Podcasts about O Death

Send us a textIn this episode, Pastor Dom teaches on the impact of the resurrection on our lives and the discipline of communion. Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.Matthew 28:22 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. Mark 16:3-63 And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.Luke 24:4-8 …and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' ” 8 And they remembered His words.Luke 24:1010 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.Romans 6:99 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.1 Corinthians 15:55-5655 “O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?”56 The sting of death is sin,…Romans 10:9-109 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Mark 16:7-87 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.Matthew 26:34-3534 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”…Matthew 26:69-7469 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” 74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.Luke 22:61-6361 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times. 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

In this heartfelt episode, Brother Byron reflects on the recent passing of his cousin Natalie and the honor of preaching her funeral. He shares personal stories, memories, and the comforting truth of Scripture about death, eternity, and the believer's hope in Christ. You'll hear about the impromptu but Spirit-led singing group formed for the memorial, thoughts on grief and ministry during loss, and the assurance found in 1 Corinthians 15:55. Brother Byron also gives a Father's Day reflection—remembering his own dad—and previews upcoming episodes on E.M. Bounds on Prayer and The Reformation Study Bible. Note: The songs that were mentioned are not included due to copyright laws.

By Garret Snyder - We have all experienced the sting of death during our lifetime. We have lost loved ones, brethren and friends over the years. We can be comforted knowing that Christ died and rose again conquering sin and death. The scripture is from 1 Cor. 15:55, "O Death, where is your sting?"

Become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/Free LXX English translation: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/Literal Standard Version: https://www.lsvbible.comFeatured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topcrosstocrown.org@DougGoodin@CrossToCrown

In 1939, J.R. Tolkin took Robert Dickmans hypothesis one step further in a lecture he delivered titled, On Fairy Stories. In his lecture, Tolkin said the following about fairytales and those who create them: Probably every writer making a secondary world, a fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from reality, or are flowing into it. The peculiar quality of the joy in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind, which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. But this story is supreme, and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of menand of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.[1] In the Bible, the three great antagonists that we face in our story include the great serpent, the problem of sin, and death (in that order). Satan entered into the Garden as a serpent where the first man and woman enjoyed true love with both God and each other, they were tempted to sin against God by the Serpent. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat and a curse was pronounced upon all of creation, and ever since that fateful day, sin and death have vandalized the peace we were created to enjoy with God. In the wake of Adam and Eves rebellion and under the shadow of evil and death, God gifted Adam and Eve a promise: The great serpent would one day be destroyed: And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15) So who or what is the serpent? In The Lord of the Rings, he is the Dark Lord Sauron. In The Wizard of Oz, he is the Wicked Witch of the West. In The Matrix, he is Agent Smith. In The Chronicles of Narnia, he is the White Witch. In Superman, He is Lex Luther. In Star Wars, he is Darth Vader and every evil Sith Lord before and after him. The serpent is Lucifer, the devil, the father of lies, the accuser, and the great dragon. There is another antagonist that is the consequence of our sin and rebellion, and that is death. The word gospel simply means good news, and oh is there good news my dear brothers and sisters! The apostle Paul spoke of it in his epistle to the Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ from Genesis through the last chapter of Revelation has everything that every great story requires, and it is a story that has the power to not only transform, but to save! The gospel of Jesus Christ is supreme because it is indeed true, and it is seen and heard throughout the 23rd Psalm! The Good Shepherd Guides His Sheep through the Valley of Deep Darkness On resurrection Sunday, we looked at the first part of verse 4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me... Even if your first Sunday at Meadowbrooke was on that day, you should know by now that the Lord of the 23rd Psalm is the Good Shepherd, and His name is Jesus! He is my shepherd; therefore I will not be in need. Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is my bread of life who satisfies my hunger and quenches my thirst (John 6:35)! Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is the Light of the world who lights up the darkness that surrounds me (John 8:12)! Why again will I never ever be in need so long as Jesus is my shepherd? Well... let me tell you: He for me is the resurrection and the life who has promised that not even death can take from me what I already have in Him (John 11:25-26)! Now, just because Jesus is my Shepherd, that does not mean that I am exempt from walking through the valley of the shadow of death. As I said on Easter Sunday, we all must experience the valley of utter darkness that includes suffering, sickness, a broken world, and even death; however, those whose shepherd is Jesus only must walk through it while everyone else must walk in it. For the one who does not know Jesus as the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection of life will never know the kind of hope that transcends the grave. For the one whose shepherd is not Jesus, the grave is deaths victory dance over you, and the news only gets worse beyond the grave. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Again, to all who would refuse Jesus as the good shepherd, He warned: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:1314). Jesus is the narrow gate! For those whose shepherd is Jesus, then the valley of the shadow of death is a temporary experience that you are only passing through. Do you know what that means? It means that there is life at the end of the valley! There is a table, and there is oil, and there is a cup placed into your hand dear Christian that is overflowing with His goodness and faithfulness all the days of your life! At that table, we will hold high that cup and toast: Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55-57). The Good Shepherd Comforts His Sheep with His Rod and Staff What is the significance of Jesus rod and staff? For starters, He is the one leading us through the deep dark valleys on this side of eternity; while in the valley, we have no reason to fear evil because He is with us, and while with us... He is armed with His rod and staff. In their commentary on the Psalms, Josh Smith and Daniel Akin comment: We are going through the deep, dark valleys because our good shepherd is leading us! The dark valley is part of the path of righteousness.[2] Not to belabor the point I made previously, but what does the dark valley include? It includes pain, it includes suffering, it includes disease, it includes achy joints, it includes persecution, and it even includes death! After all, Jesus did say: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33b). You may be saying in response to this: Pastor Keith, what about what Jesus said in John 10:10? Here is what Jesus said: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. The thief is anything or anyone that promises to give you what only Jesus is able to give, and the abundant life is a life with Jesus. Now, what about the rod and staff? Why not just the rod or only the staff? Why both? The rod was typically used as offensive weapon against any predator that would threaten the sheep from the outside while the staff was used to direct, round up, and pull in the sheep. While the rod is used to protect the sheep from enemies, the staff is used to protect the sheep from themselves. Jesus guides me with His staff, and as He does, He leads me through the valley to the table where He has prepared a feast for me. Because it is Jesus who carries the rod and the staff, I can be confident that Jesus will lead me to where I need to go, or as the apostle Paul put it: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6), and He will use His rod and staff to do it. Or as one person wrote: Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, is no emaciated weakling. Our Shepherd is a warrior, as shepherds had to be. No one can snatch his sheep out of his hand (John 10:28). The muscles of his arm are flexed to defend his flock; he doesnt carry a club for nothing. He is obviously enough for whatever the valley throws at us.[3] What is the point of verse 4? Here is the point: If Jesus is my shepherd, then even in the darkest moments of life I have all that I need because I have Him. Or, as the modern hymn, Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me, so adequately and helpfully states: The night is dark, but I am not forsakenFor by my side, the Savior, He will stayI labor on in weakness and rejoicingFor in my need, His power is displayed To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend meThrough the deepest valley, He will leadOh, the night has been won, and I shall overcomeYet not I, but through Christ in me The Good Shepherd Prepares a Feast for His Sheep in the Presence of Their Enemies So, where is He leading me? Where is He leading you dear Christian? What is waiting for me, and what is waiting for all who are being led by the Good Shepherd? A table that has been prepared by Jesus is what is waiting for His sheep. What is on that table? A feast is what is on that table! What is the meaning of this feast that He has prepared? It is a testament, it is proof, and it is a witness to Gods favor upon His sheep. This, my friend, is the abundant life Jesus provides! Again, another set of verses from Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me rings true! No fate I dread, I know I am forgivenThe future's sure, the price, it has been paidFor Jesus bled and suffered for my pardonAnd He was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeatedJesus, now and ever is my pleaOh, the chains are released, I can sing, "I am free"Yet not I, but through Christ in me Where is the table set for His redeemed to feast? It is set in the place that my enemies are made to watch and not permitted to touch, take, or taunt because of the One who has prepared the table for me. But do not miss that before my enemies and yours, He has anointed us with oil and placed a cup in each of our hands! Besides the fact that in the dry and hot climate of the valley, oil would be used to sooth the skin and wine would be consumed to clear the throat. However, there is more to the oil and the cup! The imagery of oil and wine in the Bible speak of joy and prosperity. Conclusion When I think of the table in Psalm 23:5, I cannot help but think of three feasts mentioned in the Bible. The first happened while the Hebrew people were surrounded by Egypt under the bondage of Pharoh. On the eve of their deliverance they marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb with no defects and feasted on that lamb. After they feasted, God delivered the Hebrews from the bondage of slavery and defeated Pharoh and his army, and then they sang a song known as, The Song of Moses that included this verse: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him... (Exod. 15:2), and concludes with these words: The Lord shall reign forever and ever (15:18). The second feast is the one Jesus celebrated with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion and death. Like Moses and the Hebrews before, Jesus and His disciples sat at a table to the feast of the Passover. During the meal, Jesus and his disciples no doubt recited or even sang the Song of Moses: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation... There were four cups that the disciples drank from during the Passover which were, The cup of sanctification (holiness) to start the celebration and a reminder of the holiness of God. The cup of salvation (deliverance) symbolizing Gods deliverance which was drunk after the retelling of the Exodus story. The cup of redemption (blessing), which was drunk after the meal which represented Gods act of redeeming Israel. The cup of glory (praise) which was drunk at the very end representing the future redemption and coming of the Messiah. It was this cup that Jesus said, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.... I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Fathers kingdom (Matt. 26:26-29). After that feast, Jesus atoned for sin on the cross and then defeated the curse of sin and death by rising on the third day. Just before He died on the cross, He declared: It is finished (John 19:30)! The third feast has not happened yet, and we learn of it in Revelation 19:7-10; it is the Marriage feast we will celebrate with Jesus as His Bride. I believe that at this coming feast Jesus will pick up the fourth cup and drink it with us. Do you know what will come after that feast? The defeat of the nations gathered against Jesus and the final defeat of Satan. According to Revelation 15, do you know what song all of heaven will sing on that day? Here is what we are told: And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Rev. 15:34) So, can you guess what comes after the banquet prepared before His people in the presence of our enemies in Psalm 23:5? You guessed it! What comes after is the triumph of the Lamb of God over all that stands against those whom He has redeemed! [1] J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories (1939). [2] J. Josh Smith and Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 150, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022), 175. [3] David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 90.

