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In this episode you'll hear about  moments in people's lives when “the curtain was pulled back” and they saw Jesus in the Eucharist in new and transcendent ways!Readings The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christhttps://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060726.cfmThe Unknown GodBy Alice Meynell (1921)One of the crowd went up, And knelt before the Paten and the Cup,Received the Lord, returned in peace, and prayed Close to my side; then in my heart I said:"O Christ, in this man's life—This stranger who is Thine—in all his strife, All his felicity, his good and ill,In the assaulted stronghold of his will,"I do confess Thee here,Alive within this life; I know Thee nearWithin this lonely conscience, closed away Within this brother's solitary day"Christ in his unknown heart,His intellect unknown—this love, this art,This battle and this peace, this destinyThat I shall never know, look upon me!​"Christ in his numbered breath,Christ in his beating heart and in his death, Christ in his mystery! From that secret place And from that separate dwelling, give me grace."

The story of the Payson family is a captivating study in how profound spiritual light can emerge from the deepest valleys of human suffering. Dr. Edward Payson, famously remembered as "Praying Payson," was a towering figure of the Second Great Awakening whose legendary, agonizing intercessions literally wore grooves into his hardwood floors, yet he was constantly bedeviled by physical pain and overwhelming bouts of melancholy. This complex legacy of fierce devotion and raw vulnerability did not end with his early death; it was magnified in the lives of his two brilliant daughters. Louisa, a self-taught intellectual powerhouse, masterfully translated the silent longings of the soul into clear, resonant prose, while her sister Elizabeth—enduring a lifetime of devastating chronic illness and the tragic loss of her own children—penned the immortal hymn More Love to Thee, O Christ and the bestselling novel Stepping Heavenward. Together, this 19th-century family transformed their personal battlefields of grief, doubt, and physical frailty into an enduring literary and spiritual roadmap that continues to guide weary travelers home.

