Podcasts about o god

SCRIPTURE- Psalm 95:3-4"For the LORD is the great God, the great king over all gods, Whose hand holds the depths of the earth; who owns the tops of the mountains."REFLECTION- Sr. KaraMUSIC- "Here I Am Lord" Instrumental- "You Speak" by Audrey AssadNOTES- Click HERE for our blog article on the Holy NamePRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

SCRIPTURE- John 9:11He replied, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went there and washed and was able to see."REFLECTION- PeggyMUSIC- "Holy, Holy" by Tim Janus- "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" by Michael W. SmithNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Welcome to Day 2783 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2783 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 108:1-5 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2783 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-three of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Warrior Poet's Remix – A Song of Cosmic Confidence Today, we are lacing up our boots to begin a new adventure in Psalm One Hundred Eight. We will be trekking through the first movement of this anthem, verses one through five, in the New Living Translation. In our previous journey, we stood at the summit of Psalm One Hundred Seven. We listened to the testimonies of the redeemed—the wanderers, the prisoners, the fools, and the sailors—who cried out to God in their trouble and were rescued by His Unfailing Love (Hesed). That psalm ended with a challenge to the "Wise": "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord." Psalm One Hundred Eight is the response of the wise heart. It is the song of someone who has observed God's history and has decided to move forward with absolute, unshakable confidence. But there is something unique about this psalm that we must understand before we take a single step. Psalm One Hundred Eight is a Remix. If you were to look closely at your Bible, you might notice something familiar. Verses one through five are almost identical to Psalm Fifty-seven, verses seven through eleven. And verses six through thirteen are almost identical to Psalm Sixty, verses five through twelve. King David, the master songwriter, took two of his previous songs—songs written during times of intense crisis and lament—and spliced them together. He cut out the parts about fear and crying for mercy, and he kept the parts about confidence and victory. He fused them to create a new, high-energy anthem for a new generation. This teaches us a profound lesson about wisdom and legacy. Sometimes, to face a new battle, you don't need a new revelation; you need to rearrange the truths you already know. You need to take the lessons learned in the caves of your past (Psalm Fifty-seven) and the battlefields of your history (Psalm Sixty) and combine them into a fresh declaration of faith. So, let us open our hearts to this "Greatest Hits" album of King David and learn how to sing with cosmic confidence. The first segment is: The Fixed Heart: Preparation for the Dawn. Psalm One Hundred Eight: verses one through two. My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!  Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. The psalm opens with a statement of internal stability: "My heart is confident in you, O God..." The Hebrew word for "confident" is nakon. It means "fixed," "steadfast," "firm," or "prepared." It is the same word used to describe a foundation that cannot be moved.

Evening lessons: Psalms 65, 67; Jeremiah 23; 1 Corinthians 8.  You, O God, are to be praised in Zion, and unto you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.

SCRIPTURE- John 10: 29-30"My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."REFLECTION- Sr. KarolynMUSIC- "God of All Hopefulness" Instrumental- "Mesmerize" Instrumental- "Hold My Hand"  by Jess GlynneNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Evening lessons: Psalms 63, 64; Jeremiah 22; 1 Corinthians 7.  O God, you are my God; early will I seek you.

Morning lessons: Psalms 61, 62; Genesis 24; John 12:1-19.  Hear my cry, O God; give ear unto my prayer.

Friday, 23 January 2026   Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6   “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it was noted that the disciples had forgotten to take bread as they traveled. Matthew next records, “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'”   Leaven, yeast, is something that has been noted many times in Scripture. It was something the people knew was forbidden during the Passover –   “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.” Exodus 12:15-20   Elsewhere, leaven is forbidden at various times during the instructions for the sacrificial offerings, etc. The disciples would probably not understand Jesus' words outside of that type of context.   In Hosea 7:4, the use of leaven is used in a metaphorical sense, but it is not a verse that most people would look at and understand the scriptural idea that is to be explained by Jesus. There, it says –   “They are all adulterers. Like an oven heated by a baker— He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, Until it is leavened.” Hosea 7:4   Jesus used leaven in a parable in Matthew 13:33. That too would be tough to get metaphorical meaning out of unless the disciples specially asked Him what He was talking about. In Matthew 13:51, Jesus asked the disciples if they understood everything He had spoken to them, but it is questionable if they understood it as He is now relaying.   Their thoughts would be directed to Jesus' words being literal, something Matthew will confirm.   Life application: As you read the Bible, there are thoughts that are presented, such as having no leaven in the house during the time of Passover and Unleavened Bread. It is right to stop and ask why that would be included.   Eventually, when you get to the New Testament, the idea of leaven being a metaphor for sin is explained several times. As this is so, we can know exactly why the Lord instructed the people as He did.   It was an instructional tool to teach us about the nature of sin, how God would deal with it in Christ, and our responsibilities, as well as our position in Christ. Because it is explained in the New Testament, we should go no further with metaphorical applications. Scripture has interpreted Scripture –   “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:6-8   Look for the meaning of things in the unfolding pages of Scripture. If no explanation is given, then careful thought should be given to why certain things are presented. Don't just make stuff up out of your head.   Instead, let the Bible provide insights into the typology. If it is correct, a panorama of interesting information will arise that will then be consistent throughout the rest of Scripture. If this doesn't happen and things don't fit elsewhere, it means your original idea was not correct.   Be careful and contemplative as you consider what the word is saying.   Lord God, what a great and precious word You have given us. May we handle it carefully and analyze it in hope of finding what You intend for it to say, not what we want it to say. Help us in this endeavor, O God. Amen.  