In 1939, J.R. Tolkin took Robert Dickmans hypothesis one step further in a lecture he delivered titled, On Fairy Stories. In his lecture, Tolkin said the following about fairytales and those who create them: Probably every writer making a secondary world, a fantasy, every sub-creator, wishes in some measure to be a real maker, or hopes that he is drawing on reality: hopes that the peculiar quality of this secondary world (if not all the details) are derived from reality, or are flowing into it. The peculiar quality of the joy in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. The Gospels contain a fairy-story, or a story of a larger kind, which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. But this story is supreme, and it is true. Art has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels, and of menand of elves. Legend and History have met and fused.[1] In the Bible, the three great antagonists that we face in our story include the great serpent, the problem of sin, and death (in that order). Satan entered into the Garden as a serpent where the first man and woman enjoyed true love with both God and each other, they were tempted to sin against God by the Serpent. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat and a curse was pronounced upon all of creation, and ever since that fateful day, sin and death have vandalized the peace we were created to enjoy with God. In the wake of Adam and Eves rebellion and under the shadow of evil and death, God gifted Adam and Eve a promise: The great serpent would one day be destroyed: And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15) So who or what is the serpent? In The Lord of the Rings, he is the Dark Lord Sauron. In The Wizard of Oz, he is the Wicked Witch of the West. In The Matrix, he is Agent Smith. In The Chronicles of Narnia, he is the White Witch. In Superman, He is Lex Luther. In Star Wars, he is Darth Vader and every evil Sith Lord before and after him. The serpent is Lucifer, the devil, the father of lies, the accuser, and the great dragon. There is another antagonist that is the consequence of our sin and rebellion, and that is death. The word gospel simply means good news, and oh is there good news my dear brothers and sisters! The apostle Paul spoke of it in his epistle to the Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). The gospel of Jesus Christ from Genesis through the last chapter of Revelation has everything that every great story requires, and it is a story that has the power to not only transform, but to save! The gospel of Jesus Christ is supreme because it is indeed true, and it is seen and heard throughout the 23rd Psalm! The Good Shepherd Guides His Sheep through the Valley of Deep Darkness On resurrection Sunday, we looked at the first part of verse 4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me... Even if your first Sunday at Meadowbrooke was on that day, you should know by now that the Lord of the 23rd Psalm is the Good Shepherd, and His name is Jesus! He is my shepherd; therefore I will not be in need. Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is my bread of life who satisfies my hunger and quenches my thirst (John 6:35)! Why will I not be in need? Well... because He is the Light of the world who lights up the darkness that surrounds me (John 8:12)! Why again will I never ever be in need so long as Jesus is my shepherd? Well... let me tell you: He for me is the resurrection and the life who has promised that not even death can take from me what I already have in Him (John 11:25-26)! Now, just because Jesus is my Shepherd, that does not mean that I am exempt from walking through the valley of the shadow of death. As I said on Easter Sunday, we all must experience the valley of utter darkness that includes suffering, sickness, a broken world, and even death; however, those whose shepherd is Jesus only must walk through it while everyone else must walk in it. For the one who does not know Jesus as the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection of life will never know the kind of hope that transcends the grave. For the one whose shepherd is not Jesus, the grave is deaths victory dance over you, and the news only gets worse beyond the grave. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Again, to all who would refuse Jesus as the good shepherd, He warned: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matt. 7:1314). Jesus is the narrow gate! For those whose shepherd is Jesus, then the valley of the shadow of death is a temporary experience that you are only passing through. Do you know what that means? It means that there is life at the end of the valley! There is a table, and there is oil, and there is a cup placed into your hand dear Christian that is overflowing with His goodness and faithfulness all the days of your life! At that table, we will hold high that cup and toast: Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55-57). The Good Shepherd Comforts His Sheep with His Rod and Staff What is the significance of Jesus rod and staff? For starters, He is the one leading us through the deep dark valleys on this side of eternity; while in the valley, we have no reason to fear evil because He is with us, and while with us... He is armed with His rod and staff. In their commentary on the Psalms, Josh Smith and Daniel Akin comment: We are going through the deep, dark valleys because our good shepherd is leading us! The dark valley is part of the path of righteousness.[2] Not to belabor the point I made previously, but what does the dark valley include? It includes pain, it includes suffering, it includes disease, it includes achy joints, it includes persecution, and it even includes death! After all, Jesus did say: In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33b). You may be saying in response to this: Pastor Keith, what about what Jesus said in John 10:10? Here is what Jesus said: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. The thief is anything or anyone that promises to give you what only Jesus is able to give, and the abundant life is a life with Jesus. Now, what about the rod and staff? Why not just the rod or only the staff? Why both? The rod was typically used as offensive weapon against any predator that would threaten the sheep from the outside while the staff was used to direct, round up, and pull in the sheep. While the rod is used to protect the sheep from enemies, the staff is used to protect the sheep from themselves. Jesus guides me with His staff, and as He does, He leads me through the valley to the table where He has prepared a feast for me. Because it is Jesus who carries the rod and the staff, I can be confident that Jesus will lead me to where I need to go, or as the apostle Paul put it: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6), and He will use His rod and staff to do it. Or as one person wrote: Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, is no emaciated weakling. Our Shepherd is a warrior, as shepherds had to be. No one can snatch his sheep out of his hand (John 10:28). The muscles of his arm are flexed to defend his flock; he doesnt carry a club for nothing. He is obviously enough for whatever the valley throws at us.[3] What is the point of verse 4? Here is the point: If Jesus is my shepherd, then even in the darkest moments of life I have all that I need because I have Him. Or, as the modern hymn, Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me, so adequately and helpfully states: The night is dark, but I am not forsakenFor by my side, the Savior, He will stayI labor on in weakness and rejoicingFor in my need, His power is displayed To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend meThrough the deepest valley, He will leadOh, the night has been won, and I shall overcomeYet not I, but through Christ in me The Good Shepherd Prepares a Feast for His Sheep in the Presence of Their Enemies So, where is He leading me? Where is He leading you dear Christian? What is waiting for me, and what is waiting for all who are being led by the Good Shepherd? A table that has been prepared by Jesus is what is waiting for His sheep. What is on that table? A feast is what is on that table! What is the meaning of this feast that He has prepared? It is a testament, it is proof, and it is a witness to Gods favor upon His sheep. This, my friend, is the abundant life Jesus provides! Again, another set of verses from Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me rings true! No fate I dread, I know I am forgivenThe future's sure, the price, it has been paidFor Jesus bled and suffered for my pardonAnd He was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeatedJesus, now and ever is my pleaOh, the chains are released, I can sing, "I am free"Yet not I, but through Christ in me Where is the table set for His redeemed to feast? It is set in the place that my enemies are made to watch and not permitted to touch, take, or taunt because of the One who has prepared the table for me. But do not miss that before my enemies and yours, He has anointed us with oil and placed a cup in each of our hands! Besides the fact that in the dry and hot climate of the valley, oil would be used to sooth the skin and wine would be consumed to clear the throat. However, there is more to the oil and the cup! The imagery of oil and wine in the Bible speak of joy and prosperity. Conclusion When I think of the table in Psalm 23:5, I cannot help but think of three feasts mentioned in the Bible. The first happened while the Hebrew people were surrounded by Egypt under the bondage of Pharoh. On the eve of their deliverance they marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb with no defects and feasted on that lamb. After they feasted, God delivered the Hebrews from the bondage of slavery and defeated Pharoh and his army, and then they sang a song known as, The Song of Moses that included this verse: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him... (Exod. 15:2), and concludes with these words: The Lord shall reign forever and ever (15:18). The second feast is the one Jesus celebrated with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion and death. Like Moses and the Hebrews before, Jesus and His disciples sat at a table to the feast of the Passover. During the meal, Jesus and his disciples no doubt recited or even sang the Song of Moses: The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation... There were four cups that the disciples drank from during the Passover which were, The cup of sanctification (holiness) to start the celebration and a reminder of the holiness of God. The cup of salvation (deliverance) symbolizing Gods deliverance which was drunk after the retelling of the Exodus story. The cup of redemption (blessing), which was drunk after the meal which represented Gods act of redeeming Israel. The cup of glory (praise) which was drunk at the very end representing the future redemption and coming of the Messiah. It was this cup that Jesus said, Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.... I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Fathers kingdom (Matt. 26:26-29). After that feast, Jesus atoned for sin on the cross and then defeated the curse of sin and death by rising on the third day. Just before He died on the cross, He declared: It is finished (John 19:30)! The third feast has not happened yet, and we learn of it in Revelation 19:7-10; it is the Marriage feast we will celebrate with Jesus as His Bride. I believe that at this coming feast Jesus will pick up the fourth cup and drink it with us. Do you know what will come after that feast? The defeat of the nations gathered against Jesus and the final defeat of Satan. According to Revelation 15, do you know what song all of heaven will sing on that day? Here is what we are told: And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Rev. 15:34) So, can you guess what comes after the banquet prepared before His people in the presence of our enemies in Psalm 23:5? You guessed it! What comes after is the triumph of the Lamb of God over all that stands against those whom He has redeemed! [1] J. R. R. Tolkien. On Fairy Stories (1939). [2] J. Josh Smith and Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 150, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2022), 175. [3] David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), 90.

“O Death, where is your sting? Oh Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:55-57"Where death lost its sting, hope plants seeds of eternity that blossom beyond mortal sight." In other words, resurrection is not just a day of celebration, but it symbolizes our hope for eternal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, we are reminded that the grave is merely a passage to a glorious continuation beyond our earthly existence when he echoes, "Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is your victory?"Hope Beyond the Grave encapsulates the essence of resurrection—a promise that transcends the finality of death. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, we too are offered the gift of everlasting life. Remember, "Death may close one chapter, but hope pens the sequel with ink of eternal life." In other words, we must look beyond the temporary struggles and heartaches of this world and remind ourselves that a divine narrative will surely unfold as we move on.Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."In times of grief, it is crucial to remember that the finality of the grave is not an end but a prelude to something far greater. The message of resurrection reassures us that there is "Victory Beyond the Tomb." Each resurrection Sunday serves as a reminder that God's promises are unfailing and that our loved ones who have passed are not lost but alive in His presence.Let us hold onto this hope tightly, knowing it can sustain us through our darkest hours. As we reflect on the significance of Christ's resurrection, may we find comfort in the words of Romans 6:8, which states, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” So allow this promise to echo through your heart and the generations, so that we can continue to enjoy God's strength and His peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."Prayer for the Day! Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that death is not the end but a doorway to everlasting joy. May we share this hope with others and find peace in knowing that we will be reunited with our loved ones in Your glorious kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Chaplain Don Moldstad was preacher for this service. 1 Corinthians 15:51-58: Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Order of Service: - Technical note: The main microphone cuts out near the end of the sermon. - Prelude - Easter Responsory: P: Alleluia! Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Alleluia! C: The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Alleluia! Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Alleluia! All: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen. - Hymn 365 - O Sing With Exultation - 1 Corinthians 15:51-58: Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. - Devotion - Prayer #62, p. 155 - Hymn 355 - Now Christ is Risen: vv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Organist)

April 21st, 2025:  Easter Monday - The Author of the Scriptures Explains Everything; O Death, Where is Thy Victory?; Are You Wasting Your Time?; The Road to Emmaus & the Breaking of the Bread

This week, Pastor Carlos Lollett proclaims the unshakable hope we have in the resurrection of Jesus.Through 1 Corinthians 15, we see that death is not the end—Jesus offers us a firm foundation, an unshakable hope, and a restored future. Because He rose, we too will rise.

Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople The Paschal Sermon The Catechetical Sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read during Matins of Pascha. If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; He gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour. And He shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen. O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.

In this episode of the CrossCounsel Podcast, we sit down with Byron Guerra, youth pastor at Thirst Church (https://www.thirstchurch.org) in Oconomowoc, WI, and his longtime friend, mentor, and CrossCounsel facilitator, Chuck Schroeter.Byron didn't begin in ministry — his early years were spent as a land surveyor and doing tree work. The conversation kicks off with a funny, forgotten story from Chuck, and a powerful moment where he shares how Byron's grandfather led him to Christ.A few months ago, Chuck encouraged Byron to step into The MELT Process, which became a turning point in facing deep pain — including the tragic loss his family endured in 2008. As the conversation unfolds, you'll hear how God cleared the clutter and began reshaping Byron's heart.One quote from Byron says it all: “God is writing a new narrative for my heart.”Chuck wraps the episode with a strong challenge about what real freedom looks like, and Byron shares how he's helping his family, church, and youth group pursue a deeper life with Jesus.A conversation full of honest moments, deep insights, and real hope.CrossCounsel WebsiteCrossCounsel on Facebook

In this Easter Sunday message, Darrell Johnson leads us into the heart of the Gospel: resurrection. Preaching from 1 Corinthians 15, Darrell declares the staggering truth that Jesus Christ has been raised—never to die again. Through personal reflection and pastoral depth, Darrell explores what it means for Jesus to be the “first fruits” of the new creation, and why death no longer has the final word. This message is both a trumpet of hope and a call to fearless living. “O death, where is your victory?” Because of Jesus, it's nowhere to be found.Spring IntensivesThe Bible CourseDarrell's Books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give to the Ministry of Darrell Johnson—Subscribe to Darrell's Mailing ListWebsite | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darrelljohnson.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/darrelljohnson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Confession Lord's Day 16Theme: Why must Christians still die?1) Is it a good question?2) Is it a convenient answer?3) Where, O Death, is Your Sting?

O Death, where is Your Pod? (CT) … GUEST A. Trevor Sutton … pastor, author, speaker, & professor … author of several books, including “Redeeming Technology: A Christian Approach to Healthy Digital Habits” The Plateau is Real … GUEST Dr Ryan P Burge … assistant prof of political science at Eastern Illinois Univ … author of “20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America,””The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going,” and co-author of “The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back?”… His newest book is “The American Religious Landscape: Facts, Trends & the Future” … substack: Graphs About Religion and he tweets at @ryanburgeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

O Death, where is Your Pod? (CT) … GUEST A. Trevor Sutton … pastor, author, speaker, & professor … author of several books, including “Redeeming Technology: A Christian Approach to Healthy Digital Habits” The Plateau is Real … GUEST Dr Ryan P Burge … assistant prof of political science at Eastern Illinois Univ … author of “20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America,””The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going,” and co-author of “The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back?”… His newest book is “The American Religious Landscape: Facts, Trends & the Future” … substack: Graphs About Religion and he tweets at @ryanburgeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark 15:40–16:8 (Listen) 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Jesus Is Buried 42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died.1 And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph2 bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. The Resurrection 16:1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Footnotes [1] 15:44 Or Pilate wondered whether he had already died [2] 15:46 Greek he (ESV)

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(SCP- 2935): https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-2935  Intro/Outro music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license  Thumbs up to all our listeners, the community of the SCP Foundation and the entry's creator/poster: djkaktus. Without, we wouldn't have this discussion. So thank you all! (djkaktus): https://www.wikidot.com/user:info/djkaktus  (The SCP Foundation): http://www.scp-wiki.net/ Comment below or send us an email at aldenterigamortis@gmail.com   Also check out the title cards for each episode: http://crazonstudios.tumblr.com/  And if you want to show your support, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/aldenterigamortis

As we celebrate this Christmas season, we are diving into a series called “As Promised.” Last we discussed the promise of a conquering King, but this week we will look at the Kings heart. How does God view disaster, loss, pain, and suffering? When things seem to be promising, yet take a turn for the worst, do we have a King who cares? Key Scripture - Hosea 13:14 - “I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.” For Scripture, notes, upcoming events, & more: http://bible.com/events/49354326

What Happens When We Die? • Sunday Service To support this ministry: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Website: www.PastorTodd.org App: www.ToddCoconato.com/ap One of the most profound questions people ask is, “What happens when we die?” For believers, the Bible provides clear guidance about life after death, the state of the soul, and the promises of eternity. Today, we'll explore Scripture to understand what God's Word says about this important topic. 1. Death is Not the End Scripture: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). 2. The Soul is Eternal Scripture: “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7, NKJV). 3. Believers Are Immediately with Christ Scripture: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8, NKJV). 4. The Resurrection of the Body Scripture: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, NKJV). 5. Eternal Life for Believers Scripture: “And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life” (1 John 2:25, NKJV). 6. No More Pain or Sorrow Scripture: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV). 7. Judgment for Unbelievers Scripture: “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15, NKJV). 8. The New Heavens and New Earth Scripture: “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, NKJV). 9. Rest for the Faithful Scripture: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on… that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Revelation 14:13, NKJV). 10. Jesus Has Conquered Death Scripture: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18, NKJV). Death is not the end for believers in Jesus Christ. Scripture reveals that our souls are eternal, that we are immediately present with the Lord upon death, and that we have the hope of resurrection and eternal life. Let these truths bring comfort and confidence, knowing that Jesus has prepared a place for us and that death is merely a doorway to eternal joy in His presence. “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, NKJV).

11-22-24 Wyrd Mountain Gals Show "Hi Lo Jik Jack" Sunday 11-22-24   7pm EST The gals are in a fairly good mood.  Maybe because they've gotten enough sleep (listening to the podcast!).  They're getting ready for the upcoming manic week.  There's not too much kvetching, but lots of static on the audio... Hope you like it! Thank you for sharing this among your friends.  We really appreciate it!       Ralph Stanley singing  "O Death" https://youtu.be/2xmRWj7gJEU?si=xX2vFx5RvIscocbH More info here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Death Lyrics O, Death O, Death Won't you spare me over til another year Well what is this that I can't see With ice cold hands takin' hold of me Well I am death, none can tell I'll open the door to heaven or hell Whoa, death someone would pray Could you wait to call me another day My Mother came to my bed Placed a cold towel on my head Well my head is warm, my feet are cold Death is a movin on my soul Oh, death how you're treatin' me You've close my eyes so I can't see Well you're hurtin' my body You make me cold You run my life right outta my soul Oh death please consider my age Please don't take me at this stage My wealth is all at your command If you will move your icy hand Oh the young, the rich or poor Hunger like me you know No wealth, no ruin, no silver no gold Nothing satisfies me but your soul O, death O, death Wont you spare me over til another year Wont you spare me over til another year Wont you spare me over til another year #WyrdMountainGals #WyrdMountain #ByronBallard #WyrdArmy #DigitalWitchery #Multiverse  

••• Why Victory is Elusive, Ep 355 . ••• Bible Study Verses: 1 John 5.1-5, Isaiah 5.13, Galatians 3, Revelations 5.12, 2 Corinthians 2.11, 1 John 3, John 10.10, John 8.32, John 1.12, Matthew 8.16, Matthew 4.1-11, John 8, John 1.5 .••• “Furnish thyself with arguments from the promises to enforce thy prayers, and make them prevalent with God. The promises are the ground of faith, and faith, when strengthened, will make thee fervent, and such fervency ever speeds and returns with victory out of the field of prayer. The mightier any is in the Word, the more mighty he will be in prayer”, William Gurnall 1617-1679, Educated at the free grammar school of his native town, and in 1631 was nominated to the Lynn scholarship in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1635 and MA in 1639. He was made rector of Lavenham in Suffolk in 1644; and before he received that appointment he seems to have officiated, perhaps as curate, at Sudbury. Gurnall is known by his Christian in Complete Armour, published in three volumes, dated 1655, 1658 and 1662. It consists of sermons or lectures delivered by the author in the course of his regular ministry, in a consecutive course on Ephesians 6:10-20. †••• “"So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord"', 1 Corinthians 15.50-58, NKJV .••• What are 3-reasons why many are not experiencing the victory that our faith provides? ••• What 3-life actions are required for the deliverance and abundant life that Jesus promised? ••• What is a function of your freedom in life? ••• What are 3-reasons why our deliverance depends on The Word of God? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about deliverance through the power of Holy Spirit? ••• Pastor Godwin Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounters Radio Podcast originally aired on November 16, 2024 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcasted to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible .••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in it's mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ .••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND Thato Moiketsi Photography, Winburg, South Africa, https://www.pexels.com/@thato-moiketsi-909645793/ . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/William-Gurnall-Quotes/ .••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/241116-why-victory-is-elusive-ep355 . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes .••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 .••• FERP 241116 Episode#355 GOT 241116 Ep355 .••• The Importance of Deliverance, Part-2: Why Victory is Elusive . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reading Hosea 13:1-16 where God promises judgment upon Israel for their rebellion and idol worship, would He will withhold compassion from them, swallowing them in death. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

Death, while being an absolute inevitability for each-and-every-one of us, (until the day Jesus returns), still remains a reality that often is challenging to process. Sandy van Vuuren reads from 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, taking a closer look at what the Word has to say on this issue.

A new MP3 sermon from Ebenezer Baptist Chapel is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: O death where is thy sting? Speaker: Mr. David Cottington Broadcaster: Ebenezer Baptist Chapel Event: Sunday Service Date: 6/5/2024 Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Length: 42 min.

1 - From Alpha to Omega - Harry Babbitt with Kay Kyser and his Orchestra – 19382 - E-String Rag - Hank Garland - 19513 - G-String Boogie – Frank Nelson with Alvino Rey and his Orchestra – 19484 - Alphabet Song - Murray K. Hill - 19095 - K-K-K-Katy - Billy Murray – 19186 - Alpha March - Arthur Pryor's Band - 19127 - L-L-L-L-A - Mae Williams and the Town Criers with Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra – 19478 - I Can't Give You Anything but Love (And the Alphabet) - Tommy Mercer with Buddy Morrow and his Orchestra - 19509 - N Everything - Al Jolson – 191710 - The ABCs of the USA - Miss Jones and Mr Murray - 190811 - O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? - Bert Williams – 191912 - Qua Qua Qua - Carlos Galhardo - 194513 - A You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song) - The Buddy Kaye Quintet – 194814 – V-Day Stomp - The Four Clefs - 194515 - W. P. A. - Bon Bon with Jan Savitt and His Orchestra – 194016 - ABC Blues - Ricky Jordan and the Vivien Gary Trio – 1947

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 ESVThe Resurrection Body35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.Mystery and Victory50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:“Death is swallowed up in victory.”55 “O death, where is your victory?    O death, where is your sting?”56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Rev. Shawn Stafford was preacher for this service. 1 Corinthians 15:54-58: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 355 - Now Christ is Risen: vv. 1 - 6 - 1 Corinthians 15:54-58: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. - Choir: Easter Chant by Gordon Young: Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen Today! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! - Prayer - Hymn 352 - Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Shawn Stafford (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Organist)

Rev. Shawn Stafford was preacher for this service. 1 Corinthians 15:54-58: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 355 - Now Christ is Risen: vv. 1 - 6 - 1 Corinthians 15:54-58: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. - Choir: Easter Chant by Gordon Young: Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen Today! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! - Prayer - Hymn 352 - Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Shawn Stafford (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Organist)

Order of Service: - Prelude - Hymn 355 - Now Christ is Risen: vv. 1 - 6 - 1 Corinthians 15:54-58: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. - Choir: Easter Chant by Gordon Young: Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen Today! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! - Prayer - Hymn 352 - Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Rev. Shawn Stafford (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Mark DeGarmeaux (Organist)

Marys Discouragement (vv. 11-13) Overwhelmed with grief Overcome with frustration Marys Discovery (vv. 14-16) Blinding sadness Blessed sight Marys Direction (vv. 17-18) A new relationship A new responsibility More to Consider When I think of Mary Magdalene lingering alone in the garden, I recall Proverbs 8:17I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me. Mary loved her Lord and came early to the garden to express that love. Peter and John had gone home by the time Mary got back to the tomb, so they did not convey to her what conclusion they had reached from the evidence they had examined. Mary still thought that Jesus was dead. Another verse comes to mindPsalm 30:5, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Warren W. Wiresbe Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord's Prayer is about. N.T. Wright Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot, the passersby sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage because of the King who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Saviour on the cross. It is bound hand and foot; all who are in Christ trample it as they pass, and as witnesses to Him (King Jesus) deride it, scoffing and saying, O Death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don't worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry...He's risen! Chuck Swindol

For Christians, the central event in history and in universe is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. This killing of God (or deicide) is so mysterious and terrible that it's hard to even approach: what kind of a God would choose to be tortured and murdered by his rebellious creatures? Pastor Brian Zahnd's poetic theology of the Cross (in The Wood between the Worlds) takes a kaleidoscopic approach, which turns this way and that, until that terrible cross reflects the light of God that dazzles with coruscating beauty. Pastor Brian's webpage. Pastor Brian's book, The Wood between the Worlds (IVP, 2024) Tim Stewart's interview with Brian on the Impact Nations podcast (February 2024) Related Almost Good Catholics episodes: David Basile on Almost Good Catholics, episode 39: Why a Savior? The Theology of Sacrifice and Redemption Jeff Brannon on Almost Good Catholics, episode 40: O Death, Where is Your Sting? The Biblical Theology of Resurrection Fr Chris Alar on Almost Good Catholics, episode 61: Master Craftsman, Broken Tools: Why God Works Through Us, Hears Intercessory Prayers, and Grants Divine Mercy Sr Mary Josefa of the Eucharist on Almost Good Catholics, episode 68: Brides of Christ: Contemplative Life among the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

For Christians, the central event in history and in universe is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. This killing of God (or deicide) is so mysterious and terrible that it's hard to even approach: what kind of a God would choose to be tortured and murdered by his rebellious creatures? Pastor Brian Zahnd's poetic theology of the Cross (in The Wood between the Worlds) takes a kaleidoscopic approach, which turns this way and that, until that terrible cross reflects the light of God that dazzles with coruscating beauty. Pastor Brian's webpage. Pastor Brian's book, The Wood between the Worlds (IVP, 2024) Tim Stewart's interview with Brian on the Impact Nations podcast (February 2024) Related Almost Good Catholics episodes: David Basile on Almost Good Catholics, episode 39: Why a Savior? The Theology of Sacrifice and Redemption Jeff Brannon on Almost Good Catholics, episode 40: O Death, Where is Your Sting? The Biblical Theology of Resurrection Fr Chris Alar on Almost Good Catholics, episode 61: Master Craftsman, Broken Tools: Why God Works Through Us, Hears Intercessory Prayers, and Grants Divine Mercy Sr Mary Josefa of the Eucharist on Almost Good Catholics, episode 68: Brides of Christ: Contemplative Life among the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all face the death of a loved one at some time, and eventually it will be our turn. How can we cope and can we find comfort from God's Word? O Death where is thy victory? O grave where is thy sting?Support the showSupport our ministry by clicking "Support the show" above where you will be directed to our website. You will find a "Donate" button at the bottom of the page. Thank you and God's blessings.Dr. Debra Peppers, "Dr Pepper"www.saltandlightministry.com

Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________QuinquagesimaO Lord, how manifold are your works! in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.Psalm 104:25 (BCP) ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur 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, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 25 Ad te, Domine, levavi1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;my God, I put my trust in you; *let me not be humiliated,nor let my enemies triumph over me.2Let none who look to you be put to shame; *let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.3Show me your ways, O Lord, *and teach me your paths.4Lead me in your truth and teach me, *for you are the God of my salvation;in you have I trusted all the day long.5Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *for they are from everlasting.6Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *remember me according to your loveand for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.7Gracious and upright is the Lord; *therefore he teaches sinners in his way.8He guides the humble in doing right *and teaches his way to the lowly.9All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.10For your Name's sake, O Lord, *forgive my sin, for it is great.11Who are they who fear the Lord? *he will teach them the way that they should choose.12They shall dwell in prosperity, *and their offspring shall inherit the land.13The Lord is a friend to those who fear him *and will show them his covenant.14My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, *for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.15Turn to me and have pity on me, *for I am left alone and in misery.16The sorrows of my heart have increased; *bring me out of my troubles.17Look upon my adversity and misery *and forgive me all my sin.18Look upon my enemies, for they are many, *and they bear a violent hatred against me.19Protect my life and deliver me; *let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.20Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, *for my hope has been in you.21Deliver Israel, O God, *out of all his troubles. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsHosea 11:1-4 English Standard Version11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,    and out of Egypt I called my son.2 The more they were called,    the more they went away;they kept sacrificing to the Baals    and burning offerings to idols.3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;    I took them up by their arms,    but they did not know that I healed them.4 I led them with cords of kindness,    with the bands of love,and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,    and I bent down to them and fed them.Hosea 13:5-16a English Standard Version5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness,    in the land of drought;6 but when they had grazed, they became full,    they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;    therefore they forgot me.7 So I am to them like a lion;    like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8 I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;    I will tear open their breast,and there I will devour them like a lion,    as a wild beast would rip them open.9 He destroys you, O Israel,    for you are against me, against your helper.10 Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?    Where are all your rulers—those of whom you said,    “Give me a king and princes”?11 I gave you a king in my anger,    and I took him away in my wrath.12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;    his sin is kept in store.13 The pangs of childbirth come for him,    but he is an unwise son,for at the right time he does not present himself    at the opening of the womb.14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;    I shall redeem them from Death.O Death, where are your plagues?    O Sheol, where is your sting?    Compassion is hidden from my eyes.15 Though he may flourish among his brothers,    the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come,    rising from the wilderness,and his fountain shall dry up;    his spring shall be parched;it shall strip his treasury    of every precious thing.16 Samaria shall bear her guilt,    because she has rebelled against her God;Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Galatians 6:11-18 English Standard Version11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Quinquagesima (Anglican Prayer Book)LORD God, you who have taught us that whatever we do without genuine love is worth nothing in your sight: Send your HOLY Spirit and pour into our hearts this most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtues; for without such love whoever lives is reckoned as dead before you: Grant this for the sake of your only Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13

We all face regret amid life's changes and losses, feeling the weight of missed opportunities and moments. The good news is that we also have a redemptive God who does not want us to be held captive by anything but his love. In today's podcast, Stasi shares candidly about regret and resentment and the healing power of faith and forgiveness. Friends, the power of Jesus on the cross is more than enough to carry us, and nothing is out of reach for our God. May Stasi's words inspire hope as she encourages you to lean into God as his beloved and embrace his promise to make all things new.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Romans 8:28 (NLT) — And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.Acts 24:16 (NLT) — Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.Ephesians 1:7 (NLT) — He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.Ephesians 2:6 (NLT) — For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.…..OTHER RESOURCES:Quote (partial) by Alfred Lord Tennyson, from The Princess: Tears, Idle Tears – “Deep as first love, and wild with all regret; O Death in Life, the days that are no more!”Quote (partial) by William Ernest Henley from There's A Regret – “For deeds undone Rnakle and snarl and hunger for their due, Till there seems naught so despicable as you”…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode – Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:Spotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ

Jan Markell's guest for the hour is Dr. Ron Rhodes. They consider the glories of Heaven where the former things will not be remembered. We will have transformed bodies. What will our roles be? What about infants and children? And what about those who are making trips to Heaven? Will we mourn those not in Heaven? Find Rhodes' book in our online store. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/407/29

Jan Markell's guest for the hour is Dr. Ron Rhodes. They consider the glories of Heaven where the former things will not be remembered. We will have transformed bodies. What will our roles be? What about infants and children? And what about those who are making trips to Heaven? Will we mourn those not in Heaven? Find Rhodes' book in our online store. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1472/29

Watch Jan Markell from Understanding the Times To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/1472/29

Old Testament: Hosea 10–14 Hosea 10–14 (Listen) 10   Israel is a luxuriant vine    that yields its fruit.  The more his fruit increased,    the more altars he built;  as his country improved,    he improved his pillars.2   Their heart is false;    now they must bear their guilt.  The LORD1 will break down their altars    and destroy their pillars. 3   For now they will say:    “We have no king,  for we do not fear the LORD;    and a king—what could he do for us?”4   They utter mere words;    with empty2 oaths they make covenants;  so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds    in the furrows of the field.5   The inhabitants of Samaria tremble    for the calf3 of Beth-aven.  Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—    those who rejoiced over it and over its glory—    for it has departed4 from them.6   The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria    as tribute to the great king.5  Ephraim shall be put to shame,    and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.6 7   Samaria's king shall perish    like a twig on the face of the waters.8   The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,    shall be destroyed.  Thorn and thistle shall grow up    on their altars,  and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”    and to the hills, “Fall on us.” 9   From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;    there they have continued.    Shall not the war against the unjust7 overtake them in Gibeah?10   When I please, I will discipline them,    and nations shall be gathered against them    when they are bound up for their double iniquity. 11   Ephraim was a trained calf    that loved to thresh,    and I spared her fair neck;  but I will put Ephraim to the yoke;    Judah must plow;    Jacob must harrow for himself.12   Sow for yourselves righteousness;    reap steadfast love;    break up your fallow ground,  for it is the time to seek the LORD,    that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. 13   You have plowed iniquity;    you have reaped injustice;    you have eaten the fruit of lies.  Because you have trusted in your own way    and in the multitude of your warriors,14   therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,  as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;    mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.15   Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,    because of your great evil.  At dawn the king of Israel    shall be utterly cut off. The Lord's Love for Israel 11   When Israel was a child, I loved him,    and out of Egypt I called my son.2   The more they were called,    the more they went away;  they kept sacrificing to the Baals    and burning offerings to idols. 3   Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;    I took them up by their arms,    but they did not know that I healed them.4   I led them with cords of kindness,8    with the bands of love,  and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,    and I bent down to them and fed them. 5   They shall not9 return to the land of Egypt,    but Assyria shall be their king,    because they have refused to return to me.6   The sword shall rage against their cities,    consume the bars of their gates,    and devour them because of their own counsels.7   My people are bent on turning away from me,    and though they call out to the Most High,    he shall not raise them up at all. 8   How can I give you up, O Ephraim?    How can I hand you over, O Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?    How can I treat you like Zeboiim?  My heart recoils within me;    my compassion grows warm and tender.9   I will not execute my burning anger;    I will not again destroy Ephraim;  for I am God and not a man,    the Holy One in your midst,    and I will not come in wrath.10 10   They shall go after the LORD;    he will roar like a lion;  when he roars,    his children shall come trembling from the west;11   they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,    and like doves from the land of Assyria,    and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.12   11 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,    and the house of Israel with deceit,  but Judah still walks with God    and is faithful to the Holy One.12   Ephraim feeds on the wind    and pursues the east wind all day long;  they multiply falsehood and violence;    they make a covenant with Assyria,    and oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah 2   The LORD has an indictment against Judah    and will punish Jacob according to his ways;    he will repay him according to his deeds.3   In the womb he took his brother by the heel,    and in his manhood he strove with God.4   He strove with the angel and prevailed;    he wept and sought his favor.  He met God12 at Bethel,    and there God spoke with us—5   the LORD, the God of hosts,    the LORD is his memorial name:6   “So you, by the help of your God, return,    hold fast to love and justice,    and wait continually for your God.” 7   A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,    he loves to oppress.8   Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;    I have found wealth for myself;  in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”9   I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  I will again make you dwell in tents,    as in the days of the appointed feast. 10   I spoke to the prophets;    it was I who multiplied visions,    and through the prophets gave parables.11   If there is iniquity in Gilead,    they shall surely come to nothing:  in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;    their altars also are like stone heaps    on the furrows of the field.12   Jacob fled to the land of Aram;    there Israel served for a wife,    and for a wife he guarded sheep.13   By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,    and by a prophet he was guarded.14   Ephraim has given bitter provocation;    so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him    and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds. The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13   When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;    he was exalted in Israel,    but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2   And now they sin more and more,    and make for themselves metal images,  idols skillfully made of their silver,    all of them the work of craftsmen.  It is said of them,    “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3   Therefore they shall be like the morning mist    or like the dew that goes early away,  like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor    or like smoke from a window. 4   But I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  you know no God but me,    and besides me there is no savior.5   It was I who knew you in the wilderness,    in the land of drought;6   but when they had grazed,13 they became full,    they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;    therefore they forgot me.7   So I am to them like a lion;    like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8   I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;    I will tear open their breast,  and there I will devour them like a lion,    as a wild beast would rip them open. 9   He destroys14 you, O Israel,    for you are against me, against your helper.10   Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?    Where are all your rulers—  those of whom you said,    “Give me a king and princes”?11   I gave you a king in my anger,    and I took him away in my wrath. 12   The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;    his sin is kept in store.13   The pangs of childbirth come for him,    but he is an unwise son,  for at the right time he does not present himself    at the opening of the womb. 14   I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;    I shall redeem them from Death.15  O Death, where are your plagues?    O Sheol, where is your sting?    Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15   Though he may flourish among his brothers,    the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come,    rising from the wilderness,  and his fountain shall dry up;    his spring shall be parched;  it shall strip his treasury    of every precious thing.16   16 Samaria shall bear her guilt,    because she has rebelled against her God;  they shall fall by the sword;    their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,    and their pregnant women ripped open. A Plea to Return to the Lord 14   Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,    for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2   Take with you words    and return to the LORD;  say to him,    “Take away all iniquity;  accept what is good,    and we will pay with bulls    the vows17 of our lips.3   Assyria shall not save us;    we will not ride on horses;  and we will say no more, ‘Our God,'    to the work of our hands.  In you the orphan finds mercy.” 4   I will heal their apostasy;    I will love them freely,    for my anger has turned from them.5   I will be like the dew to Israel;    he shall blossom like the lily;    he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;6   his shoots shall spread out;    his beauty shall be like the olive,    and his fragrance like Lebanon.7   They shall return and dwell beneath my18 shadow;    they shall flourish like the grain;  they shall blossom like the vine;    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8   O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?    It is I who answer and look after you.19  I am like an evergreen cypress;    from me comes your fruit. 9   Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;    whoever is discerning, let him know them;  for the ways of the LORD are right,    and the upright walk in them,    but transgressors stumble in them. Footnotes [1] 10:2 Hebrew He [2] 10:4 Or vain (see Exodus 20:7) [3] 10:5 Or calves [4] 10:5 Or has gone into exile [5] 10:6 Or to King Jareb [6] 10:6 Or counsel [7] 10:9 Hebrew the children of injustice [8] 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man [9] 11:5 Or surely [10] 11:9 Or into the city [11]

Old Testament: Hosea 10–14 Hosea 10–14 (Listen) 10   Israel is a luxuriant vine    that yields its fruit.  The more his fruit increased,    the more altars he built;  as his country improved,    he improved his pillars.2   Their heart is false;    now they must bear their guilt.  The LORD1 will break down their altars    and destroy their pillars. 3   For now they will say:    “We have no king,  for we do not fear the LORD;    and a king—what could he do for us?”4   They utter mere words;    with empty2 oaths they make covenants;  so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds    in the furrows of the field.5   The inhabitants of Samaria tremble    for the calf3 of Beth-aven.  Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—    those who rejoiced over it and over its glory—    for it has departed4 from them.6   The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria    as tribute to the great king.5  Ephraim shall be put to shame,    and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.6 7   Samaria's king shall perish    like a twig on the face of the waters.8   The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,    shall be destroyed.  Thorn and thistle shall grow up    on their altars,  and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”    and to the hills, “Fall on us.” 9   From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;    there they have continued.    Shall not the war against the unjust7 overtake them in Gibeah?10   When I please, I will discipline them,    and nations shall be gathered against them    when they are bound up for their double iniquity. 11   Ephraim was a trained calf    that loved to thresh,    and I spared her fair neck;  but I will put Ephraim to the yoke;    Judah must plow;    Jacob must harrow for himself.12   Sow for yourselves righteousness;    reap steadfast love;    break up your fallow ground,  for it is the time to seek the LORD,    that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. 13   You have plowed iniquity;    you have reaped injustice;    you have eaten the fruit of lies.  Because you have trusted in your own way    and in the multitude of your warriors,14   therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,  as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;    mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.15   Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,    because of your great evil.  At dawn the king of Israel    shall be utterly cut off. The Lord's Love for Israel 11   When Israel was a child, I loved him,    and out of Egypt I called my son.2   The more they were called,    the more they went away;  they kept sacrificing to the Baals    and burning offerings to idols. 3   Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;    I took them up by their arms,    but they did not know that I healed them.4   I led them with cords of kindness,8    with the bands of love,  and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,    and I bent down to them and fed them. 5   They shall not9 return to the land of Egypt,    but Assyria shall be their king,    because they have refused to return to me.6   The sword shall rage against their cities,    consume the bars of their gates,    and devour them because of their own counsels.7   My people are bent on turning away from me,    and though they call out to the Most High,    he shall not raise them up at all. 8   How can I give you up, O Ephraim?    How can I hand you over, O Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?    How can I treat you like Zeboiim?  My heart recoils within me;    my compassion grows warm and tender.9   I will not execute my burning anger;    I will not again destroy Ephraim;  for I am God and not a man,    the Holy One in your midst,    and I will not come in wrath.10 10   They shall go after the LORD;    he will roar like a lion;  when he roars,    his children shall come trembling from the west;11   they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,    and like doves from the land of Assyria,    and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.12   11 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,    and the house of Israel with deceit,  but Judah still walks with God    and is faithful to the Holy One.12   Ephraim feeds on the wind    and pursues the east wind all day long;  they multiply falsehood and violence;    they make a covenant with Assyria,    and oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah 2   The LORD has an indictment against Judah    and will punish Jacob according to his ways;    he will repay him according to his deeds.3   In the womb he took his brother by the heel,    and in his manhood he strove with God.4   He strove with the angel and prevailed;    he wept and sought his favor.  He met God12 at Bethel,    and there God spoke with us—5   the LORD, the God of hosts,    the LORD is his memorial name:6   “So you, by the help of your God, return,    hold fast to love and justice,    and wait continually for your God.” 7   A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,    he loves to oppress.8   Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;    I have found wealth for myself;  in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”9   I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  I will again make you dwell in tents,    as in the days of the appointed feast. 10   I spoke to the prophets;    it was I who multiplied visions,    and through the prophets gave parables.11   If there is iniquity in Gilead,    they shall surely come to nothing:  in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;    their altars also are like stone heaps    on the furrows of the field.12   Jacob fled to the land of Aram;    there Israel served for a wife,    and for a wife he guarded sheep.13   By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,    and by a prophet he was guarded.14   Ephraim has given bitter provocation;    so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him    and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds. The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13   When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;    he was exalted in Israel,    but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2   And now they sin more and more,    and make for themselves metal images,  idols skillfully made of their silver,    all of them the work of craftsmen.  It is said of them,    “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3   Therefore they shall be like the morning mist    or like the dew that goes early away,  like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor    or like smoke from a window. 4   But I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  you know no God but me,    and besides me there is no savior.5   It was I who knew you in the wilderness,    in the land of drought;6   but when they had grazed,13 they became full,    they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;    therefore they forgot me.7   So I am to them like a lion;    like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8   I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;    I will tear open their breast,  and there I will devour them like a lion,    as a wild beast would rip them open. 9   He destroys14 you, O Israel,    for you are against me, against your helper.10   Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?    Where are all your rulers—  those of whom you said,    “Give me a king and princes”?11   I gave you a king in my anger,    and I took him away in my wrath. 12   The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;    his sin is kept in store.13   The pangs of childbirth come for him,    but he is an unwise son,  for at the right time he does not present himself    at the opening of the womb. 14   I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;    I shall redeem them from Death.15  O Death, where are your plagues?    O Sheol, where is your sting?    Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15   Though he may flourish among his brothers,    the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come,    rising from the wilderness,  and his fountain shall dry up;    his spring shall be parched;  it shall strip his treasury    of every precious thing.16   16 Samaria shall bear her guilt,    because she has rebelled against her God;  they shall fall by the sword;    their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,    and their pregnant women ripped open. A Plea to Return to the Lord 14   Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,    for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2   Take with you words    and return to the LORD;  say to him,    “Take away all iniquity;  accept what is good,    and we will pay with bulls    the vows17 of our lips.3   Assyria shall not save us;    we will not ride on horses;  and we will say no more, ‘Our God,'    to the work of our hands.  In you the orphan finds mercy.” 4   I will heal their apostasy;    I will love them freely,    for my anger has turned from them.5   I will be like the dew to Israel;    he shall blossom like the lily;    he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;6   his shoots shall spread out;    his beauty shall be like the olive,    and his fragrance like Lebanon.7   They shall return and dwell beneath my18 shadow;    they shall flourish like the grain;  they shall blossom like the vine;    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8   O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?    It is I who answer and look after you.19  I am like an evergreen cypress;    from me comes your fruit. 9   Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;    whoever is discerning, let him know them;  for the ways of the LORD are right,    and the upright walk in them,    but transgressors stumble in them. Footnotes [1] 10:2 Hebrew He [2] 10:4 Or vain (see Exodus 20:7) [3] 10:5 Or calves [4] 10:5 Or has gone into exile [5] 10:6 Or to King Jareb [6] 10:6 Or counsel [7] 10:9 Hebrew the children of injustice [8] 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man [9] 11:5 Or surely [10] 11:9 Or into the city [11]

Morning: Hosea 12–14 Hosea 12–14 (Listen) 12   Ephraim feeds on the wind    and pursues the east wind all day long;  they multiply falsehood and violence;    they make a covenant with Assyria,    and oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord's Indictment of Israel and Judah 2   The LORD has an indictment against Judah    and will punish Jacob according to his ways;    he will repay him according to his deeds.3   In the womb he took his brother by the heel,    and in his manhood he strove with God.4   He strove with the angel and prevailed;    he wept and sought his favor.  He met God1 at Bethel,    and there God spoke with us—5   the LORD, the God of hosts,    the LORD is his memorial name:6   “So you, by the help of your God, return,    hold fast to love and justice,    and wait continually for your God.” 7   A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,    he loves to oppress.8   Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;    I have found wealth for myself;  in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”9   I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  I will again make you dwell in tents,    as in the days of the appointed feast. 10   I spoke to the prophets;    it was I who multiplied visions,    and through the prophets gave parables.11   If there is iniquity in Gilead,    they shall surely come to nothing:  in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls;    their altars also are like stone heaps    on the furrows of the field.12   Jacob fled to the land of Aram;    there Israel served for a wife,    and for a wife he guarded sheep.13   By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,    and by a prophet he was guarded.14   Ephraim has given bitter provocation;    so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him    and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds. The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13   When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;    he was exalted in Israel,    but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2   And now they sin more and more,    and make for themselves metal images,  idols skillfully made of their silver,    all of them the work of craftsmen.  It is said of them,    “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3   Therefore they shall be like the morning mist    or like the dew that goes early away,  like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor    or like smoke from a window. 4   But I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  you know no God but me,    and besides me there is no savior.5   It was I who knew you in the wilderness,    in the land of drought;6   but when they had grazed,2 they became full,    they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;    therefore they forgot me.7   So I am to them like a lion;    like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8   I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;    I will tear open their breast,  and there I will devour them like a lion,    as a wild beast would rip them open. 9   He destroys3 you, O Israel,    for you are against me, against your helper.10   Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?    Where are all your rulers—  those of whom you said,    “Give me a king and princes”?11   I gave you a king in my anger,    and I took him away in my wrath. 12   The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;    his sin is kept in store.13   The pangs of childbirth come for him,    but he is an unwise son,  for at the right time he does not present himself    at the opening of the womb. 14   I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;    I shall redeem them from Death.4  O Death, where are your plagues?    O Sheol, where is your sting?    Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15   Though he may flourish among his brothers,    the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come,    rising from the wilderness,  and his fountain shall dry up;    his spring shall be parched;  it shall strip his treasury    of every precious thing.16   5 Samaria shall bear her guilt,    because she has rebelled against her God;  they shall fall by the sword;    their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,    and their pregnant women ripped open. A Plea to Return to the Lord 14   Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,    for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2   Take with you words    and return to the LORD;  say to him,    “Take away all iniquity;  accept what is good,    and we will pay with bulls    the vows6 of our lips.3   Assyria shall not save us;    we will not ride on horses;  and we will say no more, ‘Our God,'    to the work of our hands.  In you the orphan finds mercy.” 4   I will heal their apostasy;    I will love them freely,    for my anger has turned from them.5   I will be like the dew to Israel;    he shall blossom like the lily;    he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;6   his shoots shall spread out;    his beauty shall be like the olive,    and his fragrance like Lebanon.7   They shall return and dwell beneath my7 shadow;    they shall flourish like the grain;  they shall blossom like the vine;    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8   O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?    It is I who answer and look after you.8  I am like an evergreen cypress;    from me comes your fruit. 9   Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;    whoever is discerning, let him know them;  for the ways of the LORD are right,    and the upright walk in them,    but transgressors stumble in them. Footnotes [1] 12:4 Hebrew him [2] 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture [3] 13:9 Or I will destroy [4] 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? [5] 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew [6] 14:2 Septuagint, Syriac pay the fruit [7] 14:7 Hebrew his [8] 14:8 Hebrew him (ESV) Evening: Revelation 3 Revelation 3 (Listen) To the Church in Sardis 3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' To the Church in Philadelphia 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. 8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' To the Church in Laodicea 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'” (ESV)

With family: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2 2 Kings 20 (Listen) Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery 20 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.'” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys 12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” 20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place. (ESV) Hebrews 2 (Listen) Warning Against Neglecting Salvation 2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The Founder of Salvation 5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,   “What is man, that you are mindful of him,    or the son of man, that you care for him?7   You made him for a little while lower than the angels;    you have crowned him with glory and honor,18     putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.2 That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,3 12 saying,   “I will tell of your name to my brothers;    in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again,   “I will put my trust in him.” And again,   “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Footnotes [1] 2:7 Some manuscripts insert and set him over the works of your hands [2] 2:11 Greek all are of one [3] 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalms 137–138; Hosea 13 Psalms 137–138 (Listen) How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? 137   By the waters of Babylon,    there we sat down and wept,    when we remembered Zion.2   On the willows1 there    we hung up our lyres.3   For there our captors    required of us songs,  and our tormentors, mirth, saying,    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4   How shall we sing the LORD's song    in a foreign land?5   If I forget you, O Jerusalem,    let my right hand forget its skill!6   Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,    if I do not remember you,  if I do not set Jerusalem    above my highest joy! 7   Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites    the day of Jerusalem,  how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,    down to its foundations!”8   O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,    blessed shall he be who repays you    with what you have done to us!9   Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones    and dashes them against the rock! Give Thanks to the Lord Of David. 138   I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;    before the gods I sing your praise;2   I bow down toward your holy temple    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,    for you have exalted above all things    your name and your word.23   On the day I called, you answered me;    my strength of soul you increased.3 4   All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,    for they have heard the words of your mouth,5   and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,    for great is the glory of the LORD.6   For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,    but the haughty he knows from afar. 7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble,    you preserve my life;  you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,    and your right hand delivers me.8   The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;    your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.    Do not forsake the work of your hands. Footnotes [1] 137:2 Or poplars [2] 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name [3] 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength (ESV) Hosea 13 (Listen) The Lord's Relentless Judgment on Israel 13   When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;    he was exalted in Israel,    but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.2   And now they sin more and more,    and make for themselves metal images,  idols skillfully made of their silver,    all of them the work of craftsmen.  It is said of them,    “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!”3   Therefore they shall be like the morning mist    or like the dew that goes early away,  like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor    or like smoke from a window. 4   But I am the LORD your God    from the land of Egypt;  you know no God but me,    and besides me there is no savior.5   It was I who knew you in the wilderness,    in the land of drought;6   but when they had grazed,1 they became full,    they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;    therefore they forgot me.7   So I am to them like a lion;    like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.8   I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;    I will tear open their breast,  and there I will devour them like a lion,    as a wild beast would rip them open. 9   He destroys2 you, O Israel,    for you are against me, against your helper.10   Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?    Where are all your rulers—  those of whom you said,    “Give me a king and princes”?11   I gave you a king in my anger,    and I took him away in my wrath. 12   The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;    his sin is kept in store.13   The pangs of childbirth come for him,    but he is an unwise son,  for at the right time he does not present himself    at the opening of the womb. 14   I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol;    I shall redeem them from Death.3  O Death, where are your plagues?    O Sheol, where is your sting?    Compassion is hidden from my eyes. 15   Though he may flourish among his brothers,    the east wind, the wind of the LORD, shall come,    rising from the wilderness,  and his fountain shall dry up;    his spring shall be parched;  it shall strip his treasury    of every precious thing.16   4 Samaria shall bear her guilt,    because she has rebelled against her God;  they shall fall by the sword;    their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,    and their pregnant women ripped open. Footnotes [1] 13:6 Hebrew according to their pasture [2] 13:9 Or I will destroy [3] 13:14 Or Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? [4] 13:16 Ch 14:1 in Hebrew (ESV)