Podcasts about most high god

When Souljah's sit at the table the conversation is different. There is a feast of messages from the Most High God filled with the Promise's from His Word as you hear iron sharpening iron with the power of the Sword.  Join the The Rev and Lady Shannon at the table on the Chatting With The Whitney's podcast. B4LM Theme Song written, Produced, and Performed by: Nineside/International Nine@https://linktr.ee/Nineside Books by The Rev & Lady Shannon Brave Scars - https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Scars-Min-Shannon-Whitney-ebook/dp/B083D95P8Q Love and Marriage 1 - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Marriage-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B0837YN34W Love and Marriage 2 - https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-MARRIAGE-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B083D7TBHT It Ain't Over Til It's Over - 3 It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Love & Marriage Make It Last Forever III: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359755399: Amazon.com: Books You Are What You Think! Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People (Volume 1 & 2) YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People: Volume I: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359754989: Amazon.com: Books YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People Volume II: Whitney, D.A. (The Rev) and Lady Shannon: 9798359755801: Amazon.com: Books Email: blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com NOTE: We do not own the rights to the great music you hear on the show. However, we hope you love it as much as we do!  Hey Now and thanks for checking us out!  We pray we do not say anything that will cause you to stumble; but only those things that will draw you closer to The Most High God.  That said, we are inspirational and motivational while maintaining authenticity as we keep it practical and simple; yet real.  We don't own the music rights to the music we play but we hope you love it as much we do!  Follow us on social media @ blessed4lifeministries on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest!  Connect with us via email for B4LM merchandise, for links to our books on Amazon, to request pastoral services from The Rev, or to just keep in touch at  blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com

Laws of nature?John MacDuffIsaiah 29:6. "In an instant, I, the Lord Almighty, will come against them with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire."Let us not dethrone and undeify the great Maker and Sustainer, by substituting for His sovereign rule, what are commonly called the laws of nature. Winds, and earthquakes, and tempests are not the capricious outbreaks of unregulated mechanical force. The world's vast machinery, with all its varied and intricate movements, is under God's supervision and control. "He holds the winds in His fists." "He gathers the waters in the hollow of His hand." "He makes the clouds His chariot." "He directs the snow to fall on the earth, and tells the rain to pour down." This offers a lesson of soothing consolation to many a stricken heart: That lightning which struck down my child was an arrow out of the quiver of God! That wave which swept him from the vessel's side; or that hurricane which overthrew my dwelling, and buried loved ones in the ruins, had their pathway marked out by God! He brings forth the lightning out of His treasuries! He gives the sea its decree! He walks on the wings of the wind! All things are subservient to the controlling will and purposes of the Most High God. "I am the Lord, and there is no other! I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things!" Isaiah 45:6-7

When Souljah's sit at the table the conversation is different. There is a feast of messages from the Most High God filled with the Promise's from His Word as you hear iron sharpening iron with the power of the Sword.  Join the The Rev and Lady Shannon at the table on the Chatting With The Whitney's podcast. B4LM Theme Song written, Produced, and Performed by: Nineside/International Nine@https://linktr.ee/Nineside Books by The Rev & Lady Shannon Brave Scars - https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Scars-Min-Shannon-Whitney-ebook/dp/B083D95P8Q Love and Marriage 1 - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Marriage-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B0837YN34W Love and Marriage 2 - https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-MARRIAGE-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B083D7TBHT It Ain't Over Til It's Over - 3 It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Love & Marriage Make It Last Forever III: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359755399: Amazon.com: Books You Are What You Think! Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People (Volume 1 & 2) YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People: Volume I: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359754989: Amazon.com: Books YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People Volume II: Whitney, D.A. (The Rev) and Lady Shannon: 9798359755801: Amazon.com: Books Email: blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com NOTE: We do not own the rights to the great music you hear on the show. However, we hope you love it as much as we do!  Hey Now and thanks for checking us out!  We pray we do not say anything that will cause you to stumble; but only those things that will draw you closer to The Most High God.  That said, we are inspirational and motivational while maintaining authenticity as we keep it practical and simple; yet real.  We don't own the music rights to the music we play but we hope you love it as much we do!  Follow us on social media @ blessed4lifeministries on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest!  Connect with us via email for B4LM merchandise, for links to our books on Amazon, to request pastoral services from The Rev, or to just keep in touch at  blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com

For today’s installment of our 40 Days Meditation series, our brother Abyong Calo provides commentary on Heb 7:1-10. Listen below, download here, or search for Words from the Brothers on your favourite podcasting app. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Heb 7:1-10

Daily Dose of Hope April 10, 2025 Day 4 of Week 2   Scripture – Mark 5:1-20   Prayer:  Almighty God, you are so good.  Thank you for your love, your mercy, and your forgiveness.  How amazing it is that you care so much for me.  You are my everything.  Help me take my scattered thoughts this morning and focus on you and you alone.  In these next few moments of silence, help me center myself on you...Holy Spirit, come and speak to me through your Word.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Mark 5.    Jesus starts out this chapter going to the other side of the lake.  Just a reminder, the other side of the lake means he is leaving the Jewish towns and heading to the Gentile side.  As we have and will continue to see, Jesus has a pattern of going to the other side, responding to the need of the “other.” While Jesus cares for the insiders, he is constantly reaching out to the other–the Samaritan woman at the well, the bleeding woman, the lepers, the tax collectors, the woman caught in adultery–he is always reaching out and offering care and healing to those on the outside, the outcast, to those who don't belong, who have been pushed to the fringe. I do think this is a lesson for the church, that we also have been called to go to those who are “others” in our community.  Who is that for us?  How hard would it be for us to go to them in the name of Jesus?    Jesus gets out of the boat and sees the deranged man.  The man was so disturbed, he was living in the burial caves. Most likely he was a burden to the townspeople, an outcast, and their way of dealing with him was to force him to live far away.  The burial caves were most likely nasty, smelly, dirty. This is where the dead, decaying bodies were kept. And what I am struck by is how they had tried to subdue him, to chain him up, like an animal...and then day and night he howled and cut himself with sharp stones. I can't help but feeling overwhelming sadness for this man.  Cutting (self-harm) is usually the result of trauma. This was someone's son, someone's brother, maybe someone's father. He was a human being made in the image of God. And yet, his life had little value to the people of the town. He was an “other.” But Jesus saw him.   When Jesus was still a way off, the evil spirits inside the man recognize Jesus. Isn't it interesting that the evil spirits that were possessing the man knew Jesus immediately? In fact, they call him Son of the Most High God; there is instant recognition that this is the Son of God. The evil spirits know him but often the people that Jesus is ministering to fail to recognize him.   When Jesus asks the man his name, he replies, “Legion.” The word legion in that world would have referred to a group of 3000-6000 Roman soldiers. Here we have a legion of evil spirits. Maybe we think this is interesting but doesn't really apply to us. But aren't we also infected with many, many demons? As a land/nation–the demon of racism, of pandemic, of materialism and the love of money, of division, the demon of hate or distrust of the “other,” selfishness, envy, I could certainly go on. We are legion. As a church–we deal with the demon of apathy, of complacency, of self-reliance, of protecting our own, of division, we are legion. As individuals–think of all our demons–anger, rage, unforgiveness, pride, arrogance, bitterness, fear, disobedience, not loving our neighbor; His name was legion because there were many inside the man.   What does Jesus do? Well, he heals the man. He totally and completely heals him–physically, emotionally, spiritually.  It's amazing.  However, what's interesting here is that when the townspeople see the man healed, what do they do? Do they rush over to him and say, “How wonderful to see you healed and whole so you can have a nice life.” No, they're scared and they beg Jesus to leave. Why was that? Clearly, the loss of 2000 pigs would have been a terrible economic loss. But I think that would have made them mad not afraid.   I can't help thinking they want Jesus to leave because they didn't want to face their own demons. Rene Girard, a 20th century philosopher said, “Clearly the drowning of the pigs bothers them less than the drowning of their demons.” Is it that they didn't want to be healed? My guess is they wanted to be healed but they didn't want to do the work that leads to healing. And what work is that? Well, first it means admitting you have some issues. It means admitting they we don't have it all together. It means admitting that we are wounded and we may have wounded others. It means admitting that we can't handle it on our own, that we can't fix it, that we have been wrong, that we are hurting, that we need help, that we need healing deep within us. We don't need surface level healing because that's what got us here in the first place. We need deep soul healing.   TRUE healing always starts with Jesus. In fact, there is no true healing without Jesus. And healing ourselves, our churches, and our land, begins with healing the wounds of our own heart. Before we can heal the legion of demons that our nation is facing, we must address the evil within ourselves. Friends, have you faced the evil within yourself? We have to admit where we have fallen short. And don't think just the other side needs healing.   There is so much about this narrative that is incredible.  But I love, love, love what happens next. God gives this man a physical and spiritual healing. Then as a result, he goes and shares the Good News with all who would listen and “everyone was amazed at what he told them.” He receives new life and he can't keep it to himself.  He becomes an extraordinary missionary, sharing with whoever will listen what Jesus had done for him.  This is the thing: God heals us, God gives us stories of transformation, and then our response is to share them. God works through broken, flawed people like this man, like you, and like me.  Do you believe this?  When is the last time you shared your story of transformation?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