Title: Delightful Duty Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 FCF: We often struggle in submitting to the Lord's work to grow and preserve us. Prop: Because it is a delightful duty to praise God for an enduring and maturing church, we must be a church who endures in spiritual maturity. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. In a moment we'll begin reading from the Legacy Standard bible in verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible turning to the page listed on the screen behind me, or you can follow along in whatever version you prefer. Today we officially begin our exegesis of the second letter to the Thessalonian church from Paul and his companions. If you missed last week, we did look at the introductory material for the book providing the key themes and basic outline. I'll remind you that there is a fuller outline of the book available on the entry way table. I do reserve the right to make changes to that outline at anytime as I go through the book in a more detailed study. So, some things might get moved around a little or not work out the way I thought they should have - but for the most part this outline will provide a good birds eye view of where we are headed. With that being said, let's just get right into the book. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Most Gracious Father, we thank You abundantly for Your steadfast love and faithfulness to Your people. Not only do you save us from sin and death, and rescue us from Your holy and righteous wrath, but You do also sanctify us and conform us to the likeness of Your dear Son whom You gave as a substitute. We bid You to send Your Spirit among us today and meet with us to teach us from Your Word. We ask that You would give us the graces we need to live this life enduring in spiritual maturity so that we can be a beacon to a dark world. Teach us we pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “Moving in the right circles is not the same as making progress.” John Blanchard “Many spiritual experiences are possible which do not in and of themselves produce maturity. Rather, it is our response to experiences which will determine our progress in maturity.” Sinclair Furgeson “Some people's religion reminds me of a rocking horse, which has motion without progress.” Rowland Hill [Slide 3] “Progress is a tide. If we stand still, we will surely be drowned.” Harold Mayfield “Just as the sinner's despair of any help from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer's growth in grace.” A.W. Pink “All our progress and perseverance are from God.” John Calvin Let these words prepare your mind for the exposition of the Word of God. I.) It is a delightful duty to praise God for an enduring and maturing church, so we must be a church who grows in faith and love. (1-3) a. [Slide 4] 1 - Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 - Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. i. Paul's introduction here is almost identical to his introduction to the first letter. ii. He lists himself and his two companions as the authors of the book. Although we know Paul is the primary author with Silas and Timothy providing input. iii. Then he clearly marks out who he is writing to. iv. He writes to the church of the Thessalonians. v. He says that their church is “in” God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. vi. Paul once again reminds this largely gentile church that they have inherited a covenant relationship with the God of Israel whereby they are safely “IN” Him. vii. Furthermore, there is one word variation between this greeting and the one from 1 Thessalonians. Paul began with God The Father and here it is God OUR Father. viii. Once again, this shows us that gentile Christians are in the same relationship to Yahweh as Jewish Christians. Jews were known as the children of Israel and were often described as God's children in the Old Testament. ix. For Paul to refer to the entire church as God's children is to break down the hard black line between Israel and the church. The fact of the matter is that Redeemed Israel and the church have much more in common then they don't. We could say that they are virtually synonymous. Not identical, not without distinction. But broadly they are the same. x. And once again Paul gives his standard greeting, especially to churches experiencing hardship or persecution. xi. He prays for or hopes for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus. xii. Once again, grace is God's power which He grants to people according to His free will, to enable them to receive or do something which they are unable to get or do for themselves. xiii. And peace can mean peace with men but more than likely carries the Jewish idea of completion and being set to order. That all things would be made right for them. xiv. God alone is the author of these things and He gives these in His timing and according to the counsel of His will alone. xv. With his general greeting done, Paul moves right to the topic at hand. b. [Slide 5] 3 - We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is only fitting, i. Once again, we are struck with the generally positive tone of this letter. ii. Some of you were around when we studied Galatians, which was Paul's first letter he ever wrote. iii. If we compared Paul's tone from this book with Galatians, we would see a fairly stark contrast. iv. It isn't difficult to see why. The Galatian church was in the midst of succumbing to heretical teaching that put the requirement of circumcision and becoming a Jew as a prerequisite for any gentile to become a follower of Christ. v. But the Thessalonian church is in no such position. vi. Moving on with this verse… vii. Sometimes when we use the word “ought” we subtly imply that we are not currently doing something. viii. “I ought to exercise more” means, “I am not exercising as much as I should.” ix. However, this is actually a slang usage of the word “ought.” x. “Ought” is actually a great word when you understand that it means obligation or duty. xi. So, Paul is actually saying “We are obligated to give thanks” or “It is our duty to give thanks” xii. Paul is not confessing to the Thessalonian church that he and his companions don't give thanks to God for them always like they should. xiii. Instead, Paul is saying the opposite of that. xiv. He is saying that they are duty bound, obligated, and feel it necessary to always give thanks to God for them. xv. And he is saying that it is fitting for them to be duty bound to give thanks to God for them. xvi. Well, why? c. [Slide 6] because your faith is growing abundantly, i. So, the positive tone of the letter is really tied to their meteoric growth as a church. ii. Though they are less than a year old in their faith, it is growing rapidly. iii. It would be important for us to understand what Paul means by faith here. Because he will use the word twice in this context and each time is different. iv. Faith here takes on the meaning of believing and obeying the teachings from Christ as communicated to them by the evangelists. It is not merely confessing the right things, it is actually growing in the knowledge of Christ to the extent that they are conformed to Him. v. Therefore, the evangelists have the delightful duty to praise the Lord and be thankful to Him for their growing faith. vi. We noticed this in 1 Thessalonians and we should again notice it here. vii. First, we recognize that there is a cooperative nature to our sanctification. viii. We are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are told to spur each other to good works. We are commanded to walk worthy of the name we've been called to. ix. There is no doubt that there is some level of Christian responsibility associated with our growth in our faith. x. But Paul again minimizes that human side of the equation. He wants to thank God always for the rapidly growing faith of the Thessalonians. xi. In fact, if we look at the language here, we see that he is not thanking God for their effort to grow their faith, He is thanking God for their faith growing rapidly. xii. This is the lesson we take away… xiii. Even our growth in spiritual maturity is ultimately because it is God who works in us to will and to do His good pleasure. God provides the desire and the power to obey Him. xiv. This is why Augustine said, “Give what you command and command what you will.” By this he means that because God gives us the ability to obey Him, He can then command us anything He wishes. xv. But for what else is Paul duty bound to praise the Lord? d. [Slide 7] and the love of each one of you all toward one another increases all the more, i. Again, Paul is not thanking God for their efforts to love each other. He is thanking God for the results of their love for each other increasing all the more. ii. In his first letter to them, if you remember, Paul actually prayed for these things to happen and expressed his hope and desire that God would grow these in them. And after hearing that his prayer was answered and God did indeed grow them in faith and cause their love to abound more and more, he has the delightful duty to thank God for this. iii. John says we love because He first loved us. Scholars debate whether John means 1. We love God because He first loved us 2. We love others because God first loved us 3. Or, both. iv. I tend to see it through the systematic lens of all of the scriptures and conclude that it must be both. Clearly, we cannot love God unless He loves us first and opens our eyes to the truth. And clearly, we cannot rightly love other believers if we do not follow the first command to love God with all we are. v. It is therefore, very much, a house of cards. In order to love other believers properly, we must love God with everything we are. And in order to love God, He must have loved us first. vi. Therefore, what Paul says here is crystal clear. vii. The only reason that their love is increasing toward one another, is because God is giving them grace and growing them in their faith and love. viii. Of course there is a human side. We can resist and even quench the Spirit. Paul warned about that in the previous letter. ix. But when we say what Augustine said, we recognize that so long as God is giving us the desire and power to do what He has commanded, then He can command anything from us. x. The Thessalonians had learned this quickly. And for that, Paul has the delightful duty to unceasingly thank the Lord. e. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Paul then is expressing his thanks to God for the abounding grace of God to grow these Thessalonians in their faith and love. As we saw from the first letter, they were already growing in faith and love. So, they are enduring now in that growth and that makes it his delightful duty to thank God for them. Above physical health, financial solvency, honor, or general maturity, there is nothing that requires a spiritual leader to praise God more than when an individual believer or a church as a whole is graced by God to endure and grow in spiritual maturity. Negatively, there is nothing more disheartening to a spiritual leader than when an individual believer, or the church as a whole, resists or quenches the leading of the Lord. With this in mind, we must follow the example of the Thessalonian church and be a church who grows in faith and in love for one another. It must be something that continues here, in every single person. No one should think they have arrived and have no need to grow because they are saved from hell. Instead, all who are saved from hell are given a desire to live for heaven. We must continue to deepen our knowledge of Christ and to grow in conformity to Him and in our love for those who are His bride with us. [Slide 9 (blank)] Transition: What is the result of the growth of the Thessalonian church's faith and love? What is the impact that God's grace to them has had on the universal church? II.) It is a delightful duty to praise God for an enduring and maturing church, so we must be a church possessing enduring faith amid persecution and affliction. (4) a. [Slide 10] 4 - so that we ourselves boast about you among the churches of God i. The words “so that” communicate a result of the previous thought. ii. Paul and his companions are obligated to give thanks to God because of the rapidly growing faith and the increasing brotherly love of the Thessalonian church. iii. The result of the evangelists' thanksgiving for their growth is that the evangelists are continually pointing to the Thessalonians as an example of what God can do. iv. Paul is not boasting in his effective teaching and leadership, he is not boasting in the Thessalonians' submission or obedience, he is boasting in Christ and the supernatural change that God can work in His people. v. This isn't a boast of comparison; this is a boast of praise. vi. So, he isn't going around Corinth saying, “Why can't you all be more like the church Thessalonica?” vii. Instead, he is going around saying, “Look at what God is doing with His people in Thessalonica!” b. [Slide 11] for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. i. The word the LSB translates “for” here doesn't imply a causal relationship. ii. We might be tempted to see Paul boasting about them because of their perseverance. iii. However, other translations render this as “about” or “concerning” which communicates a content-related connection. iv. Paul is boasting not because of their perseverance but about their perseverance. v. Again, this is emphasizing the result and not necessarily the effort or action. 1. The Puritan Theologian and commentator John Gill said this about this verse: 2. [Slide 12] “the apostle elsewhere advises not to glory in men, but only in the Lord; nor was this his practice contrary to his advice, for he did not boast of these persons with respect to their carnal things; he did not glory in their flesh, nor in their riches, nor wisdom, nor strength, nor any external gift; he gloried indeed of their graces, and of the exercise and increase of them: but of these not as of themselves, or as owing to him, and his fellow ministers, but as instances of the grace of God, and for which he gives thanks to Him” vi. The fact that the Thessalonians are persevering, they are remaining strong, they are enduring. vii. That is why he is boasting. But not for that alone. viii. Here we have the second usage of the word faith. And here the word does not mean the teachings of Christ and their obedience. Rather here it means trust. ix. They trust in the promises of Christ and therefore they endure. In fact, there is a necessary relationship between endurance and faith. Many commentators have noted this down through the ages even back to the Reformation. x. Endurance is produced by faith and faith increases in strength as it endures. xi. The Thessalonians' faith is holding fast and THAT is the content of the boast. xii. And what makes it all the more praise worthy, is that they are enduring persecutions and afflictions. xiii. It is one thing to hold fast to faith and endure when life is difficult. It is quite another to hold fast and endure in your faith when you are actively being treated poorly or harmed because of it. xiv. Entire letters in the New Testament are written to people who are considering abandoning their faith because it is causing these kinds of reactions. xv. Paul is seeing their faith grow in spite of the violent reactions of those around them. xvi. Hence the reason he boasts. c. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: Paul's next point provides a natural transition into the first topic he wishes to address with the fledgling church. Persecution. But before he gets to that, he wishes to let them know that their perseverance and their faith in the midst of the afflictions and persecutions they are facing, has provided all the content Paul and the evangelists need to boast in the Lord and what He is doing in them. This then is a repackaging of what he has already said. Enduring spiritual growth is something for which spiritual leaders MUST be thankful to God. And they even express that thanksgiving in a public way. Like toward other churches. Therefore, we must also be a church who possesses enduring faith amid persecution and affliction. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC that refines our beliefs and guides our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 14] Paul greets the Thessalonian church and goes right to commending and praising the Lord for all that has been done in their assembly. The evangelists are thankful to God and are publicly praising God for the Thessalonian church's endurance in spiritual maturing even amid persecution and affliction. Spiritual leaders are obligated to praise God for an enduring and maturing church. It is a wonderful duty. Nothing could delight them more than an enduring and maturing church. So how do we become an enduring and maturing church for which God can be praised? We must be a church who grows in our faith and in our love for one another and we must be a church that endures and is faithful amid persecution and affliction. When we submit to God doing these things in us, we become salt and light on the earth and all men must glorify our Father in heaven. But what are some tangible ways that we can apply this to our lives today? How can we start putting this in to practice today? 1.) [Slide 15] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God alone is to be praised and glorified for our growth. a. If we are to confess orthodox Christian faith, we must believe that salvation is of the Lord alone. b. This is the doctrine of monergism. Monergism comes from the combination of two words, mono meaning “one” and ergon meaning “work.” When combined the word means literally, “The work of one.” c. However, even within Christendom, the battle rages on to keep this doctrine pure and free from human contribution. d. Many strands of Christendom would heartily confess that salvation is of God alone but paradoxically attempt to include man's effort in the equation somehow. i. God alone saves us but we must do good works to keep ourselves saved. ii. God alone saves us but we don't need Him to help us get that salvation. iii. God alone saves us but we must do something to get it from Him. e. These are a few examples of certain flavors within Christianity that meddle with this doctrine. f. It is important to emphasize that even if we believe in the doctrine of monergism that does not require us to assume that mankind has no agency or responsibility. We'll talk about this in a second. g. But someone who truly believes that salvation is all of God understands that human agency and responsibility must happen AFTER God has already done the work to predestine, foreknow, elect, call, draw, and regenerate a person from being dead in sin to being able now to believe on Christ. h. [Slide 16] John 1:12-13 says “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.” i. [Slide 17] Let me give you the Chris paraphrase of this. To everyone who has received Christ as their Savior and Lord, before they received Him, He gave them the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name, indeed God Himself, by His will alone, birthed them into His family so they could believe on His name and receive Him as Savior and Lord. j. Human agency and responsibility to believe on Christ is only possible after God does something in each of us individually. k. But this doesn't stop at Justification or conversion. In fact, as we go forward into sanctification, we see something similar happening. l. In Philippians 2, Paul commands the Philippian church to work out their salvation. This is a mining term meaning to take a pick axe and work out from the rubble the precious jewels found within. m. But then Paul says to do this with fear and trembling. With awe and humility. Why? n. Because the one who works IN YOU to will and do His good pleasure is God. o. In other words, even in sanctification, God is already working in you to provide your desire to obey His commands… AND… He is working in you to give you the strength to do His commands. p. Therefore, we must conclude that even in our growth in Christlikeness and love… we cannot glory in our own efforts. Why? q. Because God gave us the desire and the power to do it. All we really did… was not say no. What then is left to brag about? r. [Slide 18] If you are getting any glory for your justification or your sanctification… then your theology is wrong. s. God alone is to be praised for what we are and what we are becoming. t. But… we have another guardrail to raise up here to make sure we don't go too far. 2.) [Slide 19] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that we cooperate with God in our enduring spiritual maturity. a. Christian agency and responsibility still exist even in this framework. b. Even when we understand that the desire and power for us to obey God comes from God Himself, that doesn't mean we passively do nothing. c. If I need to swing a pick axe and have the desire to swing it and the power to swing it but never swing it… does the work get done? d. Of course not. e. This is the image we have in the scriptures. We have a responsibility to do all the Lord has commanded us. But we know full well that we would never desire to do what He commanded, nor would we ever possess the power to do what He has commanded if He did not provide it to us. f. This is why we set out to obey Him in awe and humility. The task is too great and we are not disposed to it. Yet He has changed us and He is with us giving us grace to do what He has commanded. g. With that in mind then… what is the “work out our salvation” application this morning? 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must grow in faith and love toward one another. a. It is required of all God's children to grow in faith and love. b. Some of those that fell on the Roman Catholic side of the Reformation expressed great concern over the idea that God had declared someone to be righteous rather than made them righteous. c. Their concern was that if it was not our responsibility to keep ourselves in a state of righteousness, but it was in fact true that God legally judges us to be righteous in spite of us still being sinners, that this would lead to Christians liberally sinning. d. The fact that the early church dealt with this corruption of license as written by Jude and Paul actually serves to prove the Reformers to be correct. e. If the apostles truly taught that we had to keep ourselves righteous then it is hard to imagine a group rising up within that teaching that suggested that they can live any way they wish. f. It makes much more sense to understand that God has declared us righteous based on Christ's work alone, and then commands us to live in obedience. g. Indeed, with the gift and sealing of the Holy Spirit upon us, God has provided all that we need to do just that. h. But some today see their confession of Christ as a destination and not the start of a journey. They believe that once they have confessed Christ, they have arrived where they need to and don't really need to grow or that growth is mostly optional as they wait for Christ to return. i. However, the whole of the New Testament resolutely stands against this idea. j. The apostles are insisting, in literally every letter, that the churches they write to continue to grow in their knowledge of Christ and their devotion and obedience to God and love for one another. k. So how do we do this? How do we grow in faith and love? l. God grows His children through what we call the ordinary means of grace. m. He has given us His Word which contains for us the Words of life. He has given us access to His throne room and bid us come boldly in prayer to Him. He has given us the church a place of mutual discipleship and accountability. n. Read your bible, pray every day and You'll grow, grow, grow. I think I'd adjust the words a bit to say… o. Study your bible, pray without ceasing, and don't forsake the gathering of God's people… and you'll grow, grow, grow… p. Ok so all those words won't fit in the song… but that is how we grow. Both in faith and in love. q. If any of those items are lacking, our growth in faith and love for others could be stunted or we might actually see decline. 4.) [Slide 21] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must possess enduring faith amid persecution or affliction. a. Another action we should take as a result of the example of the Thessalonian church, is to make sure that our faith in the promises of God are grounded and solid enough to endure affliction and persecution. b. We are warned in the parable of the soils, that one such soil that looks like it is good to produce a crop, is actually rocky and shallow soil. We wouldn't know it at first, but as the heat comes and scorches the plant, it can't go deep in the soil to find water. And so, it burns up. c. Jesus explains the meaning that these folks are people who received the gospel message with readiness but when persecution arises, they don't have the roots to hold fast and endure it. d. We must be sure our soil is soft and that our roots can go deep. e. We have entire branches of Christendom teaching that you can just make a 1 time decision to pray a prayer and that will forever insure your spot in heaven. Or they teach that if you join God's team or give enough money God will give to you earthly prosperity. f. But the New Testament assures us of the opposite. That we will suffer. In fact, in Paul's previous letter to the Thessalonians he said, that it is the destiny of believers to suffer for the name of Christ. g. My friends, if you are going to be a friend of the real Jesus then you better get used to the world hating you. Because it will. It will hate you so much that it may even what you dead. It may want you dead in such a way that it believes it is righteous to kill you to save the world from your Jesus. h. And it will take more than a 1-time decision and a prayer you repeated, for you hold fast to this Jesus. i. Are you ready to endure such hatred? Are you ready to endure such affliction? j. We can be preparing now. We can practice on minor difficulties and inconveniences. We can practice trusting the Lord when we are sick, or when we lose our jobs, or when we suffer loss of property or relationships. k. This will help to train us for the greater afflictions and persecutions that are yet to come. 5.) [Slide 22] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” Elders, we are duty bound to recognize, and publicly praise the Lord for those who are enduring in spiritual maturity. a. Men, we have the delightful duty to recognize and publicly praise the Lord for those who are growing and enduring. b. And so, I want to break off everything right now and apply this immediately. c. We know that many of you are growing and the Lord is teaching you and making you more like Him. d. We, just this week at our Elder meeting, without me hinting at this application, prayed thanking the Lord for the growth we've seen among you. But let us do it publicly and give God glory for what He is doing. e. Can I have the Elders stand and pray in praise to the Lord for what He is doing to grow us here at CBC? 6.) [Slide 23] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God gives grace for help in time of need. a. Perhaps you were thinking as we prayed that we certainly weren't thanking God for you. Because you could stand to grow a lot more. b. Perhaps you have been stalled out for a while and your fire has gotten cold. c. Perhaps you've been phoning in your Christian walk for a bit and you wish you could get excited about it again – but it just isn't happening. d. Let these words be a comfort to you. e. God gives grace for help in time of need. f. God commands you to approach His throne boldly to seek mercy and find grace for help. g. If you are truly His child, He desires to supply you with all you need to do as He pleases. h. It is time for you to boldly and diligently seek Him. It is time for you to cast yourself once again at His feet and beg for His aid. i. He stands ready for you friend. j. But perhaps you have tried this. Perhaps you have begged and pleaded for God to stir you up for months… maybe even years. k. Maybe… you are asking for the wrong thing. 7.) [Slide 24] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Look what God makes in those who are truly His children! If you are not growing… if you are not enduring… you are not His child. a. It is plain and simple folks. The ones whom the Lord loves, He chastens. b. The ones He has given His Spirit to, will be conformed to Christ. c. It is possible to be dry for a season. It is possible to be overcome with sin. It is possible to be lethargic and sick for a time. d. But if the Lord isn't chasing you down, disciplining you, and restoring you to growth in grace… e. If your faith has grown ice cold and Jesus has taken a back seat to money, fame, power, or just daily life… f. My friends – at some point you have to start wondering… g. Maybe I'm not sick. Maybe I'm still dead. h. Look what God makes His children to be in the church of Thessalonica. Look what God does. i. My friends, if He is not doing it in your life… Maybe you aren't His child. j. What if that is true? k. Repent of your apathy and idolatry. And confess Christ as Savior and Lord of your life. Submit to His commands and put Him as your one and only King. l. Then you will see growth. You will know of grace first hand. m. Come see an Elder today if you desire this for yourself. [Slide 25 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the church father Paulinus Pellaeus, a man born with much wealth and family, only to see it all taken away from him and never returned in this life. His prayers are marked by their thanksgiving to God in spite of all that was taken from him in this world. If I am truly wise, I should now rejoice in the place that you, O Christ, have approved for me. After all, you are preparing far better things now than I had before. Before, I thought your approval meant prosperity. Before, my home was abundant in luxury. Before, I flourished in status amidst throngs of crowds and clients. I now regret that I once loved all those things that were doomed to perish. But with old age I finally recognize (to my profit) that by the loss of earthly and failing riches I might learn to seek rather those things which will endure forever. It is indeed late, O God. But nothing is ever too late with you. You will always show compassion. And you know how to help those who do not know how to help themselves-because you anticipate our prayers even before we ask, and you provide good things for us beyond what we seek. You also refuse many selfish, misguided prayers, though you are ready to grant even better things to those wise enough to prefer your gifts to their own wishes. For how much better did you know me and my character-better than I did myself. You saw when I stepped out on a task that was beyond my strength. You gave me something better, by blocking my plans. By your mighty hand and foreseeing power, you directed all things. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Benediction: May He Who rides a white horse, Who is called Faithful and True. Whose Eyes are like a blazing fire, and upon his head are many crowns. Who is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and Whose name is the Word of God. Keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus with the peace of God that transcends all understanding. Until we meet again, Grace and Peace to you.

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. — Luke 23:44-45 What do you think of when you hear the word “darkness”?Children often think of darkness as scary, and when they grow up most of them still prefer the light. From Genesis to Revelation, darkness is whatever space, time, or reality is separate from God. Before creation there was darkness “over the surface of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). In the last days, as described in Revelation, darkness is one of the signs of separation from God.When Jesus hung on the cross, darkness came over the land in the middle of the day, when the sun should have been at its brightest. God had abandoned his Son, who was taking on himself all of the corruption and ugliness of the world's sin and God's awful judgment on it. As God separated himself from his beloved Son, darkness descended and Jesus died.Luke's account of that day notes another amazing occurrence as well. The curtain in the temple, which had long symbolized the separation of the holy God from his unholy people, was torn in two, miraculously, from top to bottom. Our sin-generated separation from God was coming to an end. That was good! But it took an awful darkness to make that happen.Light was conquering darkness. God and his people would be together again. A new creation was forming! O Christ, thank you for making yourself unworthy of God's presence so that we, who truly are unworthy, can be counted worthy to live with him. What a gift we receive in you! Amen.

