Podcasts about my lord

Having betrayed Christ, the disciples lock themselves in a room out of fear of what their future holds. Jesus appears. Looking for revenge? No. He gives them the greatest gift: peace. Lars Olson explains that the peace Christ delivers is having no fear, worry, or anxiety about what is to come in the future. It is knowing that your past no longer determines what comes next for you. Jesus gives his authority to forgive sin. To deliver peace. See how that plays out with Thomas, and us today. EASTER SEASON GUIDE“Easter is not the end of the story. It's the beginning. Not the conclusion to a tragic season, but the breaking in of a new creation. Not a soft spring metaphor for fresh starts, but the announcement of a concrete, crucified, risen Christ alive for us and coming straight into our locked rooms.” Those are Pastor Mark Anderson's words describing the 7-week Season of Easter. Luther House of Study just released a week-by-week Easter Season planning guide that features planning outlines, Greek word details, sermon angles, liturgies, and hymn suggestions. Access the guide at the link in the show notes. Access the guide: https://lutherhouseofstudy.org/liturgical-year-planning-guides/ SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

Easter // The Resurrected LifePastor JF and Ashley Wilkerson1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.2 Corinthians 5:15-17 NIV 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!1. Resurrection Life Doesn't Always Look like Our Plans.Mark 14:50 NIV 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.Matthew 20:25-28 NIV 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Resurrection Life Doesn't Always Look Like Our Plans.Resurrection Life Doesn't Look For The Living Among The Dead.Luke 24:1-6 NIV 1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen!1. Resurrection Life Doesn't Always Look Like Our Plans.2. Resurrection Life Doesn't  Look For The Living Among The Dead.3. Resurrection Life Uses Our Scars.John 20:24-28 NASB 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”1. Resurrection Life Doesn't Always Look Like Our Plans.2. Resurrection Life Doesn't  Look For The Living Among The Dead.3. Resurrection Life Uses Our Scars.

1. Mary was stuck in heartbreak John 20:11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb (NIV) John 20:13–17 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ (NIV) Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV) 2. Peter was stuck in failure 3. Thomas was stuck in doubt John 20:27–28 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (NIV)

In this Easter Sunday message, Eric explores the most powerful sign in John's Gospel—the resurrection of Jesus. From Mary Magdalene's tearful encounter at the empty tomb to Thomas's declaration of faith, “My Lord and my God,” this sermon walks through the eyewitness moments that changed history. Eric tackles the honest doubts many have about the resurrection, asking: Did it really happen? With thoughtful evidence and personal stories, he makes the case for a living Savior who conquered death. This isn't blind faith—it's belief rooted in history, testimony, and transformation. If you've ever wondered whether it's all real, this message is for you.

Have you ever experienced tenacious, relentless love? Mary Magdalene loved Jesus a lot. People who are forgiven much love greatly. The first to see Jesus after the resurrection, she held on to Jesus like her life depended on him. Imagine being loved that much. Ponder a love that will never let us go. What if Someone loves you like that? Message based on John 20:1-2, 11-18.Quotes: Duane Brooks: There is something about Mary Magdalene; When you lose something you go back to the place you last saw it. Duane Brooks: Mary loved a lot. Her love would not let Jesus go.Charles Spurgeon: In thinking over this subject, I have come to the conclusion that Mary Magdalene was selected to see Christ first because she loved him most. John loved Jesus much, but Mary loved him more.  John looked into the empty sepulchre, and then went away home; but Mary stood there, and wept, until her risen Lord appeared to her. Love, you know, is a keen-eyed grace. Love will look for Jesus, and discover him where none else can. Mary stayed right there.Eugene Peterson: Following Jesus doesn't get us where we want to go. It gets us to where Jesus goes, where we meet him in Resurrection surprise, “My Lord and my God.” Those who expect Easter, experience Easter. Peter Larson:  Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked "No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."G. K. Chesteron: On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away. In varying ways they realized the new wonder; but even they hardly realized that the world had died in the night. What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening but the dawn.Herman Bavinck: The image of God is much too rich for it to be fully realized in a single human being, however richly gifted that human being may be. It can only be somewhat unfolded in its depth and riches in a humanity counting billions of members. George MacDonald:  Troubled soul, thou art not bound to feel, but thou art bound to arise. God loves thee whether thou feelest it or not. Duane Brooks: God's grip won't slip! Who is holding on to you?  The Risen Lord of Life is holding on to us to give us life. Because he is holding us, we may release all of our fears.Duane Brooks: Christ is risen truly, indeed, he is risen. And because Christ lives, we can face tomorrow. #easter #community #faith #resurrection #connectionTo discover more messages of hope go to tallowood.org/sermons/.Follow us on Instagram, X, and YouTube @tallowoodbc.Follow us on FaceBook @tallowoodbaptist

2025-04-20 Things Jesus Saidby Pastor Chris BergScripture Reference: John 20:11-2920 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22 And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained.”24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”26 Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” 28 Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The whole resurrection of Jesus thing – can be a bit hard to swallow. I mean – did it really happen? And if it did, what does it mean for us here and now?   A Crazy Morning Let me paint you a picture. Just the other day, someone you love has passed away. You really admired and trusted this person. I mean, you'd seen them in operation and now they're gone. It's a shock. It shouldn't have happened. They were so young and so full of potential and promise; they had a future. And now that person's gone. It takes some time to come to grips with that sort of a loss. The shock, the sadness, even anger – we go through all sorts of different stages in that grieving process. You wake up with that dull headache in your head … what's it about? And then you remember your loss. But the phone rings and it's another friend and they're ranting and they're raving that this person who was dead, they're saying, "He's alive! He's alive! I've seen him!" Hang on a minute, what sort of a crackpot is this. What's going on? Is this some sick joke? But your friend's adamant. "He's alive!" Now what? How do you react to that? I mean, it's an incredible claim, an incredulous claim. Mad. You saw him die with your own eyes – arrested, crucified, buried and defiantly very, very dead. You know, in one sense it's almost easy to believe if you read it in the Bible. You know, it's something that happened a couple of thousand years ago to Jesus, I mean, long enough ago to make it safe. You know what I mean. Sure God could do anything, God could do that way back then, it was 2000 years ago. The question is, if you believe that Jesus rose from the dead again lets just transpose that into today, here and now. You get a phone call tomorrow morning, ‘Jesus is alive!' You saw him die … he's alive. Today we're going to put ourselves back in the shoes of the Disciples right there in that place in Jerusalem. This is the second message in a series of four that I've called, “The Price He Paid for You”. And it's about that part of the Easter story that involves the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What was that about? Did it happen, and if it did, what does it mean to you and me, here and now? Now, if we put ourselves back in the shoes of those Disciples, right there in that Jerusalem 2000 years ago with the Jesus they knew, all of a sudden it gets a whole lot harder to believe. It was a bit like that for Mary Magdalene: She went down to the tomb to embalm the body of Jesus and Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept she bent over to look inside the tomb and she saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been – one at the head and the other at the foot. And they asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?' ‘They've taken Jesus, my Lord away,' she said, ‘and I don't know where they've put him'. At this she turned around and she saw Jesus standing there, but she didn't realise it was Him. ‘Woman,' He said, ‘why are you crying? What are you looking for?' Thinking that He was the gardener she says, ‘Sir, if you've carried Him away, tell me where you've put Him and I'll go and get Him.' And Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.' And she turned towards Him and cried out in Aramaic ‘Rabonni' which means ‘teacher'. Jesus said, ‘Don't hold onto me as I haven't yet returned to the Father, go instead to my brothers, the Disciples and tell them I'm returning to my Father and your Father and to my God and to your God.' And Mary Magdalene went to the Disciples with the news. ‘I've seen the Lord,' she told them.” He had said these things to her. See it wasn't only Mary. I mean, I love the fact that even though Jesus had told them time and time and time again He would rise from the dead, she looked at Jesus and it's so incredible to think that He could possibly be alive, she mistakes Him for the gardener. Do you know the joke in that? The Son of God has risen from the grave and Mary, I mean the humour here is just something else, Mary looks at Him and thinks he's the gardener – the guy that mows the lawns and weeds the garden and does the edges. But she wasn't the only one: After that Thomas, sometime they call him doubting Thomas now Thomas was one of the Twelve and he wasn't with the Disciples first came to them after He'd risen from the dead, and so the other Disciples said to him, ‘Thomas, we've seen the Lord, He's alive'. But Thomas said, ‘Come on, unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my fingers where the nails were and put my hand into His side where they pierced Him, I am not going to believe this rubbish.' Now work that out. Jesus' Disciples were in a house together and this time Thomas was with them, and though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, ‘Peace be with you, Shalom.' And then He said to Thomas, ‘Tom, come on, put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and start believing.' And Thomas just said, ‘My Lord and My God.' Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me you believe and are blessed. But blessed are those who have not yet seen but they believe'. Now I don't know but I think I'm with Thomas. This is hard to believe when you're close to it. What do you believe? Maybe it's an uncomfortable question. Maybe it's easy to consign this resurrection of Jesus thing back into the past. Kind of like a fable that we give some moderate level of intellectual assent to; a kind of vague, half-believing insurance policy thing. But the Apostle Paul takes it very seriously. In Romans Chapter 10 verse 9 he says: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead then you'll be saved. 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 verse 17: If Christ has not been raised than your faith is futile. So for Paul the resurrection wasn't some optional extra; it wasn't some kind of distant myth; not something we can just kind of half believe, maybe. And we can say, "Look, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead." But see what Paul says here, "If you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead then you'll be saved and if you don't believe from the heart that God has raised Him from the dead then you're wasting your time." What do you believe in your heart about the resurrection of Jesus? The resurrection can seem completely incongruous amidst the day-to-day realities of our lives. I mean, we get up and we go to work and we do all the stuff and we sit in meetings and we take the kids to school and we do all those day-to-day things. And you look around and you think, "Could Jesus in the midst of all this normality, could He have risen from the dead?" Now stick the resurrection right in the middle of your day-to-day reality and ask me, "Berni, in the middle of all this, do you actually believe that this Jesus was raised from the dead? I mean, it seems incongruous, it's an outrageous notion; it just doesn't fit. Come on Berni, do you really believe this stuff?" And my answer to you is, "Absolutely. I do. I believe in my heart that Jesus was raised from the dead." That's me. What about you? What do you believe, and if Jesus did rise from the dead, so what? What does it mean to you here and now, today?   Living the Resurrection Okay, if Jesus did rise from the dead, what does it mean to you and me, here and now? What relevance is there in all of that for our lives? Can the resurrection of Jesus Christ have any impact on your life and mine today? I think they're the right questions to ask. I mean, why have a resurrection at all? Why did God plan it that way, and why did He make it central to believing in Jesus? Earlier we saw how the Apostle Paul said it was essential that without faith in this resurrection there was no point: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” “And if Christ wasn't raised then your faith is futile." Okay, that's the theology if you like. Take that at face value. But why is it so important? Why does God put it right at the centre of believing in Jesus? It's not an optional extra, it's central. So I'm a pesky bloke; I keep asking these questions because truthfully, people never explained this stuff when I became a Christian at first, in terms that I could really understand and lay hold of. All these Christians were talking about the resurrection and the blood of the Lamb and all this sort of stuff, like it was really important. Well, great, but why? Believing in Jesus for me is a process; it's a lifelong thing that happens. And at some point I took the step of faith to believe in Him but what I discovered was there were lots of different parts of my life that didn't fit with Him – selfishness, anger, judgement – and I'm a really judgemental person naturally in the flesh, all stuff that actually stunted my growth. It's crazy how we want to hold onto the rubbish in our lives for dear life, but we do. And it turns out to rob us of life. You know, I used to spend most of my time being angry with people because they didn't measure up to my standards. They didn't see the world the way I did. And you know what, that robbed me of life. So instead of peace and joy, I was always angry. There was always resentment in my heart. Not rocket science is it. Its one thing to believe with our head or our heart in Jesus and to live it out authentically requires change and that's where the resurrection comes in. Again, the Apostle Paul writes in Romans Chapter 8: If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you. Let's unpack that. You have the crucifixion, the death of Jesus, where Jesus paid for all our sins. You know, we turned away from God, we missed the whole point of creation, that's what sin is (we looked at that last week) but God is loving and just. We've all fallen short and so Jesus died for us, and when we believe in that, our slate is wiped clean. We're forgiven and we have a fresh start. Like a prisoner coming out of gaol having served his sentence. It's fantastic. But you and I know that getting rid of that rubbish in our lives that God calls sin, it's a life-long process. Come on, we're all naturally selfish. At least I am. Someone does us wrong somehow and we want anger and revenge and payback time. But Jesus turns around and says, "Do you want to believe in Me with your life? Well show me, go on. Go out and love your enemy, in fact pray for them." I don't know about you but that way of living just didn't come naturally to me. So the process of changing we discover changing those things is really hard. I mean, it's very hard, and in fact in some areas it's downright impossible. I was just talking recently with some friends and I know I'm a very outcome-oriented person and I expect everyone else to be the same. They're not. Some people are wonderfully relationship-oriented, much more so than I am. Now those people aren't outcome-oriented but we need them too. So what am I going to do? Do I spend my whole life getting angry with them? Do I spend my whole life complaining about people who are different to me and they don't fit with my way of thinking and behaving? I mean, Paul bemoans this reality in Romans Chapter 7 when he says: I can will to do what's right I just can't seem to do it. Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection is learning to live again. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through that same Spirit. God wants to bring life back to our bodies, colour into our cheeks. How many people need that in their lives right now, and they're looking in all sorts of strange places. There a people who are broken and hurt inside; there are people who are suffering from low self-esteem; there are people addicted to anger like I was; and we go looking for solutions in all these wrong places when the solution is staring us in the face. This isn't some theory, its actuality. The same Holy Spirit who breathed life back into the dead body of Jesus is the Spirit that wants to give us victory over the sin of our humanity and breathe life back into our mortal bodies. That's what the resurrection is about here and now. The Spirit wants to give us victory and a new life. Come on, this is great stuff, this is a great plan, this is good news. It's fantastic news! God wants to do for you and for me, here and now and every moment of every day for the rest of our lives here on earth, to keep changing us and setting us free and filling us with fresh new life what He did for Jesus when He brought Jesus back to life after the crucifixion on the Cross. God wants to give us a new life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Isn't that awesome? In a moment we're going to take a deeper look at that, because Jesus, as it turns out, has something very, very special for you and me.   A Certain Hope for Tomorrow Have you ever been in a place where you've lost all hope? Hope, as it turns out is a very precious commodity. We all need it in our lives to look forward to; to hope in the deep sense that I have future, I know where I'm going. And when there is no future it's tragic. When we lose hope it feels like our life is over, and that's the problem with death. We all die at some point physically. Some die young; others watch their bodies progressively give up the ghost. If God is God though, if He loves us the way the Bible says He does, then hope will be very, very high on His list, because the last thing that would do or He would want for us is to experience hopelessness and it turns out that hope is very high on His list indeed. That's what the whole resurrection thing is about. It's a funny thing, but when things are going bad in our lives, isn't it funny how hope breaks really quickly. Have you noticed that? Look at the Disciples: over and over again Jesus told them, ‘Guys, I'm going to be crucified but I'm going to rise again. Come on!' He told them lots of times, but when it happened, when He died, they were fearful, they were devastated, they were scattered to the four winds. They deserted Him; they completely lost sight of His promise of the resurrection, the thing that would give them hope. Actually most of them, as we saw before, needed convincing that Jesus was alive again. Bit like us. Life takes a turn for the worst, the first thing you do is you throw hope out the window. It's kind of natural. 1 Chronicles Chapter 29 verse 15 says: Our days on earth are like a shadow without hope. And let me get right in your face now for a bit, because we need some good teaching on hope. It's not ‘hope that it rains tomorrow' or ‘hope that it doesn't rain tomorrow', I mean the certain hope that faith in Jesus Christ brings. When we put our trust in Jesus in the good times and we lay down our lives and we love Him and we adore Him and we worship Him and we follow Him with our lives, I tell you what happens: when the storm clouds start to roll in, something strange and new and wonderful happens in our hearts. It's like that hope shines and won't go out. Peter the Apostle writes in His first letter, Chapter 1 verse 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … It's a beautiful passage, if you have a Bible grab it, and have a look: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (I love that) “a new birth into a living hope, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead into an inheritance that's imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven for us who are being protected by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this we rejoice, even though now for a while we've had to suffer various trials. Boy that's an understatement. The people Peter was writing to, the Christians, were being tarred and feathered, burnt at the stake, fed to the lions, killed and Peter writes to them and says, “… but you know something, when you look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have a certain hope for the future.” Over and over again the New Testament talks about Jesus being the firstborn from among the dead. In other words, it points back to His resurrection. Jesus took all of our sin, He who knew no sin became sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God. So He died because of our sin and He's the first of many to rise again. He's the firstborn, the first one in this resurrection cycle and we put our hope in that because we too when we believe in Jesus, will rise again and have eternal life. One day when my body gives up the ghost, one day I'll stand before Jesus for ever and ever and ever. It's a historical fact that death couldn't hold Jesus down, and when we put our trust in Him, that's where we put our hope. Our problem is, we spend so much time hoping for the next pay rise, hoping for some temporal bauble here on earth that we lose sight of the living hope we have through Jesus Christ, through His resurrection. Let's do it again: By His great mercy He has given us a new birth. We are born again into a living hope, not an uncertain hope, not a hope that's fleeting and fading but a certain hope – the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading that is there for you, that is there for me, if we put our faith in Jesus. And if we're able to say before God in our hearts, ‘Jesus is your son, He died for me, He rose again', it's rock solid. And do you know the basis of that promise – it's the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look at your life for the moment, the things that aren't going too well for you at the moment; the things that you might want to change. The reality is that we can't change some of them. Maybe God will change some of them, I don't know, but in the meantime He wants us to live life in the certain hope that we have a future, an eternal future. And we know that because we can look at the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He defeated sin on the Cross – the wages of our sin became His death. But Jesus defeated that. He paid for my sin, He paid for my sin on the Cross and still He rose again even though He bore all that sin. And that's what awaits us. That doesn't compare to anything you and I can have on earth here. It just doesn't compare. That certain hope of eternal life with Jesus far outweighs it far eclipses anything we could have here and now. John writes in the book of Revelation Chapter 21; he gives us a glimpse, like a crack opens up in heaven and he's able to see inside: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea. And I saw the Holy City – the New Jerusalem – coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men and He will live with them and they will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There'll be no more death or mourning of crying or pain for the old things have passed away. Nothing, nothing comes anywhere close to that. We wander around down here in the weeds and the murky mire and we try to get hope and satisfaction out of all sorts of things that are going to pass away. What things on this earth be able to take with us when we breathe our last, come on? That's why God wants us to put our faith in Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus is God's call to set our eyes and our hearts and everything we are and all our hopes and dreams on heavenly things because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ – the first among many. That's where we are going when we trust in Jesus. Paul writes in Colossians Chapter 3 verse 1: If you have been raised with Christ, set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things on the earth because you have died to them. It is time my friend for you and me to start living our lives from an eternal perspective. When the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central truth, central to what we believe in our hearts, two things change. Firstly, the Holy Spirit starts taking away the rubbish that God calls sin and giving us life here and now – vibrant and abundant life. And secondly, no matter what happens, no matter how sick we get, how poor we get, we know that one day we will stand before Jesus Christ. Cry Hallelujah!