When Souljah's sit at the table the conversation is different. There is a feast of messages from the Most High God filled with the Promise's from His Word as you hear iron sharpening iron with the power of the Sword.  Join the The Rev and Lady Shannon at the table on the Chatting With The Whitney's podcast. B4LM Theme Song written, Produced, and Performed by: Nineside/International Nine@https://linktr.ee/Nineside Books by The Rev & Lady Shannon Brave Scars - https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Scars-Min-Shannon-Whitney-ebook/dp/B083D95P8Q Love and Marriage 1 - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Marriage-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B0837YN34W Love and Marriage 2 - https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-MARRIAGE-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B083D7TBHT It Ain't Over Til It's Over - 3 It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Love & Marriage Make It Last Forever III: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359755399: Amazon.com: Books You Are What You Think! Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People (Volume 1 & 2) YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People: Volume I: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359754989: Amazon.com: Books YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People Volume II: Whitney, D.A. (The Rev) and Lady Shannon: 9798359755801: Amazon.com: Books Email: blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com NOTE: We do not own the rights to the great music you hear on the show. However, we hope you love it as much as we do!  Hey Now and thanks for checking us out!  We pray we do not say anything that will cause you to stumble; but only those things that will draw you closer to The Most High God.  That said, we are inspirational and motivational while maintaining authenticity as we keep it practical and simple; yet real.  We don't own the music rights to the music we play but we hope you love it as much we do!  Follow us on social media @ blessed4lifeministries on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest!  Connect with us via email for B4LM merchandise, for links to our books on Amazon, to request pastoral services from The Rev, or to just keep in touch at  blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com

Send us a textJoin your host Clifton Pope as he is back with another solo cast of the show as The Spiritual Enlightment Series is back for the March 2025 edition to show how we can listen to the whispers of our own heart!In this edition, Clifton dives into how/why everybody is always arguing about the name of the Most High God  but never denying the existence of a higher power! They say witches call it spells, spiritualists call it manifesting, christians call it prayer, atheists call it the placebo effect, and scientists call it quantum physics. Regardless, Clifton gives his thoughts on each concept and show how it all goes back into the importance of receiving the message from the Most High God!Clifton Pope also introduces his scripture moment from the Holy Quran/Holy Bible and discusses the right understanding from the Noble Eightfold Path from Buddhism!If you are into spiritual enlightment with an open-minded approach, then this is the episode for you!Be sure to hit that follow/subscribe button on Apple/Spotify Podcasts/Rumble(@CPHFWB44) to stay updated with the latest episodes of the show!Leave a rating/review to help grow the show as The HFWB Podcast Series is for you, the people, to stay informed and grow on wisdom gems being provided!Thank you for the love and support! Blue Collar Business PodcastReal stories. Raw strategies. Build your blue-collar business.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showhttps://atherocare.com/HEALTHFITNESSWEALTHBUSINESShttps://athleticism.com/HEALTHFWEALTHBhttps://vitamz.com/HEALTHFITNESSWEALTHBUSINESShttps://Athleticism.comhttps://atherocare.comhttps://vitamz.comofficial sponsors of the HFWB Podcast Series

Throughout First and Second Samuel we hear about David. But in 2 Samuel 22 we hear the voice of David speaking in first person David speaking directly to his loving God. No longer the voice of a Warrior but David speaking as a poet announcing his love to his loving Father. In this Psalm we also are invited to offer our praise and devotion to our Most High God who remains faithful and kind throughout each and every generation.

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Join us on Patreon for Daily Prayer Matins - Monday - The Second Week of Lent Opening Scripture:If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.I John 1:8, 9 Confession:Let us take a moment to confess our sinsMost merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.The Invitatory & Psalter:Lord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Venite (O Come)The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him. The PsalmsPsalm 561Have mercy on me, O God,for my enemies are hounding me; *all day long they assault and oppress me.2They hound me all the day long; *truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.3Whenever I am afraid, *I will put my trust in you.4In God, whose word I praise,in God I trust and will not be afraid, *for what can flesh do to me?5All day long they damage my cause; *their only thought is to do me evil.6They band together; they lie in wait; *they spy upon my footsteps;because they seek my life.7Shall they escape despite their wickedness? *O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.8You have noted my lamentation;put my tears into your bottle; *are they not recorded in your book?9Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; *this I know, for God is on my side.10In God the Lord, whose word I praise,in God I trust and will not be afraid, *for what can mortals do to me?11I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; *I will present to you thank-offerings;12For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, *that I may walk before God in the light of the living. Psalm 571Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,for I have taken refuge in you; *in the shadow of your wings will I take refugeuntil this time of trouble has gone by.2I will call upon the Most High God, *the God who maintains my cause.3He will send from heaven and save me;he will confound those who trample upon me; *God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.4I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people; *their teeth are spears and arrows,their tongue a sharp sword.5They have laid a net for my feet,and I am bowed low; *they have dug a pit before me,but have fallen into it themselves.6Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *and your glory over all the earth.7My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *I will sing and make melody.8Wake up, my spirit;awake, lute and harp; *I myself will waken the dawn.9I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; *I will sing praise to you among the nations.10For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.11Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *and your glory over all the earth.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsJeremiah 1:11-19English Standard VersionAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. Romans 1:1-15English Standard VersionPaul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. John 4:27-42English Standard VersionJust then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”The Word of the Lord. Thanks Be To God. The Third Song IsaiahSurge, illuminare (Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19)Arise, shine, for your light has come, *and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.For behold, darkness covers the land; *deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.But over you the Lord will rise, *and his glory will appear upon you.Nations Will stream to your light, *and kings to the brightness of your dawning.Your gates will always be open; *by day or night they will never be shut.They will call you, The City of the Lord, *The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.Violence will no more be heard in your land, *ruin or destruction within your borders.You will call your walls, Salvation, *and all your portals, Praise.The sun will no more be your light by day; *by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.The Lord will be your everlasting light, *and your God will be your glory.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The SuffragesO Lord, show your mercy upon us;And grant us your salvation.O Lord, guide those who govern usAnd lead us in the way of justice and truth.Clothe your ministers with righteousness And let your people sing with joy.O Lord, save your peopleAnd bless your inheritance.Give peace in our time, O LordAnd defend us by your mighty power.Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgottenNor the hope of the poor be taken away.Create in us clean hearts, O GodAnd take not your Holy Spirit from us.Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsSpecial Collects:Lent Week 2O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, who alone works great marvels: Send down upon our clergy and the congregations committed to their charge the life-giving Spirit of your grace, shower them with the continual dew of your blessing, and ignite in them a zealous love of your Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.DismissalLet us bless the Lord Thanks be to God!BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Send us a textHave you ever allowed a problem to become your identity? In this powerful message, we dive into the often-overlooked story of the woman with the issue of blood from Mark 5. While everyone around her defined her by her suffering, Jesus saw beyond her condition to her true identity.The contrast is striking – Jairus enters the story with both his name and title intact, while this woman is known only by her affliction. For twelve years, she wasn't just bleeding physically; she was hemorrhaging her sense of self, her place in community, her very identity. How many of us have done the same? We transform our wounds into personas, our traumas into labels, until we forget who we truly are beneath the pain.Through this woman's encounter with Jesus, we discover a four-part framework for experiencing breakthrough and reclaiming our God-given identity. She heard about Jesus, controlling her intake and filling her mind with hope. She moved despite her limitations, pushing through the crowd when everything said she shouldn't. She thought with faith, choosing to believe "if I can just touch his robe, I will be healed" among the thousands of other possible negative thoughts. And finally, she told her story, vulnerably sharing her whole truth when Jesus called her out.But the most beautiful moment came when Jesus named her "daughter" – the only time in scripture he addressed anyone this way. In that moment, he didn't just heal her body; he restored her identity. He transformed her from an unnamed woman defined by her issue to a daughter with a place in God's family.Whether you're struggling with physical healing, emotional wounds, or a lost sense of self, this message will challenge you to stop letting your issues name you. You are more than your problems. You are a child of the Most High God. Thank you for listening to the Relate Community Church podcast! Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. If today's message spoke to you, share it with a friend or leave us a review to help spread the word. To learn more about Relate Community Church, visit us at www.relatecommunity.com. You are always welcome here, and remember—you are loved