Easter Meetings - Thursday 02/04/26 The sermon centres on Christ's final words on the cross—'It is finished'—presenting them as a triumphant declaration of completed salvation, not defeat. Drawing from John 19:30, it emphasises that Christ's work of redemption was fully accomplished, rendering further human effort unnecessary, and affirming that salvation is a gift received through faith alone. The message unfolds this truth through three dimensions: conquest over sin, Satan, and divine wrath; comfort in the end of condemnation and the removal of separation from God; and a call to faithful service and perseverance until life's end. Using the life of Hudson Taylor as a compelling example, the sermon illustrates how encountering the finished work of Christ transforms lives, ignites service, and brings lasting peace, urging listeners to rest in Christ's completed sacrifice rather than in their own works.

Today's Reading: John 12:1-36 (37-43)Daily Lectionary: Exodus 9:1-28; Lamentations 1:1-22; Hebrews 2:1-18“His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.” (John 12:16)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The ministry of Jesus subverts expectations so often that it is almost a cliché. Throughout his ministry, those whom you expect him to condemn, he instead commends; those you expect him to reject, he instead joins for a meal. This happens so often that Jesus is directly criticized for it. It's no wonder that this can all get a bit confusing, even for Jesus's closest disciples. Judas Iscariot has been following Jesus for three years, and there are a lot of ways his response makes sense. He seems really concerned with the priorities of Jesus, so he asks him a fair question (John 12:4-5). It's completely reasonable that wealth should be spent on the poor rather than vain annointings. How often do we have these very same types of questions in our own churches?  Yet, Jesus tells us that in His Kingdom, the poor are rich, the weak are strong, the last are first, but it is still confusing when we encounter the realities of God's economy. How often have we looked back and seen God's merciful hand at work in our lives? Understood how He was with us through a difficult path we had to tread, when it looked and felt like we were all alone? Perspective is a valuable thing, and sometimes that perspective is gained through retrospection, that is, looking at the past and seeing it through the lens of a God who is busy making all things new. At other times, even with the benefit of hindsight, we cannot see how God is working, how it is good, or evidence of His mercy in our lives. It is okay; even then, we're in good company, as the disciples did not understand many of the things of Jesus' ministry, despite witnessing it with their own eyes and having Him there to explain it. But what gives them the key to understanding? The glorification of Jesus. What do they mean by the glorification of Jesus? Looking ahead to verses 27-36, we see that the Father is glorified in the crucifixion of Jesus. Our eyes can only behold the crucifixion as shame and condemnation, but with eyes of faith, in the light of the resurrection, we can see that in the cross, there is glory. In the cross is victory over sin, death, and the devil, reconciliation of the world to the Father, which is the ultimate outpouring of His fatherly divine goodness and mercy. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pom ride on to die. O Christ, Thy triumphs now begin O'er captive death and conquered sin. (LSB 441:2)

What the bride most desires is to please the Bridegroom more.

What the bride most desires is to please the Bridegroom more.

We adore you O Christ and we bless youBecause by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.On this weeks podcast excerpt as we journey through the joyous holy season of Lent, we provide a pause moment to reflect on the Stations of the Cross. The Stations are a traditional Lenten devotion walking the Via Dolorosa with Christ, meditating on his Passion and Death. We pray the Stations of the Cross using a version from Trocaire.*****If listeners want to dip back into other reflections we have done in the past on the Stations of the Cross check out the archive on our old blog under the tag - Stations of the Cross.Text us at +353 874668950 or email at comeandseeinspirtaions@gmail.com

We adore you O Christ and we bless youBecause by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.On this weeks podcast as we journey through the joyous holy season of Lent, we provide a pause moment to reflect on the Stations of the Cross. The Stations are a traditional Lenten devotion walking the Via Dolorosa with Christ, meditating on his Passion and Death. In part two of this weeks podcast, we pray the Stations of the Cross using a version from Trocaire.In part one we have our regular run through the liturgical odds and ends of the coming week as head into the last stretch of Lent before Palm Sunday including our up coming saints of the week.In part three we pause to reflect on the third Johannine Gospel of Lent  (John 11:1-45) - the Raising of Lazarus from the Dead and what it could mean for us to pause on this Lenten season.  *****If listeners want to dip back into other reflections we have done in the past on the Stations of the Cross check out the archive on our old blog under the tag - Stations of the Cross.Text us at +353 874668950 or email at comeandseeinspirtaions@gmail.com

Join us for a study of the Scottish hymn "Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ" (Hymn 380 in The Lutheran Hymnal) by Horatius Bonar. This is a beautiful hymn on the doctrine of Justification the the person and work of Jesus for sinners.  While this hymn is not strictly a "Lent" hymn, it fits nicely during the season of Lent. It points clearly to the suffering (verse 2) and death (verse 4) of Jesus at the cross (verse 3), and the necessity for it. Jesus, through His perfect life (verses 1 and 5), and His suffering and death, has done what no one else could. He accomplished what sinners desperately needed to be delivered from the curse of sin. We are powerless to save ourselves. Jesus alone is "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). As you sing this hymn, reflect on your utter helplessness under the Law of God, and your desperate need for salvation. Thank God, that this need has been fulfilled by God in the person and work of Jesus. There is no salvation, anywhere else! There is no one, no thing, else we can to turn to for this salvation. Jesus alone is the Savior we need. Rejoice in that truth, and revel in the joy that truth brings! As you sing this hymn, you are not only reveling in its truth, but you are also declaring this truth to others. It is an encouragement to your fellow Christians to hear you make this declaration!

Great Lent 2026; Sunday of the Cross "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24) Christ is talking as if "coming after" or "following" Him is something good. What is that all about? Where is He going? Where is He leading us? Christ talks about "denying" ourselves. In the next verse He ties that to being willing to die. This sounds important. We need to get it right. There is a great lie in our world: that all religions are basically the same. But Scripture warns us that the devil himself can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). So it is not enough simply to have faith in something. Why in the world are there so many warnings in the Bible about idolatry? Some people focus on sexual sin. But even Scripture often uses sexual sin as a metaphor for something even worse: worshipping false gods. One is bad—but the other is worse. Just as marriage is good, but union with God is even greater. So we need to get this cross thing right. Is it just about perseverance? Everyone has their own cross to bear? Well… kind of. But even that needs to be grounded. We are not simply stoics. If we are stoics at all, we are stoics of a very particular kind. So what is the cross? Yes, it involves pain. But not just any pain. Look to the prototype. We are Christians, and Christ is our standard. His cross was painful—but it was pain put to a purpose. It was sacrificial. He gave Himself as a sacrifice. And all sacrifice involves something valuable—something costly, something difficult. Pain can be like that. The cross was Christ's sacrifice on behalf of the people and the world that He loved. That gives us something to work with. Taking up our cross means doing things that are hard on behalf of others. At the very least, it means denying what we might prefer so that others can thrive. For Christ, that meant leaving the place where He was given the glory and honor that was His due and coming to live in a world where He would be disrespected, misunderstood, and even tortured and killed. And He did it so that we—the ones He loves—could join Him in eternal glory. When we voluntarily sacrifice our time, when we put up with people who misunderstand us, who may not value us, who may never fully appreciate what we are doing—and we do it out of a desire for their health and salvation … … then we are taking up our cross and following Christ into glory. So be patient when your ego tells you to lash out. Be courageous when your instincts tell you to hide. Figure out what love requires in each moment—and then dedicate yourself to it. In addition to patience and courage, this requires paying attention. It requires humility. It requires dedication to the needs of the moment. And it surely won't be easy. But this is the cup that our Lord accepted in the Garden of Gethsemane—the cup that led to the salvation of the world. And when we drink of that cup, we are united to Him through His passion on the Cross. But we must remember something very important. The cross is not the end of the story. Christ did not go to the cross in order to remain in the grave. He went through the cross into resurrection. And this is exactly where the Church is leading us during Great Lent. We are walking the road of the cross now so that we may stand together in the light of Pascha. Our Lord Himself told us how this works: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." In Christ, the cross is never the final word. What passes through the cross is changed. We die with Him so that we may live with Him. Buried with Him in death, we rise with Him into newness of life. As St. Maximus the Confessor says, "The one who participates in Christ's sufferings also shares in His glory." Suffering offered in love becomes glory. Sacrifice becomes participation in His life. And even death becomes the doorway to life. This is the mystery the Church sings every year at Pascha: Yesterday I was buried with Thee, O Christ;today I arise with Thee in Thy resurrection. This is where Christ is leading us. Through the cross. Into resurrection. So when the moment comes—and it will come—when love requires something difficult from you, do not be afraid of the cross. Take it up. Follow Him. Because on the other side of the cross is life— life with Christ, life with all the saints, and life in the glory of the Kingdom.  

Year A – Second Sunday in Lent– March 1, 2026 Pastor Megan Floyd Genesis 12:1-4a John 3:1-17 Grace and peace to you from God and the Holy Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, who came, not to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Amen. *** Can I just tell you… I deeply appreciate Nicodemus. He is a religious leader among the Jews… a Pharisee… he's a scholar of the scriptures… he knows the law of Moses through and through… the Pharisees were very strict in their law-abiding ways. He is well known with an excellent reputation… one whom others came to for advice and leadership. And yet… he is brave enough… he is brave enough to wonder… to ask… what if this man Jesus really is something more? Nicodemus has the courage to ask if maybe he missed something… he has the strength of character to observe what is taking place around him… and consider that he may have been wrong. We have all been wrong from time to time… we've all made mistakes… and we know that being wrong is no joke… …the realization that we are wrong about something… especially something really big… can actually trigger intense psychological discomfort… and sometimes even physical pain.   These feelings can manifest as shame or guilt… and lead to cognitive dissonance in the struggle to reconcile the reality around us with our long-held position on something … and it only becomes more difficult as that reality becomes increasingly unmistakable. It's why some people will double down on their position… on their interpretation of things… why they will insist that reality isn't actually what we perceive with our eyes, but only what they, instead, insist it must be. It's all about avoiding the pain of being wrong… maybe they think it makes them look tough… or strong… except… that avoidance is the weaker approach. Avoidance and refusal to take in new information may protect our psyche in the short-term, but it cuts us off from the potential to learn and grow. …And in strictly Christian terms, it prevents us from the healing that occurs when we face our mistakes or errors, and we confess them… and change our ways through repentance… so that we can receive forgiveness with a clean heart… and begin repairing the relationships that may have been harmed. I've always deeply appreciated Nicodemus… but in these times, when our country is so divided… when the testimonies of our neighbors to what they have seen and experienced go ignored… because their testimony challenges the positions that some will not allow to be challenged… …well, I find that in these days… I appreciate Nicodemus even more. I appreciate that Nicodemus is willing to leave room for wonder… leave room for new information… he's willing to allow his position to be challenged, even though his position is one around which he has built his entire life. Do you know anyone like that? …I do. I appreciate Nicodemus' strength… what must it have taken for him to come to Jesus to ask… to learn? …I certainly don't fault him for coming to Jesus at night! I probably would have as well, were I in Nicodemus' place… it was safer for him than to risk everything… to wonder enough to ask. Also… it's worth noting… because we're in the gospel of John now for the next four weeks…that in the gospel of John, the use of day and night is a thematic revelation of being in relationship with Jesus. Not to say that darkness is evil, because far too much modern bias has taken that wrong turn… but… Jesus is the light of the world, and so to be in relationship with him… to have an understanding of who and what Jesus is… in the gospel of John… is to be in the light… it is… to greet him in the day. I want you to hold on to that theme over the rest of Lent because we'll hear much more from John in the coming weeks… you'll find how often it comes into the description of a scene, and gives clues to where they are in relationship with Jesus. So… Nicodemus… he arrives at night… so he's not so sure… but he can't deny that what he has seen is amazing, and he knows that these wonders could only come from God. And in his secret conversation… we learn something very important about the nature of God through Jesus. We learn… that Jesus is going to meet us wherever we are on our spiritual journey… even if it is from a place of doubt. We learn that Jesus is going to come to us… to meet us in that space… he's going to receive our questions and our doubts with love and compassion… along with some healthy accountability… and he's going to guide us into a deeper understanding of who he is. It is a journey we all must take… a journey Christ invites us all to take. We don't hear about Nicodemus again in our lectionary texts, but his story continues… he's one of the few people, other than the disciples, whom we are blessed to return to and catch glimpses of his spiritual growth. In John 7, Nicodemus speaks up against his colleagues and peers to defend Jesus' right to justice under the law… a position that puts him at odds with those who just want Jesus gone. And then he shows up again… at the foot of the cross. In John 19, Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes, weighing around 100 pounds… an abundance… and he, along with Joseph of Arimathea, wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in linen cloth, and buried him in the tomb. I take Nicodemus' actions to mean… he figured it out… he understood that Jesus was God, who came to save us, and that this salvation occurs through Jesus drawing close to us… and loving us. Because being in relationship with Jesus is the ultimate goal… not just for Nicodemus, but for all people… for the whole kosmos. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 …it's arguably the most famous verse in the Bible. But it is so incredibly important to hear the context, and to follow it up with the next verse… "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:17   God does not desire for us to perish in our unknowing… in our faults… our mistakes… or our sin.   On the contrary… Jesus, in complete love, will make space for us so that we can authentically open our hearts to him… not just for our sake, but for the sake of the world.   So that we, as part of the covenant God made with Abraham, our spiritual father… and in our obedience and devotion to Christ, we might become a blessing to others… shining the light of Christ… the light of the world… to all who need it, wherever they are…   …and sharing our testimony of the Good News of all that Jesus has done.   For God so loved the whole world… and that means everyone.   So as the world around us continues to be fraught with division and violence against those who disagree… and as we possibly face another war in the aftermath of our country bombing Iran… Lord, we ask you to meet us where we are.   Give us the courage of Nicodemus… to question what we are told if it feels contrary to how you call us to live. Let us be brave enough to admit when we are wrong, to stay true in our following of you, and to receive your forgiveness daily with a clean heart.   And Lord, give us your compassion and guidance to meet others where they are… to not hold them in contempt if they are just waking up to the reality we are in, or even if they remain asleep to it.   Help us to hold them in your love, as you love us… and to freely share the grace that you so freely give us. Guide us so that we may be daily reborn and transformed through your Spirit and your love.   We need you now, O Christ… in these challenging times. Amen

