that God has placed upon His own power. Those limitations are defined by the covenants God had in place with mankind at various points in history. Once He gives His word that He will do this and not that, He cannot violate it--He exalts His word even above His name (Psalm 138:2). It's the integrity of His word that literally holds the universe together (Hebrews 1:3). Again, more on this in this podcast: https://www.drlaurendeville.com/podcasts/why-bad-things-happen-from-a-biblical-perspective and extensively more in "Blood Covenant Origins" and "Blood Covenant Fulfilled" from this book series: https://www.drlaurendeville.com/books/biblical-retellings). A quick overview, though: since God gave the earth to man in the garden, and man decided to obey Satan, God had to find a legal entry to get back in. That was the purpose of the covenants—first the Adamic, then the Noahic, then the Abrahamic, then the Mosaic, and now finally, the New Covenant. In the middle three there were stipulations of what we had to do, and therefore what God would do for us, if we kept up our end. But there were provisions for blessings even in those. For instance, a common Old Testament example I've heard preached to back up the idea that we never know what God's going to do, but we should have faith in Him anyway, is Daniel 3:18. Here's how that verse is preached: "If you throw us into the fiery furnace, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not save us, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Except that's not what that verse actually says. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego, the Hebrew kids in Babylonian exile in that story, were under the Mosaic covenant, and they were on the right side of it--so they had a right to the blessings (Deut 28:7), and they knew it. They knew God’s promises. That’s why they were able to stand up to the king—just like David could call Goliath that “uncircumcised Philistine,” absolutely convinced of the outcome, because he had a covenant, and Goliath didn’t. In the story in Daniel, what the verse actually says is, “If you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” The Jewish captives respond saying, “If that is the case” (implying, if you will throw us in to the furnace, the subject of the previous verse). Then they say, “But if not”—and the Hebrew never qualifies if not what. People tend to assume they are saying “but if God doesn’t deliver us” (the end of the previous thought). But it could just as easily have meant, “If it is not the case that you will throw us into the fiery furnace,” just like it did in previous verse. This would change the entire meaning of the verse, and would be far more consistent with the rest of scripture. I can think of no instances anywhere in scripture where someone put faith in God’s covenant promises, and God did not come through. He can’t not come through—because again, He exalts His word above His very name (Ps 138:2)! In the New Covenant, Jesus paid to make sure we are always on the blessing side, having fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf, and become the curse for us (Gal 3:13). Because of that, every single promise is now Yes and Amen in Him (2 Cor 1:20). When Christ saved us, the word in Greek is sozo—that word appears 110 times in the New Testament. It includes spiritual salvation, but it also means physical healing, to rescue from physical danger, and to deliver from the penalties of judgment. All of these things are accessed by faith. Scripture doesn’t say that sometimes God says no to physical healing; on the contrary, every time someone came to Jesus for healing, they got it—and He was the exact image of the Father (Col 1:15), doing nothing but what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). He turned no one away, saying, “Nope, this one is God’s will for you, to bring glory to Himself.” What brings God glory is healing, not sickness (John 9:1-4), and the “fruit” of answered prayers (John 15:7-8). It’s the blessings of God on our lives that are supposed to get the attention of the world around us. So back to the issue of praying for miracles. The theological position of most Christian denominations is that God can do anything, but there’s no guarantees that He will. Because of course, we can look around and see so many good Christians (some of the best!) who pray, and don’t seem to receive. What are we to do with that? Shouldn’t we adjust our theology to account for all of these practical examples… no matter what the Bible actually says? My dad died of cancer when he was 48 years old. We had lots of people praying. I had several well-meaning believers after the fact try to console me with the idea that God “allowed” this to happen for some inscrutable reason of His own… maybe someone might come to the Lord as a result of our loss, someone suggested. (What actually happened was that I became a religious Pharisee for about 10 years, going through the motions, but I didn’t trust God at all. I figured, based on that theology, that God was like an army general who made sacrifices for the greater good, and sometimes—sorry!