Podcasts about most high

A scene from Yellowstone stops us in our tracks: rangers walk a burned forest and find a mother bird, turned to ash at the base of a tree. When they gently move her, three chicks run out from under her wings. That picture of fierce protection sets the tone for a grounded, hope-filled morning as we explore what real refuge looks like when life gets hot and fear grows loud.We turn to Psalm 91 and let its language become a place to stand: shelter of the Most High, shadow of the Almighty, refuge and fortress, feathers and wings, shield and rampart. These aren't abstract metaphors; they're everyday anchors for nights of worry, breaking news, and moments when our plans fall apart. Trust here isn't denial; it's the decision to rest under a covering that doesn't abandon us when the flames rise.If this reflection helped you breathe a little deeper, share it with someone who needs a quiet place to rest today. Subscribe for weekday encouragement, leave a quick review to help others find the show, and tell us: which line from Psalm 91 will you carry with you this week?We would love to hear your comments. Send us a Text MessageSupport the show

  Theme: “Abide in Me” — Living in Continuous Union with Christ Pastor Matthew's sermon centered on John 15:1–8, where Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and His followers as the branches. The message explored what it means to truly abide — to live in continual fellowship, obedience, and dependence on Christ rather than drifting in and out of relationship with Him. Opening Challenge — The Call to Be the Church in Battle Pastor began by reminding the congregation that church is not a comfort zone but a place of kingdom warfare: “If you just come here to feel better, you're in the wrong spot. But if you come here to do warfare and be part of the kingdom of God, you're in the right spot.” He announced upcoming baptisms as outward signs of abiding faith, underscoring that commitment to Christ must be continuous, not seasonal. The Vine and the Branches (John 15:1–8) Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser.” God's desire is not attendance or numbers, but fruit — the visible results of spiritual life. “Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes.” Pastor noted pruning can feel painful, but it's how God refines us for greater fruitfulness. Greek Word Study: The word abide comes from the Greek meno — meaning to dwell, continue, tarry, or remain. “Nothing in that definition says you can run in and out on the Lord. Abiding isn't convenience — it's commitment.” Abiding Produces Fruit and Eternal Impact Without the vine, branches can do nothing. Pastor warned that even successful lives apart from Christ accomplish nothing eternal: “If you're a father or mother not walking with God, you may give your kids everything this world offers — but you're doing nothing eternal in their lives.” He contrasted earthly inheritance with spiritual legacy, reminding parents of David's last desire: “When David died, he didn't talk about his possessions — he said, ‘I want to see you on the other side.'” The Power of Abiding Faith Pastor shared a personal story from his time working in the coal mines. While working with a coworker who had backslidden, an equipment alarm malfunctioned. Pastor quoted John 15:7, declaring: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” He prayed over the system, and despite the electrical connection being physically broken, the alarm set successfully — a miraculous sign that led his coworker to repent on the spot. “That wasn't just setting an alarm — that was God showing a man He still loved him and was calling him home.” The Secret of Strength — Dwelling in His Presence (Psalm 91) Linking John 15 with Psalm 91, Pastor explained that abiding is dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, living under the shadow of His protection. “Some people just want to date Jesus — visit Him when it's convenient. But we're called to marry Him, to take Him home, to walk with Him every day.” True abiding keeps believers under divine covering: “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” Warnings Against Neglect Pastor identified two of Scripture's most sobering warnings: Judges 16:20 — “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Samson, and he knew it not.” Luke 19:44 — “You did not recognize the time of your visitation.” These verses illustrate the danger of taking God's presence for granted. “The most terrifying thing isn't hellfire — it's that the Spirit could walk out of your life and you wouldn't even notice.” He urged believers not to become so busy or distracted that their priorities drift from God: “If you've got too much going on to spend time with God, you've got too much going on.” Three Voices in Psalm 91 Pastor unpacked Psalm 91 as a conversation between three voices: The author (Moses or David) declaring, “He is my refuge.” The witness, telling another believer, “Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place…” God Himself, responding: “Because he has set his love upon Me, I will deliver him.” He emphasized that effective witnesses live what they preach: “This ‘my' has convinced the ‘your' to make his God their God — that's powerful witnessing.” The Eternal View — God Outside of Time Using an illustration of a parade, Pastor explained that God sees the entire timeline of history at once: “You and I are standing on the street watching one float at a time. God sees the whole parade — beginning to end.” Because God knows the end from the beginning, believers can trust Him and call things that are not as though they were, provided they are abiding in His Word. Closing Appeal — Abide and Be Rescued Pastor closed by inviting unbelievers and prodigals to come home: “If you're trapped in sin, God saw your condition and sent His Son to rescue you. He didn't bargain — He paid it all.” He urged believers to realign their priorities and renew their commitment to abide daily, not occasionally: “You should have decided yesterday that you weren't quitting today.” Communion and baptisms followed as symbols of continual abiding in Christ. Core Message “Abide in Me.” Stay connected, remain faithful, dwell daily, and continue in His presence. Without abiding, there is no fruit; without the vine, there is no life.

**[Watchman SPECIAL Report: The Gunpowder Plot...Remember, Remember the 5th of November!]**Why do bonfires blaze every November 5th? This thought-provoking analysis goes beyond the history books to reveal a profound biblical truth. The failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot was not merely a foiled treason; it was a direct intervention by the Almighty. We explore the dark history of Bible suppression, the divine timing of the printing press, and the series of remarkable setbacks that exposed the plot. This presentation uncovers how God's purpose for the British nation and the global spread of His Word rendered this human scheme powerless. An outstanding exposition of how the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.---**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction01:16 - The Dark Ages and the Forbidden Book02:33 - Divine Occurrence: The Printing Press and the Reformation04:28 - Catholic Persecution and the Birth of a Plot05:53 - The Hand of God: Setbacks that Foiled the Plot07:23 - The Discovery and Aftermath07:39 - The Ultimate Reason: The Authorized Bible and God's Prophetic Plan09:31 - Conclusion: The Most High Rules**

Send us your feedback — we're listening12 P.M. ReleasePsalm 91:1–2 — Prayer for Healing, Protection, and God's Covering in Every Battle of Life12 P.M. Release — Recorded live here in London, England — from London to Sydney, from Mumbai to Berlin, from Lagos to Helsinki — where faith meets the world in daily prayer and global hope.Scripture (NIV)“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 (NIV)Show NotesPsalm 91 is God's promise of healing, covering, and supernatural protection. This is not a hope — it is a covenant. When the world is unsure, God is still a refuge. When sickness rises, God is still a healer. When danger threatens, God is still a shield. The safest place is not a location — it is His presence.Across the world — from India to Germany, from Australia to Nigeria — believers are praying this scripture over their families, health, homes, marriages, bodies, and futures. This prayer is for anyone who needs God's covering in a world filled with uncertainty, illness, fear, and spiritual warfare.Let this be your confession today: “Lord, You are my fortress. Cover me. Heal me. Keep me under Your shadow.”10 Global Prayer Points Prayer for healing from sickness and disease Prayer for God's protection over my family Prayer for physical healing and strength Prayer for protection from evil and danger Prayer for healing of the mind and emotions Prayer for protection during spiritual attack Prayer for healing in the name of Jesus Prayer for God's covering over my home Prayer for restoration of health and wholeness Prayer for protection and peace in uncertain timesLife ApplicationProtection is activated by trust and proximity. Stay close to God and His covering remains over you.DeclarationGod is my refuge and my healer. I am covered, I am protected, I am restored in Jesus' name.Call to ActionShare this Prayer for Healing and Protection with someone who needs God's covering today. Support this listener-funded ministry at BuyMeACoffee.com/DailyPrayer. Send your prayer requests to info@dailyprayer.uk — your battles are not fought alone.Psalm91, PrayerForHealing, PrayerForProtection, CoveredByGod, DailyPrayerPodcast, HealingInJesusName, ReverendBenCoopSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