Key Bible Verse: "Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” John 20:27-29

Read OnlineJesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. John 8:58–59When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, God revealed His name: I AM. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that this revelation of God's name “​​is at once a name revealed and something like the refusal of a name.” It expresses that God is “infinitely above everything that we can understand or say.” He is the “hidden God.” He is also a “God who makes himself close to men” at each and every moment of our lives (See CCC #206).In our Gospel today, Jesus identifies Himself with this hidden God. He states that He alone knows His Father and that the Father glorifies Him because He is the great I AM. To the people of that time, this was a shocking revelation, at least to those who failed to comprehend this truth in faith. But that mysterious name reveals to us not only the essence of God, it also reveals how we ought to relate to this infinite, hidden, exalted and glorious God.As Jesus revealed His identity, He did not say, “before Abraham came to be, I was.” He says, “I AM.” This reveals that Jesus not only existed before Abraham, but that His existence transcends all time. He always and everywhere IS. Though this might seem overly philosophical to some, it is an important concept to understand for two important reasons. First, it gives us greater insight into God. But, second, it reveals to us how we ought to relate to God every day.God is not a God of the past. He is not a God of the future. He is a God of the present moment. If we are to enter into a relationship with God, then we must realize that we can only encounter Him in the present moment. He is the Here and Now, so to speak. And we must seek Him here and now, in this present moment alone.Sometimes we find ourselves dwelling on the past. To the extent that our past has helped or hurt us in this present moment, we need to address it. But the way this is done is by seeking God's healing grace today, allowing the past to disappear into His abundant mercy. Other times we try to live in the future, becoming anxious about what is to come. But God does not dwell in the future for, to Him, all time is here and now. Therefore, we ought not to become anxious about the future, worry about it or try to live in it now. All we have is this present moment, and it is in this moment that God comes to meet us. He is here, and we must meet Him here, turning to Him and His grace today. Reflect, today, upon this deep and mysterious revelation from our Lord. Think about his identity as the great “I AM.” Ponder that name. Ponder its meaning. See it as a way by which Jesus is inviting you to encounter Him in this present moment alone. Live in this moment. The past is gone; the future is not yet here. Live where God exists, here and now, for that is the only place that you will meet our Lord. My Lord, You are the Great I Am. You transcend all time. Help me to meet You today, to let go of the past, to look forward to the future, and to live with You in this moment alone. As I meet You here, dear Lord, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.  James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Read OnlineOne man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” John 5:5–6Only those who have been crippled for many years could understand what this man endured in life. He was crippled and unable to walk for thirty-eight years. The pool he was laying next to was believed to have the power of healing. Therefore, many who were sick and crippled would sit by the pool and try to be the first to enter it when the waters were stirred up. From time to time, that person was said to have received healing.Jesus sees this man and clearly perceives his desire for healing after so many years. Most likely, his desire for healing was the dominant desire in his life. Without the ability to walk, he could not work and provide for himself. He would have had to rely upon begging and the generosity of others. Thinking about this man, his sufferings and his ongoing attempts for healing from this pool should move any heart to compassion. And since Jesus' heart was one that was full of compassion, He was moved to offer this man not only the healing he so deeply desired but so much more.One virtue in the heart of this man that would have especially moved Jesus to compassion is the virtue of patient endurance. This virtue is an ability to have hope in the midst of some ongoing and lengthy trial. It is also referred to as “longsuffering” or “longanimity.” Usually, when one faces a difficulty, the immediate reaction is to look for a way out. As time moves on and that difficulty is not removed, it's easy to fall into discouragement and even despair. Patient endurance is the cure for this temptation. When one can patiently endure anything and everything they suffer in life, there is a spiritual strength within them that benefits them in numerous ways. Other little challenges are more easily endured. Hope is born within them to a powerful degree. Even joy comes with this virtue despite the ongoing struggle.When Jesus saw this virtue alive in this man, He was moved to reach out and heal him. And the primary reason Jesus healed this man was not just to help him physically but so that the man would come to believe in Jesus and follow Him.Reflect, today, upon this beautiful virtue of patient endurance. The trials of life should ideally be seen not in a negative way but as an invitation to patient endurance. Ponder the way you endure your own trials. Is it with deep and ongoing patience, hope and joy? Or is it with anger, bitterness and despair. Pray for the gift of this virtue and seek to imitate this crippled man. My Lord of all hope, You endured so much in life and persevered through it all in perfect obedience to the will of the Father. Give me strength in the midst of the trials of life so that I can grow strong in the hope and the joy that comes with that strength. May I turn away from sin and turn to You in complete trust. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Getting To Know God | Week 12 | Ken Miller-- "Adonai" is a Hebrew term that is often translated as "Lord" or "My Lord." It is one of the names used to refer to God in the Jewish, Christian, and some other monotheistic traditions.--Notes