—it’s you. The effect on the rest of my family's faith and outlook on the world was similar to mine, or worse.) All of that is predictable in hindsight, because cancer and death are the fingerprints of the Enemy, not of God. The Enemy comes to “steal, kill, and destroy”—Jesus came that we might “have life, and have it more abundantly.” It’s very clear who does what. But the vast majority of the body of Christ today preaches this confused theology, attributing horrific things to God under the strange explanation that because God’s ways are higher than our ways, somehow from His perspective, bad is good, and wrong is right, and once we all get to heaven, we’ll understand. (No wonder I didn’t trust God anymore when I believed this. How could I trust a God like that?) I get why the Church at large preaches this—they’re trying to make the Bible fit our experience. God's supreme sovereignty is a nice, spiritual-sounding explanation which borrows from the long Calvinistic tradition, even if we don't take it quite to that extreme (though some denominations still do even that). But what finally set me free was when I realized that God’s definition of good and mine are actually the same. That my dad’s death at such a young age was never His will. That how God dealt with mankind at various times in history was dependent upon the covenants in place at the time--and today, we're under the best covenant of all, the one where all the curses for disobedience are paid for in full, and all that's left is the blessing, which we can receive by faith. Here's what that doesn't mean: it doesn't mean that faith is a new form of works, that God now watches to see if we reach the critical threshold of faith before He doles out our miracle... and if we don't quite get there, ah, too bad, try harder next time. No! He's not responding in real time to our faith at all, deciding which requests to grant and which to refuse. God already provided every blessing in spiritual form in Christ’s atonement, 2000 years ago (Gal 1:3, Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24). We receive all of those blessings now the same way we receive salvation: by faith. It's "in your account" already, as it were, just waiting for you to make a withdrawal--just like salvation is freely available, waiting for you to accept it. But God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). He doesn’t sovereignly say yes to one person and no to another for things that we know are in His will—if we know that we’re asking for something already in His explicit will, He hears us, and if we know that He hears us, we know we already have the requests made of Him (1 John 5:14-15). (That is the key, though--we can only have faith that we'll receive things that were already paid for in the atonement of Jesus. We can ask God for other things outside of that, but in those cases, God might say yes, or He might say no, for our own good--James 4:3. So it's quite useful to know scripture, so you can know for sure what you can stand on!) Back to my dad, and so many others besides. At that time, my family didn’t know any of this. We thought, we should pray, we should ask, and maybe God will say yes and maybe He will say no. But that’s not faith—that’s hope. And God didn’t say no—He said yes, 2000 years ago! Jesus paid an incredibly high price for God to say yes. Jesus also gave us the formula of how to receive in Mark 11:23-24: believe, and don’t doubt. If you do that, it’s as good as done. Unopposed faith (without doubt, James 1:6-8) is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). It’s cruel to tell people that they didn’t receive their miracle because they didn’t believe hard enough, or pray long enough, though. But the solution to that isn’t to blame God’s “sovereignty” instead! (That’s how people lose their faith—who wants to serve a God whom they believe “allowed” the Holocaust, or 9-11, or child trafficking, or etc to happen?) Rather, the solution is to understand that we’re in a war, and that Satan is seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). While he’s a defeated foe ever since the cross (Col 2:15), and we now have authority over him through Jesus (Matt 28:18, Eph 1:17-19), most of us don’t know it. We don’t know that, with the authority we now have, Satan’s only weapon against believers now is deception and fear (2 Cor 10:3-5)—and of course anything he can indirectly control against us that is part of the fallen world. But Jesus has already overcome the world on our behalf (John 16:33). And understanding God’s perfect love for us casts out fear (James 4:18). Because if He loves us enough to send Jesus, how will He not also freely give us all things (Romans 8:32)? But most of us are so focused on what we see, on the things this world says, that a cancer diagnosis, for example (or any other terminal doctor’s report, or insurmountable financial problem, etc), strikes fear into our hearts. Whatever we focus on, we magnify—and if we’re in a church that tells us maybe God will come through and maybe He won’t (for things that He’s explicitly promised in His word), then we’re standing on shifting sand. It’s hard enough to deal with our own doubt and unbelief, without being surrounded by the doubt and unbelief of others. But absolute trust God’s word—even if it means isolating ourselves from well-meaning believers who might cause us to doubt—is the only way. Jesus on numerous occasions got away from the crowds or put everyone out of the house except for his few top disciples before he performed a miracle. Abraham received because he did not consider anything except God’s promises (Romans 4:19). He didn’t have a contingency plan (or at least he didn’t anymore after the whole Ishmael thing was out of the way). Because he didn’t consider any of the natural circumstances, he didn’t waver in his faith. In the same way, today, our lack of fear of Satan’s schemes is proof to him that we’re going to win (Phil 1:28)—and if we stand firm (Eph 6:13-14) and resist the devil, sooner or later, he has to flee (James 4:7). We’ll win, if we don’t quit. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Send me a text!1 Thessalonians 4:2-5 KJV.It's time to address the spirit in the room: LUST. Every deed or action is rooted from a thought, which is generated in the mind/heart. If we want to overcome something, we must start at the root of it, and the root of your lusting problem is in your heart: your thoughts. This video plans to tackle the thinking pattern and mindset of a Believer, so they can reevaluate their steps to overcoming lust. Seeds turn into Oak trees. Embers turn into wildfires. What does this mean? The small things you nudge off as "not that big of a deal" are the MAIN components to your submission to lust. Don't undermine tiny things. They're tiny; yet, very powerful AND successful.Let's humble ourselves and receive Holy Spirit wisdom from The Most High's Word, shall we?Timestamps:0:00-3:56 introduction.3:57-7:50 the will of God + know how to control your body7:51-12:35 m@st3rbation is a sin.12:36-20:44 temptation.20:45-25:12 cling to Truth, not emotions.25:13-28:27 Embers to Wildfires.28:28-30:05 "Ember Attack" video30:06-36:55 key points about "ember attacks".36:56-37:28 closing? not so much...37:29-40:10 your mind isn't a SAFE space for lust.40:11-45:08 lust in the heart (matthew 5:28) + applies to BOTH men AND women45:09-48:51 you have to HATE lust.48:52-54:45 be honest with yourself. + learn the formula (remove the sources of temptation).54:46-59:16 single christians STOP with the sexual jokes and fantasy posts!59:17-1:00:06 closingApple, Spotify, & BuzzSprout Podcast @TamarTalks Socials Ministry www.tamarstestimony.com Instagram @tamarstestimony TikTok @tamarstestimony_YouTube @tamarstestimony
When we read that the Most High's words are "clean and pure," what does this mean for us today? How do we determine what are His words and what are merely the words of men? Does it even matter? Let's find out! #yahweh #yeshua #torah #ancient way
The dragon is fighting against the Church-working to wear out the saints of the Most High. But we are positioned in Christ, battling from the victory! We are called to be Dragon Fighters! In this message, Pastor Scott Johnson reminds us that the Church is spiritually joined to the Lamb and to Israel. He gives us the biblical tools and weapons we need to overcome the great red dragon! Are you ready for battle?
At the end of the day, when it comes to People being are our Purpose, I can't overstate how important our attitude is. Without the right attitude, it'll be very easy to look past the one God's wanting us to influence.
We remembered how Pentecost wasn't just an event… it was a turning point. It was the birth of the Church, the coming of the Spirit, and the unleashing of power into everyday believers.
BLESSED IS SHE WHO BELIEVESHow can we be blessed while we are waiting for God's promise? #1- Observation: Pray for your promise and beware of doubt.You must consistently be praying for your promise and be aware of doubt that may come while you're pursuing your vision. Elizabeth had to go through the process of her husband doubting the word of the Lord which caused him to be silent until their promise was fulfilled. The promise that God has for you will always benefit others not just you.She was going to give birth to John the baptist who would be baptizing the savior of the world. Elizabeth believed in her promise and she was blessed because of her belief and faith. and so was Mary. Mary is visited by an angel and He delivers the promise that God has for her. Luke 1:30 “But angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, (the first thing angels say is not fear because the enemy loves to instill fear in us before we are about to hear God's promises for our lives) Mary ( the angel calls them by name each time) God has called you by your name and has hand selected you for such a time as this for a unique purpose and promise.“Do not be afraid Mary, you have found FAVOR with God, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” Verse: Luke 1:34- Mary doubts the word. “ How will this be, since I am a virgin? “Luke 1:35 ** the highlight of this story and verse. “ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, So the Holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Eizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive in in her 6th month. (one of my favorite verses) LUke 1:37 For NO WORD from God will ever fail. Mary responds to the angel Verse 38: I am the Lords servant, may your word to me be fulfilled. “ What is your response to God's promises for you? Your response and posture to the Lord is how we can choose to start believing in the promise. Will you trust God at His word or by your own words? #2 Observation: Partner with the Holy Spirit to fulfill God's promise The angel confirmed to Mary that her promised would be fulfilled by the Holy Spirit. Have you left out the Holy spirit in your promise and vision or have you chosen to partner with the Holy Spirit?We can be like Mary and Zachariah and have doubt creep in, but it is by the Holy Spirit that we will see the promises fulfilled. Both Mary and Elizabeth were trusted by God to carry world changers that would change generations to come and give birth to promises that were given by the Lord, what generations are waiting for you to fulfill the promises God has given you? How are we blessed when we believe? We go to our altar and pray and seek God and partner with the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us.The story continues with Mary going to visit Elizabeth after the angel of the Lord just told her about Elizabeth's miracle. As soon as Mary walks in the door, immediately Elizabeth confirms and propphesies over her what the angel told Mary. Luke 1:45 (she envisions founding scripture) “Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” #3 Observation: Sow into your faith and prepare yourself.We need to feed our beliefs and grow our faith by sowing prayers and staying obedient.Both Mary and Elizabeth were found to be righteous and obedient. They had to be praying to the Lord in order to hear from the Lord, God sent them angels to confirm their promises. Elizabeth gives birth to John the baptist and Zacahariahs silence was removed and broke out into a song of praise. Praise God through the preparation and exercise your faith by encourage others who are already walking in their promise. Call to action: Pray for your promiseParnter with the Holy Spirit Prepare yourself
Today's episode is a beautiful reminder that Jesus doesn't demand, he invites. In this heartfelt conversation, Michelle Patterson of the Wild at Heart women's team joins Stasi to explore the gentle, persistent ways Jesus invites us into healing, trust, and, ultimately, more union with him. Through their honest stories, Stasi and Michelle talk about learning to recognize his knock, responding without shame, and allowing him to come into the places where we need more of him. Come listen, and be reminded that his love is always pursuing you.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: John 3:16 (NIV) – 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.Revelation 3:20 (NIV) – Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.Matthew 11:28–29 (NIV) – Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.Psalm 91:1 (NIV) – Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV) – Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.Philippians 1:6 (NIV) – …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.Luke 4:18 (NIV) – The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.…..RESOURCESExplore the Pause App – Includes the One Minute Pause, 30 Days to Resilience, and the Experience Jesus 20-day program. Simple, beautiful, practices to help you slow down and deepen your union with God. https://www.pauseapp.com/…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: https://wahe.art/4jFlAXuSpotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ
Welcome to Day 2666 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Cosmic Geography” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2666 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2666 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we begin a new focus on the 5th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.' If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.' Today, we will read through chapter five: “Cosmic Geography.” The divine transgressions we looked at in the previous podcast had something in common. They were both supernatural rebellions aimed at co-opting God's plan for humanity and the restoration of his rule. In this podcast we'll look at another rebellion, one that originated with people. This rebellion produced a predicament that we're all still part of, and that predicament involves supernatural beings. The titanic struggle for God's restoration strategy took a turn for the worse that only the return of Jesus will finally resolve. The Tower of Babel The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9) is simultaneously one of the best-known and least-understood accounts in the Bible. Children learn about it in Sunday school as the time when God confused earth's human languages. After the flood, God repeated the command he'd given to Adam and Eve to cover the earth. He was trying to kick-start the spread of his ruling influence through humanity. Once again, it didn't work. People refused. Rebellion in their hearts, they had a better idea, or so they thought. They decided to build a tower to avoid being scattered (Gen. 11:4). The logic seems odd. Sure, an amazing tower would make them famous (Gen. 11:4), but how would that prevent scattering across the earth? The answer lies in the tower. Bible scholars and archaeologists know ancient Babylon and cities around it built towers called ziggurats. The purpose of the ziggurats was to provide places where people could meet the gods. They were part of temple zones. Rather than make the world like Eden—to spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere—the people wanted to bring God down at one spot. That wasn't God's plan, and he wasn't pleased. Hence his statement—again to the members of his council—“Let us go down and mix up their language” (Gen. 11:7 gnt, emphasis added). God did so, and humanity was separated and scattered. The incident explains how the nations listed a chapter earlier in Genesis 10 came to be. That's the story most Christians know. Now for the one they don't. The Gods and Their Nations Genesis 11 isn't the only passage that describes what happened at the Tower of Babel. Deuteronomy 32:8–9 describes it this way: When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. Some Bible translations have “sons of Israel” instead of “sons of God” in that first sentence. But Israel didn't exist at the time of the Tower of Babel. God only called Abraham after Babel...
In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️