February 25, 2026Today's Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17; Genesis 9:18-11:26; Mark 4:1-20“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It could be argued that the best coaches in professional sports are the ones who've been athletes on the field. Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time (that Super Bowl trophy is named after him), understood that playing experience helped to make him a better coach. He once said, “Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate.”Can the same be said about Jesus Christ? Is He able to motivate us because He knows what it's like to be human? Is that what makes Him such a great savior... because He doesn't expect us to do anything that He hasn't done Himself?   It's certainly encouraging that Jesus knows what it's like to be human because He is an actual human being! He was conceived, grew, and developed in His mother's womb. He was born and continued to grow from childhood into adulthood, just like human beings do. Throughout His life on earth, He experienced hunger, weariness, sadness, and anger. In every respect, He knows what it's like to be human, and yet He lived His life without sin. He can sympathize with our weaknesses, but He hasn't excused them. It's not like after His 33-year stint on earth, He reported back to His Father, “You know what, that was really hard. I think the expectation You have from them is just too high. You need to lower Your standards and give them some credit for trying real hard. I barely made it. You can't expect them to do much better.” Jesus came in the flesh, not to motivate. He came in the flesh as our substitute- to take our place under God's wrath against sin. He came to cover your sin with His righteousness. If He had not done this, we could never approach His throne of grace with confidence. Instead, we would live our lives in constant fear and trepidation, wondering if we've lived our lives “good enough” to be accepted by Him. Because Christ is our Great High Priest, who has succeeded where we have fallen short and showered us with God's grace and mercy, we have great confidence and hold fast the confession of faith that's been revealed to us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Christ, You walked the road Our wand'ring feet must go. Stay with us through temptation's hour To fight our ancient foe. (LSB 424: 5) Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

124.รักพระเยซูรักมากกว่าก่อน (More Love to Thee, O Christ) by คริสตจักรตรัง

First Sunday in LentThe Holy Eucharist Rite OneGreat Litany, Eucharistic Prayer 1Sunday, February 22, 2026The Word of GodGREAT LITANY All stand.The People respond with the words in italics.I.Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth.Have mercy on us.Holy and Mighty, Redeemer of the world,Have mercy on us.Holy Immortal One, Sanctifier of the faithful,Have mercy on us.Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, One God,Have mercy on us.II.From all evil and mischief; from pride, vanity and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred and malice; and from all evil intent.Savior, deliver us.From sloth, worldliness and love of money; from hardness of heart and contempt for your word and your laws,Savior, deliver us.From sins of body and mind; from deceits of the world, flesh and the devil,Savior, deliver us.From famine and disaster; from violence, murder, and dying unprepared,Savior, deliver us.In all times of sorrow; in all times of joy; in the hour of our death and at the day of judgment,Savior, deliver us.By the mystery of your holy incarnation; by your birth, childhood and obedience; by your baptism, fasting and temptation,Savior, deliver us.By your ministry in word and work; by your mighty acts of power; by the preaching of your reign,Savior, deliver us.By your agony and trial; by your cross and passion; by your precious death and burial,Savior, deliver us.By your mighty resurrection; by your glorious ascension; and by your sending of the Holy Spirit,Savior, deliver us.III.Hear our prayers, O Christ our God.Hear us, O Christ.Govern and direct your holy Church; fill it with love and truth; and grant it that unity which is your will.Hear us, O Christ.Give us boldness to preach the gospel in all the world, and to make disciples of all the nations.Hear us, O Christ.Enlighten your bishops, priests and deacons, especially Nicholas our Bishop, and Craig our Rector, with knowledge and understanding, that by their teaching and their lives they may proclaim your word.Hear us, O Christ.Give your people grace to witness to your word and bring forth the fruit of your Spirit.Hear us, O Christ.Bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived.Hear us, O Christ.Strengthen those who stand; comfort and help the fainthearted; raise up the fallen; and finally beat down Satan under our feet.Hear us, O Christ.IV.Guide the leaders of the nations into the ways of peace and justice.Hear us, O Christ.Give your wisdom and strength to Donald, the President of the United States, and Daniel the Governor of this state, that in all things they may do your will, for your glory and the common good.Hear us, O Christ.Give to the Congress of the United States, the members of the President's Cabinet, those who serve in our state legislature, and all others in authority the grace to walk always in the ways of truth.Hear us, O Christ.Bless the justices of the Supreme Court and all those who administer the law, that they may act with integrity and do justice for all your people.Hear us, O Christ.Give us the will to use the resources of the earth to your glory and for the good of all.Hear us, O Christ.Bless and keep all your people,Hear us,...

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 426 - Jesus Sinners Doth Receive: vv. 1, 2, 5, 6 - Acts 16:27-34: The keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. - Devotion - Prayer - Hymn 415 - I Trust, O Christ, in You Alone: vv. 1, 3 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Shawn Stafford (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Dennis Marzolf (Pianist)

Dr. Arthur Just of Concordia Theological Seminary-Ft. Wayne, IN Heaven on Earth: The Gifts of Christ in the Divine Service Concordia Commentary: Luke 1:1-9:50 Concordia Commentary: Luke 9:50-24:53The post The Hymn, “O Christ, Our True and Only Light” – Dr. Arthur Just, 1/21/26 (0213, Encore) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

November 20, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Table of Duties - To ChildrenDaily Lectionary: Daniel 1:1-21; Matthew 28:1-20“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and your mother'—which is the first commandment with a promise—' that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life in the Earth.' Eph. 6:1-3” (Catechism, Table of Duties: To Children)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. How does the Lord take care of you in this world—not just in your life of faith where you are justified by your Lord's Word, but in your earthly life, where you need food and drink and home and safety? The Lord sets, for the benefit of children, parents. Mom and Dad. The son or daughter, then, is given to receive all good gifts of family and childhood from his or her parents. And where the parent needs help in caring for a child, perhaps a teacher to teach algebra or a doctor to diagnose a fever, the parent brings in a teacher or doctor or whatever other profession so that the teacher or doctor (or whomever) is acting by the authority and in the stead of the mom and dad. Mom and Dad are the Lord's instruments. They are standing in the Lord's stead to provide for the children. So obedience to parents is not just some ritualistic keeping of the law; it's much more. When we are young, respect and obedience are our recognition that we receive every good gift from our Lord, including all the gifts of “daily bread,” through our parents. They are the Lord's servants, his vessels. This, of course, often goes poorly in our sinful world. A parent may die; a family may be torn by divorce; or a parent does his or her parenting poorly (which is true to some extent for every parent, except, of course, God the Father). Yet, in all of this, even when we find them in their weakness, we give thanks for parents, for they stand as God's instruments to care for, protect, teach, encourage, comfort, and sustain the children. And we pray to our Father in Heaven that we may be forgiving of our parents where they do poorly, and happily obedient to them, hearing them with ears of respect and thankfulness.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.You are our holy Lord, The all-subduing Word, Healer of strife. Yourself You did abase That from sin's deep disgrace You so might save our race And give us life. O ever be our guide, Our shepherd and our pride, Our staff and song. Jesus, O Christ of God, By your enduring Word, Lead us where You have trod; Make our faith strong. So now, and till we die, Sound we Your praises high And joyful sing: Infants, and all the throng, Who to the Church belong, Unite to swell the song To Christ, our king! (LSB 864:2,4,5)Author: Rev. Warren Graff, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NM.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.This new devotional resource by Carl Fickenscher walks you through each week's readings, revealing thematic connections and helping you better understand what is to come in worship each Sunday.

“The Church from You, dear Master, Received the gift divine; And still that light is lifted O'er all the earth to shine. It is the chart and compass That, all life's voyage through, Mid mists and rocks and quicksands Still guides, O Christ, to You. “O make Your Church, dear Savior, A lamp of burnished gold To bear before the nations Your true light as of old! O teach Your wand'ring pilgrims By this their path to trace Till, clouds and darkness ended, They see You face to face.”

Devotion Ecclesiastes 9:7-10   Announcements High School Volleyball Women's Retreat Ladies' Auxiliary Church Choir  Men's Breakfast Red Cross Blood Drive Ladies Bible Study  Weekend Worship Sophomore Search MN Mission Festival   Prayer List  Pastor John Hein Pastor Tim Wheaton Jim Lien Susan Mutzke Margaret Schreyer Tasca Rykhus Linda Bode Women of our Church Mission in Philippines    Common Christian Q&A What is the difference between a witness and a sponsor in our practice of Baptism?    Hymn of the Day TLH 380 “Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ”

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Job 18; Psalm 114; Acts 27-28 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, dear ones! In today's episode, join your Bible Reading Coach, Hunter, as we journey through the pages of Scripture together on this 27th day of October. We'll explore Job 18, where Bildad challenges Job, reflect on the powerful imagery of God's deliverance in Psalm 114, and dive into the dramatic account of Paul's perilous voyage and shipwreck in Acts 27 and 28. As Hunter guides us through these passages, we'll consider what it means to let God navigate our storms, even when we feel lost or overwhelmed. With heartfelt prayer and reflection, you'll be encouraged to take courage, trust in God's word, and embrace His presence—no matter what you're facing today. Tune in and join us in prayer, in seeking God's guidance, and in being reminded that you are truly loved. Let's embark on this daily journey together, finding strength, peace, and hope in His word. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Let God be your navigator. Paul stands before a fearful crew, battered by storm and waves, and says, "I told you so." He points out that their journey would have been spared this damage and loss if they had only waited and listened to God's direction. It's best to let God chart the course, to trust in His wisdom rather than our own. But the message here is not just about regret–it's about hope. Even if we've gone our own way, even if we've navigated into a storm of our own making, God doesn't leave us stranded. It's never too late to let Him take the helm and correct our course. There may be consequences, there may be damage, but God will see us through and make us wiser for the journey. Paul urges courage: "None of you will lose your lives even though the ship will go down." When fear threatens to overwhelm, when hope feels lost, God's Word can steady us. Paul calls the men away from panic and despair, reminding them of the promises and presence of God—even in the eye of a storm. In the darkest moments, God feeds and strengthens us. Paul encourages the crew to eat, to receive nourishment, and sets an example by giving thanks and breaking bread. In this storm, God is present. He invites us to let Him meet us, to let Him be our sustenance, right in the middle of our troubles. Are you in a storm? Have you made choices that led you into darkness or uncertainty? God is waiting to be your navigator, even now, even in the eleventh hour. Let Him meet you where you are, let Him feed and strengthen you, let Him steer you safely home. No matter the storm, no matter how lost you feel, you can trust God to take the helm and guide you. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife and daughters and son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. Daily Prayer – October 27th, 2025 Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. **And our Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Job 15; Acts 19;-20 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode for October 24th, 2025, your host Hunter takes us through another inspiring day in our journey through the Bible. We begin with the story of Job—hearing Eliphaz's second response and wrestling with the questions of suffering, justice, and the nature of God. Then, we move into the Book of Acts, chapters 19 and 20, where we follow Paul's powerful ministry in Ephesus, witness miracles, confrontations with false teachers, public upheaval, and ultimately Paul's heartfelt farewell to church leaders he loves deeply. Hunter reflects on Paul's last message to the Ephesians—a message centered on God's grace, encouraging us to trust not in our own efforts, but in Christ alone. In the midst of life's chaos and busyness, Hunter invites us to ground ourselves in the peace and love of God, joining together in prayer and finding strength in the truth that we are deeply loved. Whether you're starting your day or looking for a moment of quiet, today's episode is all about embracing God's comfort, direction, and unfailing grace. Let's dive in together and draw closer to the heart of God. TODAY'S DEVOTION: I'm going to trust you. We hear Paul in Acts 20 saying farewell to a church that was dear to him, to people he had spent years with, nurturing, living among, pouring out his life for. He tells them this is his final message, entrusting them not to rules or traditions or a complicated system of religious effort, but to the message of God's grace—grace that builds us up and gives us what we need. “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those who have been set apart for himself.” This isn't just any message. It's the only message Paul gives. It's the good news that what we need most—life, forgiveness, inheritance, a way forward—comes to us through Christ alone. We so easily twist this message, turning our attention away from Jesus and onto ourselves—our striving, our trying, our religious observance—as if we could earn or construct what has already been given. But grace is not about trying harder, hoping we measure up or wondering if we've done enough. Grace is about resting, trusting, and participating in the life of Christ, knowing that he is enough to make us new, equip us for all of life, and bring us into the fullness of God's love. Paul's final charge is simple: build your life on this message. Trust that the work is done, that Christ is enough. Step into his grace, the only ground safe enough and strong enough for our joy, our hope, and our peace. That's a prayer I have for my own soul. That's a prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home. Heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord make my hands ready And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