Friday, 21 March 2025   Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Matthew 8:25   “And His disciples having come to Him, they aroused Him saying, ‘Lord, You save us! We perish!'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus was sleeping in the boat as it crossed the sea despite the storm that raged around them. Matthew next records, “And His disciples having come to Him, they aroused Him.”   It is evident that the men, whether after a few minutes or an extended struggle, realized they had no other option but to wake the Lord. As noted in the previous commentary, a storm like this can arise quickly and in a very short amount of time the waters can go from a tranquil calm to a terrifying tempest.   Quite a bit is often read into these words. People think it is as if the disciples understood they could come to Jesus and suddenly be delivered from their peril. In just two verses, that will be proven an incorrect analysis. They were certainly not thinking, “If we wake up Jesus, He will get up and calm the sea.”   Rather, they were concerned about the right now of the situation. The waves were swamping the boat, and they needed another hand to help bail it out, row, or whatever they, as experienced shipmen, directed.   But more, they may also have thought, like the mariners with Jonah, that He would petition the Lord for deliverance –   “So the captain came to him, and said to him, ‘What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.'” Jonah 1:6   They had seen the miracles and knew Jesus had a direct and intimate relationship with God. Therefore, His prayer to them would have been heard. It seems this, too, may have been on their minds. Therefore, Matthew records that they were “saying, ‘Lord, You save us! We perish!'”   The word translated as save, sózó, carries various significations. It can mean to save from peril, to heal from a disease, to rescue from physical or spiritual disaster, etc. One instance in Acts has a similar taste to what is seen here in Matthew –   “And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.' 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.” Acts 27:30-32   This account in Acts does not refer to salvation from sin, healing, etc. Rather, Paul is telling them that their lives will be lost in the storm if they don't take the appropriate action. The disciples are asking for the same thing. Thus, whether through prayer to the Father or bailing out the water, they need Jesus' ability in the matter to get them through the ordeal.   Life application: The commentary above is not intended to dismiss the nature and capabilities of Jesus. But we are looking back on an account of men being swamped in a boat, knowing that He is the Lord God incarnate. These men did not know this. They were about to die and needed Jesus to assist in their deliverance.   It is important to not take our later knowledge of a matter and insert it into what is being said. The prophets of old received the word of God and wrote it down accordingly, but they had no idea what was being conveyed to and through them. Peter explains this –   “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:10-12   Likewise, the apostles had to go through the ministry of Jesus, experiencing each step of it to incrementally learn His nature and ability. Even as they stood at the cross, they were still without understanding. And even after the resurrection, and having been told what happened, one of them still couldn't believe it –   “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.' 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!' 27 Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!'” John 20:24-28   The understanding of Thomas only came after all of these things took place, including an actual, physical encounter with the risen Lord. Such accounts are all we need to see that we should not insert our knowledge of who Jesus is into what the apostles knew as they struggled in the ship as it passed across the Sea of Galilee.   Lord God, we are so grateful that we now have a full understanding of who Jesus is. We don't have to struggle with the truth that is revealed in Your word. We know that You, O God, came in the form of a Man, having united with Your creation to return us back to Yourself. How great You are, our Lord and our God! Amen.  

Read OnlineJesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.” Luke 16:19–21One of the reasons this story is so powerful is because of the clear descriptive contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is not only seen in the passage above, it is also seen in the final outcome of each of their lives.In the first contrast, the rich man's life seems much more desirable, at least on the surface. He is rich, has a home to live in, dresses in fine clothing and eats sumptuously every day. By contrast, Lazarus is poor, has no home, has no food, is covered with sores and even endures the humiliation of dogs licking his wounds. Which of these persons would you prefer to be?Before you answer that question, consider the second contrast. When they both die, they experience very different eternal fates. When the poor man died, he was “carried away by angels.” And when the rich man died, he went to the netherworld, where there was ongoing torment. So again, which of these persons would you prefer to be?One of the most seductive and deceptive realities in life is the lure of riches, luxury and the fine things in life. Though the material world is not bad in and of itself, there is great temptation that goes along with it. In fact, it is clear from this story and from the many other teachings of Jesus on this topic that the lure of riches and its effect on the soul cannot be ignored. Those who are rich in the things of this world are often tempted to live for themselves rather than living for others. When one has all the comforts this world has to offer, it's easy to simply enjoy those comforts without concern for others. And that is clearly the unspoken contrast between these two men.Though poor, it is clear that Lazarus is rich in the things that matter in life. This is evidenced by His eternal reward. It is clear that in his material poverty, he was rich in charity. The man who was rich in the things of this world was clearly poor in charity and, thus, upon losing his physical life, he had nothing to take with him. No eternal merit. No charity. Nothing. Reflect, today, upon that which you desire in life. Too often, the deceptions of material wealth and worldly possessions dominate our desires. In fact, even those who have little can easily become consumed with these unhealthy desires. Seek, instead, to desire only that which is eternal. Desire love of God and love of neighbor. Make this your only goal in life and you, too, will be carried away by angels when your life is completed. My Lord of true riches, You chose to be poor in this world as a sign to us that true riches come not with material wealth but with love. Help me to love You, my God, with all my being and to love others as You love them. May I be wise enough to make spiritual riches my single goal in life so that these riches will be enjoyed for all eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Gaspar van den Hoecke, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

The old Toledo blade cost the warrior much at first, but when he had once procured it he knew that it would cut through joint and marrow in the day of battle. So he was not afraid to dash into the thick of the fray, trusting to its unrivaled temper and keen edge.Could he not find a cheaper sword? He could have found it easily enough, and with small expense, but then in the moment when his sword smote upon his enemy's helmet, instead of cleaving through the skull, it would snap in the warrior's hand and cost him his life!In the same way, many professors of the gospel take up a cheap religion. There is, no self-denial in it, no forsaking of the world, no giving up of sinful amusements.They are just the same as the world. Their religion costs them nothing, and at last when they need it, it will fail them--it will snap like the cheap, poorly-made sword in the day of battle, and leave them defenseless. Oh, if you want that which will endure the conflict, you must expend cost upon it.Many professing Christians never separate from the world! No, not they; they fall in with the fashions of the day, as the dead fish floats with the current! Have they any cross to bear? Does anybody mock them for living a holy life? Oh, no! for theirs is the easy religion which the world praises, and consequently the religion which God abhors. "If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him!" He who has the smile of the ungodly, must expect the frown of God.No man has truly committed himself to Christ, unless he has also said, "My Lord, this day I give to You my body, my soul, my talents, my goods, my house, my children, and all that I have. Henceforth I will hold

Teacher: Adam Barnett“Jesus didn't actually say much about the kingdom of heaven in the sense that we normally mean it. When he spoke of heaven's kingdom, he wasn't talking about a place called heaven to which people might or might not go after they die. He was talking about something that would become a reality ‘as in heaven, so on earth' (Matt. 6:10). So instead of suggesting that we could escape the earth to go to heaven, Jesus' good news was about heaven coming to earth.” – N.T. WrightThen Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” - John 11:16διστάζω – to waver, hesitate, to be uncertain.19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” - John 20:19-291 - Share with others.2 - Wait on the Lord.Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:143 - Pray and confess.“Doubt is a form of rebellion. It is a refusal to relate to God on his own terms.” – Stan Harstine

About Lang MartinezLang Martinez is a homelessness advocate, public speaker, and a dedicated voice for those struggling with addiction and trauma. Having battled addiction, imprisonment, and life on the streets, Lang emerged as a symbol of hope and redemption. Now seven years sober, he is committed to using his experiences to support others in overcoming their struggles and finding a path toward recovery and self-sufficiency. Lang is currently working on a documentary and a book that shed light on his journey and the broader issue of homelessness and abuse.About This EpisodeIn this powerful episode, Lang Martinez shares his incredible story of resilience, transformation, and advocacy. From a troubled childhood to struggling with addiction and homelessness, Lang takes us through the darkest moments of his life and the turning point that led him to recovery. He talks about his commitment to helping others, his work in homelessness advocacy, and the upcoming documentary that will expose the realities of youth exploitation and abuse. Lang's journey is a testament to the power of faith, surrender, and unwavering determination. His story will inspire anyone facing adversity to believe that change is possible.Quotes2:24 - There was brokenness from the very beginning in my life.3:21 - There's always the underlying feeling of the brokenness and not belonging.5:08 - I can't regret the past. I can't make it as if it's the law. I need to take my past experiences and they're the key for the life that I have today.6:38 - A true surrender to your higher power, and I choose that higher power to be my Lord and Savior.9:50 - The first thing that happened that day is I had to surrender. I had to surrender and I had to be willing to go to any lengths to make this program work for me. I had to surrender, I had to surrender and I had to be willing to go to any lengths to make this program work for me.10:24 - I had to learn how to live life on life's terms and I had to listen to others before me that have done this before that could help take me down that road of recovery.11:15 - My Lord and Savior has never left me for those 55 years and he hasn't left me today. Every day I surrender and I ask him and I thank him, my higher power, for the light that I have today.13:01 - Everything is temporary, today could be a new day. We can't change the past, we don't have control of the future.13:14 - We need to let them know they're loved, that they are valuable, and one of the biggest sayings is to take this one day at a time. It's the first step. 14:54 - The story of my life is, Nobody Knows but Me, God Did.16:46 - I realized how far that I've come spiritually and I had to have and I had to be grateful for the life that I had.18:01 - It's difficult to take the narrow path because a lot of people choose the easy way and you know there are very few that seek the true path to get to eternal life, which requires sacrifice, it requires dedication. 18:26 - I made a promise that I'd continue to give back to God for the life that he's given to me.19:53 - Don't rely on your own thinking. Find a mentor, take direction, stay on the path of right and don't let somebody persuade you to do things that are wrong.20:57 – I'm free!Useful LinksInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/langmartinez7/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lang.martinez.940/Twitter:https://twitter.comThe Matrix Green Pill Podcast: https://thematrixgreenpill.com/Please review us: https://g.page/r/CS8IW35GvlraEAI/review

The prophet Ibrahim AS in a nutshell ⬇️

   ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ਜੀਉ ਡਰਤੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਕੈ ਸਿਉ ਕਰੀ ਪੁਕਾਰ ॥ ਦੂਖ ਵਿਸਾਰਣੁ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਨੀਤ ਨਵਾ ਸਦਾਸਦਾ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਅੰਤਿ ਛਡਾਏ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਮਣੀ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥ ਦਇਆਲ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਤਰਾ ॥ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਣੈ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸਰਬੰ ਸਾਚਾ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੋਕਰੇ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ॥੩॥ ਤੁਧੁ ਬਾਝੁ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਕੇਵ ਰਹਾ ॥ ਸਾ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਦੇਹਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਨਾਮਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਲਾਗਿ ਰਹਾਂ ॥ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਾਹੀਕੋਇ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜਾਇ ਕਹਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸੇਵੀ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਆਪਣਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਚੰਉ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਦਾਸੁ ਹੈਬਿੰਦ ਬਿੰਦ ਚੁਖ ਚੁਖ ਹੋਇ ॥੪॥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਬਿੰਦ ਬਿੰਦ ਚੁਖ ਚੁਖ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥੪॥੧॥ ਅਰਥ: (ਜਗਤ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਹੈ, ਇਹਨਾਂ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ) ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦ ਕੰਬਦੀ ਹੈ (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਬਚਾਣ ਵਾਲਾਦਿੱਸਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ) ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਪਾਸ ਮੈਂ ਮਿੰਨਤਾਂ ਕਰਾਂ। (ਸੋ, ਹੋਰ ਆਸਰੇ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ) ਮੈਂ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਸ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਸਿਮਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ।੧।(ਫਿਰ ਉਹ) ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ (ਪਰ ਉਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਿੱਤ ਦੇ ਤਰਲੇ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਕਦੇ ਅੱਕਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ, ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ) ਨਿੱਤ ਇਉਂ ਹੈ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਵਾਰੀ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ ਕਰਨ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੈ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।ਹੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਹਰ ਰੋਜ਼ ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ (ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਆਖ਼ਰ ਉਹੀ ਬਚਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਧਿਆਨ ਨਾਲਸੁਣ (ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਦਾ ਆਸਰਾ ਲਿਆਂ ਹੀ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਪਾਰ ਲੰਘ ਸਕੀਦਾ ਹੈ।੨।ਹੇ ਦਿਆਲ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਂ ਤੈਥੋਂ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਕੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ (ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ, ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮ ਦੇਹ, ਤਾ ਕਿ) ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੈਂ (ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਸਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਪਾਰ ਲੰਘ ਸਕਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।ਸਦਾ ਕਾਇਮ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਥਾਈਂ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ। ਜਿਸ ਜੀਵ ਉਤੇ ਉਹ ਮੇਹਰ ਦੀਨਿਗਾਹ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।੩।ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ (ਪ੍ਰਭੂ!) ਤੇਰੀ ਯਾਦ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਮੈਂ ਵਿਆਕੁਲ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ ਉਹ ਵੱਡੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਦੇਹ, ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਸਦਕਾ ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮਵਿਚ ਜੁੜਿਆ ਰਹਾਂ। ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ! ਤੈਥੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਐਸਾ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਪਾਸ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਅਰਜ਼ੋਈ ਕਰ ਸਕਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।(ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਸਾਗਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਤਰਨ ਲਈ) ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਕਿਸੇ ਹੋਰ ਪਾਸੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਮੰਗ ਨਹੀਂਮੰਗਦਾ। ਨਾਨਕ (ਆਪਣੇ) ਉਸ (ਮਾਲਿਕ) ਦਾ ਹੀ ਸੇਵਕ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਖਿਨ ਖਿਨ ਸਦਕੇ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।੪।ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਾਲਿਕ! ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੋਂ ਖਿਨ ਖਿਨ ਕੁਰਬਾਨ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ।DHANAASAREE, FIRST MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, CHAU-PADAS:ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. TRUTH IS THE NAME. CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED. IMAGE OF THE UNDYING. BEYOND BIRTH. SELF-EXISTENT. BY GURU'S GRACE:My soul is afraid; to whom should I complain? I serve Him, who makes me forget my pains; He is the Giver, forever and ever. || 1 || My Lord and Master is forever new; He is the Giver, forever and ever. || 1 || Pause || Night and day, I serve my Lord and Master; He shall save me in the end. Hearing and listening, O my dear sister, I have crossed over. || 2 || O Merciful Lord, Your Name carries me across. I am forever a sacrifice to You. || 1 || Pause || In all the world, there is only the One True Lord; there is no other at all. He alone serves the Lord, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. || 3 || Without You, O Beloved, how could I even live? Bless me with such greatness, that I may remain attached to Your Name. There is no other, O Beloved, to whom I can go and speak. || 1 || Pause || I serve my Lord and Master; I ask for no other. Nanak is His slave; moment by moment, bit by bit, he is a sacrifice to Him. || 4 || O Lord Master, I am a sacrifice to Your Name, moment by moment, bit by bit. || 1 || Pause || 4 || 1 |