SCRIPTURE- Romans 12:21"Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good."REFLECTION- LaurenMUSIC- "Da Pacem Domine" by WordHarmonic- "Be Not Afraid" by The O'Neill Brothers- "Not Afraid" by Rend Co. KidsNOTES- Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn ChildrenPRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Disney World. The Magic Kingdom. How can a four-year-old girl be a little cranky in that dream destination for kids her age? Our granddaughter had been having a great day there with her mom and her cousins while her daddy was busy in meetings. She'd done all the princess stuff she loved, she'd gotten the autographs of Disney characters that she loved, she'd gone on rides she'd been looking forward to. But for some reason, by early afternoon she was just a little out of sorts. By that time, her dad was available, and he showed up to take her on some rides. And suddenly, it was like the clouds had blown away and the sun came out. She was the bouncy, happy little girl we all know again. In retrospect, I guess it was easy to diagnose why the clouds had rolled in. She was missing her Daddy! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Substitute For a Daddy." It's true of every one of us, even if our childhood is way behind us. There's a spot in our heart and in our life that was meant to be filled by a father. If you've been trusted by God with the awesome assignment of being a father, don't ever forget there's nothing that can take your place in the life of your son or daughter. No matter how young or how old they are. In Ephesians 6:4, our word for today from the Word of God, He speaks directly to dads: "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." We fail our children, and we fail the God who gave them to us when we continually "exasperate" them. We exasperate them by our absence. We're so busy they just get our leftovers while everyone else gets our best. And that's wrong priorities. We exasperate our children by our unavailability. We're around them, but we're not with them. We're all tied up with sports on TV or some website, checking something out, we're doing our "chores" or we're involved in our hobby or our work. We're there, but they can't have us - because from the way it looks to them, there's something always more important than they are. We exasperate our children by our criticism, too. How many of us have been wounded by the feeling that we could never be good enough for our dad? If you're always harping on what they need to improve, on what's wrong with them, that child is going to have a hard time believing they have a lot of value. The praise and encouragement of a dad is one of the most powerful life-shaping forces on earth. Our kids are also exasperated by a father's silence - he doesn't express his feelings, he doesn't show or speak his love for them. So they're never sure where they stand. And a dad can exasperate a child with just passivity - a failure to lead, to set and enforce consistent boundaries, to provide spiritual leadership for them. Maybe you're thinking about the hole you have in your life because of what your father never was for you. I call it the daddy deficit. I've got a wonderful promise from God for you in Psalm 68:4-5. "His name is the Lord...a father to the fatherless." And Psalm 10:14 declares that "You, O God...are the helper of the fatherless." God is already your Creator. He wants to be your Father - to love you, to care for you, not like the earthly father you had, but like the father you always wished you had. But first you've got to have the sins forgiven that stand between you and Him. God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus, to die to pay for those sins so you can belong to the ultimate Father you were made for. The day you put your total trust in Jesus to forgive your sins, you get a personal Savior and you get the Father that your heart is missing. You ready for that? Tell Him you want to belong to Him. Tell Him today. Go to our website and find there the verses that will show you how to be sure you belong to Him. That site is ANewStory.com. You know, as a Dad, there's a lot of regrets. He'll forgive every mistake, every sin we've ever committed. All the hurts we've inflicted, He died to pay for them. This could be your new beginning today. He's waiting to welcome you into His big ol' Father's arms this very day.

Donald Trump went to Davos, as Q and MAGA hoped, to tear down the New World Order. Well, he didn't do that, but what he did do set the internet on fire this morning. What's everyone talking about? Just the crazy and creepy similarities between the Gaza Board of Peace that Trump created with Jared Kushner and what the biblical Antichrist will do with Israel in the end times.  Here is everything you need to know!“(A Song or Psalm of Asaph.) Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” Psalm 83: 1-4 (KJB)

Morning lessons: Psalms 59; Genesis 23; John 11:45-57.  Deliver me from my enemies, O God; defend me from those who rise up against me.

Thursday, 22 January 2026   Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Matthew 16:5   “And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for having sought after a sign. From there, it says He left them and departed. The meaning of where He departed to will be found in the next words, “And His disciples, having come to the beyond.”   In Matthew, it isn't obvious where Jesus is at this time. The reason is that in verse 15:39, it says that Jesus got into a boat and came to the region of Magdala. Nothing is said about His disciples, which is usually the case.   However, Mark specifically notes that they all had traveled together. Therefore, they have gone from the eastern shore of the sea to the borders of Magdala (Dalmanutha in Mark). Jesus talked to the Pharisees and Sadducees in that area. They then went back to the eastern side of the sea. When there, Matthew records, “they overlooked to take bread.”   A new word is seen here, epilanthanomai, to lose out of mind. It is derived from epi, upon, and lanthanó, to escape notice. The sense, then, is a focus on the consequences that arise when one forgets. The word overlook is a suitable match for what the Greek signifies.   Because of this oversight on their part, the disciples will misunderstand what Jesus will next convey to them.   Life application: It is interesting that Matthew did not record if the disciples traveled with Jesus in Matthew 15:39. Nor did he mention if His disciples went with Him in verse 16:4. Because of that, one might question if His disciples came to Him in Magdala in verse 16:5 or if He and His disciples traveled together to the eastern shore. This is unlike Matthew's normal precision concerning Jesus' travels, but it shows that the accounts are dependent on each other to fully understand what is going on. And yet, each is a single whole that gives exactly what is needed to meet the intent of the narrative.   The Bible does this in both testaments. Each main narrative is sufficient for the purpose being conveyed, but there are details that must be determined from other narratives to see the full scope of what actually happened.   A long and detailed example is found between the details of the books of Kings and the books of the Chronicles. They each provide the necessary information to understand the intent of the books, and yet, without having both of them, there seem to be contradictions in the timing of the kings' histories. However, when placed side by side and along with an understanding of the type of dating used by each author, the histories come together to form a complete whole. Along with that, adding in the overlapping historical and prophetic narratives found in other books, an even more detailed understanding of what is being conveyed comes into focus.   This is true with the book of Acts and the epistles as well. Taken together, the timing and details of what occurred at various times are more fully understood. And so, what we have is a collection of books that are independently sufficient for the intended purpose being conveyed, but they are actually all dependent on the whole for the entire panorama of God's redemptive purposes to be fully understood. Without including all sixty-six books, there would be a deficiency in knowing what the ultimate purpose of Scripture is. There would also be an unraveling of being sure of the authenticity of the books.   Therefore, the Bible is like a tapestry that has been perfectly woven together. By pulling out one string, the book would unravel in its perfectly harmonious intent.   This pattern is followed by authors of series today. Each book written by an author is an independent whole, but when details refer forward or back to other books, you can say, “Ah ha! I see why this happened in that other book!” There was no lack in the other book. And yet, there is a synchronization of all of the books that forms a complete panorama of the intent of the author. The difference, however, is that the Bible spans about fifteen hundred years and has about forty human authors.   And yet, it is a perfectly harmonious whole where thousands of years later, people are still finding new insights, almost daily, where it can be said, “Ah ha! I see why this happened in that other book!”   As the majority of the human authors had no idea who the other authors were, having come from different lands and different times, it means that the Bible is either the greatest fluke in human literary history, or it is truly the divinely inspired word of God. By faith, you can choose to believe the latter. That would be the wise course to take.   Lord God, we confidently receive the Bible as a reliable record of Your dealings with humanity as You work to reconcile us to You through the span of history. We know what we possess, and we thank You for it. Be glorified, O God, in our cherishing and careful handling of this precious word. Amen.

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 40:11"Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, leading the ewes with care."REFLECTION- KyleMUSIC- See you when you appear by Dylan RycheNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

As You Live on Earth, God Has Work for You; You Are to “Live in Christ” So that Others See Jesus in Your Life MESSAGE SUMMARY: As a Jesus Follower, God Expects You to Both Work for Kingdom and Witness for the Gospel. Also, as a Jesus Follower, you are to live in Christ and to let others see Jesus in your life. If you are to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for you – God has work for you; God's work for you is real work. The spiritual life is work – it is fruitful labor. Also, Godly conduct is a necessity to live in Christ as we are instructed in Philippians 1:27: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ . . .”. Not only does God have a work for you, but you, also, have a witness for Him through your actions, words, and your attitudes. Your actions, words, and attitudes constantly reflect who and what God is in your life. Paul admonishes us, in Galatians 6:2,9-10a to follow the law of Christ and to do good and live a moral life: “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ . . . And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.”. Also, Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12, succinctly presents what it means for a Jesus Follower “to live in Christ”: “To be a witness, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.". Are you following Jesus so that you are living in Christ and letting others see Jesus in your life?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.        Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.                   TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will think like Jesus (Philippians 2:5f). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Galatians 5:18-26; 1 Peter 1:15-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Psalms 37d:21-40. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 2 – Overstressed, Overloaded, and Maxed Out Lives”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Morning lessons: Psalms 56, 57; Genesis 22; John 11:1-44.  Be merciful to me, O God, for my adversaries are treading me down; they are daily fighting and troubling me.

SCRIPTURE- Lamentations 3:22-24"The LORD's acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning— great is your faithfulness!"REFLECTION- Sr. CharleneMUSIC- "Canyon Trilogy" by R. Carlois Nakai- "Ripples on the Water" InstrumentalNOTES- Click HERE for the blog post about Our Lady of AltagraciaPRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Evening lessons: Psalms 55; Jeremiah 20; 1 Corinthians 4:18-5:13.  Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my petion.

Evening lessons: Psalms 51; Jeremiah 19; 1 Corinthians 4:1-17.  Have mercy upon me, O God, in your great goodness; according to the multitude of your mercies wipe away my offences.

SCRIPTURE- Acts 3:6-8"Peter said, 'I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.' Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong."REFLECTION- Mary EllynMUSIC- Good Morning by Alexei SurovykhNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Psalm 67:1-3 - May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You!

David prayed "Search me, O God, and know my heart." What a bold request! What would happen if you asked Him to search your heart? It may feel unsettling to think about—but it can change everything. Could there be hidden idols shaping your life without you realizing it?   On today's podcast, we explore why this question matters and how it could transform your walk with Christ. Join us for an enlightening discussion you won't want to miss.   Resources we mentioned: The Ten Commandments: Reasonable Rules for Life (Book) By D.L. Moody

Daily Dose of Hope January 19, 2026   Scripture: I Thessalonians 5   Prayer:  A prayer from Martin Luther King, Jr... Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We go the first mile but dare not travel the second. We forgive but dare not forget. And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you. But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love your will. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently journeying through Paul's letters.  Right now, we are walking through I Thessalonians.   Today, we read I Thessalonians 5.   Paul is focusing on the end times not to scare people or bully people into accepting Jesus.  Rather, these words were intended to provide comfort to his congregations.  He is reiterating some of Jesus' teaching here – how the Lord's return will come like a thief in the night.  Paul doesn't quote the Gospels directly but we can see here in this letter, that Jesus' teaching was part of Paul's teaching.    Paul tells them to be alert and sober.  This would have been in contrast to many in the area.  Dionysus, the god of wine, was worshiped in Thessalonica, and his late night parties were known for being wild and crazy events.  The Thessalonians, then, needed to reject those false gods to serve the living God.  In doing so, they will be children of the light/day, awake, alert, watchful.   Jesus' return and their identity as people of the light/day are intended to be words of encouragement to them.  They have nothing to fear when the Lord comes but will actually excel even more.  There is much to be excited for and they are to encourage one another with this hope.   This is fascinating to me.  We don't typically encourage each other by remembering that Jesus will return.  Unfortunately, popular media and Hollywood have made people, even Christians, afraid of Jesus' return.  And we have nothing to be scared of!  For the Thessalonians, this was the ultimate hope.  It was a reminder that this world, and the persecutions and hardships they faced, were temporary.  But they would eventually be with Jesus forever.   Does this give you hope?  Why or why not?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

How Precious to Me are Your Thoughts, O God! - Psalm 139

Read OnlineThe disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” Mark 2:18–19Fasting was common in Old Testament times. Its purpose was to express repentance, mourning, or preparation for divine intervention. This was especially true among John the Baptist's disciples who fasted in response to John's call to repentance and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.Though the Pharisees fasted, their fasting was often for show, to illustrate a false piety. Recall the Pharisee's prayer in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: “The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income'” (Luke 18:11–12). In today's Gospel, Jesus explains that His disciples do not fast now, but that a day is coming when they will need to fast. Jesus explains this within the context of revealing His divine identity as the Bridegroom of God's people.Through the prophets, God often described His relationship with His people in terms of a marriage covenant. Isaiah said, “For your husband is your Maker; the LORD of hosts is his name, Your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth” (Isaiah 54:5). Hosea prophesied, “I will betroth you to me forever: I will betroth you to me with justice and with judgment, with loyalty and with compassion…” (Hosea 2:22–23).While Jesus, the Bridegroom, was with them physically, His disciples were at their wedding banquet, celebrating the new marriage covenant God was establishing with them. It was inappropriate to fast at such a banquet. However, “the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day” (Mark 2:20). This is a reference to Jesus' Passion, Death, and Ascension. He prophesied that once the New Marital Covenant was sealed in His Blood and His earthly mission completed, “they will fast on that day.” That day is today!In the early Church, fasting was also common: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2–3). In this instance, fasting helped the teachers and prophets in Antioch discern Saul and Barnabas' mission in preparation for sending them forth.Today, Jesus not only calls us to regular forms of fasting and mortification, doing so is an essential part of our spiritual journey. This teaching is clear in the New Testament. For example, at the beginning of Jesus' ministry He entered the desert and “fasted for forty days and forty nights” (Matthew 4:2). This models for us the value of fasting as we attempt to fulfill our missions and overcome the temptations of the evil one.If we want to imitate our Lord, deepen our covenantal bond with Him, and further His mission, then we must regularly fast. Though fasting is only required twice a year—on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday—we are encouraged to do so weekly, especially on Fridays, uniting this practice to our prayer life. Reflect today on your practice of fasting and other forms of regular mortification. Fasting is an interior discipline that unites us to the suffering Christ and prepares our hearts to receive His abundant grace. By helping us overcome the enticements of the flesh and distractions of this world, fasting refocuses our souls on the eternal wedding feast that awaits us in Heaven. Embrace fasting not as a burden, but as a joyful opportunity to grow in holiness, deepen your covenantal relationship with the Bridegroom, and prepare more fully for the mission on which He sends you.My Lord and Bridegroom, through the shedding of Your Blood, You have established a New Covenant of love and salvation with me. I long to deepen this covenant and remain faithful to the mission You have entrusted to me. When I am tempted by the disorder of my appetites or distracted by the allurements of the world, remind me of the necessity and grace of fasting. Help me to embrace this holy practice with joyful anticipation of its spiritual rewards and with greater trust in Your providence. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe Stock Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Sunday, 18 January 2026   Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. Matthew 16:1   “And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven” (CG).   The previous verse closed out Chapter 15. Matthew 16 begins with, “And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   It is similar to the two groups who approached Jesus to open Matthew 15 –   “Then they came to Jesus from Jerusalem, scribes and Pharisees, saying...”   “And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees...”   Their presence is consistently presented as antagonistic and challenging. Each time they show up, it is certain that a dispute of some sort is ahead. Jesus, understanding this, is always ready to stand against their challenges. This time, they have come “testing.”   In other words, they may have just heard of Jesus' miracle of feeding the four thousand and are suspicious about how He did it. They may suppose He had gone to the area a few days earlier and dug underground bunkers, filling them with enough bread to feed an army. How else could such a thing have transpired?   As such, they are testing Him, looking for a validation that He can really make the miraculous come about. Therefore, “they queried Him to display to them a sign from heaven.”   A new word is seen here, epideiknumi, to display. It is derived from epi, upon, and deiknumi, to show. Thus, it literally would be to “upon-show.” The word is found only seven times. Reading the context of those seven uses, one can see that “display” gives the proper sense.   Unfortunately, pretty much every translation punts and says “show,” the same translation as deiknumi. Thus, the reader will never know that a more poignant thought is being conveyed. They are asking for an actual display of a sign, as if Jesus could hold it in His hands, put it on like a garment, or set it before them as a piece of heavenly evidence.   This is the second time they have asked for something like this –   “Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, “Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You.” Matthew 12:38   “And having approached the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven.” Matthew 16:1   Apparently, Jesus doing a sign has been elevated to Jesus displaying a sign from heaven. If their request is, in fact, based on having heard about the feeding of the multitudes, they have gone from wanting a miraculous sign from Jesus to a magnitude greater, demanding one from heaven.   Elisha had multiplied bread in 2 Kings 4. Being an account in their Scriptures, it was considered a divinely sourced miracle. As such, and as the claim is that Jesus did this, they now want something greater, perhaps fire from heaven.   Life application: People want more than the written word. It is as if the masses have an insatiable hunger to have proof that God is God and that He is as He claims. Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 1 –   “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25   Perfectly understanding the question of the Pharisees and Sadducees, because he was a Pharisee, Paul says that Jews request a sign. Having lived and evangelized among the nations, Paul also fully understood the Greek mind, always seeking after wisdom.   Such people want proof of what they have been told. There is nothing wrong with thinking things through, but it is an entirely different level when God says XX, and we demand that He prove XX. Who are we to question God?   Rather, if we read the Bible and understand that it answers to the needs of humanity, we should then, by faith, accept God's word and, by faith, acknowledge what it says about Jesus, the gospel, and our eternal hope.   To many people, videos about dreams, books about coming back from the dead, and attending churches with supposed miraculous events are what life in Christ is about. But those things are opposed to life in Christ.   God is pleased with faith in His faithless people. So even a little bit will do. Have faith and be pleasing to God.   O God, may Your word be enough to guide our hearts and minds. Help us to faithfully follow You and trust in Your word and the promises found in it. May we not seek or demand that which is contrary to faith. Help us to have this attitude, O God. Amen.  

SHOW NOTES   In Podcast Episode 358, “Clean Up, Everybody Clean Up,” Kim discusses the transition of the Southern Kingdom to the leadership of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah took over the mantle of leadership during an especially dark spiritual time. There are lessons to be learned from where he began cleaning up the mess to rebuild that can be applied to our spiritual lives.   Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Chronicles 29:1-9, with 5 as the focal verse:   5 He said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Purify yourselves, and purify the Temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary.      WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:   In which areas of your life do you need to begin the clean up process?   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus X - https://x.com/eoinlovingjesus?s=21&t=YcRjZQUpvP7FrJmm7Pe1hg INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus   I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda” “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III. xAI. (2026). Grok [Large language model]. https://x.ai/grok/chat      "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.     National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.     The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/  

Always Turn To God And Not Away From Him Psalm 69:13-18 13But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. 14Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. 15Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. 16Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. 17Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. 18Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 55:7"Let the wicked forsake their way, and sinners their thoughts; Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving."REFLECTION- JavierMUSIC- "Contándote Todo" Instrumental- "All Creatures of Our God and King" by Paul Cardall- "Good, Good Father" by Chris TomlinNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Morning lessons: Psalms 42, 43; Genesis 17; John 7:8:31-59.  As the deer desires the water brooks, so longs my soul for you, O God.

Evening lessons: Psalms 44; Jeremiah 16; 1 Corinthians 1:1-25.  We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what you did in the days of old.

SCRIPTURE- John 3:17"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."REFLECTION- Sr. KathleenMUSIC- God of All Hopefulness by 7pm Church Choir (Montreal)NOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

SCRIPTURE- Ezekiel 36:26"I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."REFLECTION- JustinMUSIC- "Crown Him with Many Crowns" by The O'Neill Brothers Group- "It is Well with My Soul" by David BauerNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Psalm 77Listen to verses 1-3 and 10-13. I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted. I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. … And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.” But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you?The psalmist says that just when he feels like God has turned His back on him because of troubles, he remembers everything that God has done. All His mighty works.When you feel like your back is against the wall and begin to wonder where God is, where does your mind take you? What are your thoughts about God?With this in mind listen again to the passageListen to verses 10-13 again: And I said, “This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.” But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you?I once read this quote: “What we think about the most is our God.” … Tough but true.How can you “remember God's wonderful deeds”? How can He be constantly in your thoughts? More than your trouble and stresses? More than your fears and doubts?Let's pray together: “Heavenly Father, when I feel like life is coming apart, help me to think about You and what You have done, not what might happen to me because of bad things from the past or what might come. Help me to remember You first and give the problem to You. As above, so below.”

Our Election in Christ (3) (audio) David Eells, 1/14/26 I'm going to continue to speak on our election in Christ and how God has chosen Israel, and who Israel is in the New Testament. In (1Co.15:22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Everybody who abides in Christ is going to be made alive, so it's important for us to know what it means to be “in Christ.” Does it mean, “I accepted Jesus as my Savior”? It could be, but it might not be. Some people truly want Jesus to be their Savior. They are truly repenting and believing, while other people are merely parroting words. Did you know that the Bible says salvation and eternal life were not given to you? (Gal.3:16) Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. The promise that God gave to Abraham was only to Abraham and Christ. And the promise of eternal life was given to Christ; it was not given to us. The gift of eternal life is in Christ. God didn't give the gift of eternal life into your hand outside of Christ. He gave that gift in Christ and only if you are abiding in Christ do you have that gift. The “once saved, always saved” believers think that they have been given a gift of eternal life which is outside of Christ, but that's not Biblical. (1Jn.5:11) And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The eternal life that God gave us is in Jesus. The only way you can have it is to be in Jesus because the promise wasn't to you, it was to the seed of Abraham, “as of one.” That seed is Christ. (12) He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. Let's face it, some only have religion. Jesus said, (Joh.15:1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. No man is going to pluck you out of Jesus' hand; the Father is the Husbandman and He is the One Who is going to pluck up the plant. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away.... There are people whom we have considered to be Christians who are not Christians. They may have started out with Christ, but they have not come to Him. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. (3) Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch.... He is “cast forth” from where? He is “cast forth” from being in Christ. He said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away.” If you are bearing fruit (Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians 5:8-10), you are in Christ and have nothing to worry about. If you are not bearing fruit, it's because you are not abiding in Him. “To abide” means “to endure,” “to persist,” “to continue,” “to remain,” “to be steadfast.” To abide in Christ is to abide in His Word. It is to have ears to hear His Word (Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9; Romans 11:8; etc.) (Joh.15:6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and [so] shall ye be my disciples. It's in bearing fruit that you are proven to be a disciple. You can come into Christ, but you won't stay there if you don't bear fruit. (2Jn.9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. The “once saved, always saved” crowd believes that after you step over the line, that's it, but Jesus said that if you don't bear fruit, you are not My disciple and you are going to be cast forth as a branch. The word translated “elect” and the word translated “chosen” are the exact same word. The Greek word eklektos is translated sometimes as “chosen” and sometimes as “elect.” It's many who are called but few who are chosen. Jesus speaks about the man who made it into the marriage feast, but didn't have on the wedding garment. (Mat.22:11) But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment: (In Rev 19:8 the wedding garment was “the righteous acts of the saints”, which also represents our fruit.) (12) and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. (13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. Those who are abiding in the Kingdom are the ones who are bearing fruit and are chosen, or eklektos, or “elect.” The elect are all called and once they are saved, they are always going to be saved, but “many are called.” Among the called, there are those who don't bear fruit and there are those who bear fruit. Those who bear fruit are chosen. God said in (Hos.11:1) When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. You say, “He was talking about Jesus.” No, He was primarily talking about the children of Israel and then it was used of Jesus. He called them out of Egypt and into the wilderness, and then He tried or tested them. Some bore fruit and went into the Promised Land, and those were the elect. Those who died in the wilderness, in type, had been called, but they were not the elect; they were not chosen. (Num.32:11) Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: (12) save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; because they have wholly followed the Lord. Joshua and Caleb bore fruit and were chosen. Here's a good example of this: (Rom.11:26) And so all Israel shall be saved.... Is that all of natural Israel? No, because (Rom.9:27) … If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved. So, who is “all Israel” who is going to be saved? (Rom.11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. The “branches” that were broken off are the natural Jews who would not believe. (20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Paul is talking about the Gentiles who are standing in the vine by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. So, where is unconditional eternal security?? (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (23) And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. In the New Testament, “all Israel” is those natural Jews who believe and those Gentiles who are grafted into the vine by their faith. All the people who were broken off for unbelief were not Israel, but all of true spiritual Israel is going to be saved. Look what Paul said about the end of the Jewish Covenant: (Rom.11:5) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant (This is speaking of a remnant of Jews.) according to the election of grace. (6) But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. (7) What then? that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened. He said a remnant of natural Israel was elect, but Israel as a whole did not obtain grace. The called who were not the elect were hardened and the elect obtained grace because they believed. This was at the end of the Jewish Covenant. Now we are coming to the end of the mostly Gentile Covenant, and today “Israel” is the Gentile church and the few Jews; I.e., all who are “circumcised in heart.” (Rom.11:7) What then? that which the “Israel of God”(As a type of this Church) seeketh for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened. Is that Scriptural? Yes, because the Bible plainly says that the lukewarm are going to be spewed out of the body (Revelation 3:16) and there will be a great falling away (Revelation 12:4). Pagans can't fall away. Those people who fall away have to have been believers first, or they could not have fallen away, and the Lord is not coming until the falling away comes to purify the Church. (2Th.2:2) To the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; (3) let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition who was reprobated. The same statement can be made of the Gentile era because the elect are going to obtain grace to bear fruit and the rest are going to be hardened. The rest are going to fall away, exactly as Jesus showed in the Parable of the Sower. This should really give you the fear of the Lord. By the faith that God has given us, we are responsible to take God's grace and put it to work in our lives. We are responsible for obeying what we see in the New Testament, not in “Church.” Everybody who abides in the vine, which is Jesus, whether it's the remnant of natural Israel or whether it's the remnant of the Gentiles, is true Israel. And “all Israel” shall be saved because all true Israel is the elect, regardless of race. At the end of the Jewish Covenant, Jesus came to prove who the elect remnant was among the Jews. Jesus said, (Joh.16:21) A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. (22) And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. Our personal man-child is born to us as the fruit of Christ being manifest through us to the world. All who exercise faith in the promises will bear His fruit, which looks like Him. In these days, the corporate Man-child body, in whom is the full manifestation of Jesus, is coming to prove who the first fruits elect remnant is in the Church, and the Man-child is going to use the same method that Jesus used to bring this nature to the Church. What was Jesus' method? (Mat.13:10) And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? In other words, “Why are you saying things to them that are so hard to understand?” (11) And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given.... “Whosoever hath” what? Well, if we go back three verses, we'll find the answer: (9) He that hath ears, let him hear. It's like when something makes perfect sense to you, but when you try to explain it to other people, somehow they just can't understand what you're saying unless they have the gift of faith. You see, Jesus' method for separating the elect from the non-elect was to preach the Word and when He preached the Word, the elect understood because they had ears. (Mat.13:12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given (If you have ears, it's going to be given to you. Sometimes we do not hear the word of the Lord with the respect that we should have. God is speaking.), and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. People who don't have ears to hear are going to lose what understanding they do have. Remember what happened to the servant who was given the one talent? (Mat.25:14) For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants (The Greek word there is doulous and it actually means “bondslaves.”), and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey… (24) And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; (25) and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. (26) But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; (This servant had no ears; his knowledge was false. His Lord did scatter it, to him. He didn't realize that all was given to him by grace. It did not come by their works. Many think they own what they have.) (27) thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest (or fruit). The servant with the one talent didn't bring forth any fruit from what was given to him. The Lord took away the one talent from him and gave it to the servant who had the 10 talents. (Mat.25:28) Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. (29) For unto every one that hath (ears) shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. Again, a person who doesn't bear fruit is not “harkening,” which means “to hear and obey,” unto the voice of the Lord, and even what they do have is going to be taken away from them. Jesus told us, (Mat.10:34) Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. That “sword” separated the righteous from the wicked, and the wicked from their demons. That was a good thing because a little leaven leavens the whole lump (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:21; 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). (Jer.48:10) Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Now, there are a lot of preachers who are not going to cut anyone with the Word; it's too easy to lose tithes that way and so they aren't going to step on anyone's feet. Your sword is supposed to separate. The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword and it divides. (Heb.4:12) For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Word divides the carnal from the spiritual. Jesus wasn't trying to explain things to people who didn't have ears to hear. Even if He had given it to them, as we've seen, they could not have kept it. (Luk.13:23) And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? And he said unto them, (24) Strive to enter in by the narrow door (Many pass up the narrow door of grace until it is too late.): for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (25) When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; (26) then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets; (27) and he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. Well, they were walking with Jesus, but they had not come to Him, just as Judas walked with Him and did miracles and signs but was an unrepentant thief until he couldn't turn back. Jesus warned us (Mat.7:21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. How could they do these miracles if He didn't “know” them? It's because Jesus gave them authority to do those works (Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 9:1). You see, “knowing about” someone is not the same as “knowing” someone. “Knowing you” is like the relationship Adam had with Eve. He knew Eve. This is a personal relationship with the Lord, like a husband knows his wife. “I never knew you” is what Jesus will say about a person who was doing the work of God, but was not giving good ground to the seed. Some people think they surely must be acceptable to God because they are doing the work of God. No, you can do the work of God and yet totally fail in your personal relationship with God. Personally, someone can be a total failure in their life of obedience to God, but they can still go cast out demons and do many mighty works. It's not gifts that open the door to the Kingdom, folks, it's fruit. He said that many are going to seek to enter in, but they will not be able. When the five foolish virgins came to the marriage feast after the door was shut, they called out, (Mat.25:11) … Lord, Lord, open to us. (12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Were they Christians? Yes, they were Christians and they did start out and seek to enter in, but they did not bear fruit. In a way, at the end of the Jewish Dispensation, the Lord was getting up to close the door, and Jesus was a part of God closing that door. Though all of those Jews, according to the Old Testament, were Covenant people, all but a remnant were rejected at that time, and God closed the door. Here we are at the end of the Gentile Covenant and the exact same thing is getting ready to happen again, which lets us know that we have to bear fruit. What's the difference between the called who don't bear fruit and the called who do bear fruit? The called who do bear fruit are the elect among the called because they abide in Christ by their faith, and therefore they receive more grace. Those who don't abide in Christ eventually lose even what grace they have. Hopefully, they will return when they receive the greater knowledge that is coming. Grace comes by faith. The only difference between those who bear fruit and those who don't bear fruit is that some walk by faith in the truth and some do not. There's no use in worrying, “Am I the elect or am I not the elect?” The only way you are going to prove that you are the elect is to walk by faith. You have that choice; everyone who is among the called has the choice to walk by faith or not to walk by faith. Why did Jesus rebuke His disciples for their unbelief? Did Jesus rebuke them because they couldn't walk by faith? Did He rebuke them because they weren't the elect? No, He rebuked them because they could walk by faith, but they were not walking by faith at that moment. He does the same with us sometimes when we are not walking by faith. But notice that they repented and He didn't remember their sins against them. (Joh.17:6) I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word. He said that they were obedient disciples. Jesus doesn't remember our sins against us, either, but He wants us to repent and walk by faith. So don't get caught up in, “Am I just called and not elect?” All you have to do is walk by faith because, if you walk by faith, you will bear fruit and you will be the elect. We are here in this wilderness to walk by faith and to prove that we are ‘Joshua and Caleb'. The Jews who convert to Christianity have no problem with predestination, calling and election because that's what they have been taught all of their lives. It's the Gentiles who have a problem with it because it's so foreign to their thinking. (Deu.7:6) For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. (7) The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: (8) but because the Lord loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. There are answers here to some theological problems if you believe that history repeats. As Jesus said, (Mat.5:18) … Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. And Paul told us, (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. One theological problem is all the prophecies we've heard about the coming great revivals because people feel that God has failed unless He converts a large number of humanity. We can see here, if God has failed in the New Testament, He certainly did fail the Old Testament, but God wasn't going after large numbers. In fact, He picked the fewest of all peoples to be His people. He was after quality and not quantity. Some people think that God is out to convert the people of the world, yet Jesus prophesied, (Mat.7:13) Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. (14) For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. Even though Jesus will “compel” many to come in, He didn't prophesy that great masses of humanity would be running into the Kingdom of Heaven over the course of time. Another theological problem for people is the classic question, “What about the heathens in deepest, darkest Africa? What is God going to do about them?” Well, we just saw that back in the days when God chose Israel and even all through the Old Testament, they were a small group of people compared to the rest of the world. If you had asked one of them that question, they would have replied, “What are you talking about? Don't you understand that God has chosen Israel?” And if you repeated your question, “Yes, but what about the heathens in the deepest, darkest Africa who have never heard about God?” They would have replied again, “Don't you understand? God has chosen Israel.” The Jews understood this. If you give people this answer today, they don't understand, but the Jews did understand because they were raised with the predestination doctrine. Now, I do have a couple of answers for this problem: one is election and the other is conscience. Let me point out that God said He was going to judge people according to their conscience, but first, I'd like to clarify something here. He's talking in this Scripture about Christians coming to God, as opposed to the Jews who were with God under the Law. And so He says, (Rom.2:15) In that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing [them]; (16) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. A person's conscience is either going to accuse or excuse them. We know this text is talking about Christians because they are the only ones “who show the work of the Law written in their hearts.” But the rest of the world is going to be judged according to conscience, too, and conscience won't put any of us in Heaven. Jesus said, (Mat.24:37) And as [were] the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. If God did the same thing He did in the days of Noah, some would find grace and the rest would find justice. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). He was elect; he found grace and the rest found justice. God did no wrong for the rest had defiled their conscience they were born with. Remember what Jesus spoke in the Parable of the Husbandman, who went out at different hours and hired people to work in his vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). The people who were hired last worked for only one hour, while the rest of them worked through the heat of the day. When it came time to pay the people, the husbandman called the last first and paid them a shilling and then He paid everyone else a shilling. But those who were hired first were unhappy. (Mat.20:11) And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, (12) saying, These last have spent [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. (13) But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? (14) Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. (15) Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? That's the Lord's reasoning. God is never going to do less than justice, and in fact, God is almost always merciful. He doesn't have to be merciful, but at the least, He's always going to do justice. We've received God's grace, but we don't deserve it; it's a gift of God. When God judges, the world will receive righteous judgment (Acts 17:31), but true Christians will receive grace. Praise the Lord! So the answer to “What about the heathen in deepest, darkest Africa?” is that the heathen in Africa are going to be judged according to their conscience. Their conscience will either condemn them or excuse them. Everyone in the world has a conscience, but for some, their conscience has condemned them until it became quiet and just gave up condemning them. Their conscience finally became hardened, you see, because they rebelled against it. God has chosen the few and He's always chosen the weak among men in the next two verses. (1Co.1:25) Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (26) For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: So we see that God is clearly speaking of calling weak men. Then the translators, who probably didn't consider themselves weak and foolish, added things in the text over and over in the next three verses, which they italicized, showing it was not in the original text. Clearly, God is not speaking of things but MEN. So when we read them without things but with minor corrections from the Numeric Pattern, the text fits together and makes sense. (27) But God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things strong; (28) and the base things of the world, and the things despised, did God choose, [yea] and them things that are not, that he might bring to nought those things that are: (29) that no flesh should glory before God. Clearly, He chose weak and the base men so no one can brag. He wants to prove His power to save. He has always chosen small and weak Israel. Even in the New Testament, spiritual Israel, those who are after the same faith as Abraham, is still the only one who is chosen. (Psa.147:19) He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. (20) He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. Not showing the nations His ordinances and statutes in the Old Testament is the equivalent of not giving someone “ears to hear” the Gospel in the New Testament. Jesus told the Jews in (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him... And (37) All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. God is not wrong by giving mercy to some and reaching out with the good news to bring them into the ark, no more than He was wrong when He brought those few into the ark in Noah's day. God is not wrong. And in many cases, God does not open the ears of people and He hardens hearts, and He hides things from “the wise and capable.” (Isa.45:15) Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. You may ask, “What's His method of hiding things?” Well, the devil is one. (2Co.4:3) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: (4) in whom the god of this world (The devil is the god of this world because the world copies and thus worships him.) hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]. The devil has permission to do this. Also, (Mat.11:25) At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding (This is speaking of the Pharisees, Sadducees and their students.), and didst reveal them unto babes: (26) yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. (27) All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him]. So it pleased the Father to hide some things, and in this text, He talks about hiding them even from religious people. There truly is a supernatural blindness on people. You've probably seen it when you try very simply to share the Gospel or a revelation from God with people, but somehow they just can't see it. And you look upon them almost in awe, wondering, “Why can't they see it? It's so simple.” Of course, it's simple to you because you have a gift they don't have. You have the gift of hearing.

SCRIPTURE- 1 Peter 1:14-16"Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct for it is written, “Be holy because I [am] holy.”REFLECTION- CherylMUSIC- Love Devine All Loves ExcellingNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Psalm 139 is well known, often quoted, and emblazoned on Christian art in many forms. Listen intently to verses 16-18:You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!Do you ever think that God has you on His mind? Because you are His child and He loves you, just as your children are on your mind because you love them? It's true. His Word says so.With this in mind listen again to the passageYou saw me before I was born. … Every day of my life was recorded in your book. … Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. … How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. … They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!The psalmist states that God's thoughts about you are precious…they are good thoughts…they are loving thoughts…and there are so many that they cannot be numbered. We can't even count them.What situation in your life do you feel like God isn't aware of, like He isn't seeing how much it affects you?Can you accept that He sees all, and loves all of you and all that you are about… or are facing?Will we trust Him?Let's pray together: “Heavenly Father, in our culture we hear “God loves you” more like a greeting card sentiment than a truth. But that's just not fair. You love me. You love me as Your child. Help me to take that truth in deeper. Help me to think like someone You love. As above, so below.”

We All Are Filled with Something. The Jesus Follower is Filled with the Holy Spirit! MESSAGE SUMMARY: If you believe that Christianity is just a bunch of rules and laws for you (all of which you cannot keep!), then you really do not know what Christianity is all about. Jesus Followers are filled with the Holy Spirit. All of us are filled with something. With what are you filled? The Apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 4:5-6, admonishes you to be faithful to the Gospel and to live in the Spirit like God: “but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.". Some people are filled with the world or the devil or alcohol or drugs or materialism or their jobs or just themselves. You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As you walk with the Holy Spirit, Paul instructs in Ephesians 5:15-17 to make wise use of our limited time on earth and to seek God's will through the Holy Spirit: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.". Come Holy Spirit; fill us with your presence and power. Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? If not, why not?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.         Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 5:15-21; Acts 2:1-4; 1 Peter 4:1-6; Psalms 34a: 1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “It's About Time: Part 1 – Rebuilding Emotional Reserves”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

SCRIPTURE- Isaiah 41:10"Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."REFLECTION- Fr. CarlMUSIC- "Love Divine All Love's Excelling" Instrumental- "Prayer of St. Francis" by The O'Neill Brothers GroupNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

Psalm 51:1-17Have mercy on me, O God,    according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercy    blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,    and cleanse me from my sin!3 For I know my transgressions,    and my sin is ever before me.4 Against you, you only, have I sinned    and done what is evil in your sight,so that you may be justified in your words    and blameless in your judgment.5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,    and in sin did my mother conceive me.6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness;    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.9 Hide your face from my sins,    and blot out all my iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,    and renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from your presence,    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and uphold me with a willing spirit.13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,    and sinners will return to you.14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,    O God of my salvation,    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.15 O Lord, open my lips,    and my mouth will declare your praise.16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;     a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Introduction: Revival & Repentance  The Context of Psalm 51: Sin Exposed by Grace (II Samuel 11, 12) Repentance Begins with Appealing to God's Mercy (Psalm 51:1–2)Repentance Tells the Truth About Sin (Psalm 51:3–6)Repentance Seeks Inner Transformation, Not External Repair (Psalm 51:7–12)Repentance Produces Restored Joy and Witness (Psalm 51:12–15)Repentance Brings The Sacrifice God Desires (Psalm 51:16–17)Conclusion: A Call to Repentance 

Psalm 85 Lord, you were favorable to your land;    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;    you covered all their sin. Selah3 You withdrew all your wrath;    you turned from your hot anger.4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,    and put away your indignation toward us!5 Will you be angry with us forever?    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?6 Will you not revive us again,    that your people may rejoice in you?7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,    and grant us your salvation.8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;    but let them not turn back to folly.9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,    that glory may dwell in our land.10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;    righteousness and peace kiss each other.11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,    and righteousness looks down from the sky.12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,    and our land will yield its increase.13 Righteousness will go before him    and make his footsteps a way. Introduction: From Prayer to Posture (vv.8-13) Revival Now Requires a Listening People (v8) Revival Now Means God Draws Near (v. 9)Revival Now Is Centered on Christ (vv. 10–11)Revival Now Bears Lasting Fruit (vv. 12–13)Conclusion: Revival Now! 

Why does real change feel so difficult—even when our intentions are good? In this sermon, Matthew Balentine reflects on Psalm 51 and David's prayer for renewal after failure. Rather than focusing on surface-level behavior or temporary fixes, this message calls listeners to examine the heart—the place where lasting transformation begins. Through David's confession, surrender, and plea for restoration, we are reminded that God does not simply manage our symptoms; He creates something new within us. This episode explores the danger of relying on success instead of surrender, the weight of unconfessed sin, and the joy that returns when the heart is made clean. If you've ever felt spiritually stuck, weary of self-improvement, or longing for deeper joy in your walk with God, this sermon invites you to pray the words David prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

Dealing with Depression: Finding Hope and Victory in the God of All Comfort    Depression is a profound heaviness of soul that the Scriptures describe with raw honesty. The Bible does not employ our modern clinical term, but it portrays the experience vividly: the spirit overwhelmed, the heart cast down, the bones troubled, the soul in despair, even the wish that life would end. Yet the same Word that records this darkness repeatedly declares that God draws near to the brokenhearted, that He is the lifter of the head, that His comfort abounds in affliction, and that joy comes in the morning. Throughout Scripture we see God's choicest servants pass through seasons of deep discouragement. Their stories are recorded not to magnify their weakness but to display God's faithfulness in the lowest places. By examining these lives, and by listening carefully to the voice of God in His Word, we discover divine principles for enduring and overcoming depression from a thoroughly biblical standpoint. I. Elijah: Despair After Victory The prophet Elijah stands as one of the clearest examples. In 1 Kings 18 he experienced one of the greatest public triumphs in redemptive history—fire falling from heaven on Mount Carmel, the prophets of Baal defeated, the people confessing that the Lord is God, and rain ending a three-and-a-half-year drought. Yet in chapter 19, a single threat from Jezebel sends him fleeing in fear and exhaustion. Hear the Word of the Lord in 1 Kings 19:3-4 (KJV): “And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” Elijah, the man who had just called down fire, now prays for death. He feels his labor has been in vain, that he is no better than his fathers, that everything is “enough.” This is the language of depression: exhaustion, hopelessness, isolation, and suicidal ideation. But observe God's tender response. Verses 5-8: “And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” God does not begin with rebuke. He begins with physical care—sleep, food, water—twice. The angel acknowledges the reality of Elijah's limitation: “the journey is too great for thee.” God remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). When Elijah reaches Horeb, he repeats his complaint in verses 9-10: “And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” Depression distorts perspective. Elijah believes he is utterly alone. God gently corrects him in verse 18: “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” Then God gives Elijah new work and a successor. God meets Elijah in his depression with physical provision, truthful perspective, renewed purpose, and the quiet whisper of His presence (verses 11-13). II. Job: Prolonged Suffering and Overwhelming Grief Few stories portray sustained depression more graphically than Job's. A righteous man suddenly stripped of wealth, children, and health, Job sits in ashes, scraping his sores, wishing he had never been born. Job 3:1-3, 11-13, 20-26 (KJV): “After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. And Job spake, and said, Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived… Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest… Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures; Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble cometh.” Job's anguish is physical, emotional, and spiritual. He cannot eat without sighing; anxiety and dread consume him. His friends' misguided counsel only deepens the wound. Yet through forty-two chapters God allows Job to pour out every complaint. God does not silence him. Finally, in chapters 38–41, the Lord speaks—not with easy answers, but with a revelation of His sovereign wisdom and power. Job's response in 42:5-6: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Seeing God afresh brings repentance, humility, and eventual restoration. Job's depression lifts not when circumstances immediately improve, but when he encounters the majesty and goodness of God in a deeper way. III. David: The Psalms of the Cast-Down Soul No biblical figure gives us more transparent language for depression than David. The Psalms are filled with his cries from the depths. Psalm 42:1-11 (KJV): “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Notice David's pattern: honest lament (“my tears have been my meat,” “all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me”), self-exhortation (“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? … hope thou in God”), remembrance of God's past faithfulness, and confident expectation of future praise. Psalm 43 continues the same theme, ending with the identical refrain. Psalm 77 shows Asaph following the same path—remembering God's mighty deeds until hope revives. Psalm 88 is perhaps the darkest psalm, ending without explicit resolution on earth, yet still addressed to “LORD God of my salvation.” Even unresolved sorrow is brought to God. IV. Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet Jeremiah's ministry spanned decades of rejection and judgment upon Judah. He is called “the weeping prophet” for good reason. Lamentations 3:1-20 (selected verses, KJV): “I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light… He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer… He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood… And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.” Jeremiah feels God has become his enemy, that prayer is blocked, that hope has perished. Yet in the very center of Lamentations comes one of the most hope-filled passages in Scripture, verses 21-26: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” Jeremiah preaches to himself the truth of God's character. Remembering God's steadfast love and faithfulness becomes the turning point. V. Other Examples: Moses, Hannah, Jonah, Paul Moses, burdened with leading a complaining people, cries in Numbers 11:11-15 (KJV): “And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? … I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.” God responds by sharing the burden with seventy elders and providing meat—practical help and companionship. Hannah, barren and provoked, is “in bitterness of soul” (1 Samuel 1:10). She pours out her soul before the Lord, and though her circumstances do not change immediately, “her countenance was no more sad” (1:18) after entrusting her grief to God. Jonah, angry at God's mercy to Nineveh, prays in Jonah 4:3 (KJV): “Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” God patiently teaches him through a plant, a worm, and a wind. Even the apostle Paul knew despair. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (KJV): “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” Paul's despair drove him deeper into dependence upon the God who raises the dead. VI. The Lord Jesus: Sorrow Without Sin Our Savior Himself entered into sorrow. In Gethsemane, Matthew 26:38 (KJV): “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” He sweat as it were great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Yet He submitted: “not my will, but thine, be done.” Hebrews 5:7 speaks of His “strong crying and tears.” Christ identifies with our weakness and intercedes for us as One touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). VII. God's Promises of Comfort and Deliverance The Scriptures abound with assurances: Psalm 34:17-19 (KJV): “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Isaiah 41:10 (KJV): “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV): “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Psalm 30:5 (KJV): “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” VIII. How Believers Today Can Deal with Depression and Gain Victory from a Biblical Standpoint The examples and promises above yield clear, scriptural pathways for fighting depression today: Bring every feeling honestly before God. The Psalms model unfiltered lament. Do not hide your despair; pour it out. God invites it and can handle it. Preach truth to yourself. Like David and Jeremiah, recall God's character, past faithfulness, and unchanging promises. Speak Scripture aloud when feelings contradict truth. Care for the body God gave you. Elijah's story reminds us that exhaustion, hunger, and isolation exacerbate depression. Sleep, nourishment, exercise, and medical care when needed are acts of stewardship, not lack of faith. Seek godly community. Elijah felt alone, but was not. Isolation feeds depression; fellowship counters it. Confess faults, bear burdens, receive prayer (James 5:16; Galatians 6:2). Fix your eyes on Christ. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Our light affliction works an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). The gospel assures us that nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:38-39). Wait upon the Lord with hope. Seasons of darkness do not last forever. “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Victory is not always immediate deliverance from the feeling of depression, but it is certain triumph through union with Christ. Even if the night lingers, the Morning Star has risen in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19). One day He will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). Until then, we walk by faith, anchored in the God who has never forsaken His own. The same God who sustained Elijah under the juniper tree, lifted Job from the ash heap, turned David's mourning into dancing, and carried Jeremiah through the furnace is your God. He is faithful. Hope in Him, and you shall yet praise Him, who is the health of your countenance and your God.

SCRIPTURE- 1 John 5:11-12"And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life."REFLECTION- SarahMUSIC- O Holy Night by Tommee Profitt featuring Tauren Wells and SVRCINANOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

SCRIPTURE- Proverbs 22:9-10"The generous will be blessed, for they share their food with the poor."REFLECTION- GaryMUSIC- "Do You Hear What I Hear" by Van Vogal Ensemble- "Come to the Water" InstrumentalNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body and refocus your mind to experience the reality of God's presence. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination.  Psalm 16:1-2 ESV 1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.

SCRIPTURE- 1 John 4:16"We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world."REFLECTION- JenMUSIC- "Come Thou Almighty King" From Catholic Hymns - Guitar Music- "What Child is This?" by The Piano GuysNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

SCRIPTURE- Mark 6:34"When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."REFLECTION- Fr. JasonMUSIC- "We Three Kings" by Danny Byram- "Shepherd Me, O God" by Relaxing Guitar GroupNOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.

PASSAGE- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Collected Writings, Vol. 1, p 335"I am satisfied to sow in tears if I may reap in joy.”REFLECTION- Sr. CarolMUSIC- NOTES-PRAYER OF LETTING GOTo You do I belong, O God, into Your hands I surrender my life. Pour out Your Spirit upon me that I may love You perfectly, and serve You faithfully until my soul rests in You.