October 24, 2025Today's Reading: Catechism: Table of Duties - To HusbandsDaily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 25:17-26:19; Matthew 17:1-13“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7) Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (Col. 3:19)” (Catechism, Table of Duties)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Who would've guessed that our Lord's first Gift to mankind would end up such a problem? Genesis 1:26-27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,' … So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”Simple: Male and female, one flesh, marriage (Genesis 2:24), children and family (Genesis 1:28). Then it crashes. Adam not protecting his bride but betraying her (“The woman … she gave me the fruit … and I ate,” [Genesis 3:12]); David not protecting his bride, but committing adultery (2 Samuel 11); the Pharisees teaching that a man can divorce his wife by simply writing the proper divorce papers; until we get to our generation where we can see Satan's affliction of families: self-centeredness, abuse, control, power-struggle, deceit, adultery, absence of love—all coming under Jesus' rubric, “because of the hardness of your hearts” (Mark 10:5-9).It's time for the honorable groom to enter the room—the husband who loves his bride, honoring her with his own Name, protecting her, forsaking any claim of control or superiority, even giving himself over to death for her! Jesus is the Groom. You're a member of his Bride, the Church. Ephesians 5:25-27: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” The husband who has not loved his wife as Christ loves his Bride, the Church (which is every husband) is again gathered by Jesus to his Word of forgiveness, to the promise of the washing of water with the word.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord of life, bless every marriage. Rescue the husband from self-centeredness or desire to control; let him rejoice in being the giver of gifts to his wife. Let the man awaiting an honorable bride commend himself to your compassion; provide him with a wife according to your will. Let the man not given to marriage (1 Corinthians 7:6-8) rejoice in interceding for the marriages of his neighbors and in speaking encouragement to them. Let every husband rejoice in your Gift of marriage, but even more so in the certainty that you, O Christ, are our Groom who cleanses your Church in the washing of Baptism. Amen.Rev. Warren Graff, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NM.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Harrison Goodman is the Executive Director of Mission and Theology for Higher Things.Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius's life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.

LUKE 18:1-8 This is the holy gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord. Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and to not lose heart. He said, in a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, grant me justice for my accuser. For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice so she may not wear me out by continually coming. And the Lord said, listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth? This is the gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Jesse. I am the program innovator for Living Water Ministries. I've been working year round for Living Water for three years. Actually, last week I just celebrated my three year anniversary. So I've been on staff for three years, but camp has long been a part of my life. I was a camper through my whole childhood. I worked on summer staff. And now I am so blessed to be able to be part of the work that we do all year round. Before I talk about the gospel, I want to extend my gratitude to all of you. Faith and the people here have long been a part of camp and our programs. You have kids who come to camp, volunteers who can't come to camp and work with U.S. donors. Your pastor comes to camp every year. Camp is a really big part of this faith community. I also want to share with you a little bit about Living Water. For those of you who don't know us, the first thing that we do is summer camp. That's our main thing that we do. And during our typical weeks of camp, we have campers who are grades one through 12. And we do worship in the morning and we sing songs and we create this really, really special community for kids of all these ages. We have a couple of specialized programs. We have a week of camp for adults with developmental disabilities. We have a week of camp called Bridge Builders for high schoolers. And this is anti racism and leadership training. And new this year, we are launching a new program called In God's Image, which is a week of camp for LGBTQ high school youth. And coming up next Month we have Charge. Charge is a youth gathering for middle school and high schoolers, and this is at the Great Wolf Lodge. And Charge is an event that provides a powerful faith community where students get to develop leadership skills and grow in faith, all while having fun at the water park at Great Wolf Lodge. And because the love of Christ is abundant and freely given, Living Water believes that money should never be a barrier that stops a child from having a camp experience. So during COVID camp was closed for two summers, but this gave us the ability to give camp away for free in the summer of 2022. So every kid who came to camp in 2022 did so at no cost. And so since then, we have offered a tier pricing system to keep this equity going. So when families register their camper, they have the choice of paying full price, half price, or no price, no questions asked. It's just something that they get to select when they are registering their camper. So this and all of our ministry is made possible through generous individuals and congregations sharing their gifts with campers. Every year we hold our Run the Race campaign where runners and non runners alike come together and everybody commits to raising $2,000 and running a 200 mile relay race from Traverse City to Muskegon. So last month, we held our Run the Race event, and. And we raised over $131,000, which is so cool. And all of that gets to go to making camp the best place that it can be. And so why all this matters to you, why I'm telling this to you, is because of the people sitting in the pews with you. You have kids who come to camp. You have people who volunteer. Those campers become summer staffers. And your pastor is part of camp. The people at Faith sitting with you are super involved in the work that God does at camp. And we do all this because of the gospel. We do all of this work because of Jesus. So in the parable today, Jesus asks, asks us that if the people cry out to God, will he delay long in helping them? So if we cry out, will God help us? And honestly, sometimes it seems like God's not like he is delaying, like we've been crying out for quite some time and not hearing anything back. Because how long must we cry out until we finally see justice? How long must we cry out until we see an end of genocide? How long must we cry out until our black and brown siblings stop being kidnapped and murdered? How long until our children are safe in their schools? How long? Because sometimes it feels like we can't cry Any louder and still nothing. Jesus also asks, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? And I think that the answer to that is also no. If Jesus comes to earth today, do you think he's happy with all of this? Is he impressed with our faithfulness? And I don't think so. I think that this is so far from the image of the kingdom of Earth that God has planned for us. This is so far from God's plan of perfect discipleship. And where is the faith on earth? In the first reading, Jacob wrestles with God. And this isn't a short wrestling match. Wrestling matches, we know, are about, what, two minutes? You know, it's a couple minutes and someone counts to three, and then it's over. But that's not what this was. God came to Jacob in the night, and they wrestled until daybreak. And God even says to Jacob, let me go. But Jacob says, I will not let you go until you bless me. And when the wrestling match ends, Jacob overcame and God blesses him. But Jacob doesn't walk away completely victorious. He walks away with a limp. He walks away blessed and limping. And this is what our prayer and what our faithfulness is supposed to look like. It's supposed to look like this wrestling match where we are relentlessly clinging to God and not letting go until God blesses us, holding on despite the risks, despite the injury, despite the people telling us to give up, to let go, to go home, to hold on even though we will walk away with a limp. I could tell you 100 success stories about camp, about the kids who came to camp not believing in God and then left excited about Jesus. The kids who came their whole lives and became counselors, the kids who finally found a refuge and a home at camp where they could finally be themselves. But that's not what I'm going to do. I will be happy to share these stories with you after service. I have plenty of them. But right now, I'm going to share a story with you that left me limping. Last summer, I sent a camper home. He made it about halfway through the week. But after multiple attempts at running away and getting physical with another camper and with a staff member, we made the decision that he had to go home for the safety of other campers and for his safety. But that still hurt. I felt like I had just failed this kid. I was trying to be something for him, and I fell short. And I was beating myself up, thinking, are we really creating a place for all of God's children? Are we really doing this right? And really, the answer is yes. And I had to make the hard decision to keep people safe. And I told his mom when she came to pick him up that camp isn't a no for him. This isn't a no. It's a not yet. So when he's ready to come back, we are ready for him. We will be here, because that is holding on to God and not letting go until he blesses us. And so that is why we tell every single kid that the love of God is for them. We tell every single kid that they can come just as they are. Tell every single kid that there is nothing that they could ever, ever do that would make God love them less. And that is the wrestling that we need to be doing. And I'm not letting go of that. And I will be limping, and I will be blessed.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Cedarcrest Conference Centre in Belfountain, Ontario, on October 10, 2025.Today this has become a response for us in the Way of the Cross as we are introduced to each station. We are meant to look at the representation. Sometimes a picture, sometimes a painting. Sometimes just a simple cross.V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise YouR: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)We will say it today. This idea of the 14 stations started by those who could not journey to Jerusalem to spiritually participate in Christ's Passion. Pilgrims in Jerusalem would process to various locations, praying and reading scripture at each spot. Franciscans became the custodians of the Holy Land sites. They would start these virtual representations in churches in Europe. They became standardized to 14 stations. 

“Thy works, not mine, O Christ, Speak gladness to this heart; They tell me all is done, They bid my fear depart. To whom save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee? “Thy righteousness, O Christ, Alone can cover me; No righteousness avails Save that which is of Thee. To whom save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?”

September 24, 2025Today's Reading: Luke 16:1-15Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:22-38; Nehemiah 10:1-13:31; 1 Timothy 6:3-21“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The “sons of this world” in this parable are like the people of Amos 8. They are shrewd in their dealings with money but use their shrewdness for deception and deceit. They appear to provide for the poor and needy, but enslave them for their purposes. It is puzzling that the master would commend this dishonest manager who has not only wasted his possessions for months (and maybe even years!), but who, after he is fired, continues to deal deceitfully. He knows he is too weak to dig and too proud to beg, so he acts shrewdly. He needs friends, so until word spreads that he has been fired, he will call his master's debtors and settle their debts. One hundred measures of oil become fifty, one hundred measures of wheat become eighty, and zero friends become two friends. So, the master commends this “son of the world,” not for his dishonesty but for his shrewdness. What does such shrewdness look like for the “sons of light?” They also operate in this world with “unrighteous mammon,” but the difference lies in their end. What did the manager's shrewdness get him? It got him friends who have temporary dwellings. What does the Christian's shrewdness get him? It gets him friends in the “eternal dwellings.” The shrewdness of the Christian is this: although he knows that money will fail, he uses it while he still can. He uses the “unrighteous mammon” of this world to accomplish the work of Christ's Church. And what is the goal? That the Word of God would make us friends of Christ in the eternal dwellings. When he was fired, the dishonest manager was as good as dead. He had nothing else to lose. Money had already failed him, and now he simply needed a home. The same is true for the sons of light. But the difference is that they already have a “friend” who has promised them an eternal home. They have Christ's Gospel that assures them of a good future. So, how do they relate to the Law and this world? They deal shrewdly with it. You say that I am a sinner? I am, and I have Christ, the friend of sinners. You say that I am dead? Though I die, yet shall I live in Christ, who died for me. You say that I am a debtor? I am, and I have a heavenly manager who didn't simply overlook my debts, but who paid them in full by his atoning blood. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.My heart's delight, My crown most bright, O Christ, my joy forever. Not wealth nor pride Nor fortune's tide Our bonds of love shall sever. You are my Lord; Your precious Word Shall guide my way And help me stay Forever in Your presence. (LSB 557:4)Rev. David Woelmer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, Texas.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Join author R. Reed Lessing helps with this chapter-by-chapter exploration of the Book of Numbers in Hope in the Wilderness. With helpful maps, diagrams, and connections to the rest of the Bible, you'll be able to understand the beauty of Numbers.

FPC Knoxville's 9/7/25 Sunday Sermon -   “Walk This Way”  - Rev. Mark Curtis (Psalm 113/1 Timothy 2:1-7)Hymn Of Response: "More Love to Thee, O Christ" performed by Scott Scheetz and our adult choir.Prayers Of The People and The Lord's Prayer by Rev. Dr. Andy Morgan