When we're facing externally, we've turned away, and we don't realize our relationship. But when we do turn towards Kṛṣṇa, we become insiders, that means we're inside Kṛṣṇa. We're inside the family again. In Gajendra's prayers, Gajendra remarks that, "My Lord, You're never inattentive to me. It's not that when I pray, then that's when You pay attention." He said, "You're always paying attention." In fact, we're intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, and we're never intimately connected with the material world. 'Asango hi dhyayam puruṣaḥ,' means we never really have a connection here. So, when we come to devotional service by choice, Gajendra says, then You're immediately responsive, because You're already just waiting. In 1.2.17 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 'svakītaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ', the Prabhupāda writes in the purport that Kṛṣṇa wants us to come back to Godhead more than we can desire. He said, "Practically nobody wants to go back to Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa wants everybody to go back to Godhead and be insiders." So that's in this verse, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu, na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ—that half of the verse refers to those who are externally focused, and for them, Kṛṣṇa is dutifully sending the checks. He doesn't even put His name on it. It's like some payment, an alimony payment, or something, whatever it is, but the person doesn't want to disturb the other person's mind, so they don't even put the name on it. They just make a direct deposit so that, "Okay, you don't want to...you don't want to know me anymore, so I'll still pay, but I'll just keep it anonymous." You don't even know where the payments are coming from. People don't even realize God's paying them all the time. He's kindly providing, as Prabhupāda said, for every living being, He is giving all their necessities and more, but everyone just thinks Eh.. there is no God. It's like one fish said to the other, "Do you believe in water?" And he goes, "Nah! I've never seen any water. I don't know what they're talking about." But we're enveloped by God's love all the time. He's providing. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

Chad graces us with another beautiful and instructive meditation on Song of Songs. One takeaway is that we should never hesitate to embrace the grace offered to us by our Saviour. Colin Heinrich sings one of Hidden Streams stellar songs "One Night AS I Lay Sleeping". Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Pre-order: Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi  Bible in One Year with Chad Bird Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits Take 20% Off Our Lenten Devotionals until March 5th: The Sinner/Saint Lenten Devotional Finding Christ in the Straw: A Forty-Day Devotion on the Epistle of James More from the hosts: Chad Bird Lyrics to "One Night As I Lay Sleeping" One night as I was sleeping  My heart awakened, in a dream On my, door my love was knocking  Saying open my beloved Swing open wide the door to me But I felt naked, and ashamed So I waited… For a better time I waited… For a better way And the waiting Was my undoing    My great loss   In my heart Rain will fall In my heart Dark clouds gather But You hold the key to open the door I fall in your arms, to praise and adore My Lord and my lover My God and my Savior Lovers forever Lovers forever Amen   All the things that haunt me All the empty spaces,  I tried to fill only your love can redeem By your mercy, by your grace United  in paradise My redemption By your sacrifice   But  I waited… For a better time I waited… For a better way And the waiting Was my undoing  My great loss   Won't you tell, tell my beloved  I am sick with love Tell my beloved  That I'm sorry Tell my beloved My soul failed My ways failed And its my great loss  

Alan's Soaps https://www.alansartisansoaps.comUse coupon code ‘TODD' to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://Bioptimizers.com/ToddEnter promo code TODD to get 10% off any order.Bonefrog https://bonefrogcoffee.com/toddUse Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with an Irish Bag of coffee and a “Lucky” gift box from BoneFrog Coffee.  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital Bulwark Capital Management (bulwarkcapitalmgmt.com)Don't miss the next live Webinar Thursday March 20th at 3:30pm pacific.  Sign up today by calling 866-779-RISK or go to KnowYourRiskRadio.com.Native Path Krill https://GetKrill.com/ToddVisit GetKrill.com/Todd to get your special offer of NativePath Antarctic Krill Oil for as low as $19 a bottle. Renue Healthcare https://renue.healthcare/toddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit renue.healthcare/Todd  An Ohio bill would ban what? JD Vance is our most brilliant VP. A female minister rejects the cornerstone of Christianity…Episode Links:Ohio lawmakers propose fines on ejaculation to call out “hypocrisy” of “regulating women's bodies”.PBS Mourns a Month Of 'Ivy League Right-Wing NihilismReminder - JD Vance: "The leader, I forget exactly which official it was within the European Union, but sent Elon this threatening letter that basically said, we're gonna arrest you if you platform Donald Trump, who, by the way, is the likely next president of The United States."President Trump says he's "left instructions" if Iran assassinates him"Did Jesus really raise form the dead? I don'at know." United Church of Christ Minister Pat Langlois says she doesn't know if Jesus rose from the dead, and also that it doesn't matter if he didn't.John 20:20-2926 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”1 Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."

We continue our series about Thomas the famous doubting disciple. This week's discussion questions are: 2/16/25 Discussion Questions The sermon contrasts Thomas's nickname "Twin" with the later label "Doubter." How does understanding his original nickname change your perception of him? What are the key differences between genuine doubt and cynicism, as explained in the sermon? How can you tell the difference in yourself? Why does the sermon emphasize the importance of positioning ourselves around believers and actively seeking truth, like Thomas did? How does Jesus's response to Thomas's doubt reveal his character and the nature of God's grace? What is the significance of Thomas's declaration, "My Lord and my God!"? What does it reveal about his understanding of Jesus? The sermon suggests a "dangerous prayer" – asking Jesus to reveal himself as King and God. Would you be willing to pray this prayer? Why or why not? How can you apply the principle of "faith seeking understanding" (fides quaerens intellectum) to your own spiritual journey? Are there areas in your life where you are tempted to be cynical rather than genuinely doubtful? How can you shift your perspective? What specific steps can you take to "position yourself" to encounter Jesus, as Thomas did?

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 15th of February, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Book of Luke 17:6: So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”“Have faith in God.”Mark 11:22That's it - have faith in God. Without faith, we cannot please Him. Now Luke 17:5 says: ”And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Now, even the disciples asked Jesus, ”Please, increase our faith”, because they realised without faith, we can do nothing. Today, maybe you're struggling to believe God for a promise He's given you. Maybe He gave it to you many years ago and your faith is starting to wane, starting to lose power. How do we regain our faith? Well, if you look at Romans 10:17, the Word of God says:”So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Spending time reading your Bible, spending time believing what the Lord has said about you. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, My Lord will supply all of my needs according to His riches in Glory. We need to get started this morning. We need to get back to walking the faith walk. You see, faith is a way of life, not faith in faith, but faith in Jesus Christ, and the Lord always honours faith. Now I'm sitting here thinking about the first campaign I ever organised - it was in that little town of Ladysmith about probably an hour's drive west of where we live. It was ten minutes to seven in the evening. The service was going to start at seven o'clock and I was downstairs in the dungeon. I was waiting for the people to come. The band which we had brought up from Port Elizabeth were bravely on the platform playing music and I climbed up the steps, opened the door, had a look in, there was no-one there. I was devastated. I mean, I'd been praying and we'd been trusting the Lord. I went down and I said, “Lord, if nobody comes, I'm going to preach to the chairs.” This is the honest truth. At seven o'clock, by faith, I walked up, I opened the door and the hall was half full of people. That was the beginning. Well, I want to say to you, we started off with the Mighty Men Conference on this farm with 240 men, and we ended up with 450 000 men at our last meeting on this farm in 2010, and I've got news to tell you, that this year there'll be twenty Mighty Men Conferences happening all over the world.That mustard seed of faith! Trust the Lord, my dear friend, He'll do it for you. Jesus bless you and goodbye

O glorious Mother of God, to you we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly for the grace of a happy death. O Mother of our Divine Lord, as we conclude this novena for the special favor we seek at this time. (make your request) We feel animated with confidence that your prayers in our behalf will be graciously heard. O Mother of My Lord, through the love you bear to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. Saint Bernadette, pray for us. The post Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

The Two Natures of Christ Confession: Belgic Confession: Article 19 Scripture: John 1:1,14 Preacher: Rev. David Inks   Sermon Outline: Introduction The Word became Flesh Son of God “I AM” “My Lord and My God” Conclusion   Belgic Confession: Article 19: The Two Natures of Christ We believe that by being thus conceived the person […] The post The Two Natures of Christ appeared first on Covenant United Reformed Church.

The Two Natures of Christ Confession: Belgic Confession: Article 19 Scripture: John 1:1,14 Preacher: Rev. David Inks   Sermon Outline: Introduction The Word became Flesh Son of God “I AM” “My Lord and My God” Conclusion   Belgic Confession: Article 19: The Two Natures of Christ We believe that by being thus conceived the person […] The post The Two Natures of Christ appeared first on Covenant United Reformed Church.

Read OnlineHerod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Mark 6:20Ideally, when the Gospel is preached and received by another, the effect is that the receiver is filled with joy, consolation and a desire to change. The Gospel is transforming for those who truly listen and respond with generosity. But what about those who do not respond with generosity? What effect does the Gospel have upon them? Our Gospel today gives us that answer.The line above comes from the story of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The bad actors in this story are Herod, Herod's illegitimate wife Herodias, and Herodias' daughter (traditionally named Salome). John had been imprisoned by Herod because John told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” But what's most interesting about this story is that, even in prison, Herod would listen to John preach. But instead of leading Herod to conversion, he was left “perplexed” by what John preached.Being “perplexed” was not the only reaction to John's preaching. Herodias' reaction was one of hatred. She appeared to be stung to the heart by John's condemnation of her “marriage” to Herod, and it was she who then orchestrated John's beheading.This Gospel, then, teaches us of two other common reactions to the Truth of the holy Gospel when it is preached. One is hatred and another is confusion (being perplexed). Obviously, hatred is far worse than simply being perplexed. But neither is the right reaction to the words of Truth.What is your reaction to the full Gospel when it is preached? Are there aspects of the Gospel that leave you uneasy? Are there teachings of our Lord that confuse you or lead you to anger? First look within your own heart to determine if you struggle with having a similar reaction as did Herod and Herodias. And then consider how the world reacts to the Truth of the Gospel. We should not be surprised at all that we find many Herods and Herodiases alive today. Reflect, today, upon any ways that you see the Gospel being rejected on one level or another. If you sense this within your own heart, then repent with all your might. If you see it elsewhere, do not allow the hostility to shake you or concern you. Keep your mind and heart upon the Truth and remain steadfast no matter the reaction you encounter.My Lord of all Truth, Your Word and Your Word alone brings grace and salvation. Please give me the grace I need to always listen to Your Word and to respond generously with all my heart. May I repent when I am convicted by Your Word and may I wholeheartedly return to You. Give me courage when others reject Your Truth and wisdom to know how to share that Word with love. 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.Pieter de Grebber, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.9.15)