Be Bold & Praise While You Wait (Be Bold Series)Acts 16:25-28 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly, there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once, all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don't harm yourself! We are all here!”This story actually begins a few verses before this. In Acts 16:16-24 it says, “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” At that moment, the spirit left her.  When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.  They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into an uproar  by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.”This is where our verse takes place.  They have been beaten with rods and are now chained up in prison.  You would think after a day like that they would feel defeated.  You would think that they would be questioning God and asking Him why they have to suffer so much when they are just doing what He asked them to do.  You might also think that they were passed out in pain and sleeping.  Is this what they were doing?  No, the verse says it was midnight and they were still praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  This is something that always amazes me about the apostles and other believers in the faith, such as the Saints.  I am always amazed by their strength.  I know that God underwent extreme suffering in the 24 hours before He was crucified.  He sweat drops of blood. If that is not suffering, I don't know what is.  And yet, I think we can downplay it sometimes and think, well, He is fully God and fully human, so of course He can withstand it; he is God.  However, countless other Saints have gone through extreme suffering and have done it with joy.  Paul & Silas had just been beaten with rods, and yet they were not questioning God. They were praising and singing to Him.  This is something that I think we can hear sometimes and not pause and think about how truly amazing it is.  I don't know if we glaze over it because we don't understand it or because we don't think we are capable of it.  I don't know the reason, but I wanted to pause and take a moment to recognize how remarkable these two are for how they endured their suffering.  We could all learn a lot from them and how they lived not only when times were good but also when times were tough.  The verse says that at midnight, while they were praying and praising, they were set free.  The door opened, and their chains came loose.  What strikes me about this verse is that they were set free yet did not leave.  They stayed there until morning, when the guard woke up.  What I hear the Lord saying to me about this verse is that everything He does is for His glory and the good of His kingdom.  If Paul & Silas would have left at midnight, they could have escaped.  However, it would not have been known how they escaped.  People could have said that someone broke in and freed them.  God would not have gotten the Glory.  However, by waiting until morning, they not only converted the guard and his whole house to believers, but they were also set free and did not have to worry about being caught for escaping.Sometimes, the things we are going through or the things others are going through make no sense to us.  If we had been there in that jail cell, it would have made no sense to us that when they were freed, they didn't leave the cell.  I can't imagine sitting in that cell and just waiting for the jailer to wake up when we could have escaped and been hours away by the time the jailer woke up.  Luckily, Paul and Silas were good at listening to the Lord and trusting in Him.  They were not scared in that jail cell.  They praised the Lord and trusted that the Lord would get them out of the situation.  They were patient and waited on the Lord's timing, and by doing so, they saved the jailer and his whole family.  Do you see how if the apostles left at midnight, they would have escaped and would have been free?  Do you also see that they did not leave at midnight, yet they were still free?  We never know how God will work things out for us.  Sometimes, we can only see things in black and white.  We can see only two choices.  For instance, we could see that if we left the cell when the door was opened, then we would be free.  However, if we stay there, then we would be stuck in jail forever.  Sometimes, we are so angry, upset, scared, and afraid that we can't see all the possibilities.  We only see the two.  Sometimes, we may not see all the options because we have limited information, whereas God has all the information He would ever need.  It seems as though the apostles waited for God to tell them what to do next.  They trusted that God would take care of it even though they didn't know what would happen next.  This may be the same in some circumstances in our lives, too.  We may not understand why God asks us to wait a little longer.  We know God can save us now, but we don't understand why He isn't.  We don't understand why we are going through all of this in the first place.  Maybe God is using this thing you are going through to save someone else.  Maybe by watching your strength in the face of your situation, someone will decide to give God a try.  Maybe after watching how you were saved from your circumstances, someone else has also decided to be saved.  We don't know what God's plan is or why He does what He does.  There is one thing that we can be sure of, and that is that God has a plan, and He has a reason for everything.  God can use all things for His glory.  We may think that some things are a coincidence.  However, if you look back over the last 5 or 10 years of your life, I bet you will see how those things you felt were coincidences were actually things that God timed out perfectly for a specific reason.  It is amazing to me how detailed God's plan is.  He has every tiny detail planned out.  The next time we get tired of waiting for our suffering to end, maybe we can remember this verse, pray, and praise him even when we are struggling.  We can remember that if He has not saved us yet, it is for a reason and that a greater good will come from our situation.  I know that doesn't always make it easier for us when we are in the moment.  However, I felt God wanted me to share with you that even when we don't know His plan and don't understand it, we should still know that He has a plan, and it is for our good and the good of his whole church.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today.  We ask that you give us the strength of Paul and Silas when we suffer.  Lord, we ask that you give us the strength and the wisdom to pray and sing praises to you when we are suffering.  Help us know that you have a plan even when we don't see or understand it.  Help us to know that we are never suffering in vain.  You will always use our suffering for your glory.  We love you, Lord, and thank you for all you do for us.  You are amazing, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and Jesus' holy name. Amen.  Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk Boldly with Jesus. This month's theme for mentoring is “I Am Made New.” I invite you to join us on Tuesday night and learn how you are made new through Christ. You can find all this information at walkboldlywithjesus.com or click on the link below. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in September 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “In the silence of your hearts, I speak to you. I am not a loud, clanging, noisy voice that distracts you. I am just a small whisper telling you, “Turn to the right - go here. Turn to the left - see that person; they need your help. They need your prayers”.  www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Our Sovereign God May Not Return to Us If Jesus Followers Do Not Lead America's Return to God; You Are Here for These Times MESSAGE SUMMARY: If enough of us get serious with God, then, perhaps, God will heal us and this land. When we, as both individual Jesus Followers and as a country, turn to the Lord, will we hear God's call and answer as in Isaiah 6:8: “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.'”. As Jesus Followers but in our non-Christian behavior: we are mean; we are angry; we are judgmental; and we are selfish and self-centered. Also, in our non-Christian behavior, we are often in bondage to debt, drugs, and extramarital sex. In all these non-Christian behaviors, we are not different from the unbeliever next door. Therefore, we are not very different from God's people in the time of Hosea described in Hosea 11:7,10-11: “My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High {God}, he shall not raise them up at all . . . They shall go after the LORD; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.". We need to ask ourselves: “Am I being faithful to Jesus Christ and what needs to change in me and my life? Also, we need to ask ourselves “how am I disobeying the Lord?”. Will you then say to God: “Here am I! Send me.” If NOT ENOUGH “Self-Identifying Christians” answer God's call to lead America in our “return to God”, then God, in His sovereignty, will not return to America – you are here for times like these!     TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus' name, amen.      Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Evil Ways. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Goodness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Hosea 11:1-11; Isaiah 6:8-13; Matthew 13:13-17; Psalms 13:1-6. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part 2 – More than Just a Man” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Wednesday, 12 March 2025   When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, Matthew 8:16   “And having become evening, they presented to Him many demon-possessings, and He ejected the spirits – a word. And all those being sickly, He healed” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus touched the hand of Peter's mother and her fever left her. From there, she arose and served them. Now, the ongoing narrative of events continues with, “And having become evening.”   The word opsios, evening, is introduced here. It signifies late, afternoon, or nightfall, meaning evening. The context will provide an understanding of the proper meaning.   In this case, the reason for these words isn't stated here in Matthew, but it becomes clear in Mark's parallel account. In Mark 1:21, it notes that it was the Sabbath. In Mark 1:29-31, Jesus healed Peter's mother. Only then in Mark 1:32 does it say, “At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.”   The same is true in Luke's gospel where the sequence of events is confirmed to be on the Sabbath. In his narrative, the account now begins with, “When the sun was setting.” The reason for this is that the new day in Israel begins at evening. Once the sun is setting, the new day begins. So, to avoid any hint of breaking the Sabbath, the people brought their sick to Him only at this time. As it next says, “they presented to Him many demon-possessings.”   It is the same word found in Matthew 4:24, daimonizomai. It is a present participle, thus, “demon-possessings.” These people were brought forward, “and He ejected the spirits – a word.”   As with the healing of the servant, Jesus merely spoke a word, and the demons were ejected. There is no hint of argumentation from the demons, and no difficulty with the process where Jesus had to hold some type of ritual or cast holy water on the people. The thought is similar to that of Acts 16 –   “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.' 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour.” Acts 16:16-18   One can see how ridiculous the supposed casting out of demons has become in the Roman Catholic Church and elsewhere as people go through long shows, carrying on with rites, rituals, and formulas to supposedly cast out demons. Today, all that is needed for a person to be rid of demons is for them to accept the gospel. When Jesus moves in, all demons must move out.   Next, the narrative says, “And all those being sickly, He healed.” Jesus had a long day of teaching in the synagogue as indicated in the other gospels, and yet, He accommodated those who came by, filling the evening with their needs and desires to be met.   Life application: The reason why it says above that when Jesus moves in, all demons must move out, is because there is nothing in the New Testament epistles to explain demon-possessings nor how to cure them. The narratives in the gospels and Acts are not prescriptive for our time. They simply describe what occurred and are recorded for our understanding concerning Jesus' work and authority, and concerning the establishment of the church under the authority of Christ.   As there is nothing directive in nature concerning demon-possessings, it tells us that we do not need to worry about them. If we did, it would mean –   That we have a spiritual event in the church that has no response to and, thus, We have a void in our dealing with matters that otherwise would affect the church and the salvation of those who interact with the church.   As this is so, and as God has done everything necessary to bring man to a state of salvation through the completed work of Christ, we can know that receiving Christ is sufficient to overcome any demon. This doesn't mean that Satan or the demons cannot still afflict believers. The epistles indicate otherwise, but the power of God unto salvation has been realized in any person who has come to Him through Jesus. These are truths that are evident and certain as detailed in verses of the New Testament epistles. Therefore, all of the hoopla that people display concerning demon-possessings is unnecessary, untrue. It is a distraction from giving a person the gospel and allowing him to choose Jesus and receive the path to salvation.   Lord God, help us to always be about the business of sharing Your word. May we make it a point to be bold in our witness for the gospel. If all we can do in our interactions is leave a tract, may we do so, knowing that it may have an eternity-changing effect in the life of another. Give us the heart and desire to do these things, O God. Amen.

   In recent weeks ‘Executive Orders’ and “Negotiated Proclamations” have been issued by some of the most powerful people in the world and the results have been very significant. Usually, such powerful documents are political or military or economic in nature but today let’s look at one of the most significant of all time. This document was auto biographical, issued by none other than King Nebuchadnezzar himself, sovereign over the Babylonian empire. The opening paragraph of this remarkable document is unlike any other I’ve ever read: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to the nations and peoples of every language who live in all the world. May you prosper greatly. It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are HIS signs, how mighty HIS wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:1-3)(Click here to see full text, images and links)   Today’s Scripture: Daniel 4:1-9. Choose below to read or listen.​​Pastor Doug Anderson    “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)Have a comment or question about today's chapter? I'm ready to hear from you, contact me here. Interested in helping "Walking with Jesus" financially? Click here

Scripture Reading: Daniel 4 King Nebuchadnezzar was the sovereign king who conquered the remaining kingdom of Israel in 605 B.C. (some 120 years after the northern 10 tribes had already been conquered by Assyria). Tempted to boast in his own strength and military conquests, Nebuchadnezzar had grown arrogant. God sends him a dream with urgent significance for his life, but the king (with all the wise men of Babylon) can't understand the meaning and thus calls on Daniel to interpret the dream for him. In time, the dream comes true and Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by the sickness of insanity, from which he recovers only after he acknowledges the sovereign reign of the Most High God of Israel. So today, our pride can blind us from seeing our own faults and the ultimate sources of our blessings. Pride blinds us to our own temporality or limitations and to the grandeur and eternality of God. There's only room for one person to be on the saddle of your life: if you're calling all the shots, there's no room for God. Today we need a new vision—Nebuchadnezzar's vision—of the eternal sovereignty and glory of God. Replace your self-confidence with God-confidence (not me, my worth, my rights, my kingdom but God: God's worth, God's ability to work in this situation, God's kingdom.) His works are true and faithful (whereas I'm tempted to lie, sugar-coat, exaggerate, tell half the story.) I can't always keep my word; I can't always fulfill my responsibilities. God can. He does. His ways are just: I've failed and sinned, but all his ways are just: both when he gives and when he takes away, as Job said, blessed be His name. He can humble the proud. C.S. Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”  - If you're thinking “I'm horrible”, or “I'm ugly” and always harshly criticizing yourself, that's not humility: you're still thinking of “YOU”. Want to change? Admit you're proud, and ask God for grace to change and grow. James 4:6 “God resists the proud and he gives grace to the humble.”

Luke 4:31–37 (ESV) And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.Where are all the demons today? Why don't we see them being cast out as in Biblical times?They Are Common And All Around Us.We Identify Them In Scientific, Medical And Sociological Terms.Mark 9:17–18 (ESV) “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. Luke 13:11 (ESV) And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.Mark 9:17–18 (ESV) “And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.Matthew 17:15 (ESV) For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.Mark 5:4–5 (ESV) for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.Luke 8:27 (ESV) For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.Supernatural Activity (voices) - Acts 16:16–17 (ESV) As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”Addicts, Crazy, Homeless, Suicidal, Out Of Control, EvilInstead Of Evicting Them, We Treat Their Host. Counseling. Drugs. Incarceration.We Don't Recognize Our Authority And Lack Power.Luke 4:36 (ESV) And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”AUTHORITY: the legal right to give ordersEx: wedding officiant, property title, law enforcementFailure to take authority allows presencePOWER: the strength to enforce obedienceSome things are simple to enforce, others harderA persona can gain in power or call in reinforcementsJob 1:9–10 (ESV) Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.Job 1:1–5 (ESV) Jobwas blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. His sons and daughters used to “feast and drink”Job would consecrate them, rise early and offer burnt offerings. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.Mark 3:14–15 (ESV) And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.

Biblical Masculinity & The Battle for Manhood | KWR0047 Kingdom War Room

It is sometimes hard to follow Jesus!   In the book of Acts in the Bible, we find a record of events in the early Church. One story, found in chapter 16, tells of an episode in the life of Paul the Apostle and his associate Silas.  These two preachers of the Gospel were traveling through the city of Philippi, and they were being followed by a group of men who 'owned' a slave girl who had a spirit of divination.  This young girl followed Paul and Silas for days, shouting to anyone who would hear, "These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."  At first, this did not cause a problem. Still, she was so insistent and intrusive that Paul finally stopped her and cast out the Spirit of divination, driving her to speak.  Her owners were enraged, of course, because their slave girl could no longer service and entertain the crowds that she gathered, which had been bringing in quite a bit of income.  The girl's owner got the law involved, and Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten,  and thrown into prison.          Later that night, around midnight, Paul and Silas were singing hymns and shouting praise to God, worshiping Him.  The other prisoners were enjoying the music, and in the middle of this impromptu 'concert,' the ground began shaking, the jail walls trembled, the shackles fell off their bodies, and the jail cell door came open.  The jailer was roused from his sleep and, when he saw that the prisoners were free, took up his sword to kill himself.  (The penalty for failure in the Roman army was death!)  Paul cried out to him, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!"  The jailer rushed in with a lantern, fell at their feet, and, seeing them free and standing, spoke these eternal words, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  The answer to his question was simple and life-changing:  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."  16:31  The jailer took them to his house to meet his family, and they all received the Gospel and became baptized believers in the Church!             This story exposes us to a few of the tremendous truths of God's message of salvation in Jesus:   First, God wants everyone to be saved!  Paul and Silas were on a mission to spread the Gospel message to anyone who would listen, Jew and Gentile alike.  God loves everyone and can save anyone who might call upon Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.  Another truth is simple: Any follower of Jesus can lead others to know Christ as Savior.  Paul was not a "priest" in the formal sense of the word; he was merely a believer in Jesus and could lead the jailer and his family to faith.  Another truth that might not be so welcomed is that following Jesus may bring hardship and suffering into one's life! Paul and Silas simply preached a message of love and forgiveness. They led the jailer and his family to know Christ as Savior.  However, those in power stood against the Gospel message and beat and imprisoned them both.  God delivered them, to be sure, but this was not a pleasant experience for these two preachers!             This story from Acts 16 is one of many in the Bible that explains Jesus' life-saving message. Jesus came and lived, died, and lived again for everyone.  Like the jailer, we can be saved by inviting Jesus into our hearts and committing our lives to follow him.  Let me encourage you to follow Him today!   Your support is invaluable in spreading our ministry's message. By sharing our podcasts, you help build a strong community of believers. We appreciate your contributions and encourage you to inspire others to join our mission. Your involvement keeps our community connected and thriving.   Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, funding outreach, facility upkeep, and resources. Your generosity fuels our mission, making a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.   Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the al

Sermon Note: During this message, Phil inadvertently mentioned the events occurring in 537 BC a few times. The correct year for these events is 539 BC.5:1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. 5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed. 10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” Daniel Interprets the Handwriting13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. 24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Da 5:1–31.

Consider these words describing the love our Heavenly Father has for us in this Scriptural meditation. We are deeply loved and cherished, children of the Most High God. What an honor it is to be thought of this way. Rest in these truths.Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visitCFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this time of meditation, pleaseconsider supporting us.Contributors: Elizabeth Ames-McCrimmon, Michelle DeChant and Adam Maddock

Hey there, hello to you today. Thanks for listening to this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show.  Today's subject matter is of the utmost importance, but not necessarily something that is talked about enough within the Christian community. And that's our tendency to live like orphans even though we are now part of God's family thanks to Jesus.  God's promises devotional on Amazon Good verses to read about your true identity: Psalm 17:8 Isaiah 43:4 Psalm 147:3 Psalm 18, verses 2, 18 & 19, 28, 32, 35 & 36 Romans 12 John 8   We have so many promises from the Lord to assure and reassure us of our new identity in Christ, and yet we struggle with feeling unseen, abandoned, alone, wondering about unanswered prayers and the things in life, big and small, that wear on us and weigh us down.  How do we reconcile the way we feel with the promises God has given us?  That's the heart of this episode of the podcast.    You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast, which can be found on the EDIFI app, an all Christian content podcast option - as well as anywhere else you listen to podcasts. This is episode number 204.    If I could give a definition of a believer living more like an orphan than like a child of the Most High God, I would put it like this: there is a strong and sometimes even extreme sense of aloneness and possibly abandonment that can at times define some aspects of a person's character, their attitudes, thoughts, feeling, beliefs and intentions.    This sense of aloneness and possibly feeling abandoned almost seems to operate on its own, like it has its own life force or something, working to mold the person's self-image, actions and reactions. Sometimes it may seem like the words someone speaks are misheard and interpreted very differently than what was being conveyed (which can lead to strong reactions). Decisions may be made based on feeling orphaned. This can also lead to rapid decisions and reactions, as in too quick and not thought out or prayed over. Ready, fire, aim sort of a thing.    We have a God who loves us and because of that love for us and because of our love for Jesus, we have an enemy, Satan. And I think our enemy works to get us feeling alone, abandoned, orphaned. The devil is in the details, isn't that the saying? And the devil also works in darkness and tries to push God's children into darkness as well. Operating in the darkness and pushing that orphan-like feeling on people is an attempt to manipulate people. And to keep the evil influence secret. Satan doesn't want us to know that he is harassing us; he would like us to wrongly believe that the problem lies within us. The father of lies, the devil, always lies to us because it is his native tongue (that's what Jesus said in John 8:44).    Some of the things our enemy often does is try to hide what's actually going on from the Lord's followers. He lies, he deceives, he manipulates. Now what if a person starts to counter the sense of aloneness with the truth from God's word? Does the devil ever try to push back on the truth? Yeah, he probably does.  So what are we to do? One thing I know for sure; Jesus died to give us freedom, and when we bump up against areas in our life where our freedom has been stolen or where we maybe have given our freedom away, we don't want to just give up. Pray and keep on praying, isn't that what Jesus taught His followers in Luke chapter 18? It can be so hard to keep on fighting the good fight of our faith in prayer sometimes. But I really want to encourage you to keep fighting. Keep praying. Keep your Bible open. Keep believing, even if it feels like it's hard to believe those promises. Pray and don't give up. Paul wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians - pray without ceasing. God won't lie to you, leave you or forsake you. And you are not an orphan.   When we read Galatians chapter five, we get this beautiful picture of freedom. Not just freedom like we celebrate on the Fourth of July here in America. But freedom in Christ, next level freedom, freedom that impacts our life here and now but carries over into all eternity. It's not a temporary freedom, there is no way that it can be taken from us (in spite of the fact that at times we may not feel free, our freedom in Jesus isn't something that ebbs and flows, that comes and goes - it is permanent and eternal and everlasting, while our feelings don't alway speak the truth).    From the J. B. Phillips translation, Galatians 5 verse 1 says this: Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery.   As I read that verse once more, imagine yourself being freed from literal shackles of slavery and then think about letting yourself be re-shackled and enslaved.    That is what we are told not to do. Plant your feet firmly with the freedom Christ won for you. Stay planted, rooted in Him. And don't move out of that place of being planted, don't move to a place where Satan has the chance to put those shackles back on your ankles. Keep your feet in the right place and don't let him get your feet moving off that place, the Rock which is Christ Jesus.    Freedom is what Jesus gave to you. He bought it for you. It's yours. That's an absolute iron-clad promise. Don't forget it!   If you ever feel like you're being pushed and pulled and prodded in a super stressful way, like you're just being driven and driven and driven, that could be the enemy harassing you. Why do I think that? Because that driven driven driven feeling is in direct opposition to the Galatians 5:1 freedom that Jesus secured for us. And the Lord sure isn't giving us the exact opposite of what He died to grant us. When you feel like you're being driven, pause and pray, pray that the promised freedom God clearly talks about in Galatians would be your immediate reality and that the liar the devil would be rendered ineffective in his harassment.  Satan loves to drive people. Jesus never drives people.  Satan wants everybody to live like they've been orphaned, but he doesn't want anyone to talk about it. But when we talk to the Lord about it, we bring it into the light and God's truth lands on it and that is really effective at keeping us free. Because the truth, said Jesus, will set you free. John 8:31-32.   Genesis 18:14 says this: Is anything too hard for the LORD? The Lord said these words to Abraham when Sarah laughed when He promised that she would have a son in about a year's time.  It's one thing to hear me pose the question, “Is anything too hard for God?” But it's quite another when the Lord speaks for Himself and asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” in direct response to one of His dearly loved children wondering whether or not He will keep His promise.   Is God maybe asking you today, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” How can you apply this verse to your situation? What's your answer to His question?    We have some weapons in our spiritual arsenal.  Weapons like prayer, like fasting, like choosing belief and refusing doubt, the weapon of worship, and of course the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).   Luke 24:13-35 tells us that Jesus walks with us and comforts us when we are traveling on a difficult path in this life. That indicates that He never wants us to feel abandoned or orphaned on those hard roads. He wants us to know that He is walking alongside us.    In John 16:24, Jesus described the Holy Spirit as our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener and Standby (Amplified).  This verse reminds us to ask and keep on asking in order that we might receive and have our joy be complete. Pray things through to their very final end. Please don't give up on praying! Never stop praying! And keep believing every single promise God gives you in the Bible.    He loves you with great tenderness and he wants you to have a rich, full, joyous life as His child. Secure, at peace, resting in His love and care. Not a trouble free life - that's not possible in this world, and Jesus Himself said that in this world we will have trouble, but to take heart, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33).    1 Peter 1:4 says that we have been born into an inheritance that is beyond the reach of change. Orphans don't have an inheritance and they live in constant fear of change. Satan is so lying when he tells us differently than this verse promises!   And 1 Peter 2:9-10 is proof of our non-orphaned status. 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[g] a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10  “Once you had no identity as a people;     now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy;     now you have received God's mercy.”[h] We are chosen, consecrated, set apart, a special people for God's own possession, called out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Once we were not a people, but that time in our lives is over and done with.    I'm going to list off a few more verses you are welcome to read for yourself if you'd like. The truths in these verses are promises that can cement in your heart and mind how the Lord really, truly feels about you.   Psalm 17:8 Isaiah 43:4 Psalm 147:3 Psalm 18, verses 2, 18 & 19, 28, 32, 35 & 36   And the entire twelfth chapter of Romans. That's an excellent piece of the Bible to read!   Freedom comes at a cost. But Jesus paid the price in full. And he or she who has been set free by the Son is free indeed. John 8:36   My prayer for you today is that the Lord will move by the power of His Holy Spirit to fully set you free, to bless you, guide you, speak to you so loudly that you know for certain He is right here with you. Delivering you from the enemy's evil attacks, bringing total healing and freedom and restoration and redemption into your life. That's a prayer I believe He will absolutely answer. Thanks for listening to this episode, and I'll share a link to my devotional about God's promises which is available on Amazon if that's something you'd like to check out. The Power of God's Will: 40 Days of God's Promises Devotional: Burt, Jan L.: 9798573528939: Amazon.com: Books   Keep expecting God to keep all His promises. He's got those hard situations, and He's holding you safe and secure in the palm of His hands today. How could He ever forget you when He has engraved you on the palms of His hands?    Thanks for joining me for this episode of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, getting the promises of God into the people of God, right where they belong.   I'll see ya next time. Bye bye. 

Message for 02/23/2025 "The Joy of Others" by Justin McTeer. *All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted* Philippians 1:4 - Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, Philippians 1:18b - the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. Philippians 2:17-18 - But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Philippians 3:1 - Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. Acts 16:13-15 - On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. Acts 16:16-18 - One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. Acts 16:25-28 - Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!” Philippians 1:1-8 - This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-4 - Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy Philippians 2:3-4 - Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. John 17:1-26 - After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. 6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. 9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. 13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do.17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! 25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” Matthew 22:34-40 - But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

The purpose of this Sermon is to show the dangers of pride and help you see that God is the Most High God whom gets all the glory.

The purpose of this Sermon is to show the dangers of pride and help you see that God is the Most High God whom gets all the glory.

4 King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. 13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.' 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” Daniel Interprets the Second Dream19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,' 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. Nebuchadnezzar Restored34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Da 4:1–37.

Acts 16:16-1916 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.  

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMark 5Three miracles of Jesus are documented in this chapter. Each is given significant detail. The first is Jesus casting demons out of a man and into a herd of swine. The man is in torment and the demons are many, but they are subject to the authority of Christ. They even ask permission from Jesus to be cast into the pigs. The second miracle is with a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. Amid a massive crowd, she pushes through and touches His coat and is immediately healed. Jesus praises her faith. The final miracle is raising a synagogue official's daughter from the dead! Jesus tells the man, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” Peter, James, and John are allowed to witness this incredible miracle! Each of these stories tells us something about Jesus' authority. Casting out the demons shows that Jesus controls all the spiritual realms. The demons knew He was “the Son of the Most High God,” and they were powerless against Him. The woman's healing demonstrates Jesus' power over the human body, as He heals her in an instant. The raising of Jairus's daughter proves Jesus can bring life after death. All of this is designed to increase our faith. He controls the demons and casts them away from us. He can heal and protect and help us and our bodies. And not even death can separate us from the power of Jesus, who commands our souls to come and go wherever He chooses.  Great God of glory, we believe in the authority and power of Your Son Jesus Christ. We believe He controls the spiritual world beyond our sight. We know He has power over our bodies and lives. And we live with the assurance that He has the keys to death and hades and will give us life again after physical death. He has proven His ability in the miracles of His ministry and His resurrection from the dead. Please empower us to remember and share these eternal truths. Help us to surrender our lives to His authority.   Thought Questions: -       The man with the demon needed Jesus. You may be overcome by struggles you cannot bear alone. How should you approach Jesus about those?  -       The woman was desperate when she reached for Jesus' cloak. Have you ever felt like that? And what does it look like to reach out for Him? -       The people laughed when Jesus said He would raise the girl. Do you believe Jesus will raise you? How does that affect your daily life? 

After Jesus exercised His authority over the tumult of the wind and the waves of the sea (Mk 4:34–41), He then further shows His authority over the tumult of a man's life riddled with demonic oppression. The case of Christ's identity and authority is proven as “The Son of the Most High God” as He saves a man and commissions him against all odds to a life of gospel ministry.

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. The Fiery Furnace8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Da 3:1–30.

A @Christadelphians Video: SummaryThis presentation explores the biblical figure of Melchizedek, who appears suddenly in Genesis 14 and is later referenced in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Hebrews. The presenter discusses the significance of Melchizedek's role as a priest of the Most High God and how he is connected to the Lord Jesus Christ and the process of reconciliation between God and humanity.Highlights

Pastor Alan R. Knapp discusses the topic of "THE Most High God IS THE Son of God!" in his series entitled "THE Most High God and Universal Priesthood of Jesus" This is Excursion 2 and it focuses on the following verses: Hebrews 7:1

Welcome to Faith in the Morning! God wants you to thrive in 2025. Being able to hear from God is a key element to you being able to thrive this year. He leads us all in our hearts. Where He is leading you is the safest place you can be: the secret place of the Most High God. Stream today's podcast to learn more and start your day with faith and encouragement.Get Your Head Back In The Game: https://www.youtube.com/live/yzasegPB5ZY?feature=shared&t=7546The Hero's Journey: https://rumble.com/c/c-7386346----Faith in the Morning AffirmationI am the salt of the earth. I am the light of this world. Jesus said it so I believe it. I am a carrier of the Glory of God. Today, I will experience the extreme goodness of God. Today, I make myself available for God to show His goodness to others through me. Today, I am increasing in influence. Today, I will see the goodness of God in my life! Today, something good is going to happen to me so I expect miracles.Follow Pastor Kerrick's Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kerrickbutler.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Faith in the Morning Newsletter:https://www.kerrickbutler.com/subscribe

In my podcast episode titled “Position Yourself on a Path of Peace,” I explored the profound reasons individuals might strive to find their rightful place in life where there is peace. Positioning oneself is not merely about physical location; it's about aligning your spirit and intentions with the divine guidance of God. When we anchor our focus on Him, we open ourselves to a world of possibilities, allowing His will to unfold. The problem lies when we enter a spiritual battle, and there is an offering of divine intervention; we accept it, and then we become unappreciative, citing it is not enough or that we don't like what was given. What does that say to the Most High God? Should you be helped again?   With our gaze fixed on God, our journey often leads us toward three essential virtues: humility, gratitude, and peace. Humility involves recognizing our limitations and acknowledging that we are part of a greater plan that transcends our desires. Meanwhile, cultivating an attitude of appreciation which enables us to recognize the myriad of ways in which divine assistance manifests in our lives, from seemingly small moments of inspiration to significant interventions that steer us back on course. And then there is peace, which God gives us even in the storm.   It is crucial to understand that without God's help, true peace remains elusive. Our lives can easily spiral out of alignment when we allow our flesh—our ego and base desires—to take the lead. We can easily end our own lives when we are unappreciative of the helping hand. By surrendering to God's guidance and focusing on His purpose for us, we can navigate life's challenges with grace, appreciating His divine intervention and ensuring we remain on a steady path toward lasting peace and fulfillment.   Sign up for a session. You will not regret it. http://seriouslyfocusedjohnnie.com/ ✓Store: https://teespring.com/stores/seriously-focused-johnnie ✓Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.f.johnnie/ ✓YouTube  Seriously Focused Johnnie   ✓For suggested topics, put in the subject box “Topic…,” and the email address is  sfj.peace@gmail.com   ✓My intended goal is to educate and bring people closer to God. With that said, please support by donating. PayPal info. : paypal.me/sfj523  PayPal Link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sfj523    

Pastor Alan R. Knapp discusses the topic of "THE ENLARGED HEART OF JESUS!" in his series entitled "THE Most High God and Universal Priesthood of Jesus" This is Excursion 1 and it focuses on the following verses: Hebrews 7:1

Have a comment? Text us!The Bible tells us not to take the Lord's name in vain, but what does that mean exactly? What is the Lord's name and what does it mean to take His name in vain?Listen as our host dives deep into scripture, to answer the question, and provide an answer that may surprise you. We will walk you through history, culture and most importantly, God's Word."And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” (Exodus 3:14 NKJV)God is the great I AM. His name is to be both feared and revered. The name of the Most High God is to be treated with respect above any other name.Podcast Host: Todd Uebele==========Coffee With Jesus Website: https://coffeewithjesus.info/Coffee With Jesus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cwj2011/Coffee With Jesus YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsQBybBdPxlSxvmWYfcMzQCoffee With Jesus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/CoffeeWithJesus

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - Mark 5:1-20 - Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met Him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before Him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He  replied, “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with Him, “Send us into the swine.  Let us enter them.” And He let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg Him to leave their district. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with Him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in His pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. Memorial of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr Memorial of Saint Ansgar, Bishop Saints Blaise and Ansgar, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Gospel Mark 5:1-20 Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. Reflection The most fascinating thing about this passage is the dialog between Evil, Legion and Jesus Divinity incarnate. What you see is a subtle thing. It is the fact that this man who is filled with the Legion's power is being tormented and he's no longer able even to be contained because of his violence. And yet we see in Jesus not a desire to destroy or be violent against evil, because the image of Legion bowing before Jesus, says please don't torment me. And Jesus, in a sense, is not interested in tormenting evil. He's interested in giving people the hope and the promise that he will keep them free of evil. He's not a destructive God. He's a healing, transforming God. Closing Prayer Father, we are shown in this passage a way of dealing with evil that is manifested in people around us. It is not that we need to destroy the person, but we need to pray to free them from the power of evil. Jesus knows that evil is part of our story. We're going to be dealing with it over and over again. But we cannot become like evil and want to destroy. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode NotesFor Daily Prayers and more become a Member on PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com  Opening Words:I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.Isaiah 49:6b Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Psalm 95:1-7The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 56Have mercy on me, O God,for my enemies are hounding me; *all day long they assault and oppress me.They hound me all the day long; *truly there are many who fight against me, O Most High.Whenever I am afraid, *I will put my trust in you.In God, whose word I praise,in God I trust and will not be afraid, *for what can flesh do to me?All day long they damage my cause; *their only thought is to do me evil.They band together; they lie in wait; *they spy upon my footsteps;because they seek my life.Shall they escape despite their wickedness? *O God, in your anger, cast down the peoples.You have noted my lamentation;put my tears into your bottle; *are they not recorded in your book?Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; *this I know, for God is on my side.In God the Lord, whose word I praise,in God I trust and will not be afraid, *for what can mortals do to me?I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; *I will present to you thank-offerings;For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, *that I may walk before God in the light of the living. Psalm 57Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,for I have taken refuge in you; *in the shadow of your wings will I take refugeuntil this time of trouble has gone by.I will call upon the Most High God, *the God who maintains my cause.He will send from heaven and save me;he will confound those who trample upon me; *God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.I lie in the midst of lions that devour the people; *their teeth are spears and arrows,their tongue a sharp sword.They have laid a net for my feet,and I am bowed low; *they have dug a pit before me,but have fallen into it themselves.Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *and your glory over all the earth.My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *I will sing and make melody.Wake up, my spirit;awake, lute and harp; *I myself will waken the dawn.I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; *I will sing praise to you among the nations.For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *and your glory over all the earth. Psalm 58Do you indeed decree righteousness, you rulers? *do you judge the peoples with equity?No; you devise evil in your hearts, *and your hands deal out violence in the land.The wicked are perverse from the womb; *liars go astray from their birth.They are as venomous as a serpent, *they are like the deaf adder which stops its ears,Which does not heed the voice of the charmer, *no matter how skillful his charming.O God, break their teeth in their mouths; *pull the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.Let them vanish like water that runs off; *let them wither like trodden grass.Let them be like the snail that melts away, *like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.Before they bear fruit, let them be cut down like a brier; *like thorns and thistles let them be swept away.The righteous will be glad when they see the vengeance; *they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.And they will say,“Surely, there is a reward for the righteous; *surely, there is a God who rules in the earth.” Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 51:17-23Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl of staggering. There is no one to guide her among all the children she has borne; there is no one to take her by the hand among all the children she has brought up. These two things have befallen you-- who will grieve with you?-- devastation and destruction, famine and sword-- who will comfort you? Your children have fainted, they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the Lord, the rebuke of your God. Therefore hear this, you who are wounded, who are drunk, but not with wine: Thus says your Sovereign, the Lord, your God who pleads the cause of his people: See, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; you shall drink no more from the bowl of my wrath. And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, "Bow down, that we may walk on you" and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to walk on.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you; You are the Lord: we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Gal. 4:1-11My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted.The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Mark 7:24-37From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go-- the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages BV. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;R. Govern and uphold them, now and always.V. Day by day we bless you;R. We praise your name for ever.V. Lord, keep us from all sin today;R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;R. For we put our trust in you.V. In you, Lord, is our hope;R. And we shall never hope in vain. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God!The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea,to the territory of the Gerasenes.When he got out of the boat,at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.The man had been dwelling among the tombs,and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains,but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed,and no one was strong enough to subdue him.Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsideshe was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,he ran up and prostrated himself before him,crying out in a loud voice,“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”(He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)He asked him, “What is your name?”He  replied, “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.”And he pleaded earnestly with himnot to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.And they pleaded with him,“Send us into the swine.  Let us enter them.”And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea,where they were drowned.The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the townand throughout the countryside.And people came out to see what had happened.As they approached Jesus,they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,sitting there clothed and in his right mind.And they were seized with fear.Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happenedto the possessed man and to the swine.Then they began to beg him to leave their district.As he was getting into the boat,the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,“Go home to your family and announce to themall that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapoliswhat Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

Read Online“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He  replied, “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.” Mark 5:7–9To most people, such an encounter would be terrifying. This man whose words are recorded above was possessed by a multitude of demons. He lived on the hillsides among various caves by the sea, and no one wanted to go near him. He was a violent man, crying out day and night, and all the townspeople were fearful of him. But when this man saw Jesus at a distance, something amazing happened. Instead of Jesus being terrified of the man, the multitude of demons possessing the man became terrified of Jesus. Jesus then commanded the many demons to leave the man and enter a herd of about two thousand swine instead. The swine immediately ran down the hill into the sea and drowned. The possessed man returned to normal, becoming clothed and in his right mind. All who saw him were amazed.Clearly, this brief summary of the story does not adequately explain the terror, trauma, confusion, suffering, etc., that this man endured during the years of his diabolical possession. And it does not adequately explain the grave suffering of this man's family and friends, as well as the disorder caused to the local townspeople as a result of his possession. Thus, to better understand this story, it is useful to contrast the before-and-after experience of all involved. It was very difficult for everyone to comprehend how this man could go from being possessed and out of his mind to calm and rational. For that reason, Jesus told the man to “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Imagine the mix of joy, confusion and disbelief that his family would have experienced. If Jesus could transform the life of this man who was completely possessed by a Legion of demons, then no one is ever without hope. Too often, especially within our families and among old friends, there are those whom we have written off as irredeemable. There are those who have gone so far astray that they seem hopeless. But one thing this story tells us is that hope is never lost for anyone—not even those completely possessed by a multitude of demons.Reflect, today, upon anyone in your life whom you have written off. Perhaps they have hurt you over and over. Or perhaps they have chosen a life of grave sin. Look at that person in the light of this Gospel and know that there is always hope. Be open to God acting through you in a profound and powerful way so that even the most seemingly irredeemable person you know will be given hope through you.My most powerful Lord, I offer to You, this day, the person whom I call to mind who is most in need of Your redeeming grace. May I never lose hope in Your ability to transform their life, to forgive their sins and to bring them back to You. Use me, dear Lord, to be an instrument of Your mercy, so that they will come to know You and experience the freedom You so deeply desire that they receive. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Image: Giotto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We can find rest in the shadow of the Most High God. Keywords: Refuge; Protection; faith; relationship; promise; walking with God.Scripture: Psalm 91:1

When Souljah's sit at the table the conversation is different. There is a feast of messages from the Most High God filled with the Promise's from His Word as you hear iron sharpening iron with the power of the Sword.  Join the The Rev and Lady Shannon at the table on the Chatting With The Whitney's podcast. B4LM Theme Song written, Produced, and Performed by: Nineside/International Nine@https://linktr.ee/Nineside Books by The Rev & Lady Shannon Brave Scars - https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Scars-Min-Shannon-Whitney-ebook/dp/B083D95P8Q Love and Marriage 1 - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Marriage-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B0837YN34W Love and Marriage 2 - https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-MARRIAGE-Make-Last-Forever-ebook/dp/B083D7TBHT It Ain't Over Til It's Over - 3 It Ain't Over Til It's Over: Love & Marriage Make It Last Forever III: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359755399: Amazon.com: Books You Are What You Think! Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People (Volume 1 & 2) YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People: Volume I: Whitney, Reverend D.A. and Lady Shannon: 9798359754989: Amazon.com: Books YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Peculiar Thoughts for Peculiar People Volume II: Whitney, D.A. (The Rev) and Lady Shannon: 9798359755801: Amazon.com: Books Email: blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com NOTE: We do not own the rights to the great music you hear on the show. However, we hope you love it as much as we do!  Hey Now and thanks for checking us out!  We pray we do not say anything that will cause you to stumble; but only those things that will draw you closer to The Most High God.  That said, we are inspirational and motivational while maintaining authenticity as we keep it practical and simple; yet real.  We don't own the music rights to the music we play but we hope you love it as much we do!  Follow us on social media @ blessed4lifeministries on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest!  Connect with us via email for B4LM merchandise, for links to our books on Amazon, to request pastoral services from The Rev, or to just keep in touch at  blessed4lifeministries@gmail.com

Pastor Jason emphasizes the importance of humility in receiving God's blessings, illustrated through the relationship between Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel's willingness to serve and speak truthfully exemplifies how humility leads to transformation and blessing, even for those in power. The message highlights that God's discipline is rooted in love, urging believers to embrace humility and seek repentance to experience His mercy. Ultimately, true blessing comes from recognizing the Most High God and submitting to His will.

KIB 467 – Controlling of the Masses and the America's Occult Holidays Kingdom Intelligence Briefing   YouTube Video Description: Welcome to Kingdom Intelligence Briefing! In this powerful episode (#467), Dr. Michael Lake and Mary Lou discuss the spiritual and practical challenges faced by the remnant of the Most High God in these prophetic times. Gain insight into the ongoing spiritual warfare, the importance of stepping out of Babylon's systems, and preparing for God's end-time revival. From spiritual preparedness to global events, this episode will encourage and equip you to stand firm as part of the resistance against Mystery Babylon.

Istrouma en Español Jan 19 – 21, 2025 ========== 19 de Enero, 2025 Dios camina contigo en el fuego Daniel 3 ========== ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭30‬‬ El rey Nabucodonosor hizo una estatua de oro cuya altura era de sesenta codos, y su anchura de seis codos; la levantó en el campo de Dura, en la provincia de Babilonia. Y envió el rey Nabucodonosor a que se reuniesen los sátrapas, los magistrados y capitanes, oidores, tesoreros, consejeros, jueces, y todos los gobernadores de las provincias, para que viniesen a la dedicación de la estatua que el rey Nabucodonosor había levantado. Fueron, pues, reunidos los sátrapas, magistrados, capitanes, oidores, tesoreros, consejeros, jueces, y todos los gobernadores de las provincias, a la dedicación de la estatua que el rey Nabucodonosor había levantado; y estaban en pie delante de la estatua que había levantado el rey Nabucodonosor. Y el pregonero anunciaba en alta voz: Mándase a vosotros, oh pueblos, naciones y lenguas, que al oír el son de la bocina, de la flauta, del tamboril, del arpa, del salterio, de la zampoña y de todo instrumento de música, os postréis y adoréis la estatua de oro que el rey Nabucodonosor ha levantado; y cualquiera que no se postre y adore, inmediatamente será echado dentro de un horno de fuego ardiendo. Por lo cual, al oír todos los pueblos el son de la bocina, de la flauta, del tamboril, del arpa, del salterio, de la zampoña y de todo instrumento de música, todos los pueblos, naciones y lenguas se postraron y adoraron la estatua de oro que el rey Nabucodonosor había levantado. Por esto en aquel tiempo algunos varones caldeos vinieron y acusaron maliciosamente a los judíos. Hablaron y dijeron al rey Nabucodonosor: Rey, para siempre vive. Tú, oh rey, has dado una ley que todo hombre, al oír el son de la bocina, de la flauta, del tamboril, del arpa, del salterio, de la zampoña y de todo instrumento de música, se postre y adore la estatua de oro; y el que no se postre y adore, sea echado dentro de un horno de fuego ardiendo. Hay unos varones judíos, los cuales pusiste sobre los negocios de la provincia de Babilonia: Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego; estos varones, oh rey, no te han respetado; no adoran tus dioses, ni adoran la estatua de oro que has levantado. Entonces Nabucodonosor dijo con ira y con enojo que le trajesen a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego. Al instante fueron traídos estos varones delante del rey. Habló Nabucodonosor y les dijo: ¿Es verdad, Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, que vosotros no honráis a mi dios, ni adoráis la estatua de oro que he levantado? Ahora, pues, ¿estáis dispuestos para que al oír el son de la bocina, de la flauta, del tamboril, del arpa, del salterio, de la zampoña y de todo instrumento de música, os postréis y adoréis la estatua que he hecho? Porque si no la adorareis, en la misma hora seréis echados en medio de un horno de fuego ardiendo; ¿y qué dios será aquel que os libre de mis manos? Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego respondieron al rey Nabucodonosor, diciendo: No es necesario que te respondamos sobre este asunto. He aquí nuestro Dios a quien servimos puede librarnos del horno de fuego ardiendo; y de tu mano, oh rey, nos librará. Y si no, sepas, oh rey, que no serviremos a tus dioses, ni tampoco adoraremos la estatua que has levantado. Entonces Nabucodonosor se llenó de ira, y se demudó el aspecto de su rostro contra Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, y ordenó que el horno se calentase siete veces más de lo acostumbrado. Y mandó a hombres muy vigorosos que tenía en su ejército, que atasen a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, para echarlos en el horno de fuego ardiendo. Entonces estos varones fueron atados con sus mantos, sus calzas, sus turbantes y sus vestidos, y fueron echados dentro del horno de fuego ardiendo. Y como la orden del rey era apremiante, y lo habían calentado mucho, la llama del fuego mató a aquellos que habían alzado a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego. Y estos tres varones, Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, cayeron atados dentro del horno de fuego ardiendo. Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor se espantó, y se levantó apresuradamente y dijo a los de su consejo: ¿No echaron a tres varones atados dentro del fuego? Ellos respondieron al rey: Es verdad, oh rey. Y él dijo: He aquí yo veo cuatro varones sueltos, que se pasean en medio del fuego sin sufrir ningún daño; y el aspecto del cuarto es semejante a hijo de los dioses. Entonces Nabucodonosor se acercó a la puerta del horno de fuego ardiendo, y dijo: Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, siervos del Dios Altísimo, salid y venid. Entonces Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego salieron de en medio del fuego. Y se juntaron los sátrapas, los gobernadores, los capitanes y los consejeros del rey, para mirar a estos varones, cómo el fuego no había tenido poder alguno sobre sus cuerpos, ni aun el cabello de sus cabezas se había quemado; sus ropas estaban intactas, y ni siquiera olor de fuego tenían. Entonces Nabucodonosor dijo: Bendito sea el Dios de ellos, de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, que envió su ángel y libró a sus siervos que confiaron en él, y que no cumplieron el edicto del rey, y entregaron sus cuerpos antes que servir y adorar a otro dios que su Dios. Por lo tanto, decreto que todo pueblo, nación o lengua que dijere blasfemia contra el Dios de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, sea descuartizado, y su casa convertida en muladar; por cuanto no hay dios que pueda librar como este. Entonces el rey engrandeció a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego en la provincia de Babilonia. 1. El Poder que oprime. (Daniel 3:1-7) 2. El Pacto que sostiene. (Daniel 3:16-18) 3. El Protector que salva. (Daniel 3:24-25) ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭30‬‬ King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. 1. The Power that oppresses. (Daniel 3:1-7) 2. The Covenant that Sustains.(Daniel 3:16-18) 3. The Protector who saves. (Daniel 3:24-25) [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/117574509-1705700493680.jpg [Image] https://imageproxy.youversionapi.com/640x640/https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mushroom-event-images-prod/117574509-1697561260831.jpg Regístrate ¡Si es la primera vez que asistes te invitamos a que te registres utilizando el siguiente link! https://istrouma.org/nuevo Nuestro Facebook Link de nuestro facebook donde nuestros servicios estarán en vivo ¡Acompáñanos! https://www.facebook.com/IBCespanol/ Visita nuestra pagina oficial: ¡Te esperamos! https://istrouma.org/espanol

Istrouma Baptist Church (ASC) Jan 19, 2025 ========== January 19 - Daniel Welcome! We're glad you've joined us today for our Sunday morning worship service! For more information about Istrouma, go to istrouma.org or contact us at info@istrouma.org. We glorify God by making disciples of all nations. ========== Connection Card https://istrouma.org/myinfo Be Convicted & Be Courageous Daniel 3:1-6 ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭30‬‬ King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. 1. Forced idolatry 2. Scheming snitches 3. Convicted and courageous saints

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mk 5:1-20 - Jesus and His disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met Him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before Him, crying out in a loud voice, "What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me!" (He had been saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of the man!") He asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "Legion is my name. There are many of us." And he pleaded earnestly with Him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with Him, "Send us into the swine. Let us enter them." And He let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg Him to leave their district. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with Him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, "Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. Bishop Sheen quote of the day Father Charles Murr joins Terry to discuss the truths that bring people into the Church and how to remain in the Church despite the scandals within the Church today

Read OnlineZechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free…” Luke 1:67–68Our story of the birth of Saint John the Baptist concludes today with the song of praise spoken by Zechariah after his tongue had been loosened on account of his transformation in faith. He had moved from doubting what the Archangel Gabriel had spoken to him to believing and following the command of the Archangel to name his firstborn son “John.” As we saw in yesterday's reflection, Zechariah is a model and example for those who have lacked faith, have suffered the consequences of their lack of faith, and have changed as a result.Today, we see an even fuller illustration of what happens when we change. No matter how deeply we have doubted in the past, no matter how far we have turned from God, when we turn back to Him with all our heart, we can hope to experience the same thing experienced by Zechariah. First, we see that Zechariah is “filled with the Holy Spirit.” And as a result of this gift of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah “prophesied.” These two revelations are very significant.As we prepare for the celebration of the Birth of Christ tomorrow on Christmas Day, we are also called to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” so that we also can act as a prophetic messenger of the Lord. Though Christmas is all about the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Holy Spirit (the Third Person of the Holy Trinity) plays just as much of a significant role in the glorious event, both at that time and also today. Recall that it was by the Holy Spirit Who overshadowed Mother Mary that she conceived the Christ Child. In today's Gospel, it was the Holy Spirit Who enabled Zechariah to proclaim the greatness of God's act of sending John the Baptist ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Him. Today, it must be the Holy Spirit Who fills our lives so as to enable us to proclaim the Christmas Truth.In our day and age, Christmas has become very secular in many parts of the world. Few people take time on Christmas to truly pray and worship God for all that He has done. Few people continually proclaim that glorious message of the Incarnation to family and friends during this most solemn celebration. How about you? Are you able to be a true “prophet” of the Most High God this Christmas? Has the Holy Spirit overshadowed you and filled you with the grace needed to point others to this glorious reason for our celebration?Reflect, today, upon the role of the Holy Spirit in your life this day. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, inspire you, and strengthen you, and to give to you the wisdom you need to be a mouthpiece of the glorious gift of the birth of the Savior of the World this Christmas. No other gift could be more important to give to others than this message of truth and love.Holy Spirit, I give You my life and invite You to come to me, to overshadow me and to fill me with Your divine presence. As You fill me, give me the wisdom I need to speak of Your greatness and to be an instrument through which others are drawn into the glorious celebration of the birth of the Savior of the World. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me, consume me and use me for Your glory.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel!, via flickr