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 22-24; Revelation 9 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through a heartfelt and sobering journey in Scripture, diving into Ezekiel chapters 22-24 and Revelation chapter 9. We listen in as themes of judgment, repentance, and ultimately divine mercy unfold—contrasting the warnings delivered by Ezekiel, the “Son of Man,” with the hope and redemption brought by Jesus, the true Son of Man. Along the way, Hunter offers powerful reflections on resting in God's grace, praying for our communities, and living as bearers of good news. We also hear personal greetings from listeners around the world, adding a true sense of connection and warmth to our daily fellowship. Whether you're reading along, seeking encouragement, or simply wanting to feel that you're not alone on your faith journey, this episode offers thought-provoking insights, meaningful prayers, and a reminder that you are deeply loved. So, settle in as we step through the Scriptures together, reflect on their meaning for our lives, and connect as one community under God's grace. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Over and over again in these readings, we hear God calling Ezekiel "Son of Man." It's a title weighted with meaning—a herald of God's judgment and the coming doom for a people entrenched in idolatry, injustice, and violence. Ezekiel stands as the mouthpiece announcing that captivity and exile are the results of turning away from God. The judgment is clear. The reckoning is near. But as we listen to these words, we remember that Jesus himself takes on this title, "Son of Man," most often in the gospels. Those who heard him say it would have recognized the reference to Ezekiel—the spokesman warning of wrath. Yet Jesus, our Son of Man, comes not as the messenger of judgment, but as the bearer of good news. God's fury—rightly deserved for sin and rebellion—will not ultimately fall on his people. Instead, every ounce of that wrath is poured out on the Son, Jesus, on the cross. The anger of God, the consequences for all evil, find their end in the sacrificial act of Jesus. In that moment of co-suffering love, death is defeated, its grip forever loosened. Jesus sets us free, leads us away from condemnation, and brings us into true life. Ezekiel was a prophet pointing to judgment—Jesus is a Savior heralding a far greater hope. The good news is that reconciliation with God is here for us, offered through Christ's sacrifice. We are invited to rest in what Jesus has done, to allow his liberating love to shape our lives and our future. He is the better Son of Man, inviting us out of exile and into the wide-open freedom of his kingdom. Let that be the posture of our hearts today: To listen, to rest in grace, to walk in freedom and to follow Jesus. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's my prayer for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's my prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, Heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes Quick to see the hurting. My ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing. And in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 31-32; 1 John 4 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this episode for August 23rd, 2025, your Bible Reading Coach, Hunter, guides us through a rich journey in the Scriptures, exploring Jeremiah 31 and 32, followed by First John 4. As we listen to God's promises of restoration, Hunter unpacks the profound declaration of a new covenant—a covenant not written on tablets of stone, but on our very hearts. We also pause with John's letter to consider the nature of true love, the assurance we have as God's children, and the freedom that perfect love brings from fear and shame. Join us for moments of scripture, insight, and heartfelt prayer as we reflect on God's everlasting love, the invitation to live in peace and gratitude, and the challenge to let love—God's own love—shape every part of our daily lives. Whether you're seeking encouragement or a deeper connection with God, this episode offers a fresh reminder: you are loved, and God has made a way for you. Let's spend these few moments together, listening and growing in the presence of the One who is love. TODAY'S DEVOTION: A new covenant, a new heart, a new hope. Jeremiah is given a prophecy from the Lord about a coming day—a day when God himself will do something entirely new. God promises to write his covenant, not just on tablets of stone, nor simply in laws and rituals, but deep within his people, written upon their very hearts. The old covenant—well-intentioned, but forever frustrated by human weakness—would give way to something greater. The life that this first covenant called for would finally be lived out in perfection, not by us, but by His Son. Jesus, the spotless Lamb, lived a life of love and obedience, fulfilling what Israel and all of us could not. By his loving sacrifice, he has reconciled us—broken, exhausted, rebellious exiles—back to God. This is God's new work: he has taken the old, hardened heart of Adam and replaced it with a new heart, a heart that desires fellowship, love, and communion with God. Where shame, guilt, and fear once reigned, God plants a new covenant, a new hope, a new person. He does not merely repair us; he remakes us. “I will put my instructions deep within them,” Jeremiah says. “I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” This is not something we accomplish—it is something God has done for us, out of his unending love. The apostle John says it so plainly: “God is love. And all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” God's perfect love has made a way for us to live free—free from condemnation, free from shame, free from fear. As we continue to trust, to abide, and to participate with Him, our lives are gradually transformed. Our love grows more perfect. We begin to live as those who are truly loved, loving others, and living with confidence. Fear loses its grip, because perfect love expels all fear. This good news—the news of a new covenant written on our hearts, of lives made new in love—is for us and for the world. Let us awaken each day to this reality. God's love is not just something we hear about; it has been poured into our hearts, making us new people, with a new purpose and a new hope. That's a prayer I have for my own soul, to live in this love, to participate in it, to let it drive out fear, condemnation, shame, and guilt. I pray that for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer I have for you, too. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to Pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

I Corinthians 4:9-16 St. Matthew 17:14-23 Fr. Anthony reflects on St. Paul's call to imitation, teaching that we are shaped by those around us and must guard our hearts and minds against sin while cultivating holiness. He explains the spiritual power of the Antiochian pre-communion prayers, showing how their repetition trains our minds, transforms our souls, and unites the faithful as one body in Christ.  Enjoy the show! --- Here is the Antiochian Orthodox Pre-Communion Prayer for the Divine Liturgy: I stand before the doors of thy temple, and yet I refrain not from my terrible thoughts. But do thou, O Christ God, who didst justify the publican and hadst mercy on the Canaanite woman and didst open the gates of paradise to the thief: open unto me the compassion of thy love toward mankind, and receive me as I approach and touch thee, like the harlot and the woman with the issue of blood; for the one, by but touching the hem of thy garment, received healing, and the other, by embracing thine immaculate feet, received the forgiveness of her sins. And I, who am pitiful, dare to partake of thy whole Body. Let me not be consumed, but receive me as thou didst receive them, and enlighten the senses of my soul, burning up the accusations of my sins, through the intercessions of her that without seed gave thee birth and of the heavenly powers; for thou art blessed unto ages of ages.  Amen.   I believe, O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first. And I believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body and that this is truly thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray thee, have mercy upon me, and pardon my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thine immaculate mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting.  Amen.   Behold, I approach Divine Communion; O Maker, burn me not as I partake, for Fire art thou which burneth the unworthy. But purify thou me of every stain.   Of thy mystic supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of thy mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom.   Tremble, O man, as thou beholdest the deifying Blood, for it is a burning coal consuming the unworthy. The body of God both deifieth and nourisheth me. It deifieth the spirit and wondrously nourisheth the mind.   Thou hast smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and by thy divine love hast thou changed me. But with thine immaterial fire, consume my sins and count me worthy to be filled with delight in thee, that leaping for joy, O Good One, I may magnify thy two comings.   Into the splendour of thy Saints how shall I, the unworthy one, enter? For should I dare to enter the bridal chamber, my vesture doth betray me, for it is not a wedding garment; and as one bound, I shall be cast out by the Angels. Cleanse, O Lord, the defilement of my soul, and save me, since thou art the Friend of man.   O man-befriending Master, Lord Jesus my God, let not these holy Gifts be unto me for judgment through mine unworthiness, but for purification and sanctification of both soul and body, and as an earnest of the life and the kingdom to come. For it is good for me to cleave unto God and to place in the Lord the hope of my salvation.   Of thy mystic supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of thy mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom.   Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of thy holy mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kids 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where every day is a fresh journey through the pages of Scripture. It's August 5th and we're on Day 218 of our adventure together. I'm your host, Hunter—your brother, Bible reading coach, and fellow traveler as we gather from places near and far to warm our hearts by the fires of God's love. In today's episode, we dive into 2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 35, and John 7. We'll witness King Josiah's groundbreaking reforms to restore true worship in Israel, the powerful celebration of Passover that hadn't been seen since the time of the judges, and the challenges Josiah faced against powerful nations. Then, we'll turn to the gospel of John and find Jesus at the Festival of Shelters, teaching boldly about living water—the Spirit that he promises to pour out on all who believe. Along the way, Hunter draws out the deeper meaning behind the festival's water-pouring ceremony, connecting it to Jesus' declaration that he is the true source of life and hope. We'll wrap up with heartfelt prayers for God's guidance, mercy, and joy as we step into a new day. So grab your Bible, settle in, and join us as we encounter God's living Word together—and remember, you are loved. No doubt about it. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He is the Source of Living Water. Picture the scene at the festival of shelters—each day, the priest carries water from the pool of Siloam, pours it out upon the altar, and it runs down the temple steps. For seven days, this ritual is repeated, and on the final day, the expectation and hope of the people reach their pinnacle. This act was more than tradition; it was a symbol, a living picture of the Messiah pouring out the Spirit upon God's people, a promise rooted in the Scriptures—“I will pour out water to quench your thirst and irrigate your parched fields… I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your children” (Isaiah 44:3). And in this very moment, Jesus stands and shouts to the crowds: “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. Anyone who believes in me may come and drink.” It's as if Jesus steps into the very heart of the ceremony and says, All of this points to me. I am the One you've been waiting for. I am the Source of the Living Water the world so desperately needs. The promise, the hope, and the life the ritual anticipated is found in Him—and received by coming to Him, trusting Him, believing. That's the invitation Christ makes to you and to me: to come to the Source, to drink freely, to allow His Spirit—like streams of living water—to flow within us and out of us into a thirsty, longing world. No longer do we look for life in ceremonies or traditions—good as they may be—because the true fulfillment is Christ Himself, the One in whom all God's promises find their “yes.” We don't come to Jesus for fame, for recognition, or for any fleeting thing. His brothers sought notoriety, but Jesus came, not to be applauded, but to do what the Father asked—to seek, to save, and to invite us into the overflowing life He shares with the Father and the Spirit. His heart is to give, to pour out, so that we too would be channels of living water, blessing, hope, and renewal to the world. So, today, let's come to Him who is the Source. Let's drink deeply of the life He freely gives. Let's allow the living water to flow through us—transforming us, refreshing us, and reaching out to others. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us. We are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Jeremiah's laments have so much in common with the laments found in the Psalms. THey also resonate with the complaints we may hold in our hearts from time to time. Chad guides us through this moving episode with much encouragement. And Hidden Streams introduces a new singer to the podcast; Mikaela Adams, who sings "I Want To Run With The Horses". 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: Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi More from the hosts: Chad Bird Lyrics to "I Want To Run With The Horses" Jeremiah 12:1-6   The easy road The silver and gold And everything they gather Will be gone     They speak Your name They play the game But You are far from their heart They never draw near   In the blink of an eye In the heat of the fire They fall away from the light forever and ever   (Chorus) But I want to run with the horses I want to run with the horses Carry me in Your hands It's You, O Christ, I need I am sGrasping on to nothing Only You, only You   The land cries out We're losing this race A desolation song  From this barren place   But You will try my heart By Your mercy, set me apart And You will guide my feet To the glory that awaits   In the blink of an eye In the heat of the fire They fall away from the light forever and ever   (Chorus) But I want to run with the horses I want to run with the horses Carry me in Your hands You, O Christ, I need Grasping on to nothing Only You, only You     

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this July 23rd episode, your host Hunter invites listeners from around the globe to gather for day 205 of our journey through the Scriptures. Today's readings include 2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38 and 39, Psalm 75, and 1 Peter 2. Join Hunter as he reflects on the story of King Hezekiah's illness and miraculous recovery, the lessons hidden within his encounter with Babylonian envoys, and the call from 1 Peter to crave pure spiritual nourishment for lasting transformation. Alongside thoughtful reflections, heartfelt prayers, and encouragement for real life change, Hunter reminds us to find our hope, comfort, and true life in Christ. Whether you're at home or, like Hunter and Heather, camping along the Oregon coast, take these next 20 minutes to open your heart to God's Word—because you are loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Change requires work. Change of appetites, change of habits. Changing the things we turn to instead of turning from. It's going to take some work, and that's going to take some time. You might be sick and tired of your way of doing things. Maybe you're just exhausted with yourself. If so, Peter tells us right here that getting rid of the things you want to change isn't going to be enough. If we just remove it, when the troubles come, when we're stressed out, we're going to go right back to where we've been and do the things we've done before. No, simply stopping what you're doing doesn't bring about the change that you want. It's not just stopping, no. It will also require starting—craving something new. The answer is never just to get rid of the old, to sweep the cupboards of all the junk food. No. You've got to change your diet and begin craving something altogether different: the pure spiritual milk of God's Word. It requires a total change of diet. We must replace it and not just remove it. We need to assume a childlike heart and crave the pure spiritual milk of the Word. The Word is Christ. To draw from Christ our nourishment, our comfort, our life. Peter says become like a baby in that regard: totally dependent upon him. Peter says if we do that, we will begin to experience change—real change from the inside out. So let's do that. Let's continue to show up here each and every day to train our souls, to partake of God's food, his milk, his bread, to be dependent upon him for our very breath. It's not just about getting rid of things. It's about him—finding our life in him, learning something new altogether as we come to him, the source of our true nourishment and life. And that's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, Heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Two Overarching 3 Kings Take-Aways God partners with ordinary people (messy) to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Ordinary people are capable of mighty acts when we align our mind, heart and hands with God's. Solomon is Different KingPhysicallyBackground SkillsetWisdomThe Hebrew word for wisdom (hokma) means information + insight. The OT concept of wisdom carries a moral, ethical and an applied skill component. The NT word for wisdom (sophia) points to a practical and spiritual understanding of God's will and applying that knowledge to life. “Knowing the greatest goal in any situation and the best way to achieve it.” Pastor John PiperRemarkable Moment. Ordinary Day.1 Kings 3:16-28 (NIV) 16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us. 19 “During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne.” 22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.” But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king. 23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.'” 24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So, they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” 26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!” 27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” 28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.1 Kings 4:29 (NIV) “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.”Question: What was the genesis of Solomon's wisdom? Answer: Godly advice + a Godly ask.Godly Advice is two-fold. 1 Kings 2:1-4 (NIV) When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.' 1. Be strong, act like a man (NIV)…“show what you are made of” (Message) David is challenging/imploring Solomon to step up to what he was being called into. 2. Observe what the Lord requires. Align your words, will and ways to that of the Lord. It's not possible to lead at this level if you are out of alignment. Out of alignment places an untenable burden – emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical on our shoulders. Alignment is a synergistic position that employs God's power to accomplish His/our joint purposes.Godly Ask. 2 Kings 3:3-15 (NIV) 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. 7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream. “I am only a child” Solomon's ask can from a place of self-awareness. All good leadership comes from a place of self-awareness. “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this” Why? Because Solomon's was aligning with the Lord's purpose. He was falling in behind the leadership of YHWY – not asking YWHY to fall in behind his leadership! Is God's wisdom accessible to me? Godly Wisdom is neither secretive or elusive but you can only have it if you go for it! And when you “get it and follow it” there is a reward! 3 essentials to obtaining wisdom. Fear God. Trust God. Ask God. Each step comes with its own sets of rewards.Essential #1 Fear God. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Reverence and Awe are the beginning of wisdom because if we don't hold God in the highest of regard, elevating Him and His counsel above ourselves and others, we won't align our actions with His… simple as that. Proverbs 14:12 (AMP) There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but its end is the way of death. REWARD #1. Proverbs 9:11-12 (NIV) 11 For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.Essential #2 Trust God. Proverbs 3:1-8 (Charlie Amplified Version) INSTRUCTION 1My son, do not forget my teaching [these aren't secrets], but keep my commands in your heart [keep a tight grip], REWARD 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. INSTRUCTION 3 Let love and faithfulness [hesed] never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart [keep God's hesed front in center of all emotions and decisions]. REWARD 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. INSTRUCTION 5 Trust [rely on, have confidence in] in the Lord with all your heart [emotions] and lean not on your own understanding [what seems]; 6 in all your ways [decisions and movement] submit to him [yield], REWARD and he will make your paths straight. INSTRUCTION 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes [seems]; fear the Lord [be in awe] and shun [turn away/ reject] evil.REWARD 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Essential #3. Ask God. James 1:2-8 (AMP) 5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame… Reward… and it will be given to him. 3 essentails to obtaining wisdom. Fear God. Elevate God over yourself. Trust God. Elevate His path over other's opinion. Ask God. Elevate God to your first and last ask. “Thou, O Christ, who went tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin, make us strong to overcome the desire to be wise and to be reputed wise by others as ignorant as ourselves. We turn from our wisdom as well from our folly and flee to Thee, the wisdom and the power of God. Amen” (AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy pg. 59.) “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.” (AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy pg. 64.)

Dr. Arthur Just of Concordia Theological Seminary-Ft. Wayne, IN Heaven on Earth: The Gifts of Christ in the Divine Service Concordia Commentary: Luke 1:1-9:50 Concordia Commentary: Luke 9:50-24:53 The post The Hymn, “O Christ, Our True and Only Light” – Dr. Arthur Just, 7/17/25 (1981) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 29-31; James 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through a thoughtful reading of Isaiah chapters 29 to 31 and James chapter 1. Together, we reflect on powerful themes of trust, humility, and transformation. Hunter invites us to consider what it means to truly accept the Word that God has planted in our hearts—a Word that points to Jesus Himself, the living Word with the power to save and transform lives. As we journey through these Scripture passages, we're reminded of the importance of not just hearing God's Word, but letting it shape our actions, attitudes, and relationships. Hunter wraps up with a time of heartfelt prayer, encouraging all of us to walk in God's joy, strength, and love throughout the day ahead. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's discover together what God is saying to us today. TODAY'S DEVOTION: What is the word that God has planted in your heart? That's the important question James is asking, and one we must truly consider. The apostle James urges us to humbly accept the word that God has planted in our hearts because it has the power to save our souls. So, let's be clear about what that word is. The word that saves and transforms is not our performance or even our own striving—it is the Living Word, our Lord Jesus. Jesus is the One with the power to save your soul, and – as Hunter so clearly reminds us – he's already done it. That is the good news. It's not about what we do. It's about Christ—his life, his saving power, his indwelling presence. This is the true Word with the power we need, both to save and to change us. James reminds us that humbly receiving this gift brings transformation, not only for eternity, but for the here and now. The gospel—the good news of Jesus—has that kind of power. We are invited to look deeply into the “perfect law that sets us free,” to gaze into that mirror and see the origin of our design, the very image of our Creator, and to recognize who we really are in Christ. When we see ourselves through the gospel—when we remember who we are because of the One who lives in us—we find power to overcome, to live newly, to control our tongues as James instructs, and to love those in the world who are most vulnerable. What seemed impossible—self control, selflessness, deep compassion—is now possible, not because of our effort but because of Christ who lives in us and has made us new. So what is the word God has planted in your heart? It is Jesus—and he makes all the difference. Let's remember what we see when we look in that mirror: see him, see what he has done, and see what we have truly become. That's the truth that empowers us to live out this day in his joy, in his power, and in his love. That's the prayer for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family—my wife, my daughters, and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, Heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord. Make my hands ready for mercy, make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. The Lord's Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 25-28; Hebrews 13 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where together we journey through Scripture and discover the treasures God has for us each day. In today's episode, Host Hunter invites us into readings from Isaiah chapters 25 through 28 and Hebrews chapter 13, encouraging us to reflect on where we truly find lasting treasure. We'll hear about God's promises of hope in the midst of ruins, His faithfulness to the oppressed, and the remarkable gift of Jesus—who, as Hunter powerfully reminds us, was found “out in the trash heap,” discarded but offering the greatest treasure the world has ever known. Join us as we rest in God's Word, pray together, and remember the deep truth that we are not alone—united as brothers and sisters, loved beyond measure, and called to share that love with the world. Let's encounter perfect peace, real strength, and God's unending grace, together. TODAY'S DEVOTION: One man's trash is another man's treasure. I used to work as a garbage man for the city of Rockledge, Florida, and I can tell you that that's true. Some of the stuff that people threw away, I was sure to collect. It was still good. There was still a lot of life there. There was a treasure. And never has that been more true than in today's reading. We're told not to seek treasure in something new. The treasure we need is not found out there. Verse 9 says so. Do not be attracted by strange new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace, not from rules about food which don't help those who follow them. Nor is our treasure to be found in the old. The old rules, the old sacrificial system. The treasures we are looking for can't be found there either. The treasure we are looking for, that we need, that the world is desperate for. The greatest treasure ever given is to be found in the most unlikely places. It's going to be found in the trash heap. In the old system, the sacrifice was made on an altar in the tabernacle, in the most important place in the world. There, the priest would offer a perfect gift, shedding the blood of an animal on the holy place as a sacrifice for sins. Then the trash, the discarded and unused parts would be taken to the trash heap outside the camp where it would be burned up. But outside, in that burning trash heap was something no one saw. It happened to be the most precious gift of all. It was discarded and thrown out like waste. And there's good reason why this sacrifice is being made exactly where it is, in that trash heap. Because the man offering this sacrifice lived his life among the discarded, among the disqualified, among the refuse and the refugees. It was there among them that he came to live and give his life. It was for them that he came to die in order that through his death, he might win for the world the greatest treasure the world has ever known. He has come to offer himself, his life, his presence to all, even the discarded and rejected. Out in the trash heap was a treasure. Verse 12 says: So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. He suffered and died out in the trash heap to make his people holy by means of his blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, there in the landfill, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home. We are looking forward to a home yet to come. Let's continue to offer him praise because he offered us broken ones the greatest treasure ever found. One man's trash is another man's treasure. So let's hold tightly to the treasure of him and experience the transformation that is available to all out there in the trash heap. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home. Heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible with your host, Hunter. Today, on this 15th day of July and day 196 in our journey through the Scriptures, we'll be delving into Isaiah chapters 22–24 and Hebrews chapter 12. Hunter guides us through powerful passages of prophetic warning and hope, exploring themes of God's judgment, His restorative discipline, and the unshakable kingdom we receive through Christ. We'll reflect on the fire of God's love that doesn't destroy, but rather renews and restores us from the inside out—a transformative presence that brings hope and healing. The episode wraps with heartfelt prayers, encouragement to walk in peace and mercy, and a reminder that you—yes, you—are deeply loved by God. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's journey together in the pages of God's Word. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Our God is a consuming fire. That's what we read in Hebrews today, and it's a truth that can make us pause. What does it mean that God is a consuming fire? Are we to be afraid? Are we to draw back? In the scriptures today, we see that this fire is not one that destroys from the outside, not a fire of judgment that leaves us condemned and hopeless. Instead, it's a fire that works on the inside—a fire that renews, restores, and heals. It forges and makes new. Just think of those two men on the road to Emmaus—when the resurrected Christ walked with them and explained the scriptures, their hearts “burned within them.” It wasn't destruction they felt, but the fire of hope being restored, the fire of God's love revealing Himself. And that is what this consuming fire is about. It's love that loves unto purity, a love that cannot leave us as we are but burns away all that is not love, all that keeps us from knowing Him. It cauterizes, it heals, it cleanses, and it draws us closer to Him. Jesus, our champion, endured the fire of judgment for us, so that we might experience the restoring fire of His presence right now, right in the very core of who we are. So as we come to God's word—each day, in every moment—may we be open to that inner fire, that gentle but powerful work of God, guiding us, correcting us, making us like Him. May we have hearts that burn with His presence, with His correction, with His love. Let's invite Him to burn away everything that isn't His love, to make us new from the inside out. That's my prayer—for myself, for my family, and for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Micah 5-7; Hebrews 7 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where we gather each day to journey through the Scriptures and seek the heart of God. In today's episode, host Hunter guides us through Isaiah chapters 8–10, and Hebrews chapter 8, drawing our attention to God's enduring presence, faithfulness, and the promise of a new covenant. We reflect on moments of warning, prophecy, and hope—witnessing both judgment and the dawn of redemption through the coming of a great light. As we move from the ancient struggles of Israel to the beautiful declaration in Hebrews that we have a High Priest in Jesus, Hunter encourages us to see Christ as the true and ultimate point of it all: the One who writes God's laws upon our hearts and invites us into the joy and freedom of life with Him. Join us for scripture, prayer, and a reminder that you are, without a doubt, deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He is the main point. When we look back over the pages of Scripture and consider the prophets, the priests, the kings, all the people and stories—the point to which all of this leads is Jesus. The book of Hebrews, reflecting on all that has come before, tells us plainly: we have a High Priest who is seated in the place of honor at the right hand of the Father. And what's more, this High Priest is not just one who offers sacrifices out of obligation, like those before Him, but one who Himself is the offering—the One who mediates a new covenant, a better covenant, grounded in better promises. What sets Jesus apart is not just what He's done, but what He continues to do. He is our advocate before the Father. The old ways—the law, the sacrifices, the external signs—pointed toward something greater. And now, through Him, God has written His laws not on tablets of stone, but on our very minds and hearts. We are invited not into a distant, law-based relationship, but into participation with Christ Himself—sharing in His kingdom and in His life. Jesus does more than deliver us from guilt and shame; He unshackles us from the power of death and darkness. He gives us, not a set of external rules, but Himself. All the heroes and prophets of Scripture, all the signs and shadows, are fulfilled in Him. The main point, then, is not a doctrine or even a set of principles, but a Person. Jesus. And in His light, we find true life. That is the prayer I have for my own heart today: that I would live in the reality of Christ—the true center and meaning of my story. It's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife and our children, and it's the prayer I have for you. Let us walk this day in the light of Jesus, our High Priest, our Advocate, the One who is the main point of it all. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Hosea 13-14; Psalm 100-102; Hebrews 5 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this July 8th episode, join your host Hunter as we mark day 188 in our journey of reading through the entire Bible this year. Whether you're a longtime listener or just joining us, you'll find encouragement in our simple practice: reading the Scriptures together each day, with the hope of being transformed by the God who is love. In today's episode, Hunter leads us through Hosea 13 and 14, Psalms 100 and 102, and Hebrews 5 in the New Living Translation. As we encounter warnings and promises in the story of Israel, heartfelt prayers from the Psalms, and teachings about spiritual maturity in Hebrews, Hunter reflects on spiritual dullness and invites us to savor the Word—moving from “milk” to “meat”—so that our desire for God would grow and shape our character in everyday life. We'll wrap up with guided prayers, encouragement at this halfway point in the year, and the reminder that, wherever you find yourself on your Bible reading journey, you are loved. Stick around for a nourishing time in God's Word, honest reflection, and practical encouragement to keep pressing forward! TODAY'S DEVOTION: How's your hearing? That's the question the writer of Hebrews wants us to consider. Are you dull of hearing? Has your discernment slipped? Maybe you're finding that you keep making the same mistakes over and over again, lacking the wisdom you need in the moment. The problem might not just be with your decisions, but with what you're listening to—or perhaps, not listening to. The writer of Hebrews points to a spiritual dullness, a lack of attentiveness to what really matters. There's so much more God wants to say to us, so much more life to be found in him—but spiritual dullness keeps us from hearing it. Sometimes, we're listening to too many things that crowd out God's voice. Sometimes, we've simply lost our appetite for the things that truly nourish us. But there's good news: God has given us a remedy—a way to restore our spiritual hearing. It's found in coming back, again and again, to the pure spiritual milk of his word, desiring it, savoring it, letting it nourish our souls. Peter tells us to crave that spiritual milk so that we can grow up into our salvation. The problem isn't the milk; it's our desire for it. When desire wanes, when our ears are dulled by the noise of the world, our hearts grow hard and our lives lack discernment. But we can, by God's Spirit, learn to savor his word again. And as we do, our taste matures. Desire for the “milk” of God's word grows into a hunger for the “meat”—the deeper things of God, wisdom for life, discernment and maturity. Maturity in Christ isn't about managing sin better or checking more boxes on a pious to-do list. It's about a deepening desire for God himself—a dynamic relationship of trust, dependence, and joy. As we savor his word each day, Jesus, the living Word, meets us. He feeds us on his grace, his mercy, his love—and we become people who can recognize the difference between right and wrong, who can respond to God in the moment. That's true maturity. That's wisdom. That's life fully alive. So come to the word daily. Cry out for it. Savor it. Let your desire be rekindled and let it grow. This is the prayer I have for my own soul. It's the prayer I have for my family—for my wife, my daughters, my son. And it's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.   OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 4-5; Psalm 83; 1 Timothy 2 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode—June 20th, 2025—we journey through Second Kings, chapters 4 and 5, Psalm 83, and First Timothy, chapter 2. Host Hunter guides us through powerful stories of miracles, faith, and God's provision. We'll hear about Elisha's compassion as he brings hope to a struggling widow, restores life to a grieving mother's child, purifies a poisoned meal, and heals the mighty Naaman of leprosy. As we reflect on these acts, we see vivid foreshadowings of Christ—the one true Mediator who brings life and reconciliation. Alongside these narratives, we explore prayers from Psalm 83 and mindful instructions from First Timothy on worship, prayer, and living a godly life. Join us as we open our hearts to what the Spirit is saying, seek God's presence in prayer, and are reminded—no matter where we are or what we face—that we are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: There is only one man who can make things right. The woman of Shunam knew this deep in her soul. In her hour of loss and grief, when her boy had died, she didn't want just anyone—she sought after the man of God. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, or anyone else simply wouldn't do. She believed, against all hope, that somehow this one man could bring her son back to life, could set things right that had gone terribly wrong. And Elisha did something unexpected. He went up to the lifeless boy, stretched himself out face to face, hand to hand, eye to eye over the child. It is as if Elisha was absorbing the death of the boy into himself so that the child could be restored to life. What a powerful image—a man of God bridging the gap between death and life. But this isn't just about one miracle centuries ago. It's a living picture pointing forward to another man who would come and absorb death—not just for one boy, but for the whole world. Jesus, the true Man of God, stepped into our story. He absorbed our sin, our sorrow, our death into himself upon the cross. He defeated death, and with tender care, draws us into his life—face to face, hand to hand, eye to eye. In him, we experience resurrection even now, the beginning of eternal life. Paul, in today's reading, reminds us: “For there is one God and one mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” Jesus stands alone as the One who can bridge the gap, the only One able to make things right between us and God. His resurrection life is offered to us. His victory over death is our hope, our foundation, our future. May God open our eyes to see that death has been defeated. May we recognize the One who stands before us, calling us into a resurrected life—today and always. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift. To bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 12; Philippians 3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this episode for June 11th, 2025, join your host Hunter as we continue our journey through the Scriptures together. Today, we're exploring the poetic beauty of Song of Solomon, chapters 5 through 8, and diving into the opening words of Paul's letter to the Philippians. As we read, Hunter invites us to encounter Christ—the living Word—who meets us in the midst of our everyday struggles, joys, and questions. Through the passionate dialogue of Song of Solomon and the encouraging message of Philippians Chapter 1, we're reminded of God's enduring love, the transformative power of His presence, and the promise that He is continually at work in our lives. After the readings, Hunter shares inspiring reflections on God meeting us where we are, offering hope and strength, and leads us through a time of heartfelt prayer. Whether you're new to the podcast or a daily listener, you'll find encouragement and connection as we let the Bible point the way to Jesus together. Grab your Bible, settle in, and let's walk this journey of faith side by side. You are loved—no doubt about it! TODAY'S DEVOTION: TODAY'S DEVOTION: God meets us in the midst of our struggle. Life brings with it many trials, sufferings, and disappointments, but the good news is that God is not distant from us in those places—he is right here, present, working within us even now. Paul reminds us in Philippians that “we are in this struggle together.” He writes of his own hardships, his imprisonment, and the difficulties that have come his way, not as marks of defeat, but as evidence that God is at work in all things. God is not done with us—he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. That's the hope we're given: in the very midst of the chaos and trouble, God is shaping us, completing us, and drawing us close to him. Paul's confidence is that God's presence is active, transforming us from the inside out. Christ in us—the hope and the glory—brings change to our character and fills us with the fruit of salvation. It is here, in our ordinary pains and struggles, that God meets us, not just observing from afar, but walking alongside us and within us. This reality fills Paul with joy, and can fill us with the same joy, no matter what we face. So let us open ourselves to this abiding presence. Allow God's Spirit to meet you right where you are. Let his joy be your strength. Remember, even in the midst of it all, you are not alone—God is in you, working all things toward his good purpose. Let that truth produce joy and hope in you, and give thanks that you are loved and never abandoned by the One who is always with you. That's my prayer for myself. That's my prayer for my family, for my wife and my children, and that's my prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, Shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord make my hands ready for mercy, make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Song of Solomon 5-8; Philippians 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this episode for June 11th, 2025, join your host Hunter as we continue our journey through the Scriptures together. Today, we're exploring the poetic beauty of Song of Solomon, chapters 5 through 8, and diving into the opening words of Paul's letter to the Philippians. As we read, Hunter invites us to encounter Christ—the living Word—who meets us in the midst of our everyday struggles, joys, and questions. Through the passionate dialogue of Song of Solomon and the encouraging message of Philippians Chapter 1, we're reminded of God's enduring love, the transformative power of His presence, and the promise that He is continually at work in our lives. After the readings, Hunter shares inspiring reflections on God meeting us where we are, offering hope and strength, and leads us through a time of heartfelt prayer. Whether you're new to the podcast or a daily listener, you'll find encouragement and connection as we let the Bible point the way to Jesus together. Grab your Bible, settle in, and let's walk this journey of faith side by side. You are loved—no doubt about it! TODAY'S DEVOTION: God meets us in the midst of our struggle. Life brings with it many trials, sufferings, and disappointments, but the good news is that God is not distant from us in those places—he is right here, present, working within us even now. Paul reminds us in Philippians that “we are in this struggle together.” He writes of his own hardships, his imprisonment, and the difficulties that have come his way, not as marks of defeat, but as evidence that God is at work in all things. God is not done with us—he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. That's the hope we're given: in the very midst of the chaos and trouble, God is shaping us, completing us, and drawing us close to him. Paul's confidence is that God's presence is active, transforming us from the inside out. Christ in us—the hope and the glory—brings change to our character and fills us with the fruit of salvation. It is here, in our ordinary pains and struggles, that God meets us, not just observing from afar, but walking alongside us and within us. This reality fills Paul with joy, and can fill us with the same joy, no matter what we face. So let us open ourselves to this abiding presence. Allow God's Spirit to meet you right where you are. Let his joy be your strength. Remember, even in the midst of it all, you are not alone—God is in you, working all things toward his good purpose. Let that truth produce joy and hope in you, and give thanks that you are loved and never abandoned by the One who is always with you. That's my prayer for myself. That's my prayer for my family, for my wife and my children, and that's my prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, Shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord make my hands ready for mercy, make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Song of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today's episode, host Hunter invites us to journey together through the Scriptures on this 10th day of June. We'll explore the intimate poetry of Song of Solomon, chapters 1 through 4, soaking in rich imagery about love and longing, before turning to Ephesians chapter 6 for Paul's famous exhortation to put on the “armor of God.” As we read, Hunter encourages us to recognize the deep love and grace God pours out on us, reminding us that true strength comes from being loved by God. The episode closes with a time of reflective prayer, asking for God's guidance, protection, and mercy as we walk into a new day, and finishes with the comfort that God is always with us—our Emmanuel. Whether you're starting your day or looking for a moment of peace, this episode is an invitation to be strengthened, encouraged, and reminded that you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Be strong. Be loved. The strength that you need to resist the enemy's fiery attacks comes from God. It's not from us, after all. The armor that He bequeaths to us—the helmet, the shield, the shoes, the sword, the breastplate—all of it is a gift from a loving God. So put on that loving armor and be strong. Paul tells us to be strong, but listen carefully to his final words: be loved. Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. So how are we to be strong? We do that by being loved. By putting on the loving armor of our Lord, and resting in the eternal grace and embrace that is ours in Christ. God's grace has been eternally poured out on us. Yes, put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of God's righteousness, the shoes of the gospel, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. These are loving gifts from a loving God, meant to guard us and equip us for whatever battles may come. You can be strong because you have been loved. Know this well, and let its truth sink deep into your heart so that you can draw strength from Him. That's a prayer I have for my own soul, for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation, shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of Your presence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And our Lord. Make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing. And in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now, as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible with your host, Hunter! In today's episode, Hunter invites us to join him on a journey through the wisdom-packed pages of Proverbs chapters 1–3 and Paul's powerful letter in Romans chapter 7. Together, we reflect on life-changing lessons about wisdom, discipline, and the foundation of true knowledge—the fear of the Lord. As Hunter unpacks the struggle between our desire to do good and the reality of sinful nature, he reminds us that it is through Christ's love and resurrection that we find freedom, purpose, and unity with God. The episode wraps up with heartfelt prayers for guidance, mercy, and a reminder that no matter where we are, we are deeply loved. So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's discover what God has for us today! TODAY'S DEVOTION: He has done it all, and drawn us into his life. Paul, in Romans 7, speaks to the deep longing and inner conflict that so many of us feel. We want to do what is right, but we fail. We strive for goodness but stumble into the same old patterns. We reach for life, but find ourselves tangled in things that lead to frustration or shame. And often, we imagine that if we just tried harder—just obeyed the letter of the law with a little more grit—we could finally be the people God wants us to be. But Paul tells us plainly: the law itself, as good and holy as it is, cannot rescue us. It can show us God's standard, it can reveal where we've missed the mark, but it cannot break the power of sin within us or set us free. So what hope do we have? Paul's answer is clear: our hope is not in our own performance, but in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Listen to Paul's words: "You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ, and now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead." The work has already been done—not by your effort, but by Christ's life, death, and resurrection. He has defeated sin, death, and the grave. He was raised to new life and has swept us up into that life with him. This means that you are not striving for a freedom you don't yet possess. You have been freed, united with Christ, and caught up in the triune love of God. You are not defined by what you lack or by your failures, but by the life and love of the risen Jesus that is now yours—right now, in this day. So now, you are empowered to produce good fruit. Why? Because you are joined to Christ, grafted into his life. That changes everything. Out of this union comes real righteousness, real love, real peace, and healing—not things you have to conjure up through effort, but gifts that grow naturally as you remain in him. Let us live from this place of calm confidence and joyful assurance. Let us walk today as people radically loved by God, equipped by his Spirit, and invited to share his love with the world. That's the prayer I have for my own soul. That's the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home, heal the wounds of division, and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Kings 2; 1 Chron 229; Ps 95; 2 Thess 1 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to another fresh episode of the Daily Radio Bible! Today, host Hunter guides us through a significant turning point in the biblical narrative as we journey through 1 Kings 2, 1 Chronicles 29, Psalm 95, and 2 Thessalonians 1. In this episode, we witness King David's final charges to Solomon, Solomon's rise to a firmly established throne, and the outpouring of resources and devotion as preparations are made for the temple of God. We reflect on the importance of faith—you'll hear how our faith prompts us to act, but it is ultimately God's power that accomplishes all things in and through us. Hunter closes with heartfelt prayers, inviting us to participate in God's work today by leaning into His presence and peace. Settle in for encouragement, scriptural insight, and a reminder that you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Faith prompts, but it is the Son who accomplishes. That's the central theme woven through our readings today, and it's at the heart of what Paul reminds us in Second Thessalonians. We see it played out in the story of David and Solomon—a father prompted by faith to desire the building of a temple for the Lord, but it was not David's power that accomplished it. It would be done through his son, Solomon. God's promise and provision would come, not by David's might, but by the unfolding of God's wisdom and timing through the next generation. In the same way, Paul prays for the church, asking God to give us the power to accomplish all the good things our faith prompts us to do. Our lives as followers of Jesus are marked by this rhythm: faith stirs us with vision, hope, and the desire to walk in God's ways, but it is Christ in us—his power, his wisdom, his strength—that brings it to fulfillment. We participate, but it's his life that empowers, guides, and accomplishes all that truly matters and lasts. This is a freeing truth. Our call is not to strive in our own strength or to anxiously try to measure up. Instead, we learn to abide, to trust, to surrender, knowing that the one who calls us is faithful and he will do it. The Son draws us into his life, and as we walk with him—partnering with his Spirit—the work we are given to do takes on new meaning. Our hearts are formed not by religious performance, but by the mystery of Christ alive in us. What faith prompts, the Son supplies the power to complete. Let's live today attentive to his promptings, but also deeply at rest, knowing the outcome is in his hands. Wherever God calls us—acts of mercy, forgiveness, generosity, courage—it is his life and power that make it possible. May we participate fully, but rest securely in the sufficiency of Christ. That is the prayer I have for my own soul. That is the prayer I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that is the prayer I have for you. May it be so. Today's Prayer  Almighty and ever loving God, you have brought us to the light of a new morning. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may walk this day in peace. Guard our steps from temptation. Shield us from the weight of fear and shame, and lead us deeper into the joy of your presence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Christ, light of the nations, shine in every place where shadows dwell. Call the scattered home. Heal the wounds of division, and gather all people into the communion of your grace. May the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Amen. And now, Lord, make my hands ready for mercy. Make my eyes quick to see the hurting, my ears open to the cry of the lonely, and my feet swift to bring good news. Let me seek to bless, not to be noticed, to serve, not to be praised, to forgive, not to hold back. For in your way is life, in your mercy is healing, and in your love is the peace this world cannot give. Amen. And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

"In order to pass through you victoriously, It is necessary to lean on You, O Christ, And to be always close to You." St. Faustina writes. Listen in as Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC, reads from this modern spiritual classic. To order a copy of the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, visit ShopMercy.org. Support our Ministries here.