In episode 106 of “How Do You Say That?!” sponsored by britishvoiceover.co.uk, Mike Bodie joins Sam and Mark to talk about how you can judge the age of a character through the pitch of the voice, the secrets you need to know for gaming auditions, and why an American accent with a British sentiment doesn't always work for casting directors.Our VO question this week is all about the tools an actor uses on stage that are also useful in the voiceover booth.Get involved! Have you got a Wildcard suggestion that we should try or an idea for the show? Send it to us via Mark or Sam's social media or email it directly to podcast@britishvoiceover.co.ukScript 1Complex ideas. Endlessly fascinating.Tricky to understand.That's why companies like ours make bite-size, easy to follow videos (like this one) - packed with information, facts and examples that bring complicated ideas to life. For audiences everywhere - from pre-schoolers and students to work-forces and curious minds across the world.Script 21.You bloody greenhorns. I am an old man, an old Man-At-Arms, and I have seen more skimishes and battles than most of you have years. Nothing is more terrible upon this earth - and nothing more glorious.2. You've got a heart of gold. Don't let these folk take it from you.3. Enough! We're done here! Now, you will meet your maker! 4. My Lord. This blade of mine is yours. And this heart as well, that never belonged to anyone else. 5. There are spirits everywhere. Ghosts really. We carry them with us wherever we go.We'd love your feedback - and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, hit the follow button today!**Listen to all of our podcasts here - you can also watch on YouTube, or say to your smart speaker "Play How Do You Say That?!"About our guest: Mike is an Olivier nominated actor, voice actor, and voice director based in London. He is one of the founders, owners, and performers of the Olivier and Tony award-winning theatre company, Mischief Theatre; makers of "The Play That Goes Wrong", now in it's 10th year in the West End, and the upcoming "The Comedy About Spies" at the Noel Coward Theatre. Best known for his game VO work, Mike is one of the UK's most prolific voice actors in games with over 130 games in 6 years. A regular speaker at games conferences across central, and eastern europe, Mike is a voice acting mentor with Limit Break, the video game mentorship program. Mike's Website @MikeBodieActs on X @MikeBodieActs on InstagramResources: Click here for the Wildcard Generator and don't forget to think of an action your character can be doing!Mark's demos & contact details:

   ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਜੀਉ ਡਰਤੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਕੈ ਸਿਉ ਕਰੀ ਪੁਕਾਰ ॥ ਦੂਖ ਵਿਸਾਰਣੁ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਨੀਤ ਨਵਾ ਸਦਾਸਦਾ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਅੰਤਿ ਛਡਾਏ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਮਣੀ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਾਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥ ਦਇਆਲ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਤਰਾ ॥ ਸਦ ਕੁਰਬਾਣੈ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸਰਬੰ ਸਾਚਾ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੋਕਰੇ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ॥੩॥ ਤੁਧੁ ਬਾਝੁ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਕੇਵ ਰਹਾ ॥ ਸਾ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਦੇਹਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਨਾਮਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਲਾਗਿ ਰਹਾਂ ॥ ਦੂਜਾ ਨਾਹੀਕੋਇ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜਾਇ ਕਹਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸੇਵੀ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਆਪਣਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਚੰਉ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਦਾਸੁ ਹੈਬਿੰਦ ਬਿੰਦ ਚੁਖ ਚੁਖ ਹੋਇ ॥੪॥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਵਿਟਹੁ ਬਿੰਦ ਬਿੰਦ ਚੁਖ ਚੁਖ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥੪॥੧॥  ਅਰਥ: (ਜਗਤ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਹੈ, ਇਹਨਾਂ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ) ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦ ਕੰਬਦੀ ਹੈ (ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਬਚਾਣ ਵਾਲਾਦਿੱਸਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ) ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਪਾਸ ਮੈਂ ਮਿੰਨਤਾਂ ਕਰਾਂ। (ਸੋ, ਹੋਰ ਆਸਰੇ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ) ਮੈਂ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਸ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਸਿਮਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਉਹ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ।੧। (ਫਿਰ ਉਹ) ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਸਦਾ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ (ਪਰ ਉਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਿੱਤ ਦੇ ਤਰਲੇ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਕਦੇ ਅੱਕਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ, ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ) ਨਿੱਤ ਇਉਂ ਹੈ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਵਾਰੀ ਹੀ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਸ਼ ਕਰਨ ਲੱਗਾ ਹੈ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ। ਹੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਹਰ ਰੋਜ਼ ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ (ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਆਖ਼ਰ ਉਹੀ ਬਚਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਜਿੰਦੇ! ਧਿਆਨ ਨਾਲਸੁਣ (ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਦਾ ਆਸਰਾ ਲਿਆਂ ਹੀ ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਪਾਰ ਲੰਘ ਸਕੀਦਾ ਹੈ।੨। ਹੇ ਦਿਆਲ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਮੈਂ ਤੈਥੋਂ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਕੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ (ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ, ਆਪਣਾ ਨਾਮ ਦੇਹ, ਤਾ ਕਿ) ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੈਂ (ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਸਸਮੁੰਦਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ) ਪਾਰ ਲੰਘ ਸਕਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ। ਸਦਾ ਕਾਇਮ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਥਾਈਂ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ। ਜਿਸ ਜੀਵ ਉਤੇ ਉਹ ਮੇਹਰ ਦੀਨਿਗਾਹ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।੩। ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ (ਪ੍ਰਭੂ!) ਤੇਰੀ ਯਾਦ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਮੈਂ ਵਿਆਕੁਲ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ ਉਹ ਵੱਡੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਦੇਹ, ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਸਦਕਾ ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮਵਿਚ ਜੁੜਿਆ ਰਹਾਂ। ਹੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ! ਤੈਥੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੋਰ ਐਸਾ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਪਾਸ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਅਰਜ਼ੋਈ ਕਰ ਸਕਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ। (ਦੁੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਸਾਗਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਤਰਨ ਲਈ) ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਕਿਸੇ ਹੋਰ ਪਾਸੋਂ ਮੈਂ ਇਹ ਮੰਗ ਨਹੀਂਮੰਗਦਾ। ਨਾਨਕ (ਆਪਣੇ) ਉਸ (ਮਾਲਿਕ) ਦਾ ਹੀ ਸੇਵਕ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਮਾਲਿਕ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਖਿਨ ਖਿਨ ਸਦਕੇ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।੪। ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਾਲਿਕ! ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਤੋਂ ਖਿਨ ਖਿਨ ਕੁਰਬਾਨ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।੧।ਰਹਾਉ। DHANAASAREE, FIRST MEHL, FIRST HOUSE, CHAU-PADAS: ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. TRUTH IS THE NAME. CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED. IMAGE OF THE UNDYING. BEYOND BIRTH. SELF-EXISTENT. BY GURU'S GRACE: My soul is afraid; to whom should I complain? I serve Him, who makes me forget my pains; He is the Giver, forever and ever. || 1 || My Lord and Master is forever new; He is the Giver, forever and ever. || 1 || Pause || Night and day, I serve my Lord and Master; He shall save me in the end. Hearing and listening, O my dear sister, I have crossed over. || 2 || O Merciful Lord, Your Name carries me across. I am forever a sacrifice to You. || 1 || Pause || In all the world, there is only the One True Lord; there is no other at all. He alone serves the Lord, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. || 3 || Without You, O Beloved, how could I even live? Bless me with such greatness, that I may remain attached to Your Name. There is no other, O Beloved, to whom I can go and speak. || 1 || Pause || I serve my Lord and Master; I ask for no other. Nanak is His slave; moment by moment, bit by bit, he is a sacrifice to Him. || 4 || O Lord Master, I am a sacrifice to Your Name, moment by moment, bit by bit. || 1 || Pause || 4 || 1 |

Your Daily Prayer

Genesis 18: 1-15 We will unpack this surprising story in which Abraham gets a visit from three “men.” There is some dramatic ambiguity about the identity of these visitors. Scripture calls them three men, but Abraham addresses these three as “My Lord,” when he rushes to invite them to stop at his humble camp and be refreshed. Then Abraham “puts on the dog” as they say where I am from. He offers a feast and the Covenant promise is reiterated with a specific timeline. Sarah finds this promise laughable. What can we learn from these founding paragons of faith and their struggles with the promise of God, even when the Almighty is eating at your kitchen table!

In preparation for our parish Consecration to the Eucharist, let us reflect on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist - Faith will tell is Christ is present when our human senses fail (St. Thomas Aquinas)  (The Vigil Project - Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All)   Dropping this homily earlier to help us prepare for the Consec ration on Monday The homilies of Msgr. Stephen J. AvilaPastor, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth, MAThanks for listening! May God's Word find a home in you.

Your Daily Prayer

“My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.9.15)

How You Respond to Jesus, In Your Earthly Life, Will Determine How You Are Judged By Jesus MESSAGE SUMMARY: Jesus claimed to be the unique, divine Son of God; therefore, Jesus is on an equal footing with God. Jesus said that He would one day judge the world. How you respond to Jesus, in your life, will determine how you are judged. The Apostle John summarizes, in John 20:27-29, the interchange between Jesus and the Apostle Thomas when Thomas realizes who Jesus, the man that he had been following for years, is: “Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe' Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'”. You, as follower of Jesus, have not seen Jesus or His wounds. Therefore, do you believe through your faith; and are you able, by your faith, to say: “My Lord and my God!”? If not, why not?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, you know how difficult it is for me to be in silence before you. At times it feels almost impossible, given the demands, distractions, and noise all around me. I invite you to lead me to a quiet, silent place before you — to a place where I can hear you as Elijah did. In Jesus' name, amen.     Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 123). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Lust. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Perfect Provision. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Matthew 12:36-37; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; Psalms 70:1-5. WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Struggle with Time -- Until I Determine How I Want to Use My Time, Others Will Determine How My Time Is Used”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Brian begins our new series on psalm 23... with a look at "My Lord and My Shepherd".

The Mother of My Lord (4th Sunday of Advent 2024)

When Jesus Asked You: “Whom do you say that I am?”, Did You Answer Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”?  MESSAGE SUMMARY: The stories of the New Testament tell us that Jesus was no ordinary man. The Apostle John, in John 1:1-5, points out that Jesus, the Word, was the Creator of the Universe: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.". John tells us that Jesus had authority over nature, over creation, and over life itself, and he tells us that Jesus was the life-giver that came to earth for us. In John 20:26-29, Jesus asked the Apostle Thomas a fundamental question that Jesus asks you today– “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me?'”: “Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.' Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'”. When Jesus has asked you: “Whom do you say that I am?”, and how did you answer? Did you tell Jesus: “You are my God and the Lord of my Life!”? Have you, in your life, become a Jesus Follower? If not, why not?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD'S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 1:1-18; Isaiah 7:2-14; Matthew 1:21-24; Psalms 67:1-7. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “A Christmas Message” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Luke 1:39-45 ESV39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” • • •How Would You Have Responded to the Good News? • • •Zechariah Did Not Believe • • •Luke 1:20 ESV20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” • • •Elizabeth Acknowledged God • • •Luke 1:24-25 ESV24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” • • •John Jumped for Joy • • •Luke 1:41 ESV41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, • • •Mary Believed and Accepted • • •Luke 1:38 ESV38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. • • •What Do We Learn From Mary? • • •Luke 1:45 ESV45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” • • •Faith-Driven Belief and Acceptance is Blessed • • •John 20:26-29 ESV26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” • • •Application:How Will You Respond to Jesus?