All Saints' Day Old Testament Daniel 7:1-3,15-18 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: "As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever." The Psalm Psalm 149 Cantate Domino 1 Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song; * sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful. 2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; * let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his Name in the dance; * let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people * and adorns the poor with victory. 5 Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; * let them be joyful on their beds. 6 Let the praises of God be in their throat * and a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To wreak vengeance on the nations * and punishment on the peoples; 8 To bind their kings in chains * and their nobles with links of iron; 9 To inflict on them the judgment decreed; * this is glory for all his faithful people. Hallelujah! The Epistle Ephesians 1:11-23 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. The Gospel Luke 6:20-31 Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets." "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. "But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Welcome to Day 2722 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2722 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 89:19-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2722 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2722 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. The Title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: God's Cosmic Dominion – The Unrivaled Strength of the Almighty - A Trek Through Psalm Eighty-Nine 9-18 This psalm is a grand meditation on God's covenant faithfulness, and this middle section serves to powerfully establish God's absolute cosmic power as the guarantor of that covenant. In our last conversation, we heard the psalmist, Ethan the Ezrahite, begin with an eternal commitment to sing of God's Unfailing Love and Faithfulness forever. He anchored that hope in the Davidic Covenant—God's eternal promise of an unending dynasty—and affirmed God's supremacy over the Divine Council, declaring that no angel can compare with Him. Now, Ethan shifts from the celestial courtroom to the vastness of creation, demonstrating that the God who made that eternal promise is the only One powerful enough to keep it. He is the God who calms the raging sea, defeats the ancient powers of chaos, and possesses all the power, righteousness, and justice necessary to sustain His promise forever. This is a powerful, awe-inspiring affirmation designed to build our confidence in the absolute authority of the Most High. So, let's open our hearts to this declaration of God's universal sovereignty, recognizing the immense power of the One who holds us in His hand. The first section is: Taming the Chaos: The Ruler of the Seas (Psalm eighty-nine 9-12) You rule the oceans when their waves surge high. You are the one who smashed the great sea monster, Rahab, and scattered your enemies with a mighty arm. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is made by your hands. You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name. The psalmist begins by affirming God's absolute dominion over one of the most terrifying forces in the ancient world: the sea. "You rule the oceans when their waves surge high." In the ancient Israelite worldview, the sea was often seen as a symbol of chaos, instability, and raw, untamable power. For God to "rule the oceans" means He exercises complete control over the very forces of chaos and destruction. When the waves surge in fury, God is the supreme authority who limits them and commands their retreat. This dominion over chaos is illustrated by a great historical and mythical allusion: "You are the one who smashed the great sea monster, Rahab, and scattered your enemies with a mighty arm." "Rahab" is often used in the Old Testament as a mythical figure representing primeval chaos, similar to the sea monsters Yam and Leviathan. More practically, it is a symbolic

Reading 1Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18The LORD is a God of justice,who knows no favorites.Though not unduly partial toward the weak,yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan,nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.The one who serves God willingly is heard;his petition reaches the heavens.The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;it does not rest till it reaches its goal,nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,judges justly and affirms the right,and the Lord will not delay.Reading 22 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Beloved:I am already being poured out like a libation,and the time of my departure is at hand.I have competed well; I have finished the race;I have kept the faith.From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,which the Lord, the just judge,will award to me on that day, and not only to me,but to all who have longed for his appearance.At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,but everyone deserted me.May it not be held against them!But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,so that through me the proclamation might be completedand all the Gentiles might hear it.And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.The Lord will rescue me from every evil threatand will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.GospelLuke 18:9-14Jesus addressed this parableto those who were convinced of their own righteousnessand despised everyone else."Two people went up to the temple area to pray;one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'But the tax collector stood off at a distanceand would not even raise his eyes to heavenbut beat his breast and prayed,'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Psalm 46:1-71 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.Ecclesiastes 3:11-147 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;     I will testify against you, Israel:     I am God, your God.8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices     or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.9 I have no need of a bull from your stall     or of goats from your pens,10 for every animal of the forest is mine,     and the cattle on a thousand hills.11 I know every bird in the mountains,     and the insects in the fields are mine.12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,     for the world is mine, and all that is in it.13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls     or drink the blood of goats?14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,     fulfill your vows to the Most High,15 and call on me in the day of trouble;     I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”Psalm 50:7-1527 And as it is appointed unto men once to die,Hebrews 9:27"All Is Vanity”“The Vanity of Wisdom”“The Vanity of Self-Indulgence”“The Vanity of Living Wisely”“The Vanity of Toil”11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.Ecclesiastes 3:11-14“Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth ‘thrown in': aim at Earth and you will get neither.”C.S. Lewis33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.Matthew 6:33We can live FOR this world and give up heaven. We can live FOR heaven and attempt to avoid this world. Or we can live IN CHRIST and experience the best of both.10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.John 10:10WHEN WE FOCUS ON EARTH, WE CAN'T SEE HEAVEN19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.Matthew 6:19-24King Tut's Coffin Photo*It has been wisely observed that a moving truck full of possessions never follows a hearse. Everything one might take with them to the world beyond is left behind. The pharaohs of Egypt were buried with gold and treasures to take into the afterlife, but they left it all behind. Even further, though gold is a precious thing on earth, God uses it to pave the streets of heaven.David GuzikBut the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.Romans 1:19-23 (MSG)22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.Matthew 19:22WHEN WE FOCUS ON HEAVEN, WE CAN'T SEE EARTH30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.Luke 10:30-32(MSG)“Don't be so heavenly minded that they're no earthly good.”WHEN WE FOCUS ON CHRIST, WE SEE THE BEST OF BOTHSince, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.Colossians 3:1-431 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. John 4:31-38EVERY SEASON IS BEAUTIFULEVERY GIFT IS FROM GODEVERY TASK IS WORTH THE EFFORT

This Christian meditation on Luke 6:31–36 invites you into a guided Scripture reading using the Lectio Divina model. You’ll have space to pause, reflect, and listen for how God is inviting you to love others with compassion — even when it’s difficult. Step Nine of the 12 Steps says: We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Making amends goes beyond saying “I’m sorry.” It’s about seeking restoration with love and wisdom, while also trusting God to guide us in situations where direct amends aren’t possible. In this meditation, we’ll reflect on Jesus’ words in Luke 6 and open our hearts to the Spirit’s invitation toward compassion, humility, and courage. Take a few deep breaths, settle in, and let’s step into this time of Scripture meditation together. Helpful Links:Download your FREE companion journal for Rooted and Grounded: Scripture Meditations for Every Step of the Journey here.This journal includes:• All the Scriptures for this series• Weekly reflection prompts• Space to record what God is revealing to you Additional links: You can find out more about me, Jodie, at http://www.jodieniznik.com/ Follow me on Instagram @jodieniznik Follow me on Facebook @JodieGNiznik Learn more about Scripture meditation and download a FREE Guided Scripture Meditation Journal here. Join my Monday email newsletter here, where I send links to the newest meditation every Monday morning. Find out more about my partner, Life Audio, at lifeaudio.com. Download FREE sample chapters from my Bible studies here. Meditation Passage: Luke 6:31–36 (NLT) Do to others as you would like them to do to you.If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this message, we're reminded that God has unique plans and purposes for each of our lives. The central theme revolves around Jeremiah 29:11, where God declares, 'I know the plans I have for you.' We're encouraged to pursue these divine plans, even when faced with challenges or discomfort. The story of the prophet Jeremiah serves as a compelling example of perseverance in the face of opposition. Like Jeremiah, we may feel reluctant or unqualified, but God's calling burns within us like a fire we can't contain. This message challenges us to step out in faith, to be intentional with our thoughts, and to stay connected to God's leading. It reminds us that our spiritual growth is a journey of becoming more like our Teacher, Jesus Christ. We're urged to embrace our calling, whether in ministry or secular work, and to be a light wherever God places us. This inspiring word speaks to all ages, reminding us that it's never too late to pursue God's purpose for our lives.

This message takes us deep into the heart of what it means to live as God's people in a world that often mirrors ancient Babylon. Through the lens of Jeremiah's famous prophecy and Daniel's remarkable life, we're challenged to understand that our spiritual authority today far exceeds what even the greatest prophets of old possessed. The core revelation centers on Jeremiah 29:11—those familiar words about God's plans for us—but places them in their true context: spoken to captives in Babylon who had lost everything yet were promised restoration. We discover that God positioned Daniel, a young captive, to influence five different administrations and literally change the course of history. The message unveils how spiritual forces operate behind earthly powers, reminding us that Michael the archangel battled 21 days against the prince of Persia while Daniel prayed. But here's the transformative truth: through Christ's victory on the cross, we now possess authority that Daniel never had. We can bind and loose, we hold the keys to the kingdom, and the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us. This isn't about religious activity—it's about recognizing that we are the remnant called to rise in these final days, positioned strategically in our workplaces, families, and communities to advance God's kingdom one faithful decision at a time.

Send us a textWhat do you preach when the room feels thin and your heart feels thinner? We chose candor and a compass: hope that doesn't depend on optics, energy, or ease. Starting from a vulnerable confession about discouragement, we trace a path from shaky self-talk to a sturdy, holy reality by remembering who God is and who we are.We sit with David in Psalm 103, not as a spotless hero but as a forgiven sinner who knows the weight of failure and the warmth of mercy. Line by line, we name God's benefits—He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns with compassion, renews our strength, and removes our sins as far as east is from west. That catalog of grace is not a distraction; it is a framework. When metrics mock and comparison spirals, worship recalibrates the soul around the character of God.From there we step into Lamentations 3, letting Jeremiah's unfiltered grief teach us the turn: Yet this I call to mind, therefore I have hope. Mercy is new every morning. Faithfulness is not seasonal. We talk about the difference between hyped self-belief and the renewing of the mind that comes through Scripture, prayer, and a faithful community. We name the lies that crowd our heads, the pull of platforms and attendance numbers, and the quiet power of showing up, praying together, and letting God set the scale of what matters.If you've felt defeated, distracted, or small, this conversation invites you to remember your identity as a son or daughter of the Most High and to ground your week in a kingdom that outlasts every empire. Join us, share it with someone who needs hope, and help us build a community that remembers well. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what verse anchors your hope right now?

At Bethany, We are God's People who are: Gathered! Connected! Sent!We want to connect with you through this Podcast! Leave us a comment! Tell us where you are at! Leave a Review to help our audience grow!--October 26. 2025 -- Reformation -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Even if !" -- Psalm 46(46) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. 2 That is why we are not afraid even when the earth quakes or the mountains topple into the depths of the sea. 3 Water roars and foams, and mountains shake at the surging waves. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives. 5 God is in that city. It cannot fall. God will help it at the break of dawn. 6 Nations are in turmoil, and kingdoms topple. The earth melts at the sound of God's voice. 7 The Lord of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah 8 Come, see the works of the Lord, the devastation he has brought to the earth. 9 He puts an end to wars all over the earth. He breaks an archer's bow. He cuts spears in two. He burns chariots. 10 Let go of your concerns. Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth. 11 The Lord of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. -GWhttp://www.bethanylutheran.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.facebook.com/Bethany.Long.Beach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/BethanyLutheranLongBeach

Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Trevor Lipscombe to discuss Catholic University of America publishing the dissertation that Pope Leo wrote long before becoming pope. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin with more thoughts on Christian maturity from the Church Fathers, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Enlightenment Almighty, eternal, just, and merciful God, grant us in our misery [the grace] to do for You alone what we know You want us to do, and always to desire what pleases You. Thus, inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened, and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, may we be able to follow in the footprints of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And, by Your grace alone, may we make our way to You, Most High, Who live and rule in perfect Trinity and simple Unity, and are glorified God all-powerful forever and ever. Amen. ***** More on the Catholic University of America publishing the dissertation of the future Pope Leo can be found here. Neena Gaynor is online at ascensionpress.com. Fr. Philip Larrey is online at philiplarrey.com. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psalm 46English Standard VersionTo the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.God is our refuge and strength,    a very present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way,    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam,    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. SelahThere is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,    the holy habitation of the Most High.God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;    God will help her when morning dawns.The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;    he utters his voice, the earth melts.The Lord of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. SelahCome, behold the works of the Lord,    how he has brought desolations on the earth.He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;    he burns the chariots with fire.“Be still, and know that I am God.    I will be exalted among the nations,    I will be exalted in the earth!”The Lord of hosts is with us;    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

A Sermon for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity St. Matthew 9:1-8 by William Klock In our Gospel St. Matthew writes that “Jesus got into the boat and crossed back over to his own town.”  Back to Capernaum.  From the far side of the Sea of Galilee.  From that place where he'd been confronted by a man filled with demons and cast those demons into a herd of pigs.  You know the story.  The demon-possessed pigs promptly stampeded into the sea and drowned themselves.  And that left the pig farmer and the local townspeople none too pleased with Jesus.  They pleaded with him to leave.  So he and the disciples got back into their boat and sailed across the Sea of Galilee.  And now he's back home in Capernaum.  Matthew's version of this story is the shortest on details.  Mark's version implies that Jesus was tired.  He went home to get a break from the crowds and it took a few days before anyone realised that he was home.  But when they figured it out, the crowds were back.  Before he knew it, they'd let themselves into his house and he was preaching.  It was mostly just ordinary people, but there were some scribes and Pharisees there in that packed and crowded room.  They had to keep an eye—or an ear—on Jesus. And that crowd posed a problem to four friends.  They had a fifth friend who was paralysed.  When they heard Jesus was back in town, these four men went and got their friend and carried him, cot and all, to Jesus' house.  Jesus was healing everybody else.  Surely he would heal their friend.  If they could get to him.  And they couldn't.  I can imagine them trying.  Asking politely if people might get out of the way.  Looking to see if maybe they could squeeze through a back door or a window, then going back and trying to push some people aside to get to the front door—all to no avail.  There was no way they'd ever get their friend into that house.  And that's when they had an idea.  The roof!  In those days, in that place, roofs were flat—they served as extra living space when it was hot and you needed to get out into a cooling breeze—but more importantly, roofs were made of rush and palms plastered between beams.  So these men take their friend to the roof and they start jabbing at the roof with sticks and kicking at it with their heels and pulling it apart with their hands, until they'd made a hole big enough to lower their friend down to Jesus. Now imagine Jesus, in the house, preaching to the crowd while that was going on upstairs.  Loud scratching and thumping.  And pretty soon bits of plaster and rush start falling.  Before too long there's a hole in the roof and everyone sees these guys looking down—probably a little sheepishly.  I wonder what went through Jesus' mind.  He was tired.  His rest had been cut short.  The crowd was one thing, but he really didn't need some yahoos tearing up his roof.  “Great!  There goes the damage deposit,” he's thinking to himself.  But pretty quickly, as they lowered their friend to him, he saw what was going on.  And I think Jesus smiled. Why?  Because Matthew writes that Jesus saw their faith and if Jesus was anything like me and most of the other pastors I know, the exhaustion, the frustration of not having a break, the annoyance at having these guys destroy his roof, I think it all would have melted away, because seeing the faith of these men made it all worth it.  And looking down at the paralyzed man, Jesus says to him, “Have courage!”  Take heart!  In other words, “Don't be afraid.”  Because I imagine some people might be afraid if their friends just tore a hole in the Messiah's roof to get them inside.  Because even if Jesus was smiling, the people around him were looking shocked and outraged and angry.  “How dare you dig a hole in the Messiah's roof!”  And so Jesus looks at him and says, “Your sins are forgiven!” Now, that's not what we might expect Jesus to say to this man.  Judging by Jesus' other encounters, we'd expect him to say something like, “Get up and walk; your faith has made you well.”  But instead, he tells the paralysed man that his sins are forgiven.  That's nice, but he's still lying there paralysed on his cot.  So why would Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven”?  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus found a teaching moment in everything.  He'd healed people more times than anyone could count at that point, and that was a sign that the Messiah had come and that God's kingdom was breaking into the world.  But what did that really mean?  Well, remember that everyone had their own ideas about the Messiah and about the kingdom—and, most important, how they could have a share in it.  The people needed more than just to see miracles.  They needed to know more than that the Messiah had come; they desperately needed to know what the Messiah had come to do.  Jesus saw that group of scribes there in his house that day and saw a perfect opportunity.  Maybe they were legitimately curious to hear what Jesus had to say or maybe they were there just to criticise or report back to the priests or the Pharisees, but, right on cue, they hear Jesus' words—“Your sins are forgiven”—and he can see their outrage.  He could see how they scowled as they grumbled to each other about how blasphemous this was.  “Who can forgive sins except God?” they howled in Mark's telling of the story. Just as Jesus could see the faith of the paralysed man's friends as they lowered him through the hole in his roof, he could see the opposite in the grumbling scribes.  And so he asks them, “Why are your hearts so intent on evil?”  Of course, that just made them angrier.  “We're not the evil ones!” they say back.  “You are…you…you…you blasphemer!”  But Jesus goes on with the teaching moment and says to them, “Which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk?”  But so that you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—and now he turns back to the paralysed man—“Get up, take up your cot, and go home.” And the paralysed man got up, took up his cot, and went home.  I think there was probably a little more to it than that.  He probably stretched a bit and moved his arms and legs around and maybe jumped up and down a few times.  I think he probably laughed and yelled and gave a hug and many thanks to Jesus, but Matthew doesn't get bogged down in those sorts of details, because his point is—as usual—that when Jesus healed the man, he was healed.  There was no struggle or delay.  This was the same word God spoke in the beginning when he said, “Let there be light!” and there was light.  When Jesus told the man to get up, to take his cot, and to go home, that's exactly what the man did.  In Jesus, God's new creation had come.  And if that's all that had happened, the scribes would have had nothing to complain about. What really stuck in their craw was Jesus declaring the man's sins forgiven.  That made them mad.  Even for the Messiah, as far as they were concerned, that was too big a claim.  To heal the paralysed man?  That was good.  But if he had sins to forgive, his friends should have taken him to the temple in Jerusalem for that.  The priests there were the only ones with the authority to offer sacrifices for sin and to declare someone reconciled to God.  But the crowd understood and Matthew makes a point of saying that the crowd was afraid—afraid in the sense that they were awestruck by what had happened and knew that somehow and in some way the God of Israel was at work in and through Jesus—as if they'd just witnesses one of those great and awe-inspiring events from the Old Testament that no one in Israel had seen in a thousand years.  Matthew says they saw what had happened and that they praised God for giving such authority to men. The story is sort of the whole gospel story in a nutshell.  Jesus teaches and he heals—he does the things the Messiah was supposed to be doing.  He even foreshadows the resurrection when he tells the man to “get up”—or better to “Rise up!”  That's resurrection language.  This is what Jesus promises for everyone who trusts in him: He forgives our sins, he raises us to new life, and he invites us home—to live as his new creation in the presence of God.  But as far as the scribes and Pharisees were concerned, Jesus did all this the wrong way and that made it blasphemy. But Jesus wasn't worried about that.  You know when you're accused of something bad by someone and you just want to say, “Man, look in the mirror!”  Or that old thing your parents used to tell you when someone insulted you, “Consider the source.”  Or that line from a certain cartoon character, “Your boos mean nothing to me; I've seen what makes you cheer.”  Jesus flips around the accusation.  He exposes the wickedness in the hearts of those scribes and he does it for everyone to see.  He discredits them and their accusations.  He leaves them fuming.  You can imagine their red faces and how their mouths are moving, but they can't say anything.  And Jesus is left standing there full of authority and life and power. I wonder if this teachable moment popped into Jesus' head as the plaster rained down on him and the man was lowered through the hole.  The paralytic probably had an apologetic look on his face—like, “I'm really sorry, Jesus, for the hole in your roof.  Please forgive me and my friends.”  And Jesus realised that this was the perfect moment to say something about forgiveness—because this man and his friends and, in fact, all of Israel, that's what they really needed: forgiveness, not for making a hole in his roof, but for far more serious sins—for idolatry and for greed and for faithlessness and for all the ways they'd failed to live out their covenant with the Lord.  Israel needed a lot of things—just like the paralysed man did—but most of all she needed forgiveness.  In that, the paralysed man represents Israel and all her wrong expectations of the Messiah.  The Jews wanted the Messiah to solve all their problems.  For some that was healing sickness, for others it was casting out demons, for some it was getting everybody to keep the law better, and for others it was bashing Roman heads and destroying the pagan gentiles.  But not very many people understood that none of these things was the real problem.  The real problem was sin.  Sin is why the world is in the mess it's in.  Sin was why Israel was estranged from God.  The people had been unfaithful to the Lord.  He'd called them to be light in the darkness, but they'd hid their light under a basket.  More than anything else, they needed forgiveness, because forgiveness is the start; it's what paves the way for everything else to be set to rights.  Forgiveness is the way to new creation. I think that's the part of the story that gets most of our attention.  But notice that what Matthew puts at the heart of this story isn't the healing or the announcement of forgiveness.  The heart of the story is Jesus statement that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins and then the response of the people.  We miss this because we're not thinking like First Century Jews.  When Jesus calls himself the “son of man”, he's drawing on an image from Daniel 7.  The book of Daniel is about faithfulness in the midst of exile.  Israel had been defeated and the people taken off to Babylon. Worse, some like Daniel, were pressured to compromise, to bow to a pagan king and to pagan gods—to give up on the God of Israel and to give up on his promises.  And some did just that.  But Daniel stood firm and the Lord gave him a vision of those pagan kings cast down, of the God of Israel taking his throne, and the son of man “coming with the clouds of heaven…to be given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Daniel 7:13-14).  And yet, when Daniel asks what the vision means, he is told that this kingship and dominion “shall be given”—not to a single person, but “to the people, the holy ones of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey them” (Daniel 7:27). The son of man in Daniel's vision was a symbol for the faithful remnant of God's people—for those who stood firm in their faith in the God of Israel, who remembered his covenant, and who refused to bow to pagan gods and kings.  So when Jesus referred to himself as the son of man, this is what the scribes (and everyone else) would have been thinking of.  And this is why Matthew says at the end that the people praised God that this authority has been given not to a man—Jesus—but to men, plural.  Because up to this point, Daniel's vision had yet to be fulfilled.  The Maccabees, for example, had claimed to be that faithful remnant, but their kingdom didn't last.  The people who were that faithful remnant—people like Zechariah and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and Simeon and Anna, although they were probably too humble to actually claim being the faithful remnant—people like them knew all too well that the Lord had yet to grant them anything like authority and dominion.  That's what Mary's song, the one we call the Magnificat, is all about.  But here Jesus identifies himself with that vision.  In him the son of man is finally being granted that authority and dominion—that kingship that everyone thought of in connection with God's kingdom and the world finally being set to rights—and Jesus isn't just saying it or claiming it.  He proves it when he tells the paralysed man to get up, take his bed, and go home.  For the people there that day, this was bigger than just the Messiah.  Jesus could claim to be the “son of man”, but the son of man wasn't just one person, the son of man represented the whole faithful remnant in Israel.  We need to grasp the enormous hope embodied in those words of Jesus about the son of man.  It's not just Jesus who will take his throne.  He will.  But that he will take his throne also means that all the faithful will be vindicated as their enemies are cast down, and that they will finally share in that God-given authority and dominion.  So the people in crowded in Jesus' house that day recognised that in Jesus the Messiah, God's kingdom had finally come and that they would be part of it—not just as subject, but as kings and queens themselves.  Or to borrow from C. S. Lewis, the day was coming when these sons of Adam and daughters of Eve would once again take their rightful place in creation set to rights. This makes sense of another passage that often confuses people.  Twice Jesus said to his disciples “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.  The first is in Matthew 16, after Jesus praises Peter for his confession, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God”.  Jesus says to him and the others, “I will give you the keys of heaven”.  And in Matthew 18, in that passage about what we call “church discipline” and dealing with an unrepentant person, he repeats this statement about binding and loosing.  This is all “son of man” stuff.  Jesus isn't giving special authority to Peter alone because he's going to be the first pope.  In fact, he's not giving any special authority just to the apostles.  No, this is a gospel authority given to all of the faithful remnant, to everyone who by faith identifies with the Messiah.  This is a people who are not only given dominion or kingship—to rule alongside the Messiah—but who also share in his role as prophet and priest.  That's what this binding and loosing language is about.  As prophets, Jesus' people were to speak out against the sins of Israel and to rebuke her faithlessness, and as priests they were called to mediate the saving, the forgiving message of the gospel to the nation—and eventually to the whole world. This was good news and it explains why the crowds wouldn't give Jesus a break.  Israel's scriptures were full of promises, but so many of them had yet to be fulfilled.  Promises like Daniel's vision of the son of man.  Promises of forgiveness and of restoration and of dominion and authority.  Time and again, things would happen and people would think, “Oh!  This is it!”  But it never quite happened.  The remnant returned from their Babylonian exile, but things were never as they had been.  The Maccabees defeated the Greeks and established Judah's independence.  And for a little while it looked like the Lord's promises were on track to be fulfilled.  And then it all fell apart.  But the people knew that the Lord is faithful.  Time and again he had shown his faithfulness in Israel's past and they knew he would be faithful in their future.  Every year they ate the Passover and remembered the Lord's promises and looked forward in hopeful anticipation.  And now, here was Jesus, and he was actually doing the things the Lord had promised and he was doing them like no one had before.  They had faith.  They would be forgiven, their enemies would be cast down, and the faithful remnant—who were now gathering around Jesus the Messiah—in them the people of God would be restored and made new and would be the people the Lord had promised—a people full of his life and a people for the life of the world—prophets, priests, and kings.  The sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve would be forgiven their sins and would take their thrones and all would once again be right with the world.  This was good news! And Brothers and Sisters, this is still good news for us—maybe even more than it was for the people crammed in Jesus house that day.  In Jesus we see the faithfulness of God.  They were still looking forward in anticipation, but we can look back and see the whole picture and how Jesus fulfilled the Lord's promises and that ought to strengthen our faith and ought to give us reason to look forward to our future in hope, knowing that what God has begun in Jesus he will surely finish.  The world is often dark, we can feel small and alone, sometimes it feels like we're fighting a losing battle, but we can look back and see what the Lord has done and trust that he is faithful.  He always has been and he always will be. And this is good news because it tells us who we are.  I think that too often we look at passages like this, where Jesus talks about himself as the son of man and we forget that it's not just telling us something about Jesus.  The son of man represents a whole people.  Because Jesus has fulfilled the role of the son of man, that means that we his people, through our union with him, we have been caught up in that son of man identity, too.  Jesus has been given power and authority and dominion forever, and you and I share that with him.  It's authority to live and to proclaim the good news that he has died, that he has risen, and that he has come again and that he brings forgiveness and life.  And it's also the authority to speak as prophets to the world, to call out sin, to remind the world that the Lord will come in judgement to cleanse his creation, and to call men and women to repentance.  And hand in hand with that role, we have the authority of priests.  We're not only prophets, but priests, mediating the good news of Jesus and the life of God's spirit—mediating the redemption Jesus has made at the cross—to a sick world, desperately in need of forgiveness and life. Brothers and Sisters, think about that as you come to the Lord's Table this morning.  The bread and the wine reminds us of the forgiveness and the life and the hope we find at the cross, but they should also remind us who we are in Jesus.  We are Daniel's son-of-man people.  We are prophets, priests, and kings and we have been made so for the life of the world.  Seeing the faithfulness of God revealed in Jesus ought to move us—like the people that day in Jesus' house—to give God glory and there is no better way to glorify him than to be the people he has made us in Jesus and the Spirit, a people who live and proclaim his good news so that the world might see and know his faithfulness and give him glory. Let's pray: O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, that in his power we might be the gospel people who have made, that we might be faithful in making known your faithfulness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

 What roles do God and Satan play in Job's suffering and suffering throughout Scriptures?Satan appears in Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-6, 7. His hand in suffering is particularly emphasized in Job 1:12 and 2:6, 7. Satan's hand in suffering is stressed in several New Testament passages as well. In Luke 13:16 the woman Jesus heals in the synagogues is one “whom Satan has bound for eighteen years.” In Acts 10:38 Jesus went about doing good and “healing all who were oppressed of the devil.” II Cor. 12:7 describes Paul's thorn in the flesh as a “messenger of Satan.” In Jesus' letter to the church of Smyrna he says that “the devil is about to cast some of you into prison” (Rev. 2:10). Each of these passages speak of Satan, the devil playing a significant role in human suffering. There are certainly other passages that tie Satan to temptation, sin, and spiritual suffering, but now we are focusing on physical suffering. These truths from the book of Job about God's hand in human suffering are consistent with the rest of Scripture. Deuteronomy 32:39 “See now that I, I am He, and there is no god besides Me; It is who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”I Samuel 2:6-7 “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.”Isaiah 30:26 “The LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.”Isaiah 45:7 “The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.”Jer. 32:42 “Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.”Lam. 3:37-38 “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the LORD has commanded it? Is in not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?”Amos 3:6 “If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?”Heb. 12:1-11 The hostility followers of Jesus experienced from sinners in 12:1-4 seems to be the same as the discipline of the LORD in 12:5-11. There are several events in which both God and Satan are said to be active. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1).  The devil is trying to get Jesus to sin and undo God's entire plan of salvation. God using to the same event to qualify Jesus as the perfect high priest (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16). While Paul's thorn in the flesh was a messenger of Satan, it was given to keep Paul from exalting himself (II Cor. 12:7-10). Obviously, keeping Paul from becoming proud was not Satan's purpose but it was God's purpose. While Satan entered Judas to entice him to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3; John 13:2, 27), all the things that happened around the crucifixion were to fulfill the will of God (Acts 2:23; 3:13-15; 4:27-28; 13:27). While Satan and God were both involved in these events, in none of these cases are God and Satan acting together. Satan is seeking to cause man to curse God. But God is working in the same events to seek to teach man things he would not have learned otherwise (Ps. 119:67, 71, 75). God is seeking to help man see Him more clearly than previously (Job 42:5-6).  God is working to save man from sin. The message of the Bible is that nothing happens to us that is not ultimately controlled by the knowledge, love, wisdom, and power of our God of all comfort (II Cor. 1:3). The test of Job was ultimately a step in the utter defeat of Satan and not Job.

2 Chronicles 23 tells of the courage of Jehoiadah the high priest in supporting the coronation of Joash - aged 8 - in defiance of the wicked usurper, Athaliah. Armed Levites surround the young king as he enters the temple. Joash is crowned to the acclamation: "God save the king". When this happens the evil usurper Athaliah cries - "Treason". That wicked woman is taken from the temple precinct and summarily executed. Jehoiadah now begins many reforms. He purges the idols from the land and ensures that all the people of Judah worship Yahweh 'in the beauty of holiness'. In Daniel 4 we have the acknowledgment by Nebuchadnezzar of the Almighty's everlasting kingdom. The Babylonian king is given a second dream of the luxuriant and sustaining tree which is described in verses 10-18. In the dream the tree is cut down and bound with rings of bronze and iron for a period of 2,520 day/years. In verses 19-26 Daniel interprets the dream and tells Nebuchadnezzar that it contains a personal message for him. The Babylonian king's enemies would rejoice in the out working of the dream. The judgment of which Daniel spoke to the king could be averted by Nebuchadnezzar humbling himselfbefore the Almighty and repenting (v27). Twelve months later when the king of Babylon is glorying in his great accomplishments the sentence was carried out as his PRIDE vaunts itself. In that very hour Nebuchadnezzar is stricken with madness and for seven years the king is turned into a brute beast. Theking's malady is called lycanthropy. Nebuchadnezzar's sanity only returned when the king acknowledges that "The Most High rules in the kingdom of men and sets up over it whoever He chooses". Read aloud verses 34-37 - pause and ponder.Acts 2 speaks of the day that commenced Pentecost - literally 50 days after the waiving of the sheaf of the first fruits on the third day after the Passover. Pentecost is known by the Jews as 'The Feast of Weeks' (the day following the marking off of seven weeks from Passover). Multitudes from every known country in the Roman world had been in Jerusalem for Passover (Edersheim suggests that there may have been three and a half million people present at that time). It was the perfect day to start witnessing for Christ. The phenomenon of the pouring out and resting of the Holy Spirit, in the form of a mighty rushing wind and resting on the Apostles in the form of cloven tongues of fir, was witnessed by many. The Apostles then began to speak in the dialects of the visitors to Jerusalem - at least 15 are named - as a sign to the assembled multitude that what the multitude were witnessing was from God. Verses 6, 8 and 11 indicate that the miraculous event was that of hearing. The crowds thought that the Apostles were drunk. Peter says that this could not be the case, but rather the phenomenon was a fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel 2 verses 28-32. Read aloud those verses from Joel - pause and ponder. Peter preaches Christ as approved among them by God in the witness of miracles and a sinless and raised Saviour in the evidence of the empty tomb. Jesus is indeed the LORD's Holy One. A repentant response was needed from the conscience-smitten crowd and this is evident in their plea of verse 37. Peter instructs those seeking a covering for sins to repent and be baptised i.e. be fully immersed in water and they would receive thepromise of the spirit i.e. salvation (consider Joel 2 verse 32). Three thousand respond and join the community of believers who constantly met in fellowship and unity. The ecclesia's expectations are outlined in verses 42-47.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream of a vast tree cut down at heaven's decree, symbolizing his coming humiliation for pride. Daniel interprets the dream, warning the king to repent. Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance leads to his temporary insanity and exile among beasts until he acknowledges God's sovereignty. When he humbles himself, his sanity and kingdom are restored, and he praises the Most High as ruler over all.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lets-talk-scripture/donations

No matter how high a person may be elevated and no matter how celebrated a person may be, that person must sooner or later come to terms with the fact that the Lord is the MOST HIGH. Like Nebuchadnezzar, everybody needs to hear Him say, “I'm God. And you're not!” To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/508/29

This is a good news story. King David made a place for an undeserving outcast named Mephibosheth at his family's royal table, and the table covered his brokenness - a foreshadowing of the invitation for every one of us to be seated at table of the Most High even though we don't deserve it. ---------SUBSCRIBE ▶️ Receive our latest videos:https://www.youtube.com/c/PastorSteve...ABOUTPastor, author and speaker Steve Berger is known for his straight talk in dealing with various hot-topic cultural issues that many pastors avoid. In 2021, he founded Ambassador Services International with his wife, Sarah. He serves on the Executive and Pastoral Advisory Boards for Promise Keepers International, and the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Board, and is Pastor Emeritus of One Church Home in Fairview TN. Whether preaching or writing, in great joy or pain, Steve longs to be a proclaimer of the grace and hope that Jesus came to offer. Since June of 1987, he has been married to Sarah, the love of his life, and together, they have four beautiful children and five grandchildren.LEARN MORE

When we "dwell in the secret place of the Most High", we are not alone, for God is with us and compensates for our inadequacies. This stanza emphasizes that we need not be afraid, because the LORD and His angels watch over us.Blessings in Jesus' Holy Name!Elder B. HayesTWFYT| Psalm 91:3

Send me a text – I always love hearing from you! ✨Psalm 91 offers a powerful spiritual refuge that has comforted believers for centuries with its vivid imagery of God's protective care. God positions Himself between us and harm's way. This isn't about avoiding difficulties altogether—it's about finding unshakable security within them."Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." These aren't empty words but conditional promises extended to those who actively seek God's presence. Psalm 91 empowers us to activate a spiritual armor that surrounds us when we need it most.As life's inevitable challenges come, consider memorizing Psalm 91. Learn it for yourself and recite it over your loved ones. Tuck these promises into your heart so when catastrophes hit—and they will—you can lean into them for strength. Ready to experience more scripture-based encouragement? Subscribe to this podcast for inspiration that will help your feet stay more steeped in the Word than in the world. Share this episode with someone who could use divine shelter today.Support the showFollow on Instagram & Facebook Support this PodcastVisit the WebsiteContact Dez for Coaching to Live your Best Life… EVER!

Trials and Suffering as a Means of Growth      A mature Christian is one whose faith has been tested and refined through the experiences of trials and suffering. Yet it is not the mere experience of testing or hardship that produces maturity, but the believer's faith response to it (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38). God, in His sovereign wisdom, tailors each situation to the unique needs of His children. For example, Jonah needed only three days in the great fish to learn humility and obedience (Jon 1:17; 3:1–10), while Nebuchadnezzar required seven years of suffering before confessing that “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind” and that “He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Dan 4:34, 37). Whether brief or prolonged, God's purpose in affliction is refinement, not ruin. Through suffering He burns away the dross of weak character and refines the golden qualities He wants to see in us. As He said of Israel, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isa 48:10). Constable notes, “The difficult times that Israel had been through were fires of refining (‘furnace of affliction'), not fires of destruction.”[1] God's affliction is not to destroy, but to transform. And He refines us so that when He looks into the smelter's pot, He sees His own reflection, for then we will bear those qualities that mirror His character; qualities which bring Him glory and honor. However, God's furnace of refinement never brings us to a place of total purity, but only begins a process that is perfected when He brings us home to heaven; for then, and only then, will we be free from all the impurities of sin. To understand how God employs adversity for spiritual growth, Scripture distinguishes between trials (peirasmos, πειρασμός), the testing that demonstrates and refines faith, and suffering (pathēma, πάθημα), the affliction that trains the soul through endurance and dependence on divine grace.      Trials (peirasmos) refer primarily to tests of faith—circumstances designed by God to reveal and refine the believer's trust in Him. The term can mean either “testing” or “temptation,” depending on the context, and must be discerned by whether the source is God or Satan. James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials [peirasmos], knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam 1:2–4). Trials are opportunities for spiritual growth, intended to prove and develop faith much like gold refined by fire (1 Pet 1:6–7). God never tempts His children to sin (Jam 1:13); rather, He tests them to strengthen spiritual maturity and endurance.      Abraham's experience in offering Isaac exemplifies a divine trial. His faith was tested, not to destroy him, but to demonstrate that his trust in God had grown strong and mature (Gen 22:1–12; Heb 11:17–19; cf. Rom 4:19–21). Similarly, Job's ordeal serves as another example of peirasmos in the broader sense of testing. Though afflicted by Satan, the trial was permitted by God to prove Job's integrity and to bring him to deeper understanding and humility before the Lord (Job 1:6–12; 42:1–6). The Hebrew counterpart to peirasmos is the verb נָסָה (nāsāh), meaning “to test” or “to prove.” It conveys the idea of examining something to reveal its quality or genuineness, much like peirasmos in Greek. For instance, “God tested (nāsāh) Abraham” (Gen 22:1), the same event later referenced in Hebrews 11:17 with peirazō, showing that both words share the same essential meaning. Whether in Hebrew or Greek, the concept emphasizes that divine testing is not punitive but pedagogical, meant to produce steadfast faith and experiential knowledge of God's faithfulness (Deut 8:2; 1 Pet 1:7). Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.   [1] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Is 48:10.

In Ezra 5, God's people face fresh opposition—but this time, their response is different. Confronted by the prophets' message, they remember who they are: servants of the Most High. When threatened, they don't back down—they press on, because their fear of God outweighs their fear of man. This passage reminds us that real courage isn't about defiance; it's about devotion. When we remember who we serve, we can stand firm, even when the world pushes back.Now, here's Pastor Brian for this week's sermon, entitled “Whom Shall I Fear” from Ezra, chapter 5, verses 1 through 17.

In a season of Stillness, but I'm still here. ❤️‍

Send me a text!John 15:2 KJV & AMP.____________________You want to grow for The Most High? You want to be pleasing to Him? You want to be used by Him? You want to be like Him? You want to fulfill His Will?!You will be PRUNED: this is His equation. In order to get these things, you must be PRUNED. In this video, I will go over the following:*What Is Pruning?*Why It's Important?*7 In-depth Reasons to Why He PRUNES His ChildrenGet ready for some clarity and revelation...and maybe even some joy for your day.Reference (Blog Post):———————-“138-Why Pruning Matters: Principles, Recommendations and Tips from the Pruner's Bible” (The Joe Gardner Show) : https://joegardener.com/podcast/138-why-pruning-matters-principles-recommendations-and-tips-from-the-pruners-bible/#:~:text=Any%20species%20which%20flowers%20between,buds%20for%20the%20following%20year.———————-Timestamps:0:00-2:38 Introduction2:39-4:29 Focal Scripture4:30-10:07 Cause and Effect10:08-13:02 “What Is Pruning?!”13:03-20:34 Priorities for REMOVAL: The 4 D's20:35-21:33 7 IN-DEPTH Reasons To PRUNE!21:34-28:56 1 Training 28:57-30:15 2 Balancing Growth30:16-31:37 3 Controlling Flower & Fruit Quality31:38-36:29 4 Creating a Pattern of Growth36:30-39:25 5 Maintaining Plant Health39:26-41:56 6 Restricting Growth 41:57-43:07 7 Remedial Pruning43:08-45:29 Ending Rema (Spoken Word)#bearfruit #pruning #tamarstestimony #refinement

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.9 For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:12 So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.19 And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this.28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.36 For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.48 And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

Darrell talks about the peace agreement or ceasefire orchestrated by President Trump to end the slaughter in Gaza and return the hostages to their families. Transcription / Notes DAY OF REJOICING Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 17th day of October in the year of our Lord 2025. I will be talking about the peace agreement or ceasefire if you prefer, orchestrated by President Trump to end the slaughter in Gaza and return the hostages to their families. Yes, it was a glorious day anticipated for two years and on the day they arrived 65,000 people gathered in Hostage Square to welcome them home. Many did not survive but for those who did it was indeed an emotional and glorious day. Imagine the joy of seeing your loved one who survived two years of captivity underground in the tunnels of Gaza. For two years you didn't know whether he was alive or dead and what suffering he might be enduring. The peace might not hold and it might be just a temporary pause in the slaughter but the hostages are home and for that moment it was glorious. Everybody around the world celebrated and called Donald Trump a hero. When Trump spoke to the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, one of the speakers referred to him as a giant of Jewish history. Everybody celebrated except of course the ceasefire protestors in America. It seems that what they had been screaming about for two years was somehow not enough. I suspect that they see their only policy which is, Trump is bad, slipping away. If they had no policy at all that would be good because the more policies your politicians have the poorer you are. No policy is usually the best policy.  Can't you just let yourself be happy for one moment because these hostages are free. For more that 730 days since October 7, 2023, when Hamas kidnapped about 250 people from Israel, they endured a terrible ordeal, and finally about 20 of them were released. In total, 120 made it home alive and 130 did not survive the ordeal. The scene of their return reminded me of the films about when the survivors of the Holocaust stepped off the trains and entered freedom. These dates the dates of the start of the war and the end, carry significance in the Jewish calendar but I don't pretend to understand it, and I wonder if Hamas understands it. For the hostages after years of captivity, starvation, physical abuse, and torture, hidden away in oxygen deprived tunnels their conditions reminiscent of those described by the Psalmist in Psalm 107: 10-14.  “Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God's commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So, he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and he broke away their chains.” So, there is or was peace if only for a moment but it was a sweet smell at last. How did it happen when so many had tried but no one had succeeded at this level. I can see several differences between Trump's approach and all the others, but let's let Victor Davis Hanson speak about it for a moment. I'm paraphrasing him but for one thing, Trump approaches negotiations from a position of strength rather than weakness. Remember the one hostage who said than when Trump was elected they started treating them better. No more spitting on them and forcing them to dig their own graves because they were obviously afraid of him. Trump was very successful in cutting off the money supply to Hamas and the other Iranian proxy terrorist armies. His sanctions on Iranian oil were squeezing the country's ability to make war and supply the proxy armies. His attack on the Iranian nuclear enrichment sites destroyed or at least set back the Iranian efforts at building a nuclear weapon and that took away the threat that Neta...

Send me a text!Purpose of Video:•Helping The Church & Worldly peoplediscern if someone speaks from themselves;Ephesians 6:12; or The Most High.•Using “Kristy Sarah” dreams AS the EXAMPLE.———————————————————————————————-Dates of Dreams: March 17th, 2024 | March 20th, 2024Ephesians 5:11-13 AMP, "Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; 12 for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light [of God's precepts], for [a]it is light that makes everything visible."Timestamps:0:00-03:29 Introduction03:30-7:58 Discernment: The 3-Tier Pyramid Test7:59-13:16 “Why does God busy Himself with worldly people?”13:17-16:42 The timespan from receiving to releasing.16:43-23:36 “She's been doing this for YEAAAAAARSSSS!”23:37-26:13 “She's a Jehovah Witness!”26:14-31:43 “You're just JEALOUS of her!”31:44-40:46 “You don't want BLACK women to succeed!” + Heartening Revelation40:47-49:13 I've gained refinement.49:14-55:44 closing + reflection——————Apple, Spotify, & BuzzSprout Podcast @TamarTalks  Socials  Ministry  www.tamarstestimony.com  Instagram @tamarstestimony  TikTok @tamarstestimony_ YouTube @tamarstestimony#tamarstestimony #revelation #kristysarah #thescotts

I am so happy you have joined me for all four sessions on how to overcome fear and anxiety! This last session will address spiritual warfare and how we can fight it! Thank you so much for joining this journey! I would love to hear from you and know if this series has helped you! podcasts@choosinghimministries.orgYoutube.com Content Worksheet for this LessonSession 2: Spiritual Tools for Fighting FearKey Scripture for This SessionPsalm 911 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,    my God, in whom I trust.”3 Surely he will save you    from the fowler's snare    and from the deadly pestilence.4 He will cover you with his feathers,    and under his wings you will find refuge;    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.5 You will not fear the terror of night,    nor the arrow that flies by day,6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,    nor the plague that destroys at midday.7 A thousand may fall at your side,    ten thousand at your right hand,    but it will not come near you.8 You will only observe with your eyes    and see the punishment of the wicked.9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”    and you make the Most High your dwelling,10 no harm will overtake you,    no disaster will come near your tent.11 For he will command his angels concerning you    to guard you in all your ways;12 they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;    I will be with him in trouble,    I will deliver him and honor him.16 With long life I will satisfy him    and show him my salvation.” Discussion Questions Do you struggle with fear over spiritual warfare?What are your walk aways from today's session?What was your favorite part of Psalm 91? What tools are you taking away from this series? What is your greatest tool against fear? What ways do you, personally, plan to combat fear and anxiety going forward?

Episode 197: One of the themes in the Hebraic writings to is the return of Hebrew Yisrael back to the ways of the Most-High. There has always been messengers to herald the call to Yisrael even in exile. We examine the current state of Hebrew Yisrael as we explain the necessity to unify those that have an ear to hear the edicts of the Most-High Yahweh.

Episode 198: One my often wonder what the meaning or what the purpose of life is. Undenounced to some, the answer is with the Hebraic writings. The declaration of obedience is tantamount in understanding the purpose of life. We will continue to explore themes that support tenants surrounding the Hebrew people that help define what makes like meaningful in the sight of the Most-High.  

Title: What Allah Says About Muhammad ﷺ Speaker: Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera In this heartfelt and inspiring talk, Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera takes us on a spiritual journey through the verses of the Qur'an where Allah Himself speaks about His beloved Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ. Discover how the Qur'an reveals the Prophet's unmatched character, his mercy to all creation, and the immense love and honor Allah has bestowed upon him. As Dr. Mangera unpacks these divine words with depth and devotion, listeners are reminded of the beauty of the Prophet's life and the deep connection every believer is invited to have with him. This talk is a moving reminder to rekindle our love for the Prophet ﷺ and to see him through the lens that Allah, the Most High, has described him — as a mercy, a guide, and a light for all of humanity. Link to donate - https://www.whitethread.org/whitethread-centre/ Whatsapp Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDV1iu5a249gftHif0D

Welcome to Day 2713 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2713 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 86:11-17 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2713 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2713 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. The Path of Truth and the Mark of God's Favor Today, we reach the powerful conclusion of our conversation in Psalm 86, covering verses 11 through 17 in the New Living Translation. In our last trek, we explored the first half of this deeply personal Prayer of David. We heard his desperate cry for God to "Bend down... and hear my prayer," pleading for help based on his covenant loyalty and trust. He grounded his hope in the magnificent truth that God is "so good, so ready to forgive," and that "You alone are God"—unrivaled by any pagan deity. Now, David shifts from affirming God's character to asking for divine instruction, recognizing that a proper relationship with the Most High requires understanding His will. His prayer moves from dependence to direction, culminating in a powerful affirmation of God's steadfast love and a request for a visible sign of God's favor to silence his adversaries. This final section is a masterclass in how to ask God for guidance and how to confidently claim His mercy. So, let's open our hearts to David's earnest request, learning the wisdom of seeking God's path and resting in His enduring love. The Prayer for an Undivided Heart Psalm 86:11-13 Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever. For your unfailing love is great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. Having established God's greatness and unique power, David's first request is for instruction: "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!" . This is the ultimate expression of submission and discipleship! David isn't praying for wealth or comfort; he's asking for wisdom and direction. He wants to know God's "ways" (derekh—His path, His pattern of acting) so that his life can align with God's "truth" ('emet—His faithfulness and reliability). This is the prayer of the mature believer: Show me how to live in a way that truly honors who You are. He immediately connects this knowledge to internal integrity: "Grant me singleness of heart, that I may fear your name." The Hebrew phrase translated "singleness of heart" (yaḥad lēḇāḇ) means "to unite the heart." David recognizes the divided, often-conflicted nature of the human heart, which pulls us in different directions. He asks God to make his focus singular, eliminating all spiritual distraction, so that his reverence and awe (fear) for...

In this powerful message, we're challenged to examine our hearts and actions in light of Romans 14. The central theme revolves around judgment and how we, as believers, often fall into the trap of criticizing others based on personal convictions rather than clear biblical mandates. We're reminded that while there are absolute truths in Scripture, many areas require us to exercise love, patience, and understanding. The message emphasizes that 'until you see it, you don't see it,' encouraging us to be patient with others in their spiritual journey. This ties beautifully into Jesus' teaching about not judging others and instead focusing on our own spiritual growth. As we navigate our faith, we're called to be sensitive to others, mindful that our actions might cause a brother or sister to stumble. This message is a wake-up call for us to live out our faith with genuine love, avoiding the pitfalls of legalism and self-righteousness.

1. NEIGHBORS AND ENEMIESMatthew 5:43-45a NIV 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. Luke 10:25-29 NIV 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”Matthew 5:43-45 NIV 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.Romans 5:8 NIV8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Matthew 5:46-47 NIV 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 1. NEIGHBORS AND ENEMIES2. A THIRD WAYLuke 6:27-29a NIV 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. Luke 6:32-35 NIV  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” Matthew 5:46-48 NIV 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.1. NEIGHBORS AND ENEMIES2. A THIRD WAY3. PUT ON PERFECTMatthew 5:48 NIV 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.Colossians 3:12-14 NIV 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.Romans 12:9-14; 17a; 19-21 NIV 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil…19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.1. NEIGHBORS AND ENEMIES2. A THIRD WAY3. PUT ON PERFECT

Today, we close out our meditative walk in worship through the Psalms. Psalm 91 is popular for its incredible promises of God's protection. Satan even quoted a verse from this passage in his temptation to try and get Jesus to jump off the top of the Temple to prove God would save Him. Whether we consider some of these phrases as literal or metaphor, the reality is that the greatest power we have in our lives to protect us is God Almighty. I want to encourage you to take in every word. Don't just hear them, but listen to the love in them. Right now, sit before Your Savior and trust these words to be true of you, and for you.Psalm 91 NLTThose who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings.His faithful promises are your armor and protection.Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.… The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”Did you notice the certainty in the words, in the phrases like “will find” and “will cover” and “will shelter”? Words of trust and faith that God does and will answer, rescue, reward, and honor the obedient heart of His followers.What is one way God has rescued or protected you recently? Will you thank Him for that right now?Pray with me: “Heavenly Father, thank You for Your refuge, Your shelter, Your safety, Your covering. You don't promise us that trouble won't come, but thank You that You do promise to be with me when anything threatens. I worship You as my Lord and My God. As above, so below.”

Are all around you terrors, wickedness, fowlers, pestilence, arrows, and destruction? Then you are in the right place.Psalm 91 is where you can go to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and Abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  May I recommend being so close to Him that His shadow falls upon you?  Join me for 7 minutes to attach us to that very shadow. https://youtu.be/TJaNBez9Cbs

Growing In God Podcast Program Number: GIG #271 Title: The Feast of Tabernacles   Web Description: As we celebrate Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, we worship in thankfulness for all that God has done for us in the season that we have just completed, and we prepare our hearts during the feast for the new season that is now beginning. So it is very important that we learn about the Feast of Tabernacles and think about what we are expecting God to do for us during this time.   Show Notes: Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles puts us in a place of seeking God. We experience a new relationship with the Word of God as we celebrate this feast. In His Word we find instructions and direction for our lives in the coming year. Our cry before the Lord is that His Word will break our hearts and cause us to repent so that we will see the manifestation of the Word of God coming alive to the Body of Christ and coming alive to Israel in a new and greater way.   During the Feast of Tabernacles, we must “build our booths”—construct our lives—with a focus on God and His provision and not on the desolate wilderness. Because when we dwell in the shelter of the Most High, we will have a focus on God that will bring us to a place of trust and deliverance from everything that could come against us in the dark days that we may face in the coming year.   As we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, we also find the Lordship of Christ coming alive. We know that His Kingdom is established in heaven, but there will come a time when the age of Messiah will begin to reign in the earth, even as the Lordship of Christ reigns in our hearts. In this feast we find ourselves contending together in prayer to see the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in the earth now.   Key Verses:   •       Nehemiah 8:13–18. “The LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast.” •       Numbers 9:15–23. “So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.” •       Psalm 91:1–16. “No evil will befall you.” •       2 Corinthians 3:16–18. “Transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”   Quotes:   •       “I believe this can be a transitional time for Israel and for the Body of Christ both, as we experience something tremendous in these days of Tabernacles.” •       “The Lord tells us where to live, but how we live is something that we construct as part of this Tabernacle experience.” •       “We're going to be living in maybe some very dark days during this coming year, but what we focus on is what God is doing for us.” •       “We don't know what we face or what we're going to go through, just as they didn't in the wilderness know exactly what they would face day to day, but they knew one thing—the glory and the presence in the light of God was with them.”   Takeaways:   1.    Prepare yourself as you think about the Feast of Tabernacles and what you expect God to do for you during this time. 2.    Build your booth—your life, your family, your community—in a way that they house us in His presence and create a constant focus on His glory. 3.    Abide in the shadow of the Almighty and let Him become your dwelling place so that the glory of His presence will begin to manifest around you. 4.    Focus on the Lord's presence so that you might be changed from glory to glory into that same Presence, but also that you might reflect that glory to others as it radiates from you.

In this powerful message, we're reminded of the urgency of our spiritual awakening. Drawing from Romans 13, we're called to 'wake up from our spiritual complacency' and recognize that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The central theme revolves around knowing our time and being ready to act on God's prompting. We're challenged to be disciples who know who they are and what to do, embracing ministry in our everyday lives. The message emphasizes that God has always known us and has a plan for each of us, regardless of our past mistakes. We're encouraged to step out in faith, one decision at a time, trusting that God has already seen the life we could have. This overview leaves us pondering: Are we ready to let Jesus interrupt our lives and use us to reach others?

In this powerful message, we're reminded of the urgency of our times and the importance of 'knowing the time' as followers of Christ. Drawing from Romans 13:11-14, we're called to awaken from spiritual complacency and recognize the strategic hour we're living in. Just as Paul urged the early Roman church, we too must 'put on the armor of light' and be ready for spiritual battle. This isn't about fear, but about being alert and prepared. We're challenged to live as 'citizens of heaven,' representing Jesus in our daily lives and interactions. The message emphasizes the need for authentic faith that goes beyond religious rituals, encouraging us to love our neighbors and be attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading. As we navigate these critical times, let's hold fast to our confession of hope, stirring up love and good works in one another, and not forsaking the assembly of believers. This timely word calls us to embrace our identity in Christ and step into our role as His disciples with renewed vigor and purpose.

Evening lessons: Psalms 91; Malachi 2; Matthew 25:1-30.  Whoever dwells under the defense of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, October 2, the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels.Today's feast appeared in Spain during the sixteenth century as an invitation to pray to our guardian angels, and it was extended to the universal Church one century later.It's a truth of our faith that the moment of conception, when the soul is infused, a personal guardian angel is assigned to each person, with the mission of watching over him and helping to attain salvation.This protection continues throughout our earthly life. The guardian angel accompanies our soul to purgatory or heaven, and becomes our coheir in the heavenly kingdom.Guardian angels are servants and messengers from God — "Angel" in Greek means messenger.These spirits guide us to heaven only if we desire it. Because, as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, angels cannot act directly upon our will or intellect.They protect us from physical danger in unseen ways, assist us in our work and studies, and help us resist temptation.From the Gospel of today's liturgy, we read: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father" (Matthew 18:10).We are invited to cherish a reverence for our guardian angel, not doubting his presence because we do not see him.These spirits — a kind of trustworthy, intelligent, and strong bodyguards — are sent by the Father to be our protectors and our guides. We follow and remain close to them, to dwell in the protection of the Most High.As St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, “Call out to him and say: Lord, save us, we are perishing.”And, by the way, the Mother Church discourages the practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael, whose names are contained in Holy Scripture.The prayer to the guardian angels has been present in the Church since at least the beginning of the 12th century:Angel of God,my Guardian dear,to whom His lovecommits me here,ever this daybe at my side,to light and guard,to rule and guide.Amen.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠October 2, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

On this episode of CA Media Podcast, I have the esteem opportunity to interview Author. Tanesha Vernice whom is making her debut as a writer in a 31 day devotional called "The Void Filler" a book that was given to her by her lord and savior Jesus Christ.This episode dives in to the process and work behind creating this amazing 31 day devotional. Her thoughs, fight and reasoning for creating The Void Filler will be told in this interview. We also dive into her other passions and as always end with a lighthearted rapid fire questions.Tanesha Vernice Bio:Tanesha Vernice—born in Rochester, NY, a proud daughter of the Most High. Tanesha brings joy into the world with her scrumptious cupcakes and soulful inspiration. As a new Christian author, she uses pen and paper, sugar and flour, and the sustaining power of faith to add beauty to everyday life. Her debut devotional, The Void Filler, invites readers into a sacred journey where every empty space in the heart is filled with God's grace, leadership, and love. Tanesha hopes her work inspires spiritual wholeness and divine contentment.The show founding sponsor:Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media is a founding supporting sponsor of the CA Media Podcast. Make sure you get your Publicity, Digital Marketing, Writing, Media Consulting Services at visionarymindsny@gmail.com where Tammy Reese is the owner.You can follow Tammy Reese also at:IG:   / tammyreesemedia  You can follow Author. Tanesha Vernice:Facebook:   / taneshavernice  IG:   / ms.tee72  Cupcake Business:   / tcup_sweets  Author IG:   / author_tanesha_vernice  Website: https://www.taneshavernice.com/Her church home mentioned:   / gloryhouseinternational  To purchase the book: Which was released on September 1st 2025You can also attend Tanesha Vernice Book Signing:When: October 4, 2025Time: 3pm to 5pmWhere: Frequency Wellness Space - 34 Elton St. Rochester, NYYou can purchase tickets on https://www.taneshavernice.com/She will be signing the book in person.https://a.co/d/7jE81vphttps://www.amazon.com/Void-Filler-Ex...You can follow the CA Media Podcast:Facebook: ⁠facebook.com/CAMediaPodcast⁠Instagram: ⁠Instagram.com/CAMediaPodcast⁠Blue Sky:⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/camediapodca...X: ⁠https://x.com/CAMediaPodcast⁠Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CAMediaPodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/CAMediaPodcastYoutube:    / camediapodcast  You can listen to the podcast on the following platforms:Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0T1qlQv...You can watch the podcast on YouTube:Youtube:    / camediapodcast  If you want to be on the podcast you can email the podcast at ⁠camediapodcast@gmail.com⁠ or book on linktree at linktr.ee/CAMediaPodcast and click in the booking link.

One of rap's realest rivalries creates a motion picture with a plot twist nobody saw coming!This month on ThrowBLKs, J5 and MC finally get a chance to pay respects to the Trap God himself in our look back at one of the greatest "Gangsta Grillz" mixtapes of all time. Before he was viewed as Atlanta's Most High, he was an underground artist that sparked a civil war and faced a murder case in his hip-hop rookie year. Hear our teenage viewpoints within the immediate rise of Guccimania and the fallout between Jeezy and DJ Drama that lead to the start of an incredible mixtape trilogy.Tune in for our track-by-track analysis of 'The Movie', revisiting the numerous classic jabs from Drama throughout the tape, the street anthems that continued the So Icey phenomenon and the multiple eras that had the chance to blossom from Gucci's unprecedented 2008. How can you fail when you stick by the four pillars of death, mayhem, murder and madness?Also, speaking of ATL veterans: we give an early look at the next 'DSTP' with J5's review of Young Thug's 'UY SCUTI', including ALL of the internet responses to the controversial songs, interviews and much more!

"You're about to enter a season only God can take credit for."*And you wanna know how you know that's true?Because you felt the season change.You felt the Love dawn.You're feeling It roll in.And there's some stuff rolling out.And you have to allow it.And you have to trust.And you can't be scared.You have to know that what's coming in on (t)His Love is needed.Not just by you,but by everyone you'll bless.Allow It in.Which means relax that body.Breathe deeper with me.Say 'yes' with me.Keep that door open,for Him.I Love You,nik--Our new book, 'Wake Up to Love' is HERE! Get your copy. Share a copy. Be the Love you wake up to!_______________Support GoOD Mornings on Patreon -https://www.patreon.com/c/goodmornings________________QUOTES"You're about to enter a season only God can take credit for"- @zachwindahl"Pray until there is no fear left in you."- John Cameron"When the divine mother comes to you, and her presence is honored in whatever ways naturally and uniquely expressed within you, she will never leave, and you could never forget. In other words, She timelessly Is, and It is timelessly known. Her fragrance of peace remains unbroken, independent of whatever comings and goings (heavenly and hellish alike) take place through the constant growth, evolution and purification of the human dynamics and capacities in mind, body, and relationship. She imparts a trust beyond reason, when followed whole heartedly, merges in a love beyond comprehension" -_@forrestkolb"Whatever you do and wherever you are, relax and you will see how much power you will gain." - Amma"The Word who found a dwelling in Mary's womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singluar intensity this Christmas." - St. John Paul II"Pray unceasingly until you are absolutely sure of the divine contact, then claim your physical, mental, or spiritual needs from the Most High as your divine birthright." - Yogananda