We come to the end of Ephesians today. At the beginning of his letter to these dear Christians, Paul prayed that they would come to know the significance of what it meant to be a Christian and what it meant to be the Church: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe (Eph. 1:1819a). Isnt this what we want for our own selves? To see with the eyes of our hearts the hope we have because of Gods calling, to wrap our hearts around the profound implications of what it means to belong to God as His inheritance, and to have our hearts full with the reality that the boundless greatness of the power of Almighty God now belongs to those of us who have been redeemed by Gods own Son. What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be the Church? The answer is provided for us more than 200 times in the New Testament and over 30 times in Ephesians alone; the answer given for what it means to be a Christian and what it means to be the Church is that you are a Christian and you belong to His church if you are in Christ. Before He spoke Creation into existence, God chose you and set His love upon you for the purpose that you would be holy and blameless... in Christ (1:4-6). Your sin was not so great to keep you from the love of God, for He made your salvation and redemption possible through His Son who died upon a cross for your sins and lavished His grace upon you (vv. 7-12). You have been sealed by the Holy Spirit which guarantees your complete and total salvation... and He did it in Christ (vv. 13-14). Oh, dear Christian, what did you ever do to deserve so great a salvation? Nothing, because all of it was provided for you in and through Christ! The Christ who was raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly places is now yours (1:20-21)! The Christ who is far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, the One to Whom belongs the obedience of the nations, and He who is head over all things... is now yours (vv. 22-23)! Christian, what did you do to receive Him as yours? You who were once dead in your offenses and sins, was there anything in you that warranted Gods grace? You were listed among the sons of disobedience, you lived in the lusts of your flesh, you indulged the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and because of your sins... you were categorized by the Almighty as a child of wrath (2:1-3). What was it about you that compelled God to save you instead of leaving you in your sins? It was His rich mercy, His great love, and His all-sufficient grace that made you alive in Christ (vv. 4-9). You are now in Christ, and all because of Christ! Now that you have been saved by Christ, you who were once far away have been brought near so that He is now your truth, He is now your righteousness, and He is now your peace (2:11-16). You are now united to Christ and belong to His body (4:1-32). As a member of His body, you now belong to the Bride of Christ, and because you are His Bride, Jesus is cleansing and sanctifying you through His word and the power of the Holy Spirit (5:22-32). So, when you come to Ephesians 6:10 and read: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might you should know by now where it is that you are able to find that strength. It is found... in Christ. We are strong in the Lord when we put on the full armor of God. Yet, the irony is that it is already provided because of our union in Jesus. He is our belt of truth, He is our breastplate of righteousness, He is our peace through the gospel, He is our shield of faith, He is our helmet of salvation, and He is our sword of the Spirit. We are stronger in the Lord the more we recognize our weakness and how much we need to pursue Him. Listen, the only way you will discover how weak you are is by seeing how big God is, how sufficient Jesus is as your Savior, and how powerful the Holy Spirit is as the One who is keeping you. How We Are to Pray So here is what I want to do with the remainder of our time together. First, I want to look at how we are to pray and then I hope to show you what that kind of praying is where the power of the armor of God is experienced. There are four categories of prayer that ought to be a part of our prayer life as Christians listed in Ephesians 6:18. The Greek word that is used four times in verse 18 that can be translated all or every is the Greek word, pas (ᾶ). Some versions of the Bible have chosen to translate pas as all every time it is used in verse 18, while others like new version of the NASB translate pas as every and all. In an effort to make the translation read smoothly, the NASB translates it this way: With every [pas] prayer and request, pray at all [pas] times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all [pas] perseverance and every request for all [pas] the saints... So how are we to pray? We are to pray in ALL ways to God (v. 18a). What are the ways you can pray? You can pray quietly to God. You can pray vocally to God. You can pray with groups of other Christians to God. You can pray privately to God. You can pray while prostrate on your face to God. You can pray while standing, you can pray while kneeling, and you can pray while walking. You can pray with your eyes closed, you can pray with your eyes open, and you can pray with your head bowed or lifted up. You can pray in all ways to God because of who you are in Christ. We are to pray at ALL times to God (v. 18b). You can pray in the evening to God. You can pray in the morning to God. You can pray midday to God. You can pray while suffering, while hungry, while in good health, or when in ill health. It does not matter what the circumstances are or if it is in the early morning hours or in the midnight hour... there is no time when Gods door is shut, or His time limited so that His redeemed children are not permitted to come before Him in prayer. We are to pray with ALL perseverance (v. 18c). While we pray in all ways and at all times in the Spirit, we are to do so while alert and do so persistently. We stand between the first advent and the second advent when Jesus will come again as King, until He comes again, we are to remain alert for two reasons: first, while we wait, we are in enemy territory where our adversary is categorized as a roaring lion who longs to destroy and devour (1 Pet. 5:8). Jesus told His disciples that while we wait for His return that we must, Watch out, stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is (Mark 13:33). Sinclair Ferguson said of prayer: Christ is building his church on territory that has been occupied by an enemy. Alertness is always essential when living in a war zone.[1] We are to pray for ALL the saints (v. 18d). In the same way that we pray for ourselves, we must also pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ! We do not just pray for those who we agree with theologically, but for every Christian regardless of where they fellowship, what church they attend, or in what part of the world they live. This also means praying for your spouse, praying for your children, praying for your grandchildren, and anyone else in your world who believes in Jesus. When it comes to their relationship with God, God cares more about their spiritual health than you ever could, so pray expecting that God can do, far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think... (3:20) in the lives of those saints you pray for more than your imagination can come up with. There is a fifth way we are to pray: We are to pray in all ways and at all times in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power that makes the armor of God effective so that you can stand strong, stand against the schemes of the devil, and stand firm on the evil day. The Power of the Armor of God is in Who it Belongs To To Pray in the Spirit according to Ephesians 6:18 is not to pray in tongues, that is a different type of praying addressed elsewhere in the Bible, but not here. When we pray in the Spirit, we pray with the confidence that we have access to God Almighty who spoke billions of stars into existence with just the word of His power; not only does He hear us as our Heavenly Father, but He can, do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think (3:20) because we are in Christ and He is our Heavenly father. It is the kind of confidence we read about in Romans 8:14-16, For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, Abba! Father! The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God... Do you remember what I said about what it meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit when we covered Ephesians 4:30 and 5:18 in this sermon series? I said to be filled with the Spirit is not about you getting more of the Holy Spirit, but about the Holy Spirit getting more of you. The more of you that the Holy Spirit has, the more power of the Holy Spirit you will experience! Same is true when it comes to experiencing the strength of the Lord: the more of our hearts, the more of our obedience, and the more of our dependance He has of us... the more of His strength we will experience through His Holy Spirit. The power of the Armor of God is not in our ability to put it on but in the One who it belongs to! This brings us back full circle from what we read in the first sentence of Ephesians (1:1-14) to Ephesians 6:18-24. Conclusion The baby born on the first Christmas and laid in a manger is Christ the Lord! He who was born of a virgin, is the same One who formed Mary in her own mothers womb. The One who through whom all things were created, was laid in a manger for the purpose of carrying a cross to die for sinners. The One who lived the life we could not, to die a death we deserved is not only our Savior, but our Mediator: For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all... (1 Tim. 2:56). The Christ in the manger is ours not because of anything we have done, but because of His victory on the cross and over the grave: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8a). So, it makes perfect sense that Paul would conclude his letter with a call to all of those who are in Christ to pray in the Spirit in all ways, all the time, with all perseverance, and for all the saints because in Jesus, we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens... (Heb. 9:1). If you are a Christian, then one of the things you learn from Ephesians is that you are in Christ. To be in Christ means that you now share an unbreakable union with Christ because that union was chosen by God the Father, purchased by His Sons own blood, and sealed by His Holy Spirit. Prayer is the fruit of our union in Christ, prayer is communion we have with God, prayer is the direct access we have to God because of our union in Christ. Prayer is the power source to the strength of the Lord that is available to the Christian with the armor of God. Jesus is the belt of truth, which is your identity in Him, but the security you have with Jesus as your truth will only be as firm as your understanding and confidence that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Jesus is your breastplate of righteousness, but your confidence in Him as your righteousness will only be as firm as your confidence that His righteousness is all the righteousness that you will ever need. Jesus is the shoes of the gospel of peace, but the extent you will be able to stand firm in the gospel will only be as secure as your understanding of the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the shield of faith, but your shield will only be as large as your understanding of who He is based on how saturated your faith in the Word of God is. Jesus is the helmet of salvation, but the hope of your salvation will only be as effective as your joy in just how great your salvation really is. Jesus is the sword of the Spirit in that all the word of God points to Him, but your ability to wield the truth of Gods word will only be as effective as you are willing to use it. Prayer is what happens when you understand how weak you are and how big God really is. Prayer is the evidence that we are growing in our relationship with Christ! Sam Allberry, in his excellent book, One with My Lord, put it this way: Growth in the Christian life is needing God more, not needing him less. So we will be doing more asking over the years, not less asking. We dont grow out of prayer, just further into it.[2] This is why it is only fitting that Paul would conclude his epistle with the appeal to pray at all times! The more we seek God out of a growing awareness of our weakness, the more like Jesus we will become. Again Sam Allberry is spot on: Prayer is not about bending God to our wills but about expressing our own wills as they are being bent to his.[3] Here is the thing though: Our union in Christ is not dependent upon our performance as Christians. Our union in Christ was, is, and forever will be dependent upon the life and faithfulness of Jesus. To the extent that we depend upon Him will determine just how much of our hearts He really has, and to the extent of how much of our minds, our hearts, and our will that He has will determine just how much of His power we will experience in our lives. You will never be less in Him than you already are, but His power will only be experienced in and through your life to the extent of how much of you Jesus really has. So, my question to you dear Christian is simply this: How much of you does Jesus really have? Oh, dear brother... oh, dear sister in Christ, do you not want to see with the eyes of your heart the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and know the power of the Holy Spirit (1:18-19a)? Do you not want to know the joy of a life built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ as your chief cornerstone (2:20)? Do you not long for the kind of life that comes out of comprehending the width and length and height and depth of what you have in Christ (3:14-19)? Are you not tired of the cheap thrills this world offers when it is through Christ that you can know the kind of satisfaction that comes with walking in a manner worthy of the calling in which you have been called (4:1-3)? If you understood your union in Christ, you would seek to enjoy the unity we are called to with those who belong to His Church (4:4-6). If you understood what it is that you share with Christ, you would desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit instead of looking for ways to grieve Him (4:30; 5:18). Oh, because of the great redemption you now enjoy, do you not hate the things that displease Him (5:1-13)? Do you not want to come out of this life smelling like the sweet aroma of Christ; can you not hear the Holy Spirits call upon your life at this very moment: Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you (5:14)? To be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (6:10), the ability to stand firm against the devils schemes, and to be able to resist when the evil day comes... will only be experienced more frequently when you see just how weak you are and how sufficient Christ is in all things, in all ways, for all times, and for all people! In so doing, may we be known for our love for Jesus and in the way we live for Him and serve those around us. [1] Sinclair Ferguson, Lets Study Ephesians (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust; 2021), p. 186. [2] Sam Allberry, One With My Lord (Weaton, IL: Crossway; 2024), p. 151 [3] Sam Allberry, One With My Lord (Weaton, IL: Crossway; 2024), p. 152.

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.Thomas autem unus ex duodecim, qui dicitur Didymus, non erat cum eis quando venit Jesus.  25 The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.Dixerunt ergo ei alii discipuli : Vidimus Dominum. Ille autem dixit eis : Nisi videro in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum in locum clavorum, et mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam.  26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you.Et post dies octo, iterum erant discipuli ejus intus, et Thomas cum eis. Venit Jesus januis clausis, et stetit in medio, et dixit : Pax vobis.  27 Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.Deinde dicit Thomae : Infer digitum tuum huc, et vide manus meas, et affer manum tuam, et mitte in latus meum : et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis.  28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.Respondit Thomas, et dixit ei : Dominus meus et Deus meus.  29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.Dixit ei Jesus : Quia vidisti me, Thoma, credidisti : beati qui non viderunt, et crediderunt.

John 20:24-28But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hands in his side, I will not believe.”A week later, the disciples were again in the house, and this time Thomas was with them. Jesus came, again, and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” And he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand put it in my side. Do not doubt, but believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord, and my God.” David Brooks, in his book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, the inspiration behind our Advent journey this season, tells some beautiful and hard stories about grief and despair and suffering. He gives some sad statistics about how and why we are such a disconnected people these days – and about what it means to experience hardships ourselves, to learn to see them in others, and to walk with others – and each other – through the struggles of this life.If you've picked up the book, but haven't made your way into it, yet – and you're here tonight – maybe Part 2, Chapter 8, page 97, is a place you could begin reading. (If you don't have this book – or don't know or care about any of that – fear not; none of it is necessary. I plan to fill in all the gaps you might be missing.)But in discussing what it means to see one another in our struggles, David Brooks tells part of Frederick Buechner's story. Buechner was a Presbyterian minister, theologian and very prolific author – a few of who's books were required reading in my Pastoral Care and Counseling courses back in seminary. When Buechner was just ten years old – and his younger brother, only 8 – their dad peaked in them early one morning in their bedroom before they were set to go on a family outing about which the brothers were quite excited.It was too early that morning to get up so the boys stayed in bed, in their room, anticipating the fun day they had planned. As Brooks writes it, “A little while later, they heard a scream and the sounds of doors opening and closing. They looked out their window and saw their father lying in the gravel driveway, with their mother and grandmother, barefoot and still in their nightgowns, leaning over him. Each woman had one of his legs in her hands. They were lifting his legs up and down as if they were operating two handles of a pump. Nearby, the garage door was open and blue smoke was billowing out.“… their father had gassed himself to death. It took them a few days to find the suicide note, which their dad had scratched in pencil on the last page of Gone with the Wind. It was addressed to their mom, [and said]: ‘I adore you and love you, and am no good … Give Freddy my watch. Give Jamie my pearl pin. I give you all my love.'”Within just a couple of months, Buechner's mother moved them to Bermuda, where they started a new life, and little Freddy effectively avoided and denied whatever grief he would have/could have/should have probably wrestled with until he couldn't avoid it any longer – when he became a young adult. His work as a teacher and author helped with that, as did more life experiences and research into his dad's past and family history. Sadly, and surprisingly, it wasn't until he reached middle age that Frederick Buechner was able to cry real tears – to actually grieve – the loss of the father he loved very much.I picked this story to tell, because I agree with David Brooks: that the trajectory and experience of Frederick Buechner's grief is a familiar one for many people. See if this scenario sounds familiar:Some sadness, struggle, or even tragedy strikes. There is a period of shock and grief that feels too great to face or engage, so that grief – and all the emotions that come along with it – are packed away, avoided, denied, whatever. We suck it up and move on, because we think that will be easier. We brave the grief alone, or quietly, because that looks like “strength” to us – and that supposed “strength” is often affirmed as such by the world around us. At the very least, maybe we minimize whatever grief or struggle finds us because we are needed by others – children, parents, spouses – or because we don't want to appear weak, or to be a burden or a buzz-kill, or something of the like.(Again, not that anyone here would ever … but does any of this sound familiar?)Whatever the case, this can go on for quite some time … until it can't anymore. In Frederick Buechner's case, it took decades before it caught up with him and before he was finally able to find meaning and new life through the grief he learned to experience and engage over having lost his father so young and so tragically.Anderson Cooper tells a similar story. (I know I am a broken record about Anderson Cooper and his podcast “All There Is,” and I'm sorry – not sorry – that I bring it up every chance I get. If nothing else I have to say tonight resonates or sounds encouraging or helpful to you, make listening to that podcast part of your holy homework soon and very soon. I propose – I almost promise – it will either help you find some words and wisdom about whatever grief you've already experienced, or it will prepare you for the grief that will find you – as it does us all – at some point in our lives.)Anyway, the whole reason Anderson Cooper started this podcast a few years ago, where he interviews others all and only about their grief is because – at the age of 55 – he realized he had never been taught or encouraged to engage, let alone wrestle with or mend, the deep grief he endured by losing his father to heart-failure when he was just 10 years old (like Frederick Beuchner was); or the grief he suffered after losing his 23 year-old brother to suicide when he was just 21.Instead of grieving well, Anderson says as a young adult, he traveled the world, risking his life to report on wars and tragedies and disasters – literally on a global scale – so that, while simultaneously running from and avoiding his own grief, he could subconsciously measure that kind of horrific sadness against his own, and maybe see how other people survived in the face of it.Anderson Cooper embodies Frederick Buechner's suggestion that, even though we long more than anything to be known fully, grief – even though it is utterly universal – may be one of the things that is most difficult to embrace, admit, or share about ourselves.It's why what we're up to tonight is as practical as it is holy to me. It's why I'm so grateful you've showed up. It's why I wish this place was as full tonight as it will be on Christmas Eve.See, on a recent episode of that podcast, Anderson Cooper interviewed the actor Andrew Garfield, who talked about the loss of his mother. And Andrew Garfield said something so profound it's been making its way around the internet, lately. Maybe you've seen or heard it. “The wound is the only route to the gift.”I wonder if, when Jesus showed up for the disciples after his death – and then again to Thomas, who refused to believe it …I wonder if he was doing even more than proving his identity … if he was doing more, even, than just showing evidence of his resurrection … I wonder if, when Jesus showed off the wounds in his hands and on his sides… If, when he invited Thomas to put his fingers “here” and to see his hands, to reach out his own hands and to touch the wounded sides of Jesus…I wonder if Jesus was offering Thomas healing for the deep grief he surely felt, and if he was showing them all – and us, too – that “the wound is the only route to the gift” that even our grief can be for us, as people of faith.Not that we would ever choose the grief that comes our way …Not that we deserve the deep sadness and struggle that finds us, too often, on this side of heaven …But that, because God shows up in Jesus to walk the way of suffering before and beside us as we go, we can remind ourselves and each other that God does God's best work in the dark, sad, scary places of our lives.See, I believe God showed up, in Jesus, to remind us that the only way through the grief that finds us in this life – and toward the healing and hope we desire and deserve – is to trust that it won't last forever; that we don't need to fear or deny or avoid or pretend that it shouldn't exist; that we can come to and through the wounds of our sadness and struggle… We can touch and tend to what hurts us most… (“The wound is the only route to the gift.”)And we can share all of that with one another, without fear, shame, or hesitation. And we can let the light of God's grace – the light that shines in the darkness – shine in our direction, too. And we can let it heal what we cannot, on our own … and we can let it bless our lives with the love that is born for us all, even and especially in our darkest days … with thanks for this Jesus – who was, who is, and who is to come.Amen. Merry Christmas.

John 20:1-31   Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and *saw the stone alreadyremoved from the tomb. 2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; 5 and he stooped to look in, and *saw the linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in. 6 So Simon Peter also *came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he *looked at the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed.9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping; so as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb; 12 and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they put Him.”14 When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and yet she did not know that it was Jesus.15 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Thinking that He was the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'” 18 Mary Magdalene *came and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. 19 Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were togetherdue to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and *said to them, “Peace be to you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas waswith them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then He *said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yetbelieved.” 30 So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net    

This is message 8 in The Twelve Disciples series John 20:24-29 Thomas, often remembered for his doubts, exemplifies a journey from skepticism to steadfast faith. Known for his pragmatic nature, Thomas demonstrated loyalty and resolve, as seen in his willingness to follow Jesus to Bethany despite the dangers. His questions in the upper room revealed a desire for clarity, leading to Jesus' profound declaration as the way, the truth, and the life. Though marked by a moment of doubt following the resurrection, Thomas' encounter with the risen Christ transformed him, culminating in his powerful affirmation, “My Lord and my God.” Don't forget to download our app for more from the Riverview Baptist Church. http://onelink.to/rbcapp Find more at https://riverviewbc.com/ Donate through Pushpay https://pushpay.com/pay/riverviewbc

“ Two of the devil's biggest lies are ‘You're the only one who struggles with this kind of stuff' and ‘You can't tell anyone.' Sin thrives in that kind of dark secrecy.” So says author and apologist Sam Allberry during this conversation with Russell Moore. The two discuss Allberry's new book, One with My Lord, and consider various ways people interpret the Bible's perspective on sexuality. They talk about gender identity, marriage, and what it means when God says it is not good for humans to be alone. Allberry and Moore consider the importance of friendship, the value of community, and the impact of social media on mental health.  They also discuss Allberry's experience with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), the Billy Graham rule, and fostering organizational cultures of transparency. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Jesus, the Bible, and Same-Sex Sexuality by Sam Allberry What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves by Sam Allberry Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? by Sam Allberry 7 Myths about Singleness by Sam Allberry One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ by Sam Allberry The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics by Richard B. Hays The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge “Interview with Sam Allberry || What Can We Learn from the Ravi Zacharias Scandals?” “Dallas pastor removed indefinitely due to 'inappropriate relationship' with woman, church says” “Sex Scandals and the Evangelical Mind” The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance―Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters by Sinclair B. Ferguson “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chapter 29 - The Lost Diadem“Alecto, Amycus's sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We've all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drove wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them, and how the natural order is being reestablished. I got this one,” he indicated another slash to his face, “for asking her how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got.”Q1 - Obviously not entertaining Death Eater ideas, but do they have any kind of point?Thing was,” he faced them, and Harry was astonished to see that he was grinning, “they bit off a bit more than they could chew with Gran. Little old witch living alone, they probably thought they didn't need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway,” Neville laughed, “Dawlish is still in St. Mungo's and Gran's on the run. She sent me a letter,” he clapped a hand to the breast pocket of his robes, “telling me she was proud of me, that I'm my parents' son, and to keep it up.”Q2 - What do you think of all the students rebelling at Hogwarts?Q3 - What do you think about the Room of Requirement hideout?“There's something important we need to do —” “What is it?” “I — I can't tell you.” There was a ripple of muttering at this: Neville's brows contracted. “Why can't you tell us? It's something to do with fighting YouKnow-Who, right?” “Well, yeah —” “Then we'll help you.” The other members of Dumbledore's Army were nodding, some enthusiastically, others solemnly. A couple of them rose from their chairs to demonstrate their willingness for immediate action. “You don't understand.” Harry seemed to have said that a lot in the last few hours. “We — we can't tell you. We've got to do it — alone.” Q4 - Is it good they're being so secretive? Harry looked from Ron to Hermione, who murmured, “I think Ron's right. We don't even know what we're looking for, we need them.” And when Harry looked unconvinced, “You don't have to do everything alone, Harry.” Q5 - Should they tell?Q6 - Where is the Diadem?“Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?” “Hmm . . . What do you think, Harry?” said Luna, looking thoughtful. “What? Isn't there just a password?” “Oh no, you've got to answer a question,” said Luna. “What if you get it wrong?” “Well, you have to wait for somebody who gets it right,” said Luna. “That way you learn, you see?” “Yeah . . . Trouble is, we can't really afford to wait for anyone else, Luna.” “No, I see what you mean,” said Luna seriously. “Well then, I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning.” Q7 - What do you think about the Ravenclaw tower's entrance?Harry stepped out from under the Cloak and climbed up onto Ravenclaw's plinth to read them. “‘Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.'” “Which makes you pretty skint, witless,” said a cackling voice. Harry whirled around, slipped off the plinth, and landed on the floor. The sloping-shouldered figure of Alecto Carrow was standing before him, and even as Harry raised his wand, she pressed a stubby forefinger to the skull and snake branded on her forearm. Chapter 30 - The Sacking of Severus Snape“We can push it off on the kids,” said Amycus, his piglike face suddenly crafty. “Yeah, that's what we'll do. We'll say Alecto was ambushed by the kids, them kids up there” — he looked up at the starry ceiling toward the dormitories — “and we'll say they forced her to press her Mark, and that's why he got a false alarm. . . . He can punish them. Couple of kids more or less, what's the difference?” “Only the difference between truth and lies, courage and cowardice,” said Professor McGonagall, who had turned pale, “a difference, in short, which you and your sister seem unable to appreciate. But let me make one thing very clear. You are not going to pass off your many ineptitudes on the students of Hogwarts. I shall not permit it.” Q1 - Thoughts on McGongall and the Carrows?“It's not a case of what you'll permit, Minerva McGonagall. Your time's over. It's us what's in charge here now, and you'll back me up or you'll pay the price.” And he spat in her face. Harry pulled the Cloak off himself, raised his wand, and said, “You shouldn't have done that.” As Amycus spun around, Harry shouted, “Crucio!” Q2 - Should Harry have used crucio?“Time's running out, Voldemort's getting nearer. Professor, I'm acting on Dumbledore's orders, I must find what he wanted me to find! But we've got to get the students out while I'm searching the castle — it's me Voldemort wants, but he won't care about killing a few more or less, not now —” not now he knows I'm attacking Horcruxes, Harry finished the sentence in his head. “You're acting on Dumbledore's orders?” she repeated with a look of dawning wonder. Then she drew herself up to her fullest height. “We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-BeNamed while you search for this — this object.” “Is that possible?” “I think so,” said Professor McGonagall dryly, “we teachers are rather good at magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we all put our best efforts into it. Of course, something will have to be done about Professor Snape —” She marched toward the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip burst three silver cats with spectacle markings around their eyes. The Patronuses ran sleekly ahead, filling the spiral staircase with silvery light, as Professor McGonagall, Harry, and Luna hurried back down.Q3 - What was the doe Patronus?“No, he's not dead,” said McGonagall bitterly. “Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand . . . and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master.” With a tingle of horror, Harry saw in the distance a huge, batlike shape flying through the darkness toward the perimeter wall. There were heavy footfalls behind them, and a great deal of puffing: Slughorn had just caught up.Q4 - Is Snape as dark as Voldemort?“My word,” he puffed, pale and sweaty, his walrus mustache aquiver. “What a to-do! I'm not at all sure whether this is wise, Minerva. He is bound to find a way in, you know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in most grievous peril —” “I shall expect you and the Slytherins in the Great Hall in twenty minutes, also,” said Professor McGonagall. “If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage our resistance or take up arms against us within this castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill.” “Minerva!” he said, aghast. “The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties,” interrupted Professor McGonagall. “Go and wake your students, Horace.”Q5 - Do we trust Slughorn?There was a scuffling and a great thump: Someone else had clambered out of the tunnel, overbalanced slightly, and fallen. He pulled himself up on the nearest chair, looked around through lopsided horn-rimmed glasses, and said, “Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so I — I —” Percy spluttered into silence. Evidently he had not expected to run into most of his family.Q6 - Do we trust Percy? How do you like him coming back at this moment?“I was a fool!” Percy roared, so loudly that Lupin nearly dropped his photograph. “I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a — a —” “Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron,” said Fred. Percy swallowed. “Yes, I was!” “Well, you can't say fairer than that,” said Fred, holding out his hand to Percy. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug, while he patted her on the back, his eyes on his father. “Where's Ron?” asked Harry. “Where's Hermione?” “They must have gone up to the Great Hall already,” Mr. Weasley called over his shoulder. “I didn't see them pass me,” said Harry. “They said something about a bathroom,” said Ginny, “not long after you left.” “A bathroom?” Q7 - Where did they go?Chapter 31 - The Battle of HogwartsQ1 - What did you think of the students staying back to help and do they stand any chance against Voldemort and the Elder wand?“Well, help me, then!” Her composure was slipping. “It — it is not a question of —” she stammered. “My mother's diadem —” “Your mother's?” She looked angry with herself. “When I lived,” she said stiffly, “I was Helena Ravenclaw.” “You're her daughter? But then, you must know what happened to it!” Q2 - What do you think about the Grey Lady?“He tracked me to the forest where I was hiding. When I refused to return with him, he became violent. The Baron was always a hot-tempered man. Furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom, he stabbed me.” “The Baron? You mean — ?” “The Bloody Baron, yes,” said the Gray Lady, and she lifted aside the cloak she wore to reveal a single dark wound in her white chest. “When he saw what he had done, he was overcome with remorse. He took the weapon that had claimed my life, and used it to kill himself. All these centuries later, he wears his chains as an act of penitence . . . as he should,” she added bitterly. Q3 - What do you think of her story?“He hid the diadem in the castle, the night he asked Dumbledore to let him teach!” said Harry. Saying it out loud enabled him to make sense of it all. “He must've hidden the diadem on his way up to, or down from, Dumbledore's office! But it was still worth trying to get the job — then he might've got the chance to nick Gryffindor's sword as well — thank you, thanks!” Q4 - Do you understand why he applied for the job now?“— attacking because they haven't handed you over, yeah,” said Aberforth, “I'm not deaf, the whole of Hogsmeade heard him. And it never occurred to any of you to keep a few Slytherins hostage? There are kids of Death Eaters you've just sent to safety. Wouldn't it have been a bit smarter to keep 'em here?” Q5 - Would you have kept a few Slytherins captive?“I was the last to come through,” said Mrs. Longbottom. “I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?” “He's fighting,” said Harry. “Naturally,” said the old lady proudly. “Excuse me, I must go and assist him.” With surprising speed she trotted off toward the stone steps. Q6 - Understand why I love Neville so much now?Q7 - What do you think of Crabbe and Goyle and Malfoy?And he saw them: Malfoy with his arms around the unconscious Goyle, the pair of them perched on a fragile tower of charred desks, and Harry dived. Malfoy saw him coming and raised one arm, but even as Harry grasped it he knew at once that it was no good: Goyle was too heavy and Malfoy's hand, covered in sweat, slid instantly out of Harry's — “IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!” roared Ron's voice, and, as a great flaming chimaera bore down upon them, he and Hermione dragged Goyle onto their broom and rose, rolling and pitching, into the air once more as Malfoy clambered up behind Harry.Q8 - What do you think about Harry saving them and Crabbe dying?He pulled the diadem from his wrist and held it up. It was still hot, blackened with soot, but as he looked at it closely he was just able to make out the tiny words etched upon it: Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure. A bloodlike substance, dark and tarry, seemed to be leaking from the diadem. Suddenly Harry felt the thing vibrate violently, then break apart in his hands, and as it did so, he thought he heard the faintest, most distant scream of pain, echoing not from the grounds or the castle, but from the thing that had just fragmented in his fingers.Q9 - They're getting close…Nagini is only left?Then he heard a terrible cry that pulled at his insides, that expressed agony of a kind neither flame nor curse could cause, and he stood up, swaying, more frightened than he had been that day, more frightened, perhaps, than he had been in his life. . . . And Hermione was struggling to her feet in the wreckage, and three redheaded men were grouped on the ground where the wall had blasted apart. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand as they staggered and stumbled over stone and wood. “No — no — no!” someone was shouting. “No! Fred! No!” And Percy was shaking his brother, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and Fred's eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face. Q10 - RIP Fred…Chapter 32 - The Elder WandShe had pulled Ron behind a tapestry: They seemed to be wrestling together, and for one mad second Harry thought that they were embracing again; then he saw that Hermione was trying to restrain Ron, to stop him running after Percy. “Listen to me — LISTEN, RON!” “I wanna help — I wanna kill Death Eaters —” His face was contorted, smeared with dust and smoke, and he was shaking with rage and grief. “Ron, we're the only ones who can end it! Please — Ron — we need the snake, we've got to kill the snake!” said Hermione. But Harry knew how Ron felt: Pursuing another Horcrux could not bring the satisfaction of revenge; he too wanted to fight, to punish them, the people who had killed Fred, and he wanted to find the other Weasleys, and above all make sure, make quite sure, that Ginny was not — but he could not permit that idea to form in his mind — Q1 - What do you think of Ron's anger and grief here?Q2 - Is Hagrid dead?“How — how're we going to get in?” panted Ron. “I can — see the place — if we just had — Crookshanks again —” “Crookshanks?” wheezed Hermione, bent double, clutching her chest. “Are you a wizard, or what?”Q3 - Do you remember where you first read this line?“. . . my Lord, their resistance is crumbling —” “— and it is doing so without your help,” said Voldemort in his high, clear voice. “Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there . . . almost.” “Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please.” Snape did not speak. “Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen.” “My Lord —” “The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.” “My Lord!” Snape protested, raising his wand. “It cannot be any other way,” said Voldemort. “I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last.” And Voldemort swiped the air with the Elder Wand. It did nothing to Snape, who for a split second seemed to think he had been reprieved: But then Voldemort's intention became clear. The snake's cage was rolling through the air, and before Snape could do anything more than yell, it had encased him, head and shoulders, and Voldemort spoke in Parseltongue. “Kill.” Q4 - Initially you were happy Snape died…has your tune changed?Harry took off the Invisibility Cloak and looked down upon the man he hated, whose widening black eyes found Harry as he tried to speak. Harry bent over him, and Snape seized the front of his robes and pulled him close. A terrible rasping, gurgling noise issued from Snape's throat. “Take . . . it. . . . Take . . . it. . . .” Something more than blood was leaking from Snape. Silvery blue, neither gas nor liquid, it gushed from his mouth and his ears and his eyes, and Harry knew what it was, but did not know what to do — A flask, conjured from thin air, was thrust into his shaking hands by Hermione. Harry lifted the silvery substance into it with his wand. When the flask was full to the brim, and Snape looked as though there was no blood left in him, his grip on Harry's robes slackened. “Look . . . at . . . me. . . .” he whispered. The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more. Q6 - What do you think?Q7 - Voldemort owns the Elder Wand now?

Read OnlineJesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table?' Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished?' Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?” Luke 17:7–9In most cultures today, the idea of having a servant whom you command to wait on you is far from ideal. Jesus uses this image because the people to whom He was speaking would have easily related. He used it as a way of humbling them because when the illustration is properly understood, He was identifying each one of them as the servant, not the master. Only God is the Master.When it comes to our service of God, there is no limit to the commands that God will give. At first, that might seem harsh, but it's not because the commands that God gives to us are dictates of perfect love. We need His commands. We need the order He provides. We need to enter into perfect obedience to Him. We need to listen to everything He tells us and obey it to perfection. Seeing God as our Master and ourselves as His servants will only appear harsh when we fail to understand what sort of Master He is.Recall the beautiful words of our Blessed Mother when she was given the command from the Archangel Gabriel. The angel said to her, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” This was not a question posed to her; it was a command of love. Mary did not hesitate and did not refuse. She said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”At the conclusion of today's Gospel, Jesus went on to say, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'” In many ways, this is exactly what our Blessed Mother did. She was a servant of God's perfect commands, and she knew that her love for God obliged her to follow His will.When you think about your service of the will of God, do you see it as you doing God a favor? Do you see obedience to God's dictates as an act of generosity on your part and your cooperation with those dictates as above and beyond your natural duties? Hopefully not. Hopefully you understand that you, like our Blessed Mother, are a servant of the one true Master of all. Hopefully you also see the commands of God as the roadmap toward a life of complete fulfillment. When we understand Who the Master is, we will never hesitate in being a servant, or even a slave. We will not hesitate in freely surrendering ourselves over to His will in complete and unwavering obedience. God alone knows what is best for us, and we need to give Him complete control over our lives.Reflect, today, upon the image of a master and a slave. As you do, try to shed every preconceived image you have that includes harshness, cruelty, dominance and control. Instead, try to see the image of a divine Master Whose only concern is for the servant. Try to see a Master Who perfectly loves the servant. Reflect upon your own need for such a Master in your life. Pray that you will be able to surrender complete control over to God in all things so that He can direct your life into the glorious things He has in store for you.My Lord and Master, You have commanded me and all Your servants to obey Your commands of perfect love. Your will alone is what is best for our lives and Your dictates bring fulfillment and purpose to our lives. May I, with Your Blessed Mother, always obey You in everything, for I am a servant of You, dear Lord. May I joyfully do what I am obliged to do. 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 images above: Fresco depicting Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles by Fra Angelico

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.'” Luke 16:1–2There is much to ponder in this parable and many lessons from which we can learn. To begin, the rich man should be understood as God and you as the steward. This is an important first lesson to learn because it reveals to us that, when it comes to material things in this world, God is the true owner of all—we are only stewards. Think about that carefully. When it comes to all that you own, all your money and possessions, do you hold on to it as if you were the complete master of these material items? Clearly most people do think this way. They may work hard to earn a living, save and buy this and that, build up their bank accounts, and then remain very attached to these material things, seeing them as “mine” rather than as God's. So the first very challenging lesson we should look at is that all we “own” is actually the possession of God. He only permits us to be stewards of the things of this world. Do you believe that?As stewards, we must be committed to use the riches within our stewardship only in the way that God wants it used. In this parable, the steward was reported to the rich man for “squandering his property.” We also are guilty of squandering the possessions of God when we use money in accord with our own will and desires rather than those of God's. This is an exceptionally common tendency, especially for those who have become the stewards of much money. Therefore, the more money that one has stewardship over, the more they will be tempted to squander it, meaning, use it for selfish purposes rather than for the glory of God in accord with His will. This is a hard teaching to accept and live. But these truths are indeed revealed to us by this parable, so it is essential that we listen.The words spoken by the rich man, “Prepare a full account of your stewardship,” are words that we must all anticipate hearing one day. If that day were today, what would that “full account of your stewardship” look like? Have you worked hard for selfish gain? Or have you worked hard to act with great responsibility over the things God has entrusted to your care?As the parable continues, we read that the steward acted “prudently” in that he devised a plan to make sure his material needs were met once he lost his position as steward. The “prudence,” however, that is spoken of here is a reference to the worldly, and therefore, evil ingenuity, cleverness, hard work and commitment many people have regarding the material wealth they seek to obtain in this world. Though it is good to be diligent and hardworking in life, too often this is done for the purpose of selfish gain. Just imagine if everyone who worked so hard at getting rich put even more effort into building up the Kingdom of God on earth! How different this world would be if we had so many hard workers for God's mission.Reflect, today, upon the simple truth that when it comes to the riches of this world, you are only the steward of what you possess, not its master. God wants you free from the attachment to material wealth so that you will be free to use all that you have for His glory and in accord with His purpose. That does not mean that you must donate all you have to charities. Instead, it means that you continually offer all that you have to God and seek to use it in accord with His will and His will alone. If that means you discern that God wants you to buy something new, then buy something new. If that means giving more away, then give more away. If that means living more simply as a holy sacrifice, then do just that. Money cannot buy happiness. Only embracing God's will to the fullest will result in the happiness and fulfillment you deeply desire.My Lord of all riches, You and You alone are the Master of all things created. All that I have and possess are Yours, dear Lord. Help me to believe this and to live my life purely as a steward of the possessions I have. Free me from squandering that which You have entrusted to my care. May I use all for Your glory and only in accord with Your holy will. 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: The Parable of the Unfaithful Ruler by Andrey Nikolaevich Mironov, via Wikimedia Commons

My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling. (SB 1.8.26) To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ (USA